In 2005 Rosemary Border Rabson and husband John Rabson emigrated to the Morvan in rural Burgundy, where few other Brits have ventured. Their chief preoccupation is Charity Cottage, a holiday home-from-home in their garden at Maré le Bas which they run in aid of Combat Stress (money donations) and Help for Heroes (free accommodation). Since 2012, when Charity Cottage won the Daily Telegraph’s Best British Charity award, the total amount raised for Combat Stress, comprising UK royalties and donations from visitors to Charity Cottage, is nudging £10,000.
Hamfest Charity Cottage is undersubscribed, alas. Since we opened our doors in 2012 Combat Stress, who receive 100% of our visitors’ donations, have sent us just one family (who enjoyed themselves so much that they came again two years later). Our friends and relations come from time to time. John places ads in his radio … Read more
‘Quelle canicule!’ translates as ‘What a scorcher!’ and the Morvan has been sweltering since early June. We get up early and do our chores, including giving the geraniums on the patio their morning drink of the previous night’s bathwater, conserved in several large watering cans. The grass is parched; only the weeds seem to flourish. … Read more
We had a glut of cherries in late May. Now our quince tree is laden with fruit and we can expect a glut of fruit (un coing, and a quince tree is un cognassier). Most varieties are mouth-puckeringly sour and astringent if you attempt to eat one without cooking it first. The most popular way … Read more
I am typing this on 30 May. Yesterday the checkout girl at Aldi (our favourite supermarket in Corbigny, where the staff are old friends) was too polite to comment on the three bottles of cognac in my basket. Not a drop passed our lips, however: I filled six big kilner jars with brandied cherries. Last … Read more
Bluebells and Dandelions In late April the bluebells along the road to Lormes are a joy. They spill over onto the verges, but are best under the trees. ‘Bluebell’ is an apt name: the flowers look like clusters of little blue bells. Disappointingly their French name is jacinthe des bois, or jacinthe sauvage: wood or … Read more
I am typing this on Maundy Thursday, March 29, jeudi saint. Today Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will attend the service at The Free Chapel Of St George in Windsor, where the Maundy Money will be distributed to 92 men and 92 women – representing each of her 92 years.Digression: Pedants will know already that … Read more
Brrr! I am writing this on February 28 and the temperature outside is minus 7. Taking into account the windchill factor, it may be as cold as minus 12. My father used to say, ‘Wind in the east, cold for man and beast’ and the British media have dubbed this cold snap The Beast from … Read more
Around the middle of January our local shops are full of pancake paraphenalia. A little early for Shrove Tuesday, you may think. Well, yes: they are in fact gearing up for La Chandeleur, February 2: the date when the Virgin Mary presented baby Jesus in the Temple. Like many other Christian festivals, La Chandeleur – … Read more
I wish all my readers Bonne Année, Bonne santé! – a happy New Year, and good health in which to enjoy it. I also wish them better luck with their online researches than I had today. I typed ‘new year celebrations france’ and came across a site which is full of errors in both French … Read more
Christmas is coming, and Le Criquet is bursting with publicity for Christmas markets, Christmas concerts and festive food and wine. Corbigny’s Christmas market opens on 9th December (a memorable date for the Rabsons – see below). It was held in the Abbey until the Elves declared the building a health and safety risk for large … Read more