I thought this week would be relatively quiet but it's not proved to be the case. We've had good weather which has meant a fair amount to do in the gardens, and my early autumn sniffles are gone so I had two keep fit classes this week as well. The fine weather ended with the arrival of Storm Amy, but before she hit, we had a couple of evenings with remarkable sunsets. Of the two photos that I think are OK, this one is for me more atmospheric, although not so dramatic.
I started to pull up the courgette plants as most were covered with white mould and not producing anything. They were also mugging the remaining aubergine, chilli and pepper plants. The root balls weren't huge, but the plants themselves were absolute thugs - this is two thirds of one plant!
We are almost at the end of the year's fruit - just medlars to come in early November - but we were able to take advantage of this extraordinary year for fruit to rustle up about 100 kilos of quince to take to the fruit press. A quince pressing is always the last of the day as the flesh is so claggy, but they are happy to work with us. We were indeed greeted cheerily with the question of whether we would like to add a further three cases of quince to our pressing, to save them from making any more quince jelly? Well naturally it would have been rude to say no, so we got a healthy 70 litres of juice.
We were also asked if we wanted to take away the quince residue, in case we wanted to make anything with it. We turned that down - we've tried composting quince sludge and it isn't easy, and frankly it is better off going with the rest of the fruit residue they produce at the press.
Friday night was boule de forte night for me, as part of the Comite des Fetes Ladies Team. As last year my boules had been ridiculed for being ugly and old, I took advice from an afficionado and went to a particular shop in Andard for a "gomme" for my boules. I then spent a bit of time in the garden with said gomme and a glass of rose and a lot of elbow grease to improve the aesthetics of my boules.
The one on the left had had some attention, the one on the right not. Anyway, it seemed to do the trick, as after a quick spin on the spinner at the Societe de la Paix with the gomme, our team did alright, indeed a bit better than alright as we wopped the bottoms of the other team and won 10 to 1. This was a harsh defeat for them, as none of us are serious players and they were representing a boule de forte club!
The celebrations were protracted and convivial! We play next on Wednesday against another boule de forte society, who will be a real challenge, and normally win the whole competition. Even so, my best win yet at boules de forte, and one of only 3 real wins, as any others have been forfeits by the other team.
Autumn is kicking in with cooler overnight temperatures and falling nuts. Walnuts and chestnuts are our next big task, when not polishing my boules and going to gym classes! I also plan to sow some winter spinach in the vain hope of getting some sort of crop, and then there are more potatoes to lift in due course. It's all go!
Anyway, it's time to go up to the school and look at the photo competition entries, and see who won this year. We didn't take part, so it is really an exercise in seeing and being seen!
Have a good week!
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