August 8, 2002
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Pitchou .
Ce chien s ' appelle Pichou . C ' est un border - Collie . Vous savez que nous avons vécu dans une vieille maison en Touraine pendant une semaine . Cette maison était située près d ' une ferme où il y avait environ 50 vaches laitières sans compter les jeunes . Il fallait chaque jour faire rentrer le troupeau du pâturage vers la salle de traite . Si vous aviez vu l ' efficacité de ce chien pour rassembler et faire avancer le troupeau dans la bonne direction . Quelle stratégie ! Et il adorait patauger dans la boue mêlée de bouse comme vous le voyez par son aspect sur la photo . Ce chien de berger était très affectueux avec les enfants qui n ' étaient pas effrayés par l ' odeur ni par la boue ! Ils étaient enchantés et ne se souciaient pas de cela . Je n ' avais jamais vu ce genre de chien avant .
Pour finir je n ' ai pas pu résister de vous montrer encore un de ces hameaux de la Touraine qui sont une pure poésie en pierre , je pense .
Pitchou
This dog is named Pitchou . He is a border - collie . You know we lived in a old house in Touraine ( France center ) during a week . This house were situated nearby a farm where there were about 50 milch cows plus the young beasts . It was necessary everyday to get in the herd from the grazing to the milking room . If you had seen the efficacy of this dog to gather the herd and makes it moving in the right direction ! What a strategy ! And he liked very much to splash in the mud blended with cow pat like you see it by his look on the picture .
This sheepherd dog was very fond of the children who were not afraid neither by the smell nor by the dirty hair . They were enchanted and were not worry . I have never seen this kind of dog before .
To the end I could not resist to show us yet one of those hamlets of the Touraine . They are a pure poetry in stones , I think .
Comments (58)
Comment drôle! J'ai remarqué comment la quantité qu'un chien aime quelqu'un est dans la proportion directe à comment sale il est (et nettoie comment vous êtes). Plus de beauté de Touraine! Il est joli.
the pictures are beautiful. does "Pitchou" have a meaning? who are the little girls in the second picture? they are very cute. I am going to post some pictures today of last night--stop by if you like!
I've heard that border-collies are one of the smartest dogs... and they can be very good pets too, just a little stinky
Also I agree with you about those hamlets...poetry in stones, I couldn't have stated it better.
I will share some of my past. I spent my weekends wading through the cow pasture on my Uncles Dairy Farm when I was a small girl. I adore cows, and the way they used to milk them. Unfortunately, times have changed, big business has gotten into it....and now the small farmer can't afford to keep milk cows. I used to come in from the barn covered in manure....ha ha.
Poetry in stone... I love that!!!
Pitchou sounds like a clever dog. Herding dogs are amazing to watch.
Poetry in stones! Very well said! Describes it perfectly!! That dog is a cutie, too!
Beautiful!
Est-ce que j'ai mépris mes français? Désolé si j'ai fait. Je pas sais écrire le logiciel. Je sais seulement un petits java et l'html. J'ai signifié pour dire que j'ai un peu de websites personnel et je souhaite les combiner dans celui. Ils tout ont été écrit avec Microsoft FrontPage. Le nouveau celui sera, aussi.
Je pas aurais des objections savoir écrire le logiciel. Les developpeurs font de bon argent.
Love the border collie and I also love the "poetry in stone" so beautiful! ! ! ! I just love coming here and seeing all your beatiful pictures. I also love reading, you are such an eloquent writer. The french you write makes me wish I could read french, it is soo pretty to look at. Have a great day and a better tomorrow. Love and hugs! ! ! !
Thank you for your nice comment on my site, and let me return the favor by saying I always look forward to your blogs, Michel. I love your photos and your thoughts. The photo of the beautiful children with the dog is wonderful.
Poetry in stones is a beautiful description of that home. I'll bet it was well insulated against the elements!
What has become of the dog?
L,
rr
The dogs are so very faithfull in their love. I helped my mother pick out a dog for the yard at home when I was married and expecting my first child. I carried the puppy home in my lap and to the day she died...she was at my feet or side whenever I came home. I was married and in another town and only came home about 6 times a year but Shep waited for me. Once when I was sitting at the desk at home...and Shep was very old...she started scratching at the door to get in. Not a thing she ever did before. Dad asked what is wrong with that dog. I opened the door and the old and tired dog lay at my feet in ectasy. I am so sad I did not realize how important I was to her earlier. It maKes my heart ache.
That is such a pretty little cottage! I love the stone.
I love the stone cottages! The dog is cute, but the children are most adorable! Thank you for sharing these. They made me smile!
J'aime les chaumières de pierre! Le chien est mignon, mais les enfants sont la plupart des adorable! Vous remercier pour le partager ceux-ci. Ils ont fait me sourit!
Very nice pictures. The kids and the dog seem really happy!!!
Hooray got in at sixteen for a change. Yes sheep dogs are very talented dogs, they are used a lot in Australia. You were asking about Matt's toe. Well after his stroke he got gout, when that went he had this swollen toe and it got knocked and bled, then it wouldn't heal and kept leaking white stuff to do with Gout. So our doctor has been burning the end of this ttoe with dry ice, it looked better until she stuck a needle in it this weak and it had healed over it. So more burning next time he goes. The top of the toe is sore and the underneath. This morning we found blood in our toilet, and couldn't make out where it had come from, until I look under his toe and there was a joined scar which matched part of the blood formation. I guess he got up in the night and stubbed it on a small ledge that is raised up into our toilet. So I have told him he must wear his slippers when he gets up and walks anywhere. So that is the saga of the toe. That old house looks delightful I doubt I would want to live in one really, because there might be mice which I am scared of. Cheers Marjie


The dog is great. As a kid we used to go to contests of sheepherding with sheepdogs: nearly always border collies. They need a lot of exercise!
You should write a book someday, Fauquet!
Sweet dog, adorable children, beautiful place! Life is sweet for those who stop to appreciate the gentle things in life! Thank you for sharing, Friend.
pure poetry in stones -- Oh yes!! Those are great dogs if you have the room to let them run. I love to watch them in action.
Pitchou is a beautiful dog - I love all animals so much. The house is absolutely gorgeous! I wonder how many years it has been standing?
... a small piece of heaven on earth. You are blessed ~ as are the children! ~ to have this in your lives.
In peace. ~Paloma
et un joli border-collie! j'adore ces chiens très intelligents et rapides... connaissez-vous le jeu "flyball" pour les chiens? Les border-collies sont souvent les joueurs...
Border collies are very popular in Australia ~ they're very friendly but need a lot of space for all that energy otherwise they go a bit loopy!!
Those little hamlets are beautiful ~ lovely photography!! They remind me of little villages in Somerset and Devon
Border collies are such nice dogs. We used to have one on my brother's ranch. It belonged to my father. My parents lived on the ranch. Every picture you post of France encourages me more and more to make a trip there someday. Perhaps someday I will have the money!
What a lovely village . The border collie is used here a sheep dog ,we have sheep dog shows
He looks like a hapy worker~ a good freind! Ah! What a wonderful home ! @-}-}- rememds me of a poem!
Both dog and village very charming. The border collie is a very popular dog here in the states.
Michel, j'aime cette maison! Je pense que vous l'avez décrite à la perfection. Et le chien est adorable. C'est le genre de chien que ma fille a toujours voulu. Un chien de vivre en troupe.
That cottage is beautiful. And so is the dog
And on a side note: I like how you translate your posts into both français et anglais. I'm just beginning to study french and I like how I can compare lines of thought in your entries.
Thank you for sharing, I enjoy reading your blog.
de vos images, je dis qu'il y a de poésie pure dans la campagne de la france!
from your images, i say that there is pure poetry in the countryside of france!
Rural France, how quaint! It is beautiful. I'm a big junkie for old buildings and such, that is right up my alley. I'd love to see the inside!
If you see Neil blog on Friday you will see why I had a pic of a Pittsburgh Steelers shirt on my site ,he was hinting for me to get him something and thats what I want in return.
CHILDREN AND DOG'S A PERFECT PAIRING {V}
love the picture of the house, so nice...The little girls and the dog are adorable..
I just love seeing your pictures..
have a wonderful weekend..
rubymoon
Collies de frontière est chiens très des spéciaux. Ils sont s'intelligents et a de bons sens d'humour.
La maison est comme la poésie, je consens.
One of these days I am going to have to come out and visit you!!!

...Michel, lovely photos. The photo of Joe, Sarah and dog is precious! The expressions on Joe's and Sarah's faces reminds me of a 19th century painting.
MuSe
i love the simplicity of it all
when can i visit?!!
What a great dog! I have a Sheltie who is also known for being a good hearding dog - but the only thing she ever rounds up are the rabbits in the back yard! The house is gorgeous - I keep hoping someday I'll make it to France to see places such as that. I really enjoyed your site and also wanted to thank you for making me feel so welcome on mine!
I agree.
I love rustic stone houses. They're so magical, n'est pas?
Amour
Hollie
My sister had a border collie cross called Scribble who I believe was rather a dummy but most adorable looking in his youth -Pitchou is most attractive and alert - i'm sure he's good with the sheep - these dogs are very common in australia 88888888)
Your weblog nearly always makes me smile.
La petite maison est très jolie, et le chien ressemble à beaucoups chiens en pay de Galles. Merci, mon ami!
I'd love to have a dog like that!
trop mignon le chien! moi j ai un cocker qui s appelle cookie
merci pour la guérison mais j ai de plus en plus mal
amitiés marie
yes, they sure are!!!! beautiful image!!!
sorry about the confusion last week with my double post
xanga had not been working properly when i wanted to post my blog, and so i emailed it in....but then xanga started working again, and the one that i emailed in, never showed up, so i (re)posted it in the normal way....just before leaving for holiday.....apparantly the emailed one finally showed up while i was gone!
Your dog very much resembles an Alaskan sled mushing dog.
I truly enjoy your photo's each time.
The dog and the children, but alsdo the house. It's very scenic.
Now I know again why i can dream away with my collection of miniature houses. That house could have been one of them!!!!
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Thanks for your warm comments Michel. They make me smile.
Hugssssss
Beautiful - I have seen your comments on other sites I read - I don't know why it has taken me so long to visit your home. I'm glad I stopped by.
What a beautiful cottage!
Very nice pictures and very nice words.
Very good compositions,words and images.
You are correct, those dogs are so intelligent. I sometimes drive to Maine and watch the sheep trials there. It is amazing what those dogs do.
I love the pictures. Those children are so adorable!!! Your grandchildren, right?
Your site is just wonderful to read and look at the pictures. I love herding dogs. I have two pembroke welch corgis and I am the one they herd ha. They drive me crazy, but I love them to pieces. Thanks for sharing your life with us.
What an interesting comparison.. poetry in stones, hhmm... this is really inspiring. Allow me to agree with you, Michel. It is indeed!
About the mails I sent, sorry if I made you cry
never my intention, really! I do miss vo]isiting your blogs when I dont have the proper time
Have a great week, friend.
Amizade a você,
Shy
Charmant et interessant!
Comments are closed.