Skip to main content

The veggie patch






As we nearly reach the end of another Summer although it feels that we have been short changed of one this year the veggie patch is looking a little wild, unkempt and in need of a tidy up and harvest of those veg that did manage to grow in the rain and cooler weather. Runner beans are going bonkers, raspberries keep on coming and I now have the best leeks that I have ever grown, there may be a bit too much chard along with courgettes (even some of the pigs are refusing to eat them now) but they may have to make up for the brassicas that never recovered from attacks of the rabbits. The same for the carrots that have had their green fronds trimmed daily thus tiny carrots as well as trimmed  lettuce.

Pumpkins seem to be taking over the patch, both on the ground and climbing their way up trees and fences. But the biggest blow is the tomatoes. It seems every ones tomatoes have now been affected by blight. I thought our plants may of got away with it but no seeing them today they are a sorry sight. I'm hoping to get just a few more red tomatoes before they are pulled up and disposed of. Thankfully the ones growing in the poly tunnel are well, although a lot slower in ripening, very strange as you would think they would be the first. I guess it all comes down to the weather being pants for sun loving plants, too much rain and damp is not what they like.Their may be no sun dried tomatoes, tomato sauce and all those tomatoey things I was hoping to make this year, at least there will be a stock of pasata and pizza sauce all be it in a smaller quantity. Bring on the pumpkins...............
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2ENJ093 - FRANKLIN

Eight years ago today Franklin came into our family, a rescue dog from the SPA in Rodez we drove to see if they had a dog to re home. He had been there a month after being left tied to a bin in the town centre, chosen because he didn't bark, he came to us to say hello and was completely different from the dog we had lost days before Christmas. 120 Euros he cost, a young boy still a pup, very thin but with a look of take me home please. A collar put round his neck, forms completed, cheque handed over and a kiss from the manager and he was ours. Five minutes down the road in the car he threw up. Five minutes in the house and he had weed up the settee and collected an assortment of treasures including socks, toilet roll inner tubes, tissues and soft toys all placed in a pile under the table and garded. He ate at an amazing speed, fearing he would loose it to our other dogs. Then he started to bark, he has a fine bark on him. He barks for his tea, when a visitor arrives, the
2 comments
Read more

Parisot lake

As it is a holiday today here in France (Bastille Day) we took the afternoon off an popped over to Parisot lake for a walk with Sorrel. It has all changed, since the lake was emptied and cleaned up this year you can now swim in it, as well as inflatable toys to play on, a life guard, bikes to hire, a new fenced in play area for small people and a total spruce up. But there is a price we were charged! 3 euros an adult, which I guess is OK if you are using the facilities but Sorrel didn't fancy a dip. The cafe is still open but that would of been too much for Sorrel to cope with being so close to people and music so we opted for a bench to sit on in the shade before walking around the lake. Sorrel opted for being Billy no mates and laying by herself, if be it for a short period of time before bikes and people went by. We are now waiting for the free firework celebrations over the chateau tonight - if we can stay up that late.😃
4 comments
Read more

Lavender

One plant that does grow well around the gites and garden and that I don't seem to be able to kill is lavender. In the summer the bushes are swarming with bees, hummingbird moths, butterflies and other flying insects, lot of holiday photos have been taken by keen photographers, some setting up chairs and waiting for ages with big cameras and lenses waiting for the right moment and right insect to land. It does give a lovely show and smell as well, its picked and placed in vases in the gites by guests. Its very tactile and difficult to pass without a rub of a flower that's if you like the smell. I think its very much like marmite you either love it or hate it, a smell of memories of grans and old aunts who use to get given Yardley's old lavender smellies for presents. I like the smell but it can be quiet overpowering, especially when this year I have finally been able to save the dried flowers. Previous years other things have got in the way and its bee
1 comment
Read more