Medieval Town Mandala

Yes, it's been a while for this one, but I made some progress on it last week. The second corner is more started now and the first corner needs only the downward part filled in. I love working with these colors every time I do.

What I've Bought in France

I've managed to stay well under my budget for buying needlework stuff in France so far. Maybe that means I'll splurge before I go. Anyway, these are pictures of what I've bought so far. Lots of cross stitch and one magazine that specializes in freestyle embroidery.

Huswif Again

I'm almost done with the second part of the Huswif Mystery. There's a problem with Carol sending the last part, so I'm kind of catching up with everyone else. Since this picture, I finished the band that's half done and started another. Still liking this, but I'd like to know how to put it together!

Goldwork Gains

I worked a couple of hours on the goldwork this week and made a lot of progress here in France. I have a really nice table with direct sunlight that I use. It works well. I'm going to try to finish it up next week. I'm so happy it's almost done!

Seahorse

The seahorse got some work last week, but not this. It's easy to work on, but I've been kept downstairs doing things while my husband gets ready for bed, so this has been neglected.

Flax Festival in Routot

The whole area between Pont Audemer and Rouen is filled with fields of plants about two and a half feet tall with blue flowers. They're flax! There's even a museum devoted solely to flax in the village these pictures were taking in - Routot. We had a wonderful time on Sunday looking at all the fashions and food and everything else made of flax. There was even farm equipment straight from the fields. The cat in the top picture was sleeping in the window right near all the hubbub. We thought it was cute.

The looms and such were inside the museum, which was open for the festival. They had several antique looms and a huuuuge warp frame.

This man was flaying the linen to reveal the fibers for spinning and weaving. I'd never actually seen it done.

War Memorial

This war memorial is on the hilltop above la Bouille just north of Rouen. We saw it on our way home from Rouen on Saturday. Anyway, it's not from World War II. It was originally erected for the Franco-Prussian war and then names were added to it after World War I, when the site was used as a gun emplacement overlooking the Seine. Kind of cool looking, I thought.