La Foire de Tarascon 2013.
Bon appétit monsieur!

Ahhhh!

Objets traditionnels!

Clochettes d'animaux.

Des Furets - ahhhh!

Fabrication de Fromage.

Setting up the stand.

Les musicians folkloriques.

There's still a dusting of snow along the ridge towards le Col de Port despite the current high temperatures.

This little beauty is enjoying basking in the sunshine.

I realise these photos of a couple of Egyptian vultures/vautures percnopters aren't very clear but they were quite far away!  The distinctive black band along the wings and lozange-shaped tail are clearly visible. 

The latest batch of hand dyed fabric turned out well.

Gorgeous colours and very pleasing textural marks.

These butterflies enjoyed today's warm sunshine.

I have been spending some time being creative since I arrived in the Ariege despite the lack of photographic evidence!
These shapes made from DesignMatters wonderful compressed sponge (currently available from the DM online store) will soon feature in a collection of quilted cushions, bags, hangings and throws.
Below is a work in progress using the moth and star shapes printed onto some of my latest batch of rusted fabric.
I've echo quilted by hand around the motifs using Madeira Lana for a bold mark, then used machine free motion quilting in a Madiera variegated cotton thread to flatten the background and finally used a bright pink Madeira rayon as a 'frame'  around the motifs at the same time as creating a visual link between the pinks.  I've used both Jacquard and Pébéo fabric paints.

I've just prepared some skeins from a hank of cotton bought in Pas de la Casa, Andorra.  These will go into a dye bath with lengths of fabric mañana.

I'm pleased to see the old Citroen van in Tarascon is still going strong!

It looks like these young lizards are dancing in the sunshine.

Lovely layers of colour!

 I make no apologies for yet another seedhead photo!
 The fewer the seeds, the more transparent and detailed they look. 

Yesterday we drove to Col de Port and walked up to Le Pic d'Estebat.

Fresh strawberries at the peak was a refreshing reward - mmmmmm!

Looking south towards Tarascon.

Looking west towards the central Pyrenees.

There's still snow on the mountainsides but the spring flowers are making a colourful show.

 Elsa the lovely lurcher had a great time running rings around us in the snow and looks quite relaxed at the top of the mountain in her unusual pose!

Today's bright sunshine and gentle breeze made the spring trees and shrubs look very fresh and colourful against the gorgeous blue sky. 

This colourful Judas Tree/Cercis Siliquastrum has very a strange but beautiful growing habit - as seen below!

The colour of the river in the background looks quite murky compared to the fresh green of these new leaves.

The humble dandelion/pis en lit(!) is very beautiful in full bloom, above, and in its stunning seedhead form below!  

Above - a pair of pretty little goldfinches/chardonnerets élégants enjoying a bathe in the stream.

 Below - soaring high above them one of a pair of magnificent osprey/balbuzard pecheur.  An amazing sight when they hover - just like kestrels but much bigger!