Harvesting the pumpkins

Nearly all the pumpkins and butternut squashes have been picked for this year, its been very dry and warm, ideal ripening conditions. Only a few hangers on of Turks turbans and blue prince varieties are left who look like they are not quiet ready yet so I will wait until their leaves have died back. some blue prince beauties have escaped over the rabbit proof fence (that turned out it wasn't rabbit proof as they were small enough to hop through the wire -must think fencing re think for next year) have mingled and in twined with the stinging nettles, which are truly living up to their name being very stingy, the kind of tingly sting that lasts for ages. They will have to wait until jeans, wellies, long sleeves and gloves are worn as I pull up the nettles for the pigs, which don't seem to mind or maybe they don't feel the stings as they do love nettles, maybe they know how healthy they are for you.

So the pumpkin patch has been weeded, the marigolds need to be dug up and placed somewhere else ready for a bit of manure to be rotavated in then covered ready for next year, I'm thinking of putting tomatoes in their place but once a plan is sketched on paper they may be moved around before going back to the original one. At least I have been organised in buying a planning note book.

As to what to do with all the pumpkins that are now hardening off by laying on the hay bales before coming inside to store they will be made into soup, risotto, lasagna, stuffed, Curry, roasted, mashed and even find their way into a few cakes but no pumpkin pie we don't like pumpkin pie! Recipe books will be searched for new dishes, oh and a few are finding their way to Toulouse, if they can fit into Miss F's bag when she visits.

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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 ...

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.😃

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...

The English Paysanne

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