Wednesday 11 November 2015

Armistice Day with rosebuds, primroses, globe thistles and this winter's hellebore all flowering

Today, Wednesday 11 November 2015, is Armistice Day in France and it is a bank holiday.  All our local shops are closed, apart from half-day opening at the boulangerie and the supermarket, but some of the larger supermarkets are open as they have recently started to do on other bank holidays.  All cities,  towns and villages hold a ceremony at their war memorial, much like the ceremonies I used to attend in Langley Park in Co Durham.

The format of the ceremony here is similar, but much better respected and attended.  There's the familiar parade - from the Mairie (Town Hall or Council Offices) with the Mayor, councillors and other officials, also our local Pompiers (firefighters) including about 16 young firefighters.

One of the councillors reads out all the names that are on the memorial and after every five or so, another official says 'Morts pour la France' (Died for France).  In the First World War 238 men from the commune were killed during the conflict or as a result of their wounds.  This was out of a population of about 3,000.  As in lots of small villages, especially here in rural France, it was noticeable how many families were affected - some with four or five men lost.  

One of the young pompiers, a teenage girl, had been chosen to read out the official government letter which is always sent on this occasion.  The Mayor then made a thoughtful compassionate speech as he has in previous years, detailing the devastating effect that the First World War had on whole families and the futility of it all.

Wreaths are laid and there is the lowering and raising of the banners/standards with the bugle accompaniment.  After the official ceremony some local English residents place poppies around the memorial.  

The ceremony is always followed by 'un pot d'amitié', literally a drink of friendship, in the Salle des Fetes, to which everyone is invited, and most people attend.  During the month of November this year Chamberet is hosting a touring exhibition in our new mediatheque of hospitals that were set up in France, many of them by volunteers during 1914 -1918.  Everyone assembled in the mediatheque for a word from the Mayor about the exhibition, and as a doctor about the basic treatments that were available then for the most horrendous wounds and injuries.  Then the departmental archivist who is responsible for the exhibition which has been staged in and around Correze since 2014 gave some further information. Finally, everyone was invited to the pot d'amitié, with  drinks of rosé and Chamberet's own local cider and apple juice and nibbles.  

And a note on the weather - it is 11 November and the temperature was almost 20 degrees this morning and this afternoon! Correze has lots of all varieties of trees and the autumn colours this year have been stunning, possibly because of the long, hot summer.  In the garden now we have roses still flowering and in bud, primroses which have been flowering again for about two weeks, globe thistles the same, and the first of the white hellebores which normally flower from early December 'til March just starting to open.  Long may it continue!


© Marie Tyler 2015

Wednesday 29 July 2015

It's raining rain, hallelujah! First rain for weeks!

Last night we sat in the garden, under the dripping parasols, wearing rainjackets, jeans and even socks!  It was the first rain for about seven weeks, other than odd five-minute showers.

It made us think of all those camping trips - sitting, all wrapped up, inside the tent flap in the Lakes, Hawes or Northumberland, glass in hand,   looking out at the wet and not looking forward to waking up with damp clothes in the morning.

We were so pleased to see the rain  - never thought I'd say that! - but with temperatures often in the low 30s for days on end, and in the 20s during the night, it is a welcome change and relief. The gardens and fields are all parched and the water butts empty.  There are of course watering restrictions, and the farmers have had to dip into their winter  feed as there's no grass in the fields for the animals - mainly cows, Limousin, around here.

More storms forecast on and off for the next few days, so bring on the rain.  We don't want rain on Saturday though,  thank you very much, when we have a stall at our village Vide Grenier (car boot-type sale), or for Friday or Saturday evening when there are two free music and dance concerts with local folklorique dance groups and visiting troupes from Mexico and Belarusse.  
Back to 30s temperatures next week though when we'll all be complaining about la grande chaleur (the big heat!) again.



© Marie Tyler 2015