Paulette

Paulette is our neighbour .. well lives within 2km of us and was the farmers wife. She is a very dear friend and was the first to welcome us into the village life over 20 years ago. She is an amazing cook .. of the traditional country cooking style. She has lost her son, her husband of 60 years and is a part of a tragedy in the village that puts Manon des Sources and Jean de Florette in the shade (remarkable classic French films of the extreme drama of French country village life - if you have not seen them I recommend them). She now stands to lose all of the farm and the second house on the property that belonged to her son..... All I can say is that what has happened here is unbelievable.. We caught her outside today .. she had been throwing open all the shutters and cleaning the house ... I have tried many times before to capture her in a portrait and never quite succeeded.. This is not a success but better than previous attempts.. When I ask for a photo she usually stands to attention.. She must be in her eighties now and she cooks every day well has cooked just about every day of her marriage... today she was only cooking for the chickens!