The house I will call Ellesmere

The masthead photo is of the house we bought. I would like to name it Ellesmere after my Uncle Frank's house in Chinchilla, Queensland.

He wasn't really my uncle, but a close friend of my father's family. His house was very old and full of antiques. As a boy, in the company of my Aunty Viv, I used to visit Frank. He was very kind to me.

Our new house in Bazens is the culmination of a 15-month search which took us around the Lot et Garonne and into neighbouring departments.

It was a bleak and wintry day when we first saw the place. As we walked through the house, Cliona kept prodding me in the back.

Inside and out, it reflected the taste of its owners. They were determined to preserve its farmhouse heritage, the exposed limestone and massive oak beams.

We have a big, beautiful garden. It has bloomed prolifically and requires constant maintenance and care.

Our furniture and personal effects were off-loaded onto the docks at Rotterdam a week ago.

Hopefully, we will be re-united with our belongings this week.

iron and glass over the shuttered door

a closer look at our front door

one of the three mulberry trees at the front of the house

a corner of the garden

the pool on the left, the barn on the right and a glorious twilight sky

a threatening storm looms large from the south

a crepuscular glow through the lime tree

the front garden and the covered pool