Millstone

At the Clermont-l'Hérault olive oil cooperative where we went this morning to do some (very low-key, uncommercialised) Christmas shopping. Having been very willingly infected by the laid-back Midi lifestyle, we're avoiding shopping centres completely this year in favour of markets, local shops and cooperatives - oh, and the internet.

They use more modern mills now, larger versions of the machinery in the new mill in our village which I blipped here. This lovely old stone and the rusty wheel were catching the low winter light outside the entrance.

At last we're having the clear bright cold days we usually have in winter here, after a very grey, cloudy November.