Huilerie Sainte Anne

A stone’s throw from Villa Ndio, the Huilerie Sainte Anne is a picture of technology in transition.  There you will find the relics of ancient methods of extracting oil from olives; the mix of old and new technology and methods currently in use; and a brand new building full of shiny new machines and control panels for modern techniques. Tucked in off the Route de Draguignan, the main road running west out of Grasse, this milling operation is housed partly in buildings hundreds of years old, and one brand new one.

Many visitors head straight for the boutique, with its wide variety of olive oil blends, soaps, tapenade, and products made from the wood of olive trees.  But on request, visitors can enjoy a tour of the facilities, and then end the visit with an informed stop at the boutique.

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Red Crowned Cranes of Wellington

Picasa

I was delighted to meet up with a family of red crowned cranes in the backyard of my brother’s and his wife’s new house in Wellington, Florida.  The poppa crane appeared to have a broken wing but seemed to not let it bother him much.  The mother and young crane paraded along with him as if they owned the place.  I was glad to get a few great photos of the three of them foraging for food and preening themselves.

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The Art of Nguyễn Hinh at Villa Ndio

Nguyen Hinh is a Vietnamese artist that was supported through purchases by Clint and Trudy Doggett while the Doggett family resided in Saigon, Viet Nam, 1963-1965. These works now hang on the walls of Villa Ndio. Several others can be found in the homes of Peppy’s siblings. An internet search has found no trace of Mr. Nguyen.  The paintings at Villa Ndio are wonderful reminders of our time in Saigon, before the Doggett family was evacuated to Bangkok in 1965. Photos of the paintings shown below were taken by Peppy Doggett. Click on any image to enlarge it.  You can then enlarge it further to full screen and/or start a slide show featuring all nine paintings.

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