3 August 2017

Bicycles Gathering Dust

Rick guarding the car

On Tuesday evening we explored another new trail with Rick, along the Theze valley and then a sharp left and a climb into the chestnut woods.  We have finally figured out that the single yellow marks on the trees are the trail, a cross means wrong way.  We carefully followed the yellow marks but still managed to end up in someone’s garden.  The French owner was charming and very helpful, leading us back down the track and showing us the trail.  The yellow marked tree was completely hidden in the undergrowth.

Yesterday morning, feeling very energetic and adventurous, we dusted off our bicycles and set off to explore another woodland trail.  We are finding it hard to fit in cycle rides with dog walking at the moment. It was not a very pleasant ride, the track was bumpy and brambly, the flies were a nightmare and the going was so steep in places I had to get off my bike and walk.  Then I got bitten by some evil fly, right through my sock.  By the time we emerged from the forest into the hamlet at the top of the valley I was thoroughly disenchanted.  Then we saw the deer with her two babies grazing in someone’s potager, it was such a magical scene.  They skipped down the lane on their spindly legs before disappearing into the tall maize.  

It’s really too hot and buggy for cycling at the moment so we took Rick out very early this morning for a long hike instead.  The forecast is for hot sunshine this afternoon (it’s cloudy at the moment) so Paul has sliced up some tomatoes to dry in the sun.  Hopefully we will end up with several jars of sweet, sundried tomatoes.








12 comments:

  1. We do our walk before breakfast and even then it's hot and muggy. Not enjoying this summer at all.

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    1. I don't like being in the woods when it's muggy and we get plagued by flies. Our French summer has been very humid this year so far.

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  2. Love sun dried tomatoes, just need the sun to return to Essex so I can get mine done.

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    1. I'm hoping our sunshine will be hot enough to get our tomatoes dried out in two days.

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  3. Must try that....Hope to have lots of tomatoes this year. Any tips/secrets?

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    1. Make sure you remove all the tomato seeds before drying, and dip in white vinegar before putting them in the jars. We store ours in olive oil.

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  4. Your first para' sounds like here. When they came to plant the yellow topped poles we told them where would be best to put them. They of course decided differently and planted them amongst undergrowth. Now people get lost all the time.

    Rick looks gorgeous.

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    1. I don't think we were the first walkers to end up in the guy's garden.

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  5. You were not in The Enchanted Forest but The Disenchanted Woods.

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  6. Popping in to say hi to you Sue, I only scrolled down your blog and I have quite some catching up on Rick, also, I picked up some lovely food colours here...
    Greetings Maria xx

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    1. Hello Maria, lovely to see you here. Hope you are okay and managing to stay cool. x

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