It’s That Time Of Year
France
where I am is seasonal in more ways than you might expect. I like
dark chocolate, in truffles for instance, and you can get them only
at Christmas. Something similar happens in Italy where my Italian
cousin resides and who sends me dark chocolates with an intense
coffee interior that are obtainable only at that time of year. There
is no weather related reason for this so it must be something to do
with perceived commercial interests.
Anyway
it is strawberry and asparagus time here now and I think I have just
about had my full of both. You have to indulge when they are
available because neither will be in a couple of months’ time,
asparagus in much shorter time; and neither is suited to freezing.
The good news on that front is that cantaloupe melons are already
obtainable and they, unlike strawberries, taste the same whether they
come from France or elsewhere. And I can look forward to the soon
arrival of cherries and then apricots, peaches and nectarines.
But
this is the time of year I really like because there is so much to
do. Being retired one thing I have a lot of is time. In winter it is
a problem but not now and the weather allows lots to be done. It’s
work, which can be a controversial issue here, but the kind of work
that I like. I have heard some people here, maybe newcomers to the
area, complain that the French here don’t want to work, they are
lazy. But that seems to me a misunderstanding of the underlying
attitude, which puts quality of life before work. The people here can
work, and often do, very hard, but they want to do it when it suits
them. If they have earned enough for the week and the weather is
fine, why not go fishing? No one is trying to, or expecting to, get
rich and create a commercial empire. It is counter to the northern
European (protestant?) ethic of having to improve your circumstances
through hard work (which will necessarily be rewarded?).
Anyway
my hard work is on the allotment and on the flowers in front of the
hose. I’ve not yet done a lot in the front apart from some plants
to replace daffodils on the balcony. This year I’m going to try
some sunflowers in the front. One of the reported sayings that is
always in my mind is that, around 1917 Diaghilev apparently advised
Nijinsky “Etonne-moi” (astonish me). It echoes a thought from a
cousin of mine many years ago who said that if you are going to fail,
fail gloriously. I think sunflowers could be stunning and I could
put two or three in pots on my balcony and across the road. We’ll
see if that works. I’ve bought another jasmine for the front so
maybe I should rename my house jasmine or honeysuckle house but the
rest is still to be decided. The lilac next to my front door is
already in bloom so I’ll have a perfumed balcony from now on.
The
allotment is under control at the moment. I have to erect the plastic
greenhouse friends Steve and Jo gave me before they left so that I
can transfer seedlings now growing on my balcony. There’s a bit of
weeding to do but not much. Over the next three weeks I have to
remove the remaining leeks and cabbages and prepare that area of the
allotment for planting tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes, peppers and
chillis. I’ll adjust these according to the space available and
plant lettuces, spring onions and carrots where there is remaining
space. The aromatics, mint, winter savory and oregano, are already
there. I probably won’t bother this year with basil which I can
grow on my kitchen window ledge and rosemary, parsley and sage I
already have in abundance in front of the house. Thyme grows wild al
over the place so I don’t need to cultivate that.