lazy summer days... x) lol

Hello there lovely people
Today we dug up our first tiny batch of potatoes that we have ever grown in France. So easy to grow and the most beautiful soil has been left afterwards full of wriggly worms and burrowing beetles. There should be enough to do a couple of meals. For us it was more about the fun of growing than the ability to plant for a years worth of food, which would take a significant amount of effort and thus suck the fun out of the exercise. I have also managed to do a small batch of cherry chutney and some cherry jam to fill the preserves cupboard. I was the lucky recipient of a jar of apricot jam and a jar of marmalade this weekend as well. The delights of being a market trader are plentiful.

The weather has been a little warm over the last few days so Gavin and Patrick have been madly running around with water to keep all the animals happy. Even having most of the flock down by the river with a natural air conditioning system did not help very much when they drank a record amount of 1500 litres of water in one day more than triple their usual amount. There had been no dew that morning. Just so that the boys did not feel they had nothing to do during the "canicule" we had a load of stone delivered for the driveway which has transformed the look of the farm yard but also provided some rugged terrain for some of our smaller animal life.

In my attempts to control the rampant population of mosquitos taking over our house I am rescuing spiders from the shower and bath to work their magic up in the ceiling crevices and will be planting dragonfly attracting flowers as I have read they are also large consumers of the little beasties. At least this year I know I am not the only flesh being devoured by them as the quantity and voracity of the mosquito was a point of discusion whilst setting up at Saturdays market.

The mornings even at 5o'clock have been extremely warm but the marigolds and the lavender are looking fabulous. I have had to assist the lavender a little as after the chicken sat on it and then the tempete blew on it it has rather fallen over. No matter, I still have my bees of various varieties and also the hummingbird hawkmoths visiting. We have noticed this year an increase in bird noise around the front of the house. The reason for that I am not sure it could be the fact that the soil has more insect activity, or maybe the birds like to eat mosquitos too and are trying to lend a hand with insect population control.
Below is the local farmer making hay in the weird sea mist we have had over the last couple of days during the morning quite a relief from the intense heat of the afternoon.
See you all soon
​Helenx