As the nights start to shorten nature starts to green and colour up.

Another sign of spring, a recently pruned vine weeping with sap

A deer – one of a pair: the male keeping an eye out while the female ate. This was the closest I managed to get.

A cave hidden in the hillside

Flinty soil in a vineyard – known locally as perruches

Touraine's typical big sky

Silent vineyard – where's the biodiversity?

Forthythia in the sunshine

After a grey and wet day yesterday the sun has come out today, although there is a cool wind. There are signs of spring arriving along the second vote in the regional elections. Here in Epeigné, part of the Centre region, it is a three way vote between the socialists, Sarkozy's party and the National Front. 

Epeigné votes cast in the first round

There were 165 votes cast in the first round with François Bonneau (Socialist) narrowly on top with 49 votes, Hervé Novelli (UMP) close behind with 46 and Philippe Loiseau (Front National) with 21. Followed by Jean Delavergne (Europe Ecologie) with 17, Marie-France Beaufils (Front de Gauche) 14 with four other candidates bringing up the rear.

Bureau de vote in the Salles des Fêtes

Politicians in concert

Daffodils

A few croci

Wisteria magnificently in full bloom

A28: A brief glimpse of Le Loir@Château-du-Loir

Drove down yesterday in bright sunshine once we approached the Loire Valley. It is always fascinating traveling through France in early springtime to see how much more advanced the trees etc. come as you move southwards. In northern France it was still winter bleak with light sign of green, whereas from Le Mans southwards it became greener and with more blossom in evidence. Of course if we had carried on down to Bordeaux it would have become still greener. However, even down in the Loire London is probably more advanced due to its special micro-climate, doubtless helped by the pollution. I believe that you have to go as far south as Lyon to find a major city that has a higher average temperature than London.

Heading towards Tours: heavy traffic on the A28

Very enjoyable relaxed dinner at friends starting with the 2007 Varière Coteaux de l'Aubance, whose fresh, citric character makes this a good aperitif – not over sweet. Then I confidently mistook a 2006 Bourgogne Aligoté for a minerally Sauvignon Blanc. I did a little better with the red thinking it was Côt, which is was in part. The rest being Cabernet Franc and the whole was the 2006 Cuvée Pif from the Clos Roche Blanche. We had an excellent but simple first course – fresh local goats' cheese whizzed up with fresh basil to make a few creamy mouthfuls. Delcious.

Unfortunately today is showery and pretty miserable and the forecast for the rest of this week is not very special. Still the ground here is quite dry, so there hasn't been a lot of rain recently.