The Problem With A Mollans Blog
I feel I should update my blog but…….what can I say that would be of interest? World-shaking events don’t happen here, certainly not politically or in terms of armed aggression or crime.
We have had, to my knowledge, two burglaries and one case of assault and battery in 21 years. Even then, the case of battery and assault was much a kind of plea for help as a crime from an alcoholic who was immediately identified and knew he would be. And one of the burglaries at least was from criminals known to the police to be operating outside the village. I do remember being stopped on the bridge one late evening by police who were looking for interesting substances, grown for years in a garden less than 200 metres from the bridge and known to everyone except, apparently, the police.
The weather is another possibility for news and the south west of France has experienced severe flooding. Here we have had an unusual amount of rain and the result is that the Ouvéze is somewhat swollen and the earth in my allotment is like pudding. Anyone want to make a news headline out of that? We don’t have news in Mollans other than of the variety that someone has died or been born. From my point of view, long may that continue but from the point of view of this blog…...what can I write about that could possibly be of interest to anyone who might read it? I’m still waiting for my first 100 real readers (bots excepted), let alone my first million, and unless I mention a topic that makes Russia, China or whoever send hundreds of their bots to interfere I shall go on waiting. So………
Spring has come here and is in full swing, at least according to the plant world, as reliable an indicator as any. Japonica bushes have been in bloom for some weeks, blossom from wild cherry and almond trees is all around as are primroses in more sheltered places. I have over 30 daffodils currently in bloom in front of the house, which pleases me and passers by. Some geraniums which I left in pots on my balcony over the winter have survived and are putting on new leaves. So I’m beginning to think about what I want in terms of flowers in front of the house this year.
On the allotment I’ve already planted onions and shallots and started to clear the space for the potatoes which have chitted in my junk room and are ready to plant. I want soon to plant a line of lettuces and rocket also and have decided that I will not, as far as possible, pot on the seedlings sprouting on my balcony but instead make shallow runnels in the still unsatisfactory ground on the allotment, fill them with decent compost and try transplanting directly into them. Plans for the rest of the allotment can wait until April.
With variable weather and gardening preoccupations I’ve become a weather forecasting watcher, on almost a daily basis. It helps me plan my gardening and boules playing time more accurately. How’s that for news?
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