DLCI 2021 Magazines. - December
December
2021
Snow!
Sent in by Rosemary Copley
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT
Our Autumn Fair (which next year will be called Marché de Noel) in Bergerac this month was a great success: despite Covid restrictions, traffic problems with the fête foraine being situated on the main République car park and an anti-vax demonstration on the main route into Bergerac, we had a steady flow of customers and visitors and the atmosphere was extremely convivial. Everyone particularly enjoyed the cake and the café stall was very busy. You will be pleased to hear that we raised over 850 euros towards our charity fund, which we are delighted with. Thank you to everyone who came and supported the Fair.
Last Friday, I presented the first of our charity donations to the Centre Hospitalier de Vauclaire day centre for autistic children in Bergerac. Although the centre itself is government funded, the teachers want to build a sensory garden for the children and this requires external fundraising. I was delighted to be given a tour of the facilities and learn all about the plans for the garden, which is a very special project and I am very pleased that the DLCI is one of the major donors.
We have been asked to visit regularly to see the progress of the garden and it’s clear that the staff involved are dedicated professionals with a real vision for the way in which the garden will benefit the children in their care. At present it is a strip of bare earth and scrubby grass next to the car park – watch this space.
Our next event is the Christmas Lunch on Thursday 2 December at Château Les Merles and we are all looking forward to it immensely. It is an excellent spacious venue with superb food and I know we shall have a wonderful time!
Planning is under way for many other events, in particular, the ‘Evening with Martin Walker’ which was cancelled just before lockdown in March 2019. We hope to run this again in April next year. Keep an eye on the magazine and the website for more news on all our events.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. With fewer restrictions on travelling and the fact that most of us have managed to be double vaccinated, many with the booster safely done too, there should be more opportunities to be reunited with family and friends. Wherever you are, the committee and I wish you a happy, joyful Christmas and a peaceful and healthy New Year.
Kathy, Isla, Sheila, Rosemary, Lin and Teresa
Reindeer and a sleigh?
Kathys Hector !
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON
Thursday 2nd December
Chateau Les Merles,
GARDENING IN FRANCE
CHRISTINE LEES
Planning changes to your garden
When the weather is not good, it can be a good time to plan some changes to your garden - this could be something relatively straightforward such as increasing the size of a border, moving plants or adding new plants.
However, if you want to make more major changes it can be helpful to take some photos of your existing garden and sketch some changes onto the photos. Bear in mind the basic details of your garden - the orientation, areas of sun/shade, soil type, surroundings, and boundaries. If you have a very attractive view, plan any changes to make the most of your view and showcase it as a focal point. Alternatively, you may want to disguise something unattractive, such as a gas tank.
Think about the style of garden that you like, for example, contemporary, formal, romantic, tropical, Mediterranean, and plan your choice of plants accordingly. It often makes sense to have more formal areas close to the house, and more natural or informal areas towards boundaries.
Use strong lines - broad curves or strong straight lines and simple shapes in paths or flowerbeds. This is more effective than a lot of fiddly details. Use the line of the house to guide you in any straight features, eg the border of a potager close to the house.
When planning new areas of paving or paths, use materials which are sympathetic to your house or local stone. Bark mulch looks appropriate in wooded areas.
Planting is a large subject on its own, but have a basic framework of trees and evergreen shrubs, then add further seasonal interest with deciduous flowering shrubs, perennial plants and bulbs.
It can be helpful to get ideas from TV gardening programmes, garden visits, books and gardening magazines. Books by Diarmuid Gavin and John Brookes are very helpful with regard to garden design, and you can often find them at charity booksales. If your French is good, use your local library and French gardening magazines.
Finally this month is a great opportunity to make a Christmas wreath or other decorations from greenery in your garden. You can find a wreath base in garden centres or online, or make a base from bendy garden stems such as willow.
Merry Christmas
Chris
MY NEW BOY RICO
By Rosemary Copley
This lovely eighteen year old horse was looking for a new home and I’m lucky enough he found me.
Rico was bred in Menorca and spent some years in the Netherlands before coming to France five years ago. Due to his owners ill health and house sale, he needed rehoming.
These horses are a breed indigenous to the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands
In 2011 the population of Menorquin (Menorcan) horses decreased to 2995. They have now been listed as an endangered breed .
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Ann Bond
Chantal Carlin
Rosemary Copley
Naama Gabbay
Gaye Galliver
Christine Lees
DORDOGNE LADIES BOOK CLUB
This month’s festive (abridged) exerpt is from the absolutely delightful The Christmas Chronicles by the chef Nigel Slater – his precis of the book is as follows
This is the story of my love for winter, the scent of fir and spruce, ghost stories read with a glass of sloe gin, and beeswax candles with shadows dancing on the ceiling. With recipes, fables and quick fireside suppers from November to early February, I take you through my essential preparations for Christmas and the New Year and everything to enjoy the winter months.
‘The Christmas Chronicles’ by Nigel Slater
‘The books. There are books in the kitchen, books in the study and books in the drawing room. There are novels and short stories, biographies, diaries and travelogues. There are gardening books, poetry books and of course cook books.
Right now, though, there are also fairy stories. If this sounds odd, may I suggest you think again.The forgotten magic that lies among those yellowing pages of Garamond type will take you to a place you will almost certainly have forgotten about. A place, I argue, we could all do with visiting from time to time.
…This time of year was made for reading, for cosying up with someone’s words. I have a reading chair, comfortable with good light and, crucially from which it is impossible to see the television.It is the carrot with which I tease myself on a busy day. An hour of housework, fifteen minutes reading. Two hours at my desk, thirty minutes with a book. It works (and is a thought for a New Year’s resolution).
Howling wind or falling snow aside, the best reading companion is the smell of something baking in the oven. A cake sweet with figs, a marrow thickened casserole, something involving beans, onions and woody herbs. Food that gets on with business itself. Very quickly , to this end, I knock together a sponge of deep butterscotch flavours, a treacly fruit pudding sweet enough to stop the sugar police in their tracks. This is a treat, a once a year gift of forbidden flavours to everyone who trudges in, chilled to their very soul, looking for magic’
JUST FOR FUN
POETRY CORNER
No apologies for including this beautiful carol in the poetry section x
‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ is an English Christmas Carol written by Charles Wesley in 1739 . The Melody is ‘Festgesang’ by Felix Mendessohn adapted by William H. Cummings
(you can’t help singing it out loud!)
HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING
BY CHARLES WESLEY
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King,
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinner reconcil’d.
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
Christ by highest Heaven ador’d,
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail, the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as Man with man to dwell,
Jesus our Immanuel!
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
NOVEMBER AUTUMN WALK - 18th NOVEMBER AT LAC DU BRAYSSOU
by Rosemary Copley
Last Thursday a small group of walkers met at Lac du Brayssou for a lovely 6km around the lake. It was a cold morning, about 11 degrees, but the sun was shining and there wasn’t a wind, perfect.
We enjoyed coffee and croissants to warm us up before setting off.
Around the back of the lake there is a newly made track for exercising the local trotters from Villereal, and we were delighted to see a trio going up and down.
The dogs enjoyed the water and didn’t seem to mind the cold.
We have decided not to continue the walks during the coldest months, however, we will let everyone know when they recommence.
MEMBERS PHOTOS
Morning in Monsac
Sent in by Teresa Tildesley
Sunset in Monsac
Sent in by Teresa Tildesley
PETS CORNER
Bertie asking ‘where’s my dinner?’
Sent in by Teresa Tildesley
Willow ‘caught in the act’
Sent in by Elli Downer
PHOTO REQUEST
We would love to include more of your photos including those for Pets Corner in the next Newsletter. Simply email me at DLCIMagazine@gmail.com (no later than 27th of the month) with the photo and where it is. They will be published in the next months newsletter
LASTLY
A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS NEWSLETTER.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO CURRENT DATA PROTECTION LAWS THIS DOCUMENT MUST NOT BE SHARED
WITH ANYONE WHO IS NOT A CURRENT DLCI MEMBER