I finished my last blog saying that the weather forecast was looking good and that it would be a productive week. Thankfully one of these was true …
We, and more importantly our guests, have enjoyed the hottest and driest week of the year so far, with temperatures reaching well into the 20s.
We have tried then to spend as much time outside as we can and make the most of the conditions.
It has allowed us to continue the ongoing war against the weeds. David has cleared the azalea bed by Hayloft’s breakfast terrace and made a start on the woodland bed. We have somewhat neglected the latter in the last couple of years so was a bit of a challenge for David to take out lots of the couch grass and twitch which, if I didn’t mow, would make it difficult to see where the lawn ends and the flower bed starts!
My biggest ‘contribution’ to the weeding effort was the annual recommissioning of the pétanque pitch. Over the winter, and especially wet springs, this space too begins to resemble more of a lawn than a games area as the seeds that are blown from the yet to be cleared driveway, germinate.
I didn’t get a picture before I started and, thankfully, it wasn’t as overgrown as previous years, but it still took a number of hours over a couple of days to clear completely.
As I posted some old photos last week of the ‘before’ state of some of the garden, I thought I’d do the same for the pétanque space and hasn’t it changed!
When it is being used over the summer it remains fairly clear but we know that it will gain lots more seeds mostly from the adjacent weeds ready to grow at their first opportunity. As the pool gets to the point that we won’t have large vehicles come through the back gate, we will clear this area and create a social space which we hope will be used on those barmy summer evenings.
The one plant that has appreciated the arrival of the heat is our wisteria which we planted a couple of years after arriving. It is evidently happy on the front of Priory and looks its best at this time of year, although I can never take a photograph that shows its full beauty.
My last blog also said that we hoped to start our weekly Wednesday walks we started with friends last year and, with the weather being good, we did. Our friends recommended a circuit starting in the nearby village of Brasparts.
We used to drive through Brasparts every week on our way to French class and often visit a café there but we didn’t know the area around the village. It is, as all of this region, very attractive gently rolling, principally agricultural, countryside which gives great views from lots of vantage points.
As we walked on Wednesday, today was planned to be a ‘work’ day rather than our usual Sunday stroll. However, instead, we got invited to join other friends for lunch at Au Lac, the restaurant on the shores of Lac du Drennec, which was lovely – but not very productive!!
I would say we will have a more productive week next week but, it looks as though the weather is likely to revert to its earlier wet and chilly pattern but we also welcome Dave’s uncle and aunt for their first visit of the year so, while it may not be productive it will at least be sociable.
More of what we achieve, if anything(!), next week.
Salut.