Aromatics

Leeks and bay leaves, ready to go into... uh... something. I forget exactly what it was. But whatever it was, I'm sure it was delicious. The leeks are the green tops that Ken chopped off and froze for using in stocks; we eat the white parts as a salad (cold with vinaigrette), or as a side dish, warm. The bay leaves come from our bay laurel out back. They're the best bay leaves I've ever tasted.

Defrosting leeks on the left, dried bay leaves on the right.

Yesterday I harvested some oregano. It's already beginning to flower. I dried my harvest in the dehydrator. I hope to do another batch today. And maybe take some photos. 

Les asperges

Ken brought home some asparagus from a recent trip to the store. The season is winding down, I think, so it's good to enjoy them while we still can. These are white asparagus. Their spears are buried under soil and not allowed to get sun. That way they don't photosynthesize, preventing them from turning green. The one inconvenience is that the white spears develop a thick skin and need to be peeled before being cooked and eaten. But it's worth the trouble.

Asperges blanches.

I peeled these, of course, and then served them steamed and cooled as a first course salad dressed with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. They are also excellent with mayonnaise or a mayonnaise-based sauce (like Thousand Island). Yum! 

Now what?

I have no new photos. I guess I should get out more often. Here's one that I've posted several times over the years. Some of you have been there. Let me know if you recognize it.

A castle in France. Hmm...

The week ahead is looking like it will be hot. There's lots of outdoor work to do, including another pass with the weed killer. I may even need to mow again.

Caprese salad

This is our first Caprese salad of the season. Since we didn't plant tomatoes this year, these come from the supermarket. We tested two mozzarellas, one made with normal cow's milk and another made with Italian buffalo's milk. The difference in flavor was perceptible, but just barely. Both were good and we ended up mixing them on the salad.

Caprese salad.

 I just looked at my keyboard and it's a mess. Time for a cleaning! I'll add it to the list.

Morning calm

A thunderstorm went through over night. It wasn't very violent and it didn't last very long, but there was a lot of rain for a little while. No more storms are expected today. There's nothing on the radar.

Things look fresh and green the morning after a storm. The grass has dried out a lot since our recent hot spell started.

Here's a photo, taken this morning, looking out the den window at the south forty. You can see that Ken's been busy cleaning up and organizing the greenhouse. There's still a lot to do. You can also see two of our neighbors' houses across the road. One is lived in full-time and the other is a vacation house that belongs to a Parisian woman. She's comes down a few times each summer and her son comes down for weekends and such through the year.

While I was preparing this post, a bird (female blackbird, I think) flew into the greenhouse (the door is open),  hit the glass ceiling (!) pretty hard, then bounced into that beige bucket you can see on the ground just inside the door. I ran downstairs to shoo it out, but not before closing the door into the house. The bird was sitting in the bucket, stunned and breathing pretty hard. I picked up the bucket, pointed it toward the door, and the bird took off like a shot. Free!

Play ball!

From deep in the archives: a group of guys playing football (soccer in the US) in Vouvray. It dates from before we moved to France. We were staying close by in a vacation rental home.

Is that a football on the ground? Or maybe it's the Football Moon.

I saw the "Strawberry Moon" last night as it rose and again this morning as it set. I'm sure it's being packed up for storage as tonight's "Friday the 13th Moon" is being unpacked. You know, WIWAK (When I was a kid), we had only one moon, with the possible exception of the occasional blue moon (where things only happen once) and the harvest moon. Shine on. Still, I'm sure it was all the same moon.

Nothing new...

...under the sun. We're enjoying a series of beautiful days and I'm almost done cutting the grass. I've also made another pass with the weed killer mix. The forecast for the next few days is "unsettled." Maybe some thunderstorms, warmer temps, then cooler. Who knows. Meanwhile, we're enjoying being out on the deck.

You can't see it in this photo, but the sun umbrella is up, providing shade on the deck.

This morning I'm taking Tasha in for her teeth cleaning. The poor thing doesn't understand why she's not getting her breakfast today. Doctor's orders mean nothing to a dog. I will have to be careful while walking her this morning; she will try to eat "stuff" off the ground (I won't go into any more detail than that). Her appointment is for 08h45, so it will all be over soon enough. 

One more view...

...of the potato patch. It looks so neat and tidy. Now. But it won't last. The weeds will inevitably invade. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my zucchini and pumpkin plants look alright. I have a lot more weeds, but as the squash plants get stronger, they'll do batte with the weeds and should be able to hold their own.

The potato plants are growing well and, so far, the weeds are under control. This is not my garden.

Yesterday I was able to do another pass in the gravel paths and driveway with the weed killer. Remember: I'm using a home-made mix of household vinegar, salt, and dish soap. It's working pretty well, so far. Today I'm planning to cut the grass in the west and south forites, one mow time! 

Caution!

The signs roughly translate to "Automated vehicle in use." It's referring to the vitibot the grower uses to dig up weeds in her vine rows. I expect that it uses GPS to navigate the vineyard. Here's a photo I took last year.

An interesting use of the exclamation point!

I also noticed another activity out back in that newly replanted parcel. I couldn't see well enough to realize what they were doing, but this morning it became clear. They were watering the new vines. Watering is not permitted in AOP vineyards, but I'm guessing that it's ok when establishing a new parcel. The vines aren't producing fruit yet, so there's no impact on the wine. But those little vines need some help to become well established.

Baby vines

The replanted grape vine parcel out back is beginning to show green! Those baby vines are shedding their waxy protective coating and sending out fresh, green leaves. I suspect that a lot of their energy will be devoted to producing deep roots. Fruit will take a couple of years, at least.

Watch out for those weeds!

Today is Pentecost Monday, also known as Whit Monday. It's a holiday here in France, the last of the "spring" holidays and this year's series of long weekends. I think people need a break. After all, the summer holidays are just around the corner!

Mon petit chou ?

I want to say that this is some kind of cabbage, but I'm not at all sure of that. I'll keep my eyes peeled as it grows.

Two rows of potatoes and a row of cabbage-like plants.

It looks like we're in for a warm spell. It'll feel good after this chilly weather we've been having. which has been accompanied by gusty winds. Ugh. 

Guinea fowl savory cake

In case you missed it over on Ken's blog, this is what he did with some leftover roasted pintade (Guinea fow) last week. He folded cubes of the fowl in question into the batter, then added some lardons made from Canadian-style bacon to round out the meats, some re-hydrated dried tomatoes, then some herbs and grated cheese for good flavor. We ate the cake with a crispy green salad and fresh tomatoes. Delicious!

Doesn't that look tasty!

Our days are still chilly and it rained a lot of the day yesterday. More rain is predicted, or not, depending on which weather service we look at.

Year three

It wouldn't be France without geraniums. This is one of two pots on the deck. They've overwintered twice, both times out on the deck, but pulled back against the house. When spring comes, they send up new stems, leaves, and flowers. This year is the third year that they've made it through winter. I suppose our lack of hard freezes has something to do with their survival.

One of two pots of geraniums on the deck.

Spring cleaning continues. Today I plan to "do" the den. I'll take out all the moveable furniture (I won't try to move the china cabinet that's in there). Chairs, filing cabinets, lamps, plants, and the area rug will come out, as will my computer, scanner, and printer. After that, I want to clean the windows and wash the curtains as well as "shampoo" the area rug (carpet cleaner spray in a can and a vacuum). If it's raining outside (and it's predicted) I may skip the window exteriors for now. Then I'll clean the tile floor. I can't remember the last time I did the floor. It more than needs it.

Lettuce entertain you

The mystery of the stakes in the mystery garden is solved. They are indeed climbing stakes and whoever owns this garden has planted tomatoes at the base of each one. Behind them is a row of salade (lettuce) and a little further down is a partial row of something that looks like cabbage. I still don't know who is planting and tending this garden. It's isolated out among the vineyard parcels. There's no running water there, so that has to be brought in. And there's no fencing to protect the little plants from deer and other dangers.

Potatoes, tomatoes, and lettuce, oh my.

Kitchen window boxes

This year's kitchen window is adorned with surfinia (trailing petunias). Last year we had marigolds, but they didn't look so good after a few weeks. I'm hoping for better results with these.

Surfinias from the market in Selles-sur-Cher.

We're expecting rain toward mid-day. Fortunately, I got the north forty and part of the west forty mowed yesterday. That and the strip outside our hedges along the road. My decision this morning is whether to race the rain to get more done, or just bag it until next time. Hmm...

Tasha Tuesday

June will be a big month for Tasha. She's getting her teeth cleaned on the 12th and then the groomer comes on the 23rd. This will be the second time for a teeth cleaning. She gets dental chews three times a week, but that darned tartar still builds up. That reminds me. I need to make an appointment to get my teeth done. Joy.

Looking toward the sunrise on Sunday morning.

The vet told me that her gums are in good shape, so she doesn't need a "deep" cleaning. Maybe those chews are doing something after all. I also just ordered another 12 kg (26 lbs) sack of kibble, her main food source. That should come in later this week.

Foggy morning

This was last Tuesday morning. We were socked in. Sound was muffled, as if the world had pulled a blanket over its head. Very moody.

Foggy morning, in sepia tone.

Forty-two years

Forty-two years ago today, Ken and I took possession of our first apartment together. And they said it wouldn't last. Here are a couple of early memories.

The top photo is from 1986 after our cross-country move to San Francisco taken by our friend Ann from Chicago. I'm on the right, Ken's on the left. The bottom photo is us in Muir Woods, just north of San Fran, around the same time, taken by our friend Peter who was visiting from Washington, DC. I'm in front, Ken's in back.

Matching jackets.