After a fairly long day yesterday, which included dropping off dogs Chipie and Cookies, and cats Emie and Eluka, we reached the southern French town of Narbonne last night.
This morning we walked Guiseppe and Arfa through the vineyard and along the canal towpath. Then it was off to deliver three cats before crossing the border into Spain. We reunited Thomas and Henry with Julie, and delivered Pod to Jennifer who is taking care of him until his new home is ready.
Guiseppe enjoyed his morning walk — nose up, drinking in the lovely smells of the meadow grass and flowers
Guiseppe was puzzled by how many plane trees were missing from the canal banks. We explained that they’ve been felled because of a canker, and will be replaced by other varieties that are resistent to it, including silver limes and American planes. (You can find out more here: http://www.replantonslecanaldumidi.fr/en))
Arfa was equally puzzled by what he took to be missing vines! Don’t worry Arfa, those long lines of little green sticks you can see are new baby vines, planted just a few days ago to replace the tired old ones!
We drove to Chenil la Bedouce, a kennels and cattery in the Aude region of France, to deliver Thomas (here) and Henry (below) to Julie
Thomas (above) and Henry (here) were adopted by Julie while she was living in the Plymouth area of England, and have come to join her now that she is managing La Bedouce
The meadows around La Bedouce were full of wildflowers. Can you help identify them?
This looks like some kind of orchid
We have no idea what this one is!
![Handsome Pod was pleased to reach Jennifer at the Chatil de Lomagne [http://www.haumont.com/] cattery in the Garonne region of France](http://animalcouriers.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/img-20140430-00289.jpg?resize=480%2C640)
Handsome Pod was pleased to reach Jennifer at the Chatil de Lomagne cattery in the Garonne region of France
Shadow not looking too pleased at being woken up for the camera!
I’m not good in botanical things, I’m more the meat-guy :o) but the last one could be a brown knapweed :o) (maybe you can smoke it?) Have a good trip and I hope they have better weather in spain :o)
Ah, the Spanish weather is treating them well! We might give the smoking a miss this time 😉
Sorry – don’t recognize those plants but they are sure pretty!! Love Pod’s expression……
Pam
Pod manages to look a little grumpy most of the time but he’s a lovely chap!
Beautiful flowers, I have no idea what they are though….:-)
They are beautiful and will have to remain unnamed.
Bootiful Shadow,
We understanding where you coming from. Paparazzos after us all the time!
XXXX Your elected Purrime Ministerettes
She is putting up with us very well!
Shadow looks like me in the mornings… Lovely flowers, but I have no idea as to identification.
At least you don’t have a camera shoved in your face then 😀
Oh no! THAT would certainly never be allowed. Poor Shadow, she has my sympathies. O_o
The plane trees are very sad. We saw a lot of the diseased ones when we cycled along the canal a couple of years ago.
Heartbreaking to hear the machines cut them down and rip them out. Can’t face watching.
The yellow ones look a bit like what we call “Buttercups” over here. The others, no clue except the orchid-like one looks as if it might be something in the Lobelia family.
Thanks, think you’re right. We’ll have to ask for a wildflower spotting book for Christmas.
We always are sad to hear that trees have been lost – but encouraged to see new seedlings! Your countryside remains beautiful and the flowers remind me of the wildflowers in southeast Texas that I see every year. Unfortunately, I skipped the flower-naming class, too. The name Pod is beyond cute and your passengers as precious as ever. I love your blog every time.
Yes, the fact that they’re replanting is great – won’t live to see them mature though. The existing ones are around 300 years old. Pod is a very fine name, we’ll have to file that one away for later.
No idea on the flowers. Thanks for the link about the canal trees, that was interesting. Love the photos as always especially Guiseppe!
Guiseppe is a sleek and handsome chap!
Such beautiful meadows you guys got to enjoy there, does anyone ever try to go splash in the water during your walks? 🙂
Oh yes, many would be in in a heart beat given the chance 😀
Guiseppe is so handsome
He is a looker!
Guiseppe is cute cute cute!!
Poor Shadow beein woken up….he iz adorbale too….all da 4 leggedz are so lubly nn da sceneree iz purrty…so many flowerz…
Iz dat spikey one a kind of poppy?? What doez me nose about flowerz?? 😉
We haz nuffin here yet….*sighz*
Lub Nylablue n Mum too <3 <3
We were jolly rude to wake Shadow up but we think Antonio (her owner) was pleased to see her 😉 Keep the wild flowers in your mind and hopefully some will appear in your neighbourhood soon!
Yow Miss Annie Shadow will fergive ya!!
N Me n Mum looked fer flowerz today butt nuffin yet….**sighz**
Lub Nylablue n Sherriellen Mum <3 <3 <3
Guiseppe is such a cutie.
I love Pod and have decided he needs to come and live with me.
Such a pretty meadow and wander in.’have a good rest of the week.
You do want to give Pod a big cuddle!
Stumped! Nothing like these plants in the Midwest. The first does look like a lobelia family, I agree with past comment. .. Cutie animals tho! !
Never mind, we can all enjoy them for their looks if not their names 😉
I always love the animal pics, but this time the flowers stole the show! Gorgeous photos!
We couldn’t resist taking pictures as the sight was such a pleasure.
I do think the first flower is a wild orchid, I bet that was stunning in full bloom. The second flower looks like a purple firework. I’ve seen similar ones at Google image, but not really identical to your photo? Would be Interesting to know though, now I’m really curious.
I think the orchid is a lady orchid.
Thanks Clowie, glad somebody knows.
Such a shame with the native tree loss along the canal. Hopefully the new trees will be disease resistant. Love the Doxie’s color and all the cats are so handsome and lovely to view. I really enjoyed seeing the meadow flowers. Nice shots of them to show the beauty.