Strings

Changing the string of a baroque lute is not only a expensive stuff but also requires patience, methode and touch. The steps are:
- Remove the 24 strings,
- Remove the 24 pegs,
- Clean the sound board and finger board,
- Clean and lightly grease the pegs
- Mount the pegs back in the right order (they are all different)
- Fasten the strings
- Tune the 24 strings every hour during 2 weeks
- Finally enjoy the wonderfull sound.

Hazel eye

It's a close up of my eye in real colour. Interesting article found on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_color:
"A green-brown human iris displaying a brown center and a green edge. This type of iris, although rare, is often also called hazel."
Interesting isn't it?

crib death

Voici à quoi ressemble la mort subite du nourisson chez les tourterelles. Chûte du nid cet après-midi.
Nous n'aurions pas dû aider ces oiseaux à faire leur nid sur cette lampe. Sans notre intervention ils auraient abandonné l'endroit pour construire le nid à un endroit plus stable. Bonne leçon. Triste quand même.
Les insectes (mouches et fourmis) ont vite repéré l'endroit du drame et viennent se nourrir de la bonne omelette. La vie continue.

turtles

Picture of the 2 eggs taken is a very short time while both birds were away.

Cucina

Diner en tête-à-tête avec Elise ce soir.

Two white eggs

The turtles sit on 2 big white eggs. Although they are afraid of us when we come too close, they bravely stay at their post until the last moment.

Lute Festival in Kassel (Germany) this weekend.

Gabriel Schebor came from Argentina to give a recital on Friday evening. He is now trying my theorbo in the exhibition room, offering us an improvised concert. See also his website.

Nest

I'm afraid a couple of collared turtle doves is going to nest on the spotlight. A fine and safe place but really very close to us. At the left you see the birds working at the construction of their nest, at the right the location of the spotlight on the balcony.
Official name is Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto

Elise Présidente !

Second round of the polling for the new French president.
Merde merde 5 ans de Sarkozy !

La mouche du proche

I was taking some sun on the balcony this morning. This fly was doing exactly the same. Click on the picture to see the finest details.

J'ai pris la mouche ce matin.

Concert

Well, it was far from perfect. I played not so good this evening. But the stress is now over.
What's next?
I would like to bury myself in baroque french music on lute and to work further continuo on theorbo.
The first priority for the moment is to prepare our summer trip to Mexico.

Try out

Try out for the pupils of Agnès Tamignaux in Visé (Liège). It was nice to see Ester and the other nice and talentuous other people.
I realised how much work is left to be really ready for the concert of Wednesday. I shall work hard these two next days.

Au clair de la lune

10:30PM and still 22°C after a very hot day (up to 29°C). Belgium seams suddently have become a tropical country. We stayed outside after the dinner, contemplating the moon through the telescope. I took this picture with the 400mm tele, lightly under-exposed to gain one speed. Did you also see the moon at this same moment?
We went this evening to the travel office to fix our travel to Mexico this summer. It will be hot there too.
I will spend this weekend to practice to music pieces I will play in concert Sunday and Wednesday.

Douce France

Salies du Salat, France.
Today, I have been in a little village in the South of France, near Toulouse. Because I was there for work, I had no time to visit more than the center, but it was enough to enjoy the beauty of the place and the kindliness of the people.
I was able to see my dear Pyrenean Mountains on the horizon and I swear I heard them calling me.

Time to choose a new president

Election of the French President. First round today.

Polling stations are organised for french people living abroad. Elise and I went today in Antwerp to vote in the French School.

30% of the people were still undecided until yesterday. We are curious to see which two candidate from the 12 will fight for the second round on May 6th.

Election présidentielles françaises. Premier tour aujourd'hui.

Des bureaux de vote sont installés à l'étranger pour les expatriés. Elise et moi nous sommes rendus au Lycée Français d'Anvers.

Long time ago

This document is even old as me. It's my birth announcement!

Road

Mist this morning on the road in Flanders. It's the best moment to ride through this land. No sight at all is always beter than what you see with clear weather.

Salomé & Hugues

Marriage of Salomé and Hugues in Liège yesterday. It was nice to be there and to take 734 pictures. I selected this one.

Spring

At last spring in Belgium! Outside temperature 17,4°C.
The Japonese cherry tree is in blossom as you can see on this picture captured by our webcam few minutes ago. The snapshots are uploaded every 5 minutes (when on line) at the webpage: http://www.chorda.be/webcam
Let me know if you see something moving!

la terrasse

Lundi de Pâques. 18°C, beau soleil.
Déjeuner sur notre mini-terrasse.