April 22, 2007

Sunday, April 22, 2007 

 

A stroll near Chambolle-Musigny

Today is the first round of the elections here in France. 

Brief explanation of the French elections. Any person who gets the required number of signatures can run in this first round. If one person happens to get over 51%, they are elected and it is finished. [This rarely happens. I think the last time was 1958.] 

So baring the majority sweep, there is the second round for the top two candidates the first part of May. Five years ago, everyone thought it would be Chirac and Jospin. The Jospin voters stayed home and VIOLA, Le Pen made it into the second round rather than Jospin. 

So I presume there may be a high voter turnout this year for the first round. Also France has a percent turnout far higher than the USA. It will probably be in the 60-70% range. 

The front runners are M. Sarkozy, Mme Royal and M. Bayrou and I guess with about 12% of the vote, Le Pen is there again. Le Pen is far right. Here the communist party runs, the green party, the labor party… there is no 2 party system like the US. Segoline Royal is a socialist. 

The other difference is the time frame. From the time they announce that they are candidates until the election, I think it is 6 months. There is no advertising on TV or Radio. On the news, all candidates are given equal time to speak, so this last 10 days, each one was presented on the News channels. That is all. 

There are a few posted pasted here and there on telephone poles, and also news articles in the newspaper is one or the other candidates visits locally. I will say that people here keep their politics closer to themselves. They may make a comment of outrage against a candidate, but seldom pontificate on their own views and political stance. It is a private subject I guess. I will say from my naïve point of view, I think Segoline Royal (as the first woman to run here in France) is a bit naïve also. She wants to spend lots of money to fix everything, and lower taxes. Also she has stumbled somewhat in world affair questions…but who knows? The paper states that there is a 40% undecided population. That is huge. 

So anything can happen today, maybe Le Pen will make the second round again after all!! 

Stay tuned.

USA 2024

July 2021 plus Gevrey

July 2021 

Photos from July and some of Gevrey from winter confinement time

Starting to take more photos this year 😊🎥

Eolienne at Brochon 1892

Vineyards Brochon- soooo green

Short detour for St Antoine church Fixey 
12th century church- note roof tiles on
bell tower

Now at the La Karrière at Villar Fountaine

Chris went to touch this,,it is totally flat

Metal figures on top

Porsche of many colors !

This is a 40 second video that helps put it into perspective

The nature walk

Here are some photos I did in Feb during confinement...

all of Gevrey Black and White (or almost)

The old house at the old railroad crossing

Tracks to ?

The railroad station- the Gare

Vineyard Clos de St Jaques

Church - XIII century

Door to a vineyard

Another not black and white
This was in Feb in the woods on the cote (hillside)
I then pushed and played with color!

And just 2 photos from June

Poppies and bluette 

Poppies- rain and warm weather and this
field of cannola turned red

Definitely not Black and White...candles burning to keep frost off the vines

At 5am I saw this, all the lights. Then I realized
that the vignerons were burning candles
April 16 the big freeze. Vines here made it,
south of Beaune, not so lucky

That is all

CONFINEMENT 2020

Keith was busy during the confinement period. He had small scraps of wood, and of course could not buy any new wood with everything closed. So he started to make items with the wood he had.

I cleaned and sorted, but although I feel some accomplishment, there is nothing to show for my effots( and besides, I see the dust bunnies have started again-already).

But here are photos of Keith's accomplishments.

A table Keith started 2 years ago and finished the first part of
confinment.....temporary resting place

Table from the side
On top is a set of trays- 2nd project and letter boxes-3rd and 4 project

Now upstairs - upstairs hall or mezzanine ....for those that have been here before, NO ugly flower paper on the wall
Keith spent time removing the paper and when confinment was over, bought paint and painted the walls..so nice and clean looking

Keith had bought the clock kit a few years back, now he used his time (pun intended ) to
make a clock

Closer look at one of 3 letter boxes

Closer look at trash or 

Small stepping stool

For my robe in the bathroom...we had bought tiles on vacations, so always a question what to do with the tiles

A case for my photos...the large photos are 70cm wide, so this is 70.5...it is wonderful- thanks my love, I needed this

Now he is working in the bathroom. Wall paper is off and he is in the process of smoothing the walls.

Tile had been on the walls in the past, and we did a light sanding and hung the paper! Well the flaws showed. It is time to clean it up. Big job ahead, and it will be painted. No more paper in a steamy bathroom.

THE END