Ian in the cathedral in Albi

 The statue couldn't make eye contact after seeing Ian's abs.

Janie, Albi

 Like most southern French cities, Albi has wonderful light.

Shop window, Albi

 

Donald, Albi

 This has to be his name, and his best side.

Small railing, Albi

 

Large pot, Albi

 

Courtyard, Albi

 

Two more views of the Albi cathedral

 

Cathedral, Albi

 A magnificent structure inside and out. Said to be the largest brick structure in the world. Takes the light beautifully.

The Auberge du Presbytere opened last week.

 They started with a man, who could free climb on walls, wooing women women on three different buildings before being carried by eight of them and put on the fountain, where he scattered rose petals all about. Then wonderful dishes such a crudities and dips along with a red and a white wine punch. 

On the A9 coming back from Albi.

We had a lovely stay in Albi with its giant brick cathedral and Toulouse-Lautrec museum with over 50 of his works. Good food and a great hotel L'Alchimi
 

Looking down Rue de bourget to the Northeast

 

Tools, Rue de Bourget

They have been replacing the pipes for our street for the last few months. We have been here for the finish.  The street has gone from a mix of concrete and asphalt to a slippery layer of dirt and stones. It is now on the way back. Today they secured all of the pipes and filed in around them. They removed then recemented these large rocks in front of our housed are now filling in and grading the street. We have been told by our engineers neighbor, Jean-Pierre, that within a few weeks we'll have a brand spanking new Rue de Bourget!
 

Mary and Fredo, Saignon

 

My first day back in Provence. We went to the Lourmarin market and I opted for two produce cliches, more to come.

 

Norfolk Island pine, Garden

 It took a bit of a hit in the freeze, but the green is reemerging.

Monsteras

 

Monsteras

 The end stage of the frozen leaves. Soon, compost.

Dock

 

Clyde's Banana post-freeze

 The same frost nailed all of the banana plants in the area. I love the look of folded paper. They will come back.

Monstera, garden,Holga

Sometimes the better lens isn't the best lens.
 

More azaleas, garden

 

Azaleas, garden

 

Japanese shadows, garden

 

Monstera leaves

They turned wonderful colors as they died.

 

Monstera leaves, post-freeze

We had a rare heavy frost here a few weeks ago. It got down to 22f -5.5c and knocked the garden into next week. For the first time in decades I feared that i might lose the Monstera. These leaves are in the first stages of frost burn. I lost every leaf on every plant This week the first green baby leaves appeared. Yay.

 

Sego leaves, garden

 

Shadows on my fridge

 

Magnolia, garden

 Beautiful light this afternoon and I used the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 35mm. Lovely lens. Thanks Kirk.

Desk chair, LR

 

Japanese shadows, garden

 

Redbuds, today

 The Redbud tree is a nice clean tree that has pretty leaves during the year. It is not spectacular...except in the Spring. Before even a hint of leaves appears the trunk and branches are covered with tiny purple flowers that remain for a week or so. The surest sign that Spring is on its way.

Monstera leaf, garden

 

White mums, Home

 

Afternoon shadows, Sunroom

 

Farmer's market last Friday

 

Frosty monsters

We had a deep and long frost last week and, as a result, the Monstera in the garden took quite a hit. Most of the leaves were done for. The main stem will survive fine and send up new leaves in a few weeks, so I cut these off as thy changed color.

 

Sage leaves in winter light

 

Dock shadows

 

Evening light

 

More sego leaves.

 

Kitchen window sill and bulldozer.

The land next door has been sold and the new owners are grading the land and removing some trees in preparation for construction. All the vegetation has gone and we have bright light on that side now.
 

Clyde's elephant ears

 We have had a few frosts lately and a couple of strong ones, 22f last night. They put a hurt on tropical plants. This one looks even worse today. But they come back once the weather warms up.