Harvesting the corn

The corn in the field next to our house is being harvested.  There is a really big harvester and then it puts all the kernel of corn into a huge bin which a tractor drags away, the kernels are all dry and bright yellow or orange, they will be used to feed animals.  The left over corn stalks are then plower back into the ground.  we had a huge storm a few nights ago with lightening and lots of rain, the next day you could see the corn was all damaged but the wine crops hadn't been touched - because the corn protects the grapes.  The grapes will be harvested next - in the next week I think.

The Maskeret

We went to see this really cool event on the Dordogne River, it only happens two or three times a year, the river is normally flat but when the moon and tides are right, waves travel up the river and the local people surf them.  the river is gross and muddy and brown but they dont care, they have surf boards and paddle boards and they ride the waves.  It was so cool, the river was really flat one minute then all of a sudden all these surfers appeared!!

the Butterfly farm

We went to see a butterfly (papillon) farm.  It was really hot inside for the butterflies and they were very friendly, if you stood still they would land on you, a few landed on  me.  They were very colourful and pretty.  There were moths as well and cocoons full of butterflies waiting to hatch.  We got to see them from caterpillars right through to butterflies.  When we left we had to check there were no butterflies on us before we went through the door.

Monet's garden

We went to visit Monet's garden in Giverny.  Monet was a famous french painter, he had a huge garden which he painted, including a really big lily pond which is in his most famous paintings.  It was really cool.  The house he lived in has been kept just like when he lived there, the kitchen was huge and the bedrooms upstairs looked over the garden.  We weren't allowed to take photos inside.  it was really interesting to see how people lived back then.  There were copies of all his paintings in his studio some of them were very good.

Our House in France

These are pictures of the house we are living in.  It is in a town called Lavangnac which is on the Dordogne River near Bordeaux in the South West of France.  The house is very old and has fig trees and apple trees and walnut trees, we pick and eat the fruit and make jam.  It is surrounded by grape vines to make red wine and corn fields.  The corn has been left to protect the grapes from wind and rain, once it is harvested it will be used for animal food and to make corn flour.  it is not any good to eat any more.  The house was a bit scary at first because it is so old, but now I like it.