Spring has sprung here in SW France.
The temperatures are gradually climbing, the sun is more and more apparent, the birds are singing their hearts out, and Graham is learning new culinary skills to wow our weaving students this year!
Homemade marmalade is now gracing the breakfast table, alongside freshly baked homemade bread still hot from the oven. Croissants are still collected from the bakery in Nérac. Jams from our orchard will be appearing as the season unfolds.
Jonquils, narcissi and daffodils are all over the garden, and in the house, with their amazing scent.
The hens are enjoying their free-range rooting round the garden, turning over the leaves, finding the emerging grubs and, more importantly, laying fabulous tasting eggs in our tall cyprus tree.
Graham creates beautiful, nutritious homemade soups with local produce from the fabulous markets in Nérac, Lavardac, Condom and Mézin. And he has started making his brilliant pizzas again! He used to sell them in the WI (Women’s Institute) market in Leek, Staffordshire, so they have to be good because those ladies really know their dough!!
He’s also producing homemade sausages, although the meat is not home-reared. They are gorgeous! And they go well with his home-brewed, but professional-tasting beer which is gaining in notoriety and reputation in the area.
I have been weaving one final warp (yeah – right!) for the Tactile Tectonics exhibition coming up in Leek in just a couple of weeks. This warp is devoted to shibori – growth forms, cowls, wrist warmers and some art pieces for a future exhibition.
The weaving is almost finished, and the pulling up has started. 
The unwrapping after steaming and drying is always the fun bit!
Photos of the finished pieces to follow……
My weaving students are in for a fabulous time (see some of previous students’ comments here), both in weaving, and in hospitality, with great food, tasty local wines, and immersion into a lovely way of life in rural SW France! I’m looking forward to hosting this year’s first course here at The Loom Room at the end of April! Email me if you’d like to find out more….
Maybe we’ll have the opportunity to welcome you here to share our life in Gascony for a little while! I hope so!!
Happy Weaving!