Photos of the Spring garden

I went to the physio this morning and he felt the muscles in my upper right arm and looked at me rather speculatively. Thank heavens our French/English exchanges are fairly limited so I didn't have to explain that I had spent much of the weekend wielding a pickaxe and a shovel. Instead we discussed his art and an upcoming book fair and exhibition in Palavas and then went on to work out the various tenses of "We will go", "We have been" and "We are going". I fear that my French lessons are going to expire at the same time as my physio sessions, and they have all been so sweet and helpful and I shall miss them.

I had an extraordinary email yesterday from an American who is currently in Lesotho and who is doing a PhD on people who lived in ex colonies in Africa. He was interested in reading my autobiography "Cannibals to Croissants" and asked where I had got my information from. I had to point out that I had actually "lived" the book long before I wrote it, but that I had also gained access to the old Club records dating back to 1946. From those I have drawn plenty of amusing anecdotes that have been used in my novel "On Which The Sun Has Set". It did occur to me that this young man clearly viewed my experiences as in some way historical. Meantime, I view a great many of them as hysterical apart from the few times when things weren't all that funny.

I wrote a limerick for the American Women's Group St Patrick's Day party which you might enjoy reading. I forgot to take it with me, so here it is - better late than never!

The last time that I saw St Drezery
I said to myself "I am desole,
There is really no chance
That we'll wind up in France"
But instead, we are here on St Patricks Day.

It was Terri to whom goes our thanks
It was she who said "Come join our ranks,
We are keen, we are funny
It won't cost much money
So here we are - honorary Yanks!

We have lived in the States for five years
Made good friends and had very few fears.
Just a couple of blows
From some ladies we know
Called Katrina and Wilma - such dears!

But now we're in France and that's great
And we know that it isn't too late
To make some new friends
And to learn some new trends
Thanks for having us - From Jean and from Kate.





The front garden comes back to life


Looking up the driveway lined with daffs and hyacinths



The forsythia is lovely this year but needs a haircut




Some of my birthday plants in the courtyard plus a wonderful gift of assorted herbs. Now I can make my own horseradish sauce!