I was very moved this week when I read Jonathan Chritchleys account of how last weeks terrible storms had damaged the area of South West France that Jonathan calls home. I hope he won't mind me sharing it with you.

"THE GREAT STORM At 4 a.m. in the morning of Saturday 24th January winds of over 170km per hour battered the coast of south west France, ripping rooves from houses, felling power and phone lines and causing absolute devastation throughout a million acres of pine forest. Most of the damage was done in that first 5 minutes. One million people left without electricity and water, 5 dead and many more injured, the true extent of the damage still not possible to determine. My house, bearing the brunt of these winds, remarkably remained completely intact, and although power has only today (wednesday 28th) been reconnected, we count ourselves as being well and truly amongst the lucky ones. Friends lost their homes, cars and businesses in those first fateful minutes, the ensuing insurance backlog too terrifying to contemplate. The local people have been incredible, their resilience honed by a hundred such storms, their goodwill and concern for others a testament to their humanity and integrity. They put their neighbours first, bringing water, food and blankets, coming with chainsaws and generators to free homes from the weight of great pines - all this with no hint of expectancy, completely selfless, slightly embarassed when thanked: 'C'est normale...' they say, shaking hands and moving off to the next home in need. I'm proud of these people, and glad I live here."

Very little happening on the photographic front at the moment. I'm looking forward to Focus at the end of February and the first signs that Spring is round the corner is peeping through the soil in the garden.

I was at Sean Hirsts on Monday evening. He has some of my favourite cakes in the shop at the moment. They have no calories!

A wedding bouquet had come back to the shop after a wedding-dress shoot so we took a few pictures in the shop.