Last thursday we were tired of the rain so we got in the car and headed for Perpignon and the coast where we found the sunshine..we were headed for a domain that Didier had told us about but made a decision to go to Rivesaltes to visit the concentration camp that we had stumbled on last year.

the above pics show only a very small section..a lot of it has falled to the ground, but it was used to house Spanish Republicans, then Jews, then Algerians, and very last was abandoned in 2003 I think..

The broken tiles were made in Limoux very near us.. where we shop for groceries..etc

It is a somber place, lots of barbed wire, now abandoned and neglected with blackberries and flowers growing among the tiles, and wire...

We did go on to the domaine, though we did not go all the way to the chateau, we did drive through acres and acres of vines, some so old that the "trunks" were huge. We will go back when Michaels friends John and Cissy Lennon come in September.

The rain has come to stay, we have had small amounts of sun in the last 2 weeks. The up side is that the garden is doing well. Tomatos, cukes, cantalopes, pumpkins, zuchinni,peppers and grapes. I will take some pictures tomorrow if the sun shines!

Saturday we are having the neighbors over for a Virginia style picnic supper. about 15 I expect. I cooked a 14 pound Smithfield ham today and will make some potato salad, and such..Marion is going to bring strawberry shortcake..yum..

We have met a couple that have rented the gite up the street until August. Chris and Helen. they go to French class with me and apero on Wednesday. They came for a visit and now are thinking of relocating here.. They like the warmth of the weather and the people..

I will close with this picture, it is a purple pond ..it is purple because it is wine...in a retaining pond...waste..I will add that there was a very happy duck floating on the water...More later..

Bonnie I haven't forgotten the roses... next time...