'Reve de Luxe'. by J Roger Clifford-Banks. 36 by 48 ins. Private collection UK.

I'm posting this rather poor photo of a painting from 1988 especially for Maiden Luxe. Her Blog http://maidenluxe.blogspot.com/ is a 'must' for lovers of interiors, fashion, style, and all things French. I think Maiden's business is based in Australia, but like all 'true hedonists' she has a home in the beautiful south of France.

Sigmund Freud. 1856-1939

Freud had a favourite joke, which is also one of my own favourites.

A young Prince was walking along Oxford Street, when he came face to face with another young man who looked exactly like him. He was so struck by the resemblance that he asked his look-alike 'Did your mother ever work at the palace?'. His double replied 'No, but my father did!'.

I've always liked the jokes in Christmas crackers. Q. Which is the richest country in the world? A. Ireland, because its capital is always Dublin! (doubling)

I mention the above because I've just added another one to my list of favourites. Q. What do you call an underground-train that is filled with scientists? A. A tube of Smarties!

Harvey James C-B.

Ollie's big brother Harvey J. Another blonde, handsome, heart-breaker. Ollie and HJ live in Edinburgh's lovely quarter called Stockbridge. Lovely boys, lovely parents, lovely family.

Shoes.

There has been one constant in my life since about 1968; my shoes. Pale beige/grey desert boots have been my choice of footware for over 40 years. I have painted portraits of them, I have buried them with honours, I have trusted in them across many continents. If only I'd kept a photographic diary of every single pair, but sadly not.

Desert boots were the invention of Nathan Clark; he of Clark's Shoes. This year is the 60th anniversary of their birth. Happy birthday shoes. May our mutual adventure continue.

HRH Freddie

Freddie. He was born in Windsor in '04, lived for a while in Brighton, and is now very much a French cat. He catches mice, sleeps on our bed at night, and like so many cats he spends hours sitting in a hand-basin waiting for us to turn on the tap. Life wouldn't be the same without Freddie.

Photo by: M Serge Philippe.

The view from the cottage. Magnifique, n'est pas?

Haddock's.

Photo by: M Serge Philippe.

Many who have followed my http://perigordlife.blogspot.com/ postings have asked to see a picture of Haddock's.

Haddock's is my vegetable garden in S W France, where I've lived for the past 37 years. This picture was taken last summer.

Photos by: M Serge Philippe.

We dream of summer. Just looking at these two pictures, by Serge, recalls the warmth.

The Quince is loaded. The cows are in a field of wild flowers. It's quiet. It's warm. It's what we are looking forward to. It's only a few months away.

Snow.