Fiona Alderman’s blogging from rural France: A Strange August in Salignac

A strange August in Salignac

tree of lifeThe Tree of Life

I have found this last month extremely difficult to understand. Where do I begin? I started to tell you that last month, with the lack of tourists
was worrying, but it has continued. I have never seen such a year and it has ben a real problem for everyone’s livelihood. However, I am a volunteer for an association called “Les Vieux Metiers” which has an annual fête on 3 Mondays in August. I went down to visit it and to help where needed. The first Monday was a complete wash out with heavy rain that the few visitors there were, bravely battled down past our house with a fast flowing river.

When the sun finally came out I went to see the Tree of Life which is a century old chestnut tree that has a winding staircase going up through the trunk to come out onto a viewing platform . The children love it, and easily scramble up the tight interior, but I have seen some rather large people having a bit of difficulty!

This tree is particularly strange, as the artist/sculptor who had the idea brought it from another part of France, put it on a concrete foundation and made a living memory of 100 years of Salignac. Tracing its history up its 100 steps with panels engraved on the sides and finally reaching the top to a marvellous view of the chateau of Salignac and its surrounding beautiful landscape. There are coloured plastic leaves sprouting from the top that signify the number of inhabitants in the village . I believe around 900 or so, around the time it was made in 1987. Unusual .
 

picture of youThe loom and the cigarette phenomenon.

First of all there was the cigarette. The French have a love affair with smoking it seems and when all the health risks continue they don’t care! However a wave of little bottles and strange sticks of varying colours have appeared in the local commerces. These electronic cigarettes cost a fortune and I am not too sure of the health benefits either? It almost looks like a designer accessory. I saw one elegant woman recently, her clothes matched entirely to her silver and grey cigarette holder.  Or was it the other way round? Our local tabac sells them like hot cakes and I am always amazed at the number of people who buy them. Out of all the thirty flavours I thought the champagne one sounded interesting? I have learnt a new French word because of it, “vapoter” has now become a word in the dictionaries. this is because of the lighting the crystals, which apparently become extremely hot, and the release of the fumes evaporating into the air . Sounds highly dangerous to me.

The same with this weird loom that you take the coloured plastic bands and weave your own dinky little bracelet or necklace? The genius who thought this one up has made a fortune. From young to old, I have seen them on everyone, excluding myself! I remember the craze years ago with beads and I did love threading them, but then I am of that generation I think. I still have some very pretty beads from Covent Garden in London, from 40 years ago, that I actually made a necklace with last year. I wonder if these crazy things will last as long?

 
frightening femalesFrightening females.

I found this photograph recently. It is of my great- grandmothers and I don’t know where or who took it, but I think they look rather fearsome! It reminds me of how I feel about French women. They can be quite terrifying to look at, with short cropped hair, glasses and a no nonsense manner.

I was recently at a doctor’s for a check up and saw a most formidable female. All droopy earrings,gold jewellery and designer clothes, the short hair cut  expensively done, plus wearing some rather startling green spectacles. I couldn’t take her photo but she is engraved on my memory. A doctor you say? Yes, in fact she is a heart specialist but she must be doing well!! I am thinking too of another French lady that I met about 12 years ago when she came to do one of my dance classes. Strict looking with a down to earth manner, I wondered how to cope, but she is one of my favourites here and we have become friends. Her manner is not what it seems and she has a heart of gold. Appearances can be deceiving.
 

last para froggiesThe legless froggies.

Well this photo sums up this month. I don’t know what to do but laugh! We saw this packet in the supermarket. Poor frogs. I think it is badly translated, surely it should be “frozen frogslegs” in plural? I just have an image of all these legless frogs! The weather too certainly matches that for these frogs, cold and raining and it is nearly the end of August. My word is STRANGE.
Well shall go and try and calm down and shall catch you next month.Vive L’Ecosse et Vive la France!
 
Fifi’s story from rural France. August 2014.
www.salignacfoundation.com

Fiona Alderman's blog. One September in Rural France
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This section: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France

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Avatar of PatByrne Publisher of Pat's Guide to Glasgow West End; the community guide to the West End of Glasgow. Fiction and non-fiction writer.

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