My Life in Plants

In my previous post, I shared with you a glimpse into the world of vide greniers. Since then, I've attended one in St-Yrieix-la-Perche, and it was the type of vide grenier that isn't just about people emptying their attics; there were many plant stalls, which are strangely compelling... even to someone whose fingers spell a slow, inevitable death to all things green. I bought a punnet of local strawberries. The plants in these photos will live to photosynthesize another day.

Meanwhile, back at base, I've opened my doors to a sort of kitchen kindergarten for small vegetable and fruit plants. Some (the larger, healthier ones) were given to me (yet again) by my food and plant oracle, Sue, but most, I've somewhat miraculously grown from seed. There is a cold frame of sorts in the stone trough by the well for slightly hardier seedlings, but I've had to fight back hard against two attacks upon them- frost and slugs. These trays in the kitchen include tomatoes, melons, chillies, cornichons and cucumbers. Cucumbers can be temperamental- if you even slightly change their routine, they can throw a tantrum and die. This happened to King Cucumber, who was so large compared to his colleagues, that I re-potted him in a bigger pot. He wilted and died within two days.

The doubled-up 'garden' is currently home to potatoes, leeks, onions, strawberries, courgettes, peas, rhubarb, mint and lavender. 

The plants and wild flowers I don't lovingly tend to are doing very well...

Several hedges in our little hamlet are bedecked in gossamer... I'm not sure if it's spiders or caterpillars.

In Limousin, most of the cattle you'll see are of the Limousin variety; they can be startlingly orange. My current favourite cow in the lower field is the white and tan one, as she is always the first to make eye contact. Yes, you're right...if it had been one of the plain ones making first eye contact, I'd never have been able to identify it as my favourite. This means that she's my favourite simply because I can identify her easily, doesn't it? I've rumbled my shallow self...

Sometimes our sunsets are a bit untidy; if I'd painted this one I wouldn't have been satisfied with it.

My life in plants frequently involves plant-originated drinks. Kevin and I were passing through Tulle on a brico mission, and, uncharacteristically, we stopped for a beer at L'Abbaye. Can you guess how many of us were drinking together here? Three? No, it was just Kevin and me, but Kevin seems to have taken to ordering two drinks for himself. The waiter looked confused; I don't suppose the French do anything as disgraceful as this!

L'Abbaye is situated next to a florist, so it's quite pleasant to sit there.