Yesterday I took a stroll through my village soaking up all the warmth and balm of those last days of summer. I was with my camera and just took in what I saw, the magic of every day life.

It is raining now outside and already the shift is palpable, our cats are lounging inside on the sofa and getting a little extra hungry to build up that nice little fluffy winter tummy. Also this weekend we’ll bring in the firewood and very soon we’ll light the fire in the stove in the kitchen to keep the clammy morning chill away. The neighbours also talked of cepes and champignons that soon will pop out their heads in meadow and forest, and I’m thinking of rich fried cepes and cream on toast, tomato soup with the last garden tomatoes and deep red burgundy taking rosé’s stead. Alas no recipe from me today, yet I hope you’ll like my little photo diary.

The first photograph is of the entrance to our courtyard, it’s facing north and I love it because it stays mossy and green all through high summer. The cat is the neighbour’s cat and we call it Javel de Jonvelle, rather unceremoniously, because it looks a bit as if someone tried to bleach The New Cat, our own calico. She’s such a cutie and rather shy. Her real name is much more poetic, of course. There’s still a fair lot of abandoned places around here though less every year. Sometimes all that’s left is a front wall with nothing but the sun behind empty windows. It has its charm too, especially in the blue hour. The dog belongs to my friend who lives in the next village but she often visits us, he’s a general adorable nightmare and the funniest dog I’ve ever seen. Also we all think he’s a little too much sausage but he’s such a foodie, he grew up on the rough and food and a respectable circumference are quintessential for him. And he still outruns the big dogs, so he’s ok I guess. The last photograph is the entrance to the guesthouse. We let the greenery grow a little wild this year but I like it because it’s lively and fresh. The yellow flowers shine morning and evening, while the flowers are closed throughout the day. It looks beautiful and I’ve never seen a specimen grow as big as this one.