Busy times

Well...as can be imagined things have been pretty busy around here and I actually haven't seen the days go by. It is great fun to think about Oscar...he will be coming home soon and maybe he will open his eyes for us. So far he only has eyes for his papa which I guess is pretty great!

This is a photo that just would not load on Oscar's birth day so I thought I would try it again here:

Love that birthday greeting hat! With Cousin Anna (who is not too sure whose birthday it is), Maya and Tata Pauline!!! An excited group on April 6th!

Yesterday afternoon when JC and I were driving home we spotted all sorts of mud clods on the road in front of us and we wondered what had just driven by to drop it all. When we came around the corner we realized what it was...we were in the midst of a "transhumance " of several hundred sheep being led up the road by a small truck and several well trained border collies! This made me think of the novel by Provençal writer Jean Giono called Transhumance which chronicles the long trip sheep and their shepherds take across fields and valleys to the mountain grazing lands in the spring and then back again before winter.

What a moment to see and to have my iphone tell me I could not take a picture!! I was furious and began deleting things as fast as possible. JC parked the car and I walked back to see the sheep streaming into a field of blooming dandelions and grass and I did get a few photos.

The border collies were amazing getting all the sheep in through a narrow gate.

Then the sheep herder said,"Allez! Rentrons à la maison" (lets go home) and the collies...there were four of them...raced over to the pick up and jumped in wagging their tails and barking happily. Then out to the field went a group of huge white dogs...I think either Pyrenees or Anatolian Sheep dogs...they are the guards of the sheep until the next movement of the flock.

When we passed by again later I saw the white dogs leap to their feet and encircle the sheep as they barked at us. I was impressed. I love dogs anyway and to see these dogs at work really made me feel good. Plus, the dogs are so happy to do their job and they take it seriously. (Sorry the photo is so blurry but it was evening and I had to hurry so the guard dog did not get too upset with me!!)

This morning when we passed by again it looked like the field had been mowed!! So many nibbling sheep. The dogs were having a snooze but as soon as we stopped the car they came to attention!

Today (Saturday) was La fête de la fraise in Carpentras so JC and I went over to centre ville to see what was there. There were strawberry stands all around the City Hall building and some of the vendors were wearing "strawberry suits" red jumpsuit and a jaunty red beret with green leaves. As you can see the Carpentrassiens are very proud of their strawberries of which there are many varieties.

We strolled from booth to booth and I took a variety of photos. It just smelled so delicious all over the square...just pretend you can smell that great strawberry perfume when you look at these photos.

It was a warm, sunny, windless day! Emmanuelle will have these tulips to see in the garden when she comes home this afternoon with young Oscar. So NICE to be home!