Raoul Taburin And Garden

Raoul Taburin

Raoul Taburin is a comic strip created by Jacques Sempé, one of my favourite cartoonists, who displays a very dry sense of humour. The comic strip was made into a film last year and and the film was shot in Mollans, a good part of it in my very road and not 100 yards from my house. So of course I went to see it when it was shown in the local cinema in Buis last week.

The story line is typical Sempé, about a Frenchman who suffers the ultimate disgrace for one of his nationality: he can't ride a bike. In the film he is befriended by another man, a photographer who doesn't know how to take photos. In one delightful scene he is being cosied up to by a lady who clearly wants a declaration of love. He becomes coy, says it is very difficult for him to say what he wants to say, says he has never told it to anybody before, and with the lady all encouraging smiles and expectation, finally blurts out that he can't ride a bike. A tragic end to the budding romance!

It's a truly delightful film, and not just because it was shot in Mollans.

The Garden

The Mairie managed to prevaricate its way out of pruning the trees opposite my house (never underestimate the ability to prevaricate in Provence) but I've ploughed ahead with my gardening plans. The back has been looking good for some time although the Banksia rose is more or less over no; but the other roses will kick in soon and a couple of dahlia tubers are sprouting nicely on my kitchen windowsill and will add to the colour later on (photo below)

My take-over of the Mairie's pot in front of the wash-house, with its Banksia rose and clematis, has also worked well this year and is being appreciated particularly by neighbour Mercedes, whose house is opposite, so she tells me (photo below)

And now the front (photo below) is beginning to look good too. I managed to get a new blue pot onto the roof of my porch and I think (hope?) it's stable there, barring any exceptional winds. Visitors to the village and even some villagers are already taking photos so some people at least think it looks good. The shade makes photos difficult but I've done my best.

And In General……..

This is my time of the year. The garden is done, barring casualties, and all that remains there is for the plants to do their stuff (and rather a lot of watering). Asparagus, strawberries and melons are plentiful and reasonably priced in the shops and markets; the asparagus will be finished in another month but the strawberries and melons should remain for most of the summer. Peaches and apricots from Spain (of variable quality) are appearing in the shops which means that the local produce is only a few weeks away. My fruit-aholic cravings will soon be fully met.