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FRANCE - April - May 2009
Travel down through this area of France in April and May and you will see a patchwork of apple and pear and cherry orchards with pink and white blossom ,also fields of bright yellow rape, buttercups and more. The hedgerows also are white with hawthorn blossom, or yellow with gorse and broom, whilst on the ground primroses, bluebells and many more flowers catch the eye.
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Flowering cherry in the gardens and along some roads, azaleas and pansies - along with the last of the daffodils and tulips - lilac, and the start of the geraniums and many other colourful plants, brighten the streets.
| Walls were covered with
mauve and red aubretia, blue campanula was just starting
to blossom and wisteria hung over garden fences. The plant sellers at the market were doing a fine business, and many of the local nurseries had " Open days ". Ambrières les Vallées is justifiably called a " Ville Fleurie ". |
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Some time was spent in the garden. The grass was cut and borders weeded ( again ! ) . The Judas Tree, now about nine feet tall was in bloom, the pear and cherry trees were full of blossom and the vine was looking promising. Strawberry flowers were starting to show. Let's hope for a better final crop than last year. |
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Inside ... after some 5 years, there is now a door to the upstairs bedroom. It will be stained, and finished with a latch handle, on my next visit. Downstairs a start was made on a fireplace to the main room. Neighbours kindly provided some stones to build the surround.
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I also had a good tidy up, and mounted some small picture frames ready for new family pictures. |
The yellow rose on the west wall was starting to show the first blooms, whilst nearby, contrasting white and red hawthorn provided yet another splash of colour along the road.
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A trip to historic Domfront was well worthwhile. The view over the countryside from the Panoramique was quite something. A quick call into the Tourist Office, located nearby, provided a free guide to the interesting buildings of the old town, and area. The unusual Church is currently undergoing restoration. A good area for photographs.
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