Saturday, July 26, 2014

Le Jardin...

Borage
It's raining again!
Le jardin is looking so green and bushy, must be the days and nights and days and nights of rain we've been having!  Yesterday things cleared up a little, we even put sun cream on a one point, so I grabbed my camera to take a few pics of what's 'growing' on...


It may look a bit wild and untamed but it's really all quite orderly, with most things in neat little rows!

swiss chard, courgettes and leeks
corn, carrots, beans and potatoes
beetroot & carrots
Apart from the peas, which started rotting, nothing seems to have suffered from the 'monsoon'!  I was slightly worried about the potatoes so we dug a few up to see, and they are doing fine - just a bit small for the moment.


sage
I planted some borage next to my courgette plants to protect them from slugs, unfortunately it doesn't work on garden pests of the furry kind!


mirabelle plums
black currants
I was even so bold as to make some sun tea - herbs and fruit brewed all day in the sun and left in the fridge over night - for a refreshing hot summers day drink. Unfortunately it's wet and cold again today!

  
And how does your garden grow this summer?
Is the weather causing you worry too?


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Summer Hiking in the Alps


We chose the first hike of the season wisely - the traverse Plan Praz (2000m) - La Flégère (1877m).  Not too many ups and not to many downs, and along with the kids and puppy we brought along m.i.l - who maintains that a traverse is meant to be flat - nothing here is flat!!!


No complains though from the wee chaps or Ringo...



It was a fairly overcast day, great for hiking as it meant we didn't get to hot.  However for those of us wearing fur coats it still got pretty warm at times...

... ah! that's better


At 12 noon everything stops for lunch - hiking is the only time when Richard concedes that a sandwich can pass as meal!!!  M.i.l  does sandwiches the 'french' way - bringing along great hunks of bread, paté and cheese, which is great provided you don't forget to bring a knife!



To top of a great day, Tino made us dinner - fish and eye shaped fish cakes -umm delicious!


Vivre les Montagnes!!