Where are the flames of June?

Still a few weeks before midsummer,  and, still the woodburner brings warmth and cheerful light to a room indoors.
Rain......  media tells us of inondations in Paris... but equally here across the border... and even my own village the Rivers have risen and flooded roads, tracks, fields, houses, camping sites and more...
The River Anglin rose to a level flooding houses... and across the border, set back from the riverside chalets were awash with river water!  Le Gartempe burst its banks.

PHOTOS LATER

A walk

Saturday 8 August 2015
This was an extension of a walk I know up to The Witches Rock, Le Roc a Midi, return to the footpath, turn right towards the road. Turn right instead of left at the road.  At the stone crucifix we did not choose left or right but headed straight on over the field to the water's edge to proceed left with no pedestrian track. Without maps, I realised we were walking on the opposite side of the river to the original site of the sculptural 'roc auc sorciers'.  It was difficult to identify Doux through the trees but interesting to see from this side. We came to the Confluence of the Gartempe and Anglin rivers. 
I wished to walk further along the river but was unsettled by the proximity of a road with fast flowing traffic.  I was confident of the direction of the village but the sun was hidden.  With woodland to traverse, we crossed the field to the track.  No cattle in the fields!  Then we walked parallel to the river returning to the stone crucifix but instead of turning right to retrace our steps we headed straight on. This follows the curve of the river to "Le Moulin de Remerle".  I vaguely remember being on this side of the river a decade ago having walked to this point exactly by the water's edge from the bridge.
At home, studying the map, I understood my disorientation because the River Anglin meanders, forming a loop, before it meets the waters that it flows into.
It was an enjoyable few hours mostly held without discussion between two people. I love walking alone. I love company. This was a happy balance.
How annoying! I just wrote an elegant phrasal expression about reflections as to what I have learned and it has become deleted because I pressed the wrong button after I'd made it italic !  gggrrrrr! Maybe just as well!

without zoom

This plant has holly type leaves.. I know not its name.

This artform 'sculpture' worthy of any title by Richard Long, might have been made by a beaver or a coypu but as it was so symmetrically curved that maybe it was carved by a person.  Behind it is the tree that it came from or another felled by wind or man! I very much liked this natural artistic installation!

 The confluence of two rivers.

The River Anglin meets La Gartempe

Across the other side of the river, low at this time of year, is a place where I often stand after walking along the D6, down The American Way to the water's edge, then along the track to the Moulin de Remerle, a place where kingfishers play!

Keep to the riverbank and one arrives at the 14th century Hosannah Cross in the cemetery.

At the bridge we wondered what was best to do after an almost two hour walk. Pancakes at home! Given the hour we had an earlyish supper: cold lamb and leftover salad vegetables, oat biscuits and runny cheese, pancake with apricot conserve that couldn't achieve the temperature to make jam! Coffee after wine. I felt relaxed at last. Tensions had been displaced for another while. A rest day had ensued.
The morning had been entertaining two guests who we met the previous Friday evening. It is unusual for me to a) sit at anyone else's table... I only did so as we were departing to help translate the mystifying APERTIVO menu...and felt rapport!  hence b) I invited them to morning coffee at 24 at 10h30 but they came an hour earlier bearing croissants and stayed for coffee and tea leaving at well after noon.   Nice people, but I wish that someone would not dismiss one of the couple with thoughts about their faults and social weaknesses whilst praising the other half of the couple! None of us are perfect.     I know it is something I learned to do from him or others and have been trying to shed such negativity.   In my opinion, it is better to try to see beyond any niggles we might have about for example  how much anyone else talks or if they have what might be what was described as an irritating habit of smiling a lot!

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...

Broken willow tree

Evening spring warmth and light
brings me to the risen river
swollen with clear rushing water.

Purple violets here and there
raise their heads to feel the air
church tower ding dongs the hour.

Here I sit near broken willow
stood majestically tall six long winters ago
where I sat with a Lover for a Christmas dinner in snow.

Our barbecue winter four course meals, whatever the weather
unfashionable, until others as mad as us, announced it 'de rigeur.'
Then it was, that willowy tendril garlands decorated our day to tumble on us there.

Willowy strands reminded us, kept us in touch
with the geographical history of man
but Nature does not stay;
willowy tendrils like love can be broken
as all things pass,
whilst the River and Water of Life flows on and on
carrying flotsam and jetsam.

Walking on
found jazz on a 2cv.
A party.
A glass of white wine and company.
Society.
I am alive.
Like willow I can regrow.

This winter broken

with still an eye to view

the barque

the chateau

the church

Thank you willow tree.

River Mirror