Good news! I have my horizon again!
The maize has been cut 3 weeks before last year, what a relief (un soulagement). I came back from Paris the day before yesterday at 7pm to hear a terrible noise just in front of the house. It was the combine harvester (la moissonneuse batteuse) cutting the maize.
I was so pleased in spite of (malgré) the noise. The next day they came back to finish and I was between two lots of noises: there was the combine harvester, two tractors and two trucks on one side and the wine press on the other. What a noise! A lot worse than (pire que) Paris where I had just come from. And they say the country is calm!
On Wednesday, this was my view:
This is one of the four towers of the National Library built by François Mitterand. It is high, severe and cold - inside too. Not a very nice place - and apart from the bookshop, you don't see one single book! And you have to pay four euros to read the newspapers. Not my idea of a library.
Tag - maize
Saturday, October 9 2010
AUTUMN HORIZON
By carolweb on Saturday, October 9 2010,
Sunday, July 4 2010
NO HORIZON
By carolweb on Sunday, July 4 2010,
Remember THE ENTRY with a photo of a tractor where I explained my horizon was going to disappear? Well, the maize has gradually grown and as predicted, my horizon has disappeared.
This is what it was like before:
I am now closed in (renfermée) for 4 months until the end of October when they cut the maize. I don't like it 
If I stand in front of it, it's like a wall (commeun mur), it's taller than me (plus grand que moi). And it hasn't finished growing (il n'a pas fini de pousser) - the maize has no flowers on it yet At least for the moment it's green; later on it will go all dried and brown.
Friday, April 30 2010
MAIZE
By carolweb on Friday, April 30 2010,
Oh,no! here it comes: the maize that's going to block my view. READ PREVIOUS ENTRY
The grains were planted on the 9th April and the field is already green, it grows quickly with all the chemical fertilizer (engrais)! I think I'm going to measure how much it grows in 24 hours, with rain or without rain. I don't like it!!
What I DO like is this:
This is growing quickly too; they are the first leaves and flowers on the vine behind my house.
I live in the Cognac area where there are lots of vineyards producing white wine to make cognac. The farmer grows the grapes, presses them and makes juice, lets it ferment to make wine, then the cognac producers take it to distill into eau de vie. Only when it has aged (vieilli) in barrels does it become cognac.
I love drinking the grape juice. When the press starts I go to fill my bottle with the fresh juice, it's delicious. But I have a long time to wait, it's at the end of September!
Friday, April 9 2010
My horizon
By carolweb on Friday, April 9 2010,
This photo's quite different, but it has a story.
"A tractor,", I hear you say. Yes, but you didn't look far enough (assez loin), the title is 'My Horizon'.
This is the view I have from my house, I can see the horizon and it's very important for me, I need space, I need to see. I bought this house 12 years ago because it has a beautiful view over the fields.
The story? That tractor is preparing the soil and
this one is planting maize. In 15 days the maize will start growing, it will grow and grow and grow and will finally block my view! I will not be able to see the horizon, just a wall of maize, and like that from July to the beginning of November. 4 months behind a green, then yellow, then brown wall.
When it is finally cut it's like a prison opening, suddenly I can see again!
So I'm not happy to see the this tractor in "my" field.
I also photographed the tractors to send the photos to my 3 year-old grandson who loves tractors.