Known for its microclimate and many hours of sunshine the Charente today could easily be mistaken for the Lake District in the Uk on a bad bank holiday.
RAIN RAIN RAIN
What on earth is going on with the weather here. Locals are saying they have never known anything like it. Sunny and 24 degrees one day to thunderstorms, rain and 17 degrees the next.
The pool is up and running but going in when the water is only 20 degrees and the outside temperature less is not very appealing.
The only good thing about all this rain is having a rest from gardening and watering.. The celery and beetroot are loving it but the courgettes, tomatoes and aubergines are cringing! Some of the plants may not like it but it isn't deterring the weeds.....out in force!!! Also we seem to have more black aphids ...is it the same for everyone or am I just unlucky this year!
Despite the lack of sunshine We have an abundance of early strawberries...even with the squirrels and mice munching through quite a few of them we are picking a bowlful every day.
Working on the ONE THIRD PRINCIPLE...we shall be eating a third, freezing a third and now I have acquired a dehydrator I will be drying a third to use in muesli.
I have to admit to over planting on the strawb bed this year but I couldn't bear to part with all the babies and we also acquired some older plants that were being thrown away. I need to look to creating another bed in the garden...somewhere!!! Next year I will take out some of the older plants especially as they are ones that I brought to Charente from the Languedoc.
The cherries are now also starting to ripen and the elderflowers are plentiful. Elderflower champagne and bottling cherries is next on the to do list.
elderflower champagne and other elderflower recipes on my website https://livingwellforlessincharente.wordpress.com/e-l/
We also seem to have a bumper crop of artichokes. Last year I only had a few and left them to flower...they are beautiful.Being a member of the thistle family they are like enormous purple thistles.
This year I intend cooking them so look out for some recipes to come on my website.I know they require a bit more work which is why they are not so popular. I would love to find some good recipes as it is such a good production perennial plant. Like the strawberries the plant is going a bit wild and I will have to divide it next year.This large plant is actually about 8 plants!! I am considering making an artichoke hedge!!
WHEN THOSE SUNNY DAYS ARRIVE TRY NOT TO CRAM TOO MUCH WEEDING, DIGGING AND PLANTING INTO ONE DAY......THE BACKACHE MAY LAST LONGER THAN THE SUNSHINE!!!
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