26 April 2018

In The Garden



We have been back in France for just over four days and everything in the garden is starting to look shipshape again. Philippe, our neighbour, had kindly rotovated the potager for us beforehand so Paul was able to dig in the compost ready for planting. This morning we went to the local nursery and bought a few plants - tomato, aubergine, Piment des Landes (the long thin chilli peppers recommended by Cro), bell peppers, salad and basil.  The potager will be reduced this year as we will probably be travelling back to the UK at some point so no colourful pots of geraniums either!


Rick helped the Head Gardener...


guarding the raspberry canes

view across the valley

Monsieur Escalier's field is a sea of buttercups

20 comments:

  1. Wouldn't it be nice to have a flat you could lock up and forget in the UK and a house in France for 9 months. Three months in the UK. Or three months in Oz. Strange decisions you made about your life.

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    1. Not a decision taken lightly. We plan for the future and then the goalposts get moved.

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    2. Dog, daughters, Brexit and a host of other reasons.

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    3. You had a British base in the flat if you were to be chucked out which is unlikely anyhow. You would not have been homeless.

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  2. When I spied your first photo with sunshade and beautiful weather, I was wondering where you lived . . then as I read on, quickly realised why your weather is so different from mine.
    I live in 'sunny' Cornwall in the South West of the UK and have endured incessant rain and low temperatures for months. Oh, apart from the forecast 'heatwave' which lasted all of 3 days. 'sigh' I dream of Summer, with dry, balmy days and faint breezes to cool the fevered brow. Ha!!!!

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    1. I think we are due for some damp, cooler weather over the weekend. The sun doesn't shine every day here!

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  3. The long thin chilli peppers - if they're the bigger sized ones - are deliscious cut in half longwise, emptied of the seed and stuffed with a mixture of: chopped capers, chopped anchovies and chopped parsley, mixed together with the middle soft part of bread. Lay the filled chilli halves on an oven pan, sprinkle them with fresh grated Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, freshly grinded peppers and a pinch of salt, add a thin line of olive oil and, grill in the oven. Deliscious as an antipasto with a glass of chilled wine.
    Greetings Maria x

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    1. Oh my, that sounds delicious Maria. I shall have to try it.

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  4. It all looks so lovely I don't know how you can bear to leave it !

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    1. It will continue to be our summer home for some considerable time.

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  5. When exactly did you and Paul win The National Lottery?

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    1. 1998 - we won ten pounds and ten pence. I won £25 on a Premium Bond too and a fiver at Bingo.

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  6. It all looks so beautiful.

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    1. It's very green and lush at this time of year Janice.

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  7. So envious.....nothing much growing here although I picked a few daffodils yesterday to brighten up the house.

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    1. I love daffodils, they are always so cheerful.

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  8. I've got my 'Long des Landes' in too. They freeze very well; I still have a few left from last year's crop. Fingers crossed for no late frosts.

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    1. Paul says the grass was white with a light frost at the bottom of the valley yesterday morning when he took Rick out.

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    2. You're nearer to Frayssinet le GELAT than us.

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