Paths

These are part of a small network of pathways through the Artsy Organized Neighbor's property. The land is mostly wooded and much of it is a ravine that helps to drain the adjacent vineyard parcels. Thorny brambles are growing in the spaces between the trees and Tasha doesn't like walking on them so, for now, we're avoiding the undergrowth as much as we can.

The path leads to a clearing and a big log pile.

I got myself an appointment at an optical shop a few towns away. The appointment is on Friday morning, when that town's weekly market is held. I'll take advantage while I'm there. One of the actual stores in town is a shop that specializes in organic produce and other "healthy" foods. I'm looking for some gombo (okra) and hope they have some. Otherwise, strawberries and asparagus are in season!

Thursday is a big holiday in France: La fête du travail (Labor Day). A lot of people who have the day off will likely take Friday as well for a four-day weekend.

Tasha Tuesday

Tasha is always on the lookout for critters in the vineyard. Someone might have spoken the word "kitty-kat" just before snapping the shot.

Tasha on full alert on a recent walk though the vineyards.

I have a much needed new prescription for glasses. The ophthalmologist found no signs of glaucoma, cataracts, or any other eye problems. Next step: an appointment with the opticien for new lenses. I'm keeping my current frames.

Monday, Monday

Looks like a very spring-like weather pattern is building in. Clear and dry. Yippee! Here's a view that I've snapped many times over the years.

Grape vines.

I think that I will wait a couple of days for the yard to dry out some before mowing again.

The green, green grass of the west forty

The grass is growing again. Still. There may be an opportunity to cut it again this coming week. That means a trip to the gas station for some fuel. And speaking of fuel, I scheduled a delivery of heating fuel this week. We may not need it, but it's better to have it and not have to worry. The mornings are still chilly.

The garden path separates the west forty (to the right) from the south forty (to the left).

This will be a busy week. I have an eye appointment on Monday. Ken's getting his hair cut on Tuesday, The fuel delivery is on Wednesday. I'll have to fit the gas station and pharmacy in there somewhere. And, of course, cutting the grass. Retirement is a full-time job.

The view from the deck

I'm never sure what to call our "deck." Is it a deck? Or a terrace? It's not really a balcony, although you could call the north section that. The contractor that did the latest tile work called it une terrasse-balcon. Whatever it's called, here's the springtime view of our neighbors' property from ours.

Our neighbors have a beautiful snowball bush that's just starting to flower.

School spring vacations wind up this weekend, but the May holidays are right around the corner. First, there's May 1, Labor Day. Then the 8th, celebrating the end of WWII. Finally, the 29th is Ascension Day. All three of the holidays fall during the week, so there are long weekends ahead.

Grape leaves, or stays

As I mentioned yesterday, all the rain we've had so far this season is making the everything very green, including the new leaves on the grape vines. Even if the ground is soggy and puddles abound, it still feels nice to see all the green. This year, Kermit the Frog would find it easy to be green.

More or less the same view as yesterday's photo, actually taken yesterday.

I'm hopeful that the forecasters have it right when they say we're in for a few dry days. The grass keeps growing and we want to get more things done outdoors. I'm hoping to get to the market tomorrow (Saturday) for some strawberries and more asparagus. Fingers crossed!

Vineyards

These are the vineyards that we walk through almost every day with Tasha. I took this photo about two weeks ago at sunrise. The grape vines were beginning to grow leaves then. Now, the leaves are getting bigger. Unfortunately, thanks to the rain, I don't have a newer photo of all the green. I'll work on that as the weather clears up.

More buds than leaves at this stage two weeks ago.

The forecast, depending on who one believes, is for less rain, more sun, and warmer temperatures. I should be able to get a decent shot soon.

Leafing out

It's even more leafy today than when I took this picture. With all the rain we've had, everything is saturated in green.

There's almost as much gold as green, thanks to the rising sun.

And it's raining again this morning. Ugh.

Tasha Tuesday

It's an old joke.

Tasha: Can I have some? Can I have some? Can I have some? Can I have some?

wcs: gives Tasha some.

Tasha: Can I have some more? Can I have some more? Can I have some more? Can I have some more?

Easter lunch

Instead of our traditional rabbit meal (we've been eating the Easter Bunny every year since 1984), I made a ham and asparagus tart. Ken found this beautiful white asparagus at the produce market. We had the ham slices on hand. The asparagus spears get peeled and steamed, then wrapped in ham slices. A savory custard made with parmesan cheese is poured around the spears and the tart is baked about forty minutes or until done.

Serve with or after a green salad.

We had six ham slices and seven asparagus spears, so the spear in the middle is naked.

The crust is a home-made pâte brisée (short crust) that I lightly blind-baked before filling. I think the tart would be just as good with green asparagus if white spears are not available.

The other side of the wood pile

The blocks of stone are a new addition to the AON's installations. They showed up at some point in the last year or so. I don't know how he got them off the trailer and into such a neat arrangement. I didn't see it happen.

Stones. No henge.

Today is the day we traditionally eat rabbit, but I didn't feel like it this year. We'll be making an asparagus and ham tart, with local white asparagus. Yum.

A wood pile

This is one of two large piles of firewood among the AON's installations. The wood is expertly stacked and covered with corrugated metal panels (to help keep them dry) which are tied down to the pile so they don't blow away.

Wood pile. Each log is split (by a machine), if necessary, and is cut to one meter long.

We're expecting rain to start later this morning. I did finish cutting the grass yesterday, so I'm happy about that. The mowing was not without incident, however. The rider's seat came off. Twice. The bumpy ground, made so by moles, took its toll on the single bolt that secures the seat. I almost lost that bolt in the grass but, thankfully, I managed to find it and, with a lot of toil and trouble (and swearing), I got the seat reattached and finished cutting the grass.

I feel cursed.

More from the woods

It's amazing what the AON (Artsy Organized Neighbor) has in his collection of this and that. The property is on the edge of a vineyard parcel. There's no house; nobody lives there, except on the next road over which runs along a stream bed in the adjacent ravine.

Construction materials, what looks like part of a plow, and a big block of stone.

We're expecting a nice day today, but the weekend looks horrible. I will try to finish up the mowing this afternoon (I got the south forty cut yesterday). Tasha has an appointment for her annual vaccinations this morning, so that's what we'll be doing.

Yes, but is it art?

Here's one of the ten or so markers that the Artsy Organized Neighbor planted recently. They roughly follow the same path as the fence that was removed. "Fence" may not be the right word. It was two wires attached to wooden posts (former vine wire supports, by the looks of them), one at the top and one closer to the ground. The fence was electrified with a car battery.

A propeller looking for a plane? Two of the old posts are visible in the upper center and to the right.

It didn't rain as predicted yesterday so I got on the rider and mowed the north forty again. It was the first plot I mowed before all that unpleasantness started. Enough time passed that it needed to be cut again. The rest will have to be done again soon as well. Yesterday's "ride" was pleasant and uneventful.

At woods' edge

This is part of the Artsy Organized Neighbor's "installation." He stockpiles old building bits and construction materials, many road related. And firewood, cut from the surrounding woods, neatly stacked in clearings. When he cuts, he carefully selects which trees to fell and which to leave standing I think that it's mostly oak, but there are other species in the mix. That's one of the reasons why his woods are so pleasant to walk through.

Some of the AON's collection at woods' edge. I don't know what he does with it all.

Last night before bed, I went into the den to turn off the computer and everything was frozen. I kind of panicked. Ken came in and said that it looked like the mouse was dead. I replaced the battery and everything came back to life. But it's a good lesson: back up your stuff. You never know when you might lose it.

Don't fence me out

I don't have a choice in the matter. The person who owns this property on the edge of the vineyard out back took down the electrified fence that separates the woods from the vines several weeks ago. He only put it up in the first place a few years ago. Tasha and I have enjoyed walking through these woods again. But now I see signs (not literal signs) of the fence getting replaced. A few days ago, brightly painted re-bar stakes showed up with little flags tied to them that could indicate where new fence posts would go.

A few of the old fence posts are visible in this photo.

I believe the fence is there to keep deer out of the adjacent vineyard. I don't know how well it works, but it keeps us from walking through the woods. Oh well. We'll enjoy it while we can.

After effects

Here's approximately the same view as the "before" shot. This cut was the highest available on my mower, level five of five. As the season progresses, I'll gradually lower the level to three. I don't think I've cut the grass down to levels two or one since I've had this mower.

Tasha sniffs around in the freshly cut grass.

I've started working on the edges and corners and walkways, all places that the rider can't really reach. For this I'm using the walk-behind mower and the weed eater. It's slow going in the thick grass but, once it's done the first time, it will get easier.

Volunteers

There are some nice surprises when the grass gets tall. These volunteer flowers are among them. I won't cut them down until the petals drop off. Close by, there's a patch of irises where we had stored them after digging them out from another part of the yard. We never moved them, and now they're claimed the spot as their own.

Some nice color out by the garden shed.

 It rained yesterday from late morning into the night. I'll see how soggy the ground is when I go out with Tasha. I'm so happy that the big mow is done. I started working on the details where the riding mower won't go. The little mower started right up and did a good job. I also gave the weed eater a workout. There's still much to do, but it's under control. Stress levels have decreased significantly.

And we have liftoff!

The guy from the hardware store called yesterday morning. The battery is back in stock and he set one aside for me, as promised. I picked it up, brought it home, and installed it with no problem. And it works.

Part of the west forty before mowing. Those aren't yellow leaves on the trees in the background; the rising sun's rays lit them up.

I still had the problem of the white smoke. I'm talking billowing clouds, here, not the odd wisp. Then, suddenly, it occurred to me. Is the oil cap on correctly? Uh-oh. Pilot error. I had the oil cap the wrong way on (it's not lost on me: the dipstick couldn't manage to close the dipstick). Every time I turned the mower, oil was splashing out and burning on contact with the hot engine parts. A quick twist and the cap was properly closed. And, just like that, no more spillage, no more white smoke. In the words of Bugs Bunny, "what a maroon!"

I got just about the whole yard mowed yesterday afternoon. There are still the edges and other hard-to-reach spots to cut with the weed eater/strimmer. I'll try to do some of that today, depending on the weather. Rain is forecast. But the big job (first cut of the year) is finally done. Until it grows back.

Gargoyle

Here's a cheery face to match my mood. A gargoyle is poised above and the little man below him looks grumpy. Like I feel. I want this lawnmower thing to be over with. I got no call yesterday about the new battery. That leaves today. And rain is supposed to be returning on Saturday. Joy.

Grumpy guy.

I wanted to drain some oil out of the tank, but for the life of me, I could not find the drain plug. I looked for hours (not an exaggeration) but it just wasn't where the manual said it was. Aaaack! I looked at a few videos online about changing the oil on this model. I only found one video wherein the mower looked like mine. And there was the oil plug, right where it was supposed to be. Yeah, it's easy when you know where it is. Only, instead of being a hand operated valve with a hand operated nozzle like the manual shows, it's just a nut that the guy in the video opened with a socket wrench. It's buried about halfway into the engine itself and I don't have a tool that will reach it, let alone unscrew it. There's no valve to turn like the manual shows, just a nut that, even if I could get it open, would allow oil to spill out onto the mower's cutting deck and then who knows where. Well, I do know where: onto the floor of the garage. No pan could contain that gusher.

I'm ready to load up the truck and move to Beverly.

Hills, that is. Swimmin' pools. Movie stars.

Ok, it's not that bad. The dipstick (I resemble that remark) shows the oil level to be just at the max point, maybe a tad more, so I guess it's alright. Bother.

Arty choke

Our main bundle of artichoke plants is growing strong. And we have a couple more volunteers out in the garden plot. Maybe we should try eating them again. Once they form, or course.

Artichoke.

I had a little bit of drama with the riding mower yesterday. I'm not out of the woods, yet. First, I realized that I had accidentally overfilled the motor oil tank (crank case?) and it spilled over, causing billows of white smoke to fill the air when I started the engine. As fellow blogger Urspo might say, "Oh, the embarrassment." Then, in an unrelated (I hope) incident, the engine's battery went into meltdown, literally. And perhaps as a result, it doesn't seem to want to hold a charge. It worked fine last year. Ugh.

I'm slowing recovering, but the growing grass waits for no man. I went to the hardware store yesterday and talked to the guy there, and we agreed the battery should be replaced. He informed me that the warranty on the battery was for six months only and, naturally, had expired six months ago. Also, that he didn't have a battery of the correct size in stock. He said he's getting some in today or tomorrow and that he'd set one aside for me. It's a different brand, hopefully one better than what came with the mower. That done, I came home and cleaned up the oil mess (I hope) This morning I will drain what's left of the excess out of the engine. I've changed the oil in my push-mowers many times over the years, so I should be able to handle this. Keep fingers crossed!

Woodsy

It's been a while since I've visited the Artsy Organized Neighbor's "installations." One of the grape growers put in an electrified fence a year or two ago to help keep the deer out of his vines. I'm not sure how well that works. I did have the effect of keeping me and Tasha out of the adjacent woods. There's a way in, but the only way out is to retrace our steps.

The grove, with assorted out-buildings and trailers.

A couple of weeks ago, however, the fence disappeared. I don't know why, but it's gone and Tasha and I can once again take the trail through the woods. I wonder if this is temporary. It's getting to be prime bud munching time for the wild critters. We shall see.

Tasha Tuesday

Here's Tasha admiring last Thursday's sunrise. Well, she probably heard a deer in the nearby woods. I don't think the sunrise really interests her. We see roe deer in this spot often. And yesterday I saw what I think was a fox on the edge of another vineyard parcel. It was quite a distance away from where I was standing, so I can't be certain.

Tasha looks to the east.

Grilling season continues with hamburgers yesterday. Ken made a delicious potato salad to go with them. I'm not sure what's on the menu for today, but maybe we'll grill again.

In other news, the riding mower is back in service! You might recall that I had unintentionally let the battery go dead last fall. Apparently, I was supposed to remove the battery at the end of the cutting season and recharge it periodically through the winter. We bought a charger last fall and I was able to save the battery. Yesterday I reinstalled it in the mower and lo! it works. The other problem I had with the mower is that the front tires had completely deflated. So, we bought a household air compressor that plugs into the car's cigarette lighter. There are also tires on the wheelbarrow and a hand truck that need to be reinflated. I haven't done that yet, but the mower tires filled as expected and I cut the north forty yesterday afternoon. Today: the west forty!

Spring is in there somewhere

The last couple of days have been relatively warm and we are noticing more and more leaf buds on the trees and vines, and more wildflowers in their usual places. Right now, violets are in bloom around the yard. They stay close to the shady areas and their vibrant blue color is eye-catching. But all of that fades away when I apply a sepia treatment to a photo.

As one of my readers pointed out recently, the sepia treatment gives the photo a "Kansas in the Wizard of Oz" look.

With Tasha in the role of Toto, of course.

One chore that got completed yesterday is the breaking-down of cardboard boxes. I'll bet we had accumulated close to thirty boxes in the garage, taking up space. They were mostly wine boxes (ahem), but we also had more than a few Amazon boxes in the mix. Ken and I spent about an hour breaking them all down and flattening them. Some were closed with tape necessitating the use of a box cutter (what an appropriate name!), others with glue, and those can be stubborn, not to mention hell on the fingernails. We put the flattened cartons in big leaf bags and Ken took them to a recycling station over by the supermarket. Good riddance!

Sausages on the grill yesterday were tasty. We may do burgers today. The grilling season is officially here!

Le pliage

Here's an example of grape vines that have been pliées (folded). The single cane that remains after la taille (pruning) is bent to the horizontal and wrapped around a guide wire. Then, in most cases, a sort of twisty tie (what do you call them?) secures the cane to the wire.

These vines are pretty old, but they still produce.

More spring chores are getting done around our place, but there are many more to go. I'm dreading the window and curtain washing. It's not difficult, but it's a chore and it takes time. I do like the result when it's done. I think we'll be firing up the grill for today's lunch. The first grilling of the season will be saucisses de Toulouse (Toulouse-style sausages). Yum.

Plowshares

This is what one of the newer vineyard parcels out back looks like after the plow passes. The tractor with the plow straddles the vine row and, as it moves through the parcel, turns the soil on both sides of the vine trunks. The result is not particularly pretty, and it makes walking between the rows awkward at best. We casual walkers can avoid the plowed rows, but vineyard workers have to deal with them.

My phone camera saw the clouded morning sky as a deep blue.

Friday was another productive day! I power-washed the deck, opened up the bbq grill, and brought the table and chairs up from the garage. This morning, our indoor temperature is just above the point where the central heating comes on. In other words, it's the first morning since winter began that we haven't needed heat. However, morning temps in the single digits are predicted to return from Sunday forward. Yuck.

Thursday morning sunrise

I used my phone to take some pictures in the vineyard yesterday. I'm not happy with the result, so I'll probably take the DSLR out in the next day or two. This sunrise photo came out ok, so here it is.

Looking northeasterly toward our hamlet at sunrise on Thursday.

We're having a relative warm spell. It got up to just over 20ºC (about 68F) yesterday and we're expecting the same through the weekend. I'm thinking of power-washing the deck and getting the bbq grill up and running for the season. But there's no lack of chores to choose from. We'll see how it goes.

The parcel of grape vines shown below was re-planted two seasons ago. This will be its third year. The vines resemble little sticks at this point. Yesterday, one of the vineyard workers used a plow to turn over the soil on either side of each vine row. I'm guessing that's intended to help keep the weeds down while the vines mature.

Mediocre photo of the replanted vineyard parcel behind our hamlet.

I also noticed that the pliage is under way in neighboring parcels. Several workers walked through the pruned rows "folding" each remaining cane to the horizontal and attaching it to a guide wire. The buds are thus well-spaced when they sprout rather than all bunched up. I'll try to get some photos. A picture is worth a thousand words. At least it was before the tariffs.

Whole lotta prunin' goin' on.

Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid. Little by little, the bird builds its nest. An expression that applies to the annual grape vine pruning here (and everywhere, I expect). It's a job done by hand (except that the pruning shears are battery powered): last year's growth is cut off the main trunk, except for one cane. The pruners have an eye for which cane should stay.

Do plum trees get pruned?

Yesterday, in a burst of productivity, I got our US tax return done and sent it off via the internet. A message came back soon after saying that the IRS received and accepted the return. We're expecting a small refund. Yay! Now its on to the French tax return.

Killing me softly

Since Round Up was taken off the market, I've been trying (with little enthusiasm and less success) different ways to control weeds in our gravel paths and driveway. One way is not to bother. I'm not sure I like that method. Ken did some internet research and found lots of mention of using vinegar, and one that combines strong household vinegar with salt to kill weeds. I decided to try.

I don't know what this is.

So, yesterday I mixed up the "recipe" which also called for a measure of liquid dish soap. That, supposedly, helps the vinegar/salt solution to stick to the weeds' leaves. Once mixed, I sprayed the solution on everything green in the garden path before I ran out. I'll see this morning if the weeds show signs of kicking the bucket. If so, I'll mix up some more for the north side and the driveway.

p.s. I just realized what day this is and I want to let you know that this is not an April fool!