Vegetables versus Weeds

Rose fairly early this morning, had breakfast and then went and did a bit of weeding and hoeing before it got too warm. Just did a little bit around the Aubergines, French Beans and Sweetcorn (love corn on the cob - just cannot buy it reasonable out here). Will do the same tomorrow and gradually work my way down the garden.

Whilst weeding I found, what I think is, Purslane growing in the garden. Having a read up in my Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Herb Growing, I know it is full of vitamin C and has been used for centuries either cooked or in salads. I just need to confirm that it is the said plant! There is an English lady out here who has a cookery Blog and I thought that maybe she could help with this plant late last year. She hadn't a clue! Oh well.. never mind! My man went to the pharmacy this morning to renew his prescription and I suggested that he took a sample of the plant with him just to check that it is comestible - he forgot! I will have a word with my 'wise' neighbour, who found the most wonderful bolets growing around my spruce last autumn, and see if he knows.... failing that back to the pharmacy. Out here it is not what you know but who! We have lots of Fat Hen growing and there is also a plant that a Greek born friend said that his mum would harvest and cook like spinach. I don't know the name of that one at all. What I am thinking is just let the weeds take over and we eat them instead of growing veg. I will avoid the deadly nightshade though!

I have found a website devoted to all things naturalistic in France (www.planetepassion.eu). I love wild flowers (weeds included), birds and wild animals. I suppose it is to do with the way I was brought up. They (planetepassion) have a posting showing how to grow potatoes successfully above ground. You put your seed potatoes on the ground and cover them with straw... simple. Obviously the last sentence is a potted version but it seems as though it works well. Maybe I can get himself to try it next year. If the hay used will keep the weeds down then all to the good!!

If I see a butterfly or bug that I do not know then I try to find out what it is, when I was a child my Dad answered the questions. When our daughters were young and they asked a questions that I did not know the answer to I researched it so that I had an answer for them. I acquired a library full of reference books in order to help them! (Thank you Readers Digest!). The books are now distributed between our children so that they can pass on the 'knowledge'. A few years ago we had a nocturnal visitor into our house. My husband thought that it was a bat as it was flapping around in a blind panic, but it was a moth with a 5 inch wingspan, absolutely beautiful and amazing. I did an internet search and found a website via Google France and sent them a (poor) photo of the moth. The website was www.leps.it an italian website devoted to butterflies and moths. Absolutely amazing, they identified the moth as a Giant Peacock Moth (female) and wished me well in La Belle France.

So I think I will use planetepassion just to satisfy my curiosity with anything natural in La Belle France along with these other wonderful websites that I have found, and of course, my neighbour!

At the moment it is 'Soldes' in France, nearly everyone I know is off to find a bargain, me NO! I don't think that there is anything that I need. I have the furniture, linen and clothes that we need. What I would like to find though is the elusive woven, and cool, cotton clothes for the summer. Do you think I can find them reasonably priced? No!! There are plenty of knitted (jersey) cotton garments about but very few woven cotton. My body needs to breath! So I will need to find patterns (if they are suitable) and then the fabric to make the said clothes. Grrr I don't mind sewing at all, although it is a long time since I have done so. I think the last actual clothes that I made were for pre-teen daughters and that was a long time ago!! I just cannot imagine my dear man trying to pin hems for me!!

We have our middle daughter and her son, our first grandson - now 12 yrs old, coming to visit at the end of the month. We are really looking forward to seeing them. Our daughter has been going through a rough time over the last couple of years and for her this will be a well earned break. Our grandson has also been through this trying time as well and, we feel, is growing up too quickly due to familial circumstances. Plans are being made for trips to various places and other delights for them and for our grandson to enjoy his childhood a little longer. It will be so very good for us all.

Have updated my profile picture. Again it is of Clematis Jackmanii - again beautiful this year and we have more and more bloom. The picture has not been digitally enhanced in any way, the sky was that colour that morning... Absolutely superb, I love it!