Hola a tod@s. Rains kinda getting going here, but nothing to the level we need as of yet. So, hot and humidish. I am going to give this site a rest until pre-season. Take care all.
Morning all. Mme tells me that rain on the roof woke her during the night, but it lasted no more than five minutes. Looking around this morning you wouldn't know that it had rained at all. Storms are forecast for this afternoon, and I would be grateful to have a day off watering. The peas are doing well, much better than last year, and the beans are looking good if I can keep their water supply up. Have a good day everyone.
Torrential rain yesterday as we took friends to visit Oradour.... site of an infamous SS massacre and tyorching of an entire village in France......My 7th visit as we have takne friends and family over the years...and we never fail to be deeply moved.... Lest We Forget.....................
Morning all. We have finally had some rain. It was only light, but it lasted an hour. The temperature has dropped from around 30°C to 23°C making life a lot more comfortable. I have just realized that I will have to go to the small town to find a baker who is not on holiday. The local camp site has just had all the facilities checked and prepared for the campers who will arrive shortly for their six-week stay. At €5 a night, including electricity, it is not expensive, and it is even cheaper for a season ticket. Run by the town, it is designed to attract people, rather than make a profit. I think the small supermarket is always pleased to see the visitors. Have a good day everyone.
I've done quite a few cycling tours in France, with Mrs Cologne, stopping mostly at camp sites Frenchie and the French camp sites are, by a long way, the best we have found. Also with the possibility of camping on many farms there. The only great shock we had was turning up at one which was called ''Camping Naturelle'' - not quite knowing what was implied we went there and there they were at the reception - totally naked This was on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. I must admit that we stayed there, although it felt very strange for the first couple of days.
Yes, we have finished up on a couple of beaches like that. I have not worked out why some in the UK get so steamed up about such things.
Morning all. The wind turbines on the hill in the distance are not even making an effort to turn this morning. I think it is safe to say, there is no wind. A freshly baked pain au chocolat always seems a good way to start a Sunday, and with the smell of the coffee, the world seems fine, but I haven't looked at the news yet. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Warm and sunny now, but rain and storms this afternoon? We will see. I note that Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian PM, has died. Corruption and sex scandals followed him around, yet he stayed a matter of interest, with no one knowing what the next revelation would bring. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. I have been down the fields watering as the rains that were promised didn't come. More peas and beans were ready for picking. They are doing very well this year with more attention. I could have spent more time there as it was a lovely temperature, but instead have to go off to the picnic. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. A real scorcher looks likely today, and I need to go out and about to prove that I am alive. This morning, a visit to the tax office to present them with a copy of my residency permit, just so I can access their website. This afternoon, a visit to the town hall to get them to confirm to the DWP in England that I should still receive my pension. I wonder why the UK government doesn't use the Royal Mail, but the Dutch postal service? Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Cloudy start to the day, but the sun has broken through and it will be another hot one. Seeing government ministers giving interviews at 7.00 am has always made me wonder what drives them to do the job, as my brain has not kicked in by then. I could not remember when I had last put a tie on until Mme reminded me it was for our daughter's wedding five years ago. Standard dress for working in London in my youth was a dark suit, a bowler hat, a rolled umbrella and a briefcase. I wonder how many companies still make bowler hats? Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Another hot one in store for today. At least, unlike yesterday, the météo are not forecasting rain that doesn't come. One of my daughters arrived here for a holiday for the first time several years ago in a hot spell, and found out why we have tiled floors rather than fitted carpets. Come in, kick the shoes off, and feel the cool retained in the floor as you wander around bare-footed. Have a good day everyone.
It's an unusually warm one up here too. Currently 25C which isn't too bad, but hopefully it doesn't get as warm as yesterday. We live in an old stone home built in 1790 which normally acts as a refuge from warm weather - yesterday afternoon, with all the doors & windows wide open to catch whatever breeze was on offer, the temperature indoors reached 31.5C - far too hot for comfort. I spent 45 minutes outside spreading mulch and watering where it felt far hotter - too hot for the dog, who stuck her nose out the back door then turned around and went back inside. Shades of Queensland really.
Morning all. It is going to be a case of watering and weeding this morning before retiring to the cooler indoors this afternoon. Combine harvesters are hard at work, often late into the night. As they work, great plumes of dust go upwards, landing goodness knows where. Having no aircon in the car at the moment means driving around with windows open. The result is, I am sneezing and spluttering like a full on dose of hay fever. No doubt when the car is fixed it will cool down and the harvesting will have finished. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Currently, 29°C with the sun out, but storms are forecast with a drop in the temperature this afternoon. Father's Day here, and as usual my daughters have sent cards and bought me a present. I have a small assembly job to occupy me now, something to do in the cool, I hope, of the house this afternoon. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Lots of thunder overhead yesterday afternoon, and some heavy rain for about half an hour meant that my watering can had a day off. A young blackbird has been in one of the cherry trees in the back garden, picking off the fruit that didn't swell up. We got to the cherries that did swell and ripen before the birds, so quite happy for him to enjoy the remainder. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. No showers in sight, although my forecast says it should be raining. Finally found out that the condenser in the car's aircon has died, so that is a very expensive item to be fixed. They cannot get one until next week, so more driving around with the window open. The oil seed rape that coloured the fields has died off now, and will shortly be replaced by sunflowers. No doubt they will already be out further south, but around here you can see the buds swelling almost daily. Much better than the peppery rape that can make you sneeze. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Overcast and steamy. I am told there was a storm in the night, and we certainly had a lot of rain, which pleases me. Our baker will be back from his holiday next week, thankfully. I tried a new one this week and his bread was soggy, nothing like a baguette should be. Being part of a chain, I suspect he has frozen bread in that he simply heats up. I won't be going there again. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Warm and sunny, but a gentle breeze, so quite pleasant currently. I am hoping that after the rain a couple of nights ago, there will be plenty of green vegetables waiting for me down the fields. Of course it will have brought the weeds on as well, so the hoe will no doubt get plenty of use. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Boy, it sure is hot outside, and I needed some bread. The dispenser will not be stocked until Tuesday, so off to town to find the baker there was closed. Remaining option, the small supermarket that has bread baked in there, but it is not very good. Still it will do, as eating doesn't seem so attractive when it gets hot. Have a good day everyone.
