http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phyg_uIPQII
High summer in Poussanges. Yellow. Hot and sunny. Harvest time. Tall meadows have been cut, hay gathered. Barns bulging, piled high with bales. Fields littered with giant hay rolls and stacks wrapped in black plastic, laid out in rows. The hum of distant tractors drifting away on the summer breeze. A fortnight's feverish activity from dawn to dusk, and sometimes beyond, has come to an end. All is quiet again, save the song of swooping swallows.
To celebrate harvest time, the local farmers hold an annual event up at Poussanges Mairie. Took place last Sunday under clear blue skies. Kicked off with a morning church service followed by demonstrations of traditional, horse drawn, hay cutting methods. Then lunch at the mairie followed by an afternoon of nattering, boules, drinking, looking at home-made craft work such as jewellery, needlework, jams, cakes and other wares, and generally lounging around in the afternoon sun. Must have been over a hundred people up there which, for this area, is quite some gathering. Georgie and I took a leisurely stroll up there late afternoon. Thought the event might be over. Luckily it wasn't. Saw the old horses and carts giving people rides around the fields and woods, plus some of the old farming equipment. Did a circuit of the stalls, had a couple of drinks which we weren't allowed to pay for (merci Didier), said hello to a few people we knew and had a quick natter to the mayor farmer who'd arranged the whole thing then ambled off back home. Drove past in the evening for a 'lightning tree' dogwalk and the place was still buzzing. Drove back at about nineish to see the mayor and a few lads finally packing up. For them it had been a long day but, thankfully, a highly successful one. By all reports, a good time was had by all.
Ah, the old ways. Blink and they're gone...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok8TjUU1ml8
