More watery reflections

An evening walk to a sax performance meant crossing the bridge and river.  Look up and down.

Water scum was like 'oil on water' prints that I learned when I as a junior girl, when in school we made hard binders as a book cover. For me it included poetry and recently it was again unearthed and again I believe I have kept it!  When I was a teacher I taught the technique at school.

A willow tree had fallen from a private garden and blocked the passage of flowing river. Oh weeping willow, let me cry for thee.

High above, majesty reigns in an evening of glory. Look at the curved and rounded corner on the left.  Has anyone ever seen that before and if so, where????

The church tower can be seen from the bridge.

The vestiges of a chateau residence on a rocky falaise calls one back to stand and stare in awe at HISTORY.

Midsummer evening was a splendid view of blue blue sky...

Chateau de Touffeau

On the Sunday of the Open Gardens Weekend we drove to Chateau de Touffeau, at Bonnes, a 12th century castle converted to a nobleman's mansion, owned by a relative of Chateau de la Brosse, where we paid entry for the chateau but the gardens were free.
We didn't realise it was a guided tour of the house. Yes, we followed the Madame but we thought the group was a private one. So we'd missed the beginning because we had wandered into the garden.  Trying to locate the group I opened an exterior door, which was clearly to private residency, and quickly closed it when a fierce daschund barked at the closing door!  Woops! Later, we asked for a refund as we could not locate the group.   I hope to go back a different day!
Another reason we did not join the group was because we were startled when purchasing tickets. The woman was aggressively formidable,  telling us in imperfect English that commerce had to be conducted only in French, not in English.  I didn't understand that she was talking about the guided tour! I thought she was telling us to speak French which we did, when we bought our ticket after they had started to speak to us in English!  All very confusing!  Later still, I realised the female cashier was in a hurry and LATE for starting the guided tour.  We'd coincided with her handing over the reins  to a chap and she seemed stressed telling him what to record in a book when he sold each ticket.  Lots of columns to tick!!!
For the uninitiated, the guided visit starts one hour after opening time in the morning and the same in the afternoon.  I guess the guided visit is 60 minutes at least. It would be helpful if it declared this on the literature! So many people had been waiting a long time!
The gardens were interesting and once much larger than they are now.  It must cost a fortune to maintain but some were inaccessible.  The chateau is or has been used for wedding or conferencing venues, hence the pool in the garden and inaccessible stable buildings.
ALSO in that region are some Limousin beef farms selling meat so I must investigate with someone else in order to do a shared purchase. 
Here is Sunday lunch, then the chateau pics:

Roast Goat ribs, veggie rice, roasted red peppers in scorching garden heat...

 with le son de vignoble glasses filled with Chardonnay...

Is the entrance Italianate?  The side gates seem akin to Renaissance Romeo and Juliet!

The plan...

A tower...

The Gardens...

I want one like these!

Magnolia trees by the pool...

Old and newer chimney pots

Two lions stand guard

Thank you for the visit!

Chateau de la Brosse

We arrived on bicycles and wandered round the chateau in a clockwise direction.

Then to the garden having already spoken to the new proprietor, an American  who fluent in French bought the house from his deceased English friend's brother.  Chickens and geese were in a fine pouallerie.

 Tomatoes.

 Strips of land being ploughed.

 Vines.

 Kiwi plantation.

There were several strips of raised beds or bordered beds with one crop in each.
Their website will explain all as I didn't quite understand the concept when it was discussed.

 A strange little opening in one wall of the chateau.

 A tall thin door nearby.

 Barns and buidings in which was a tea shop.

 Is this an unusual architectural structural joint?

 We cycled away for a distant view from a privet hedge where brown butterflies gathered.

We had to walk home as we foolishly cycled down very grassy tracks which were not really for randonnée or cycling.  The grasses caught in the gears causing damage  - now three cycles need attention!

 A lovely hot hot hot afternoon!