Digging a Pond

Eighteen months ago we dug a hole for a pond. As the soil here is partly clay we hoped that our pond would have a clay bottom, thus removing the need for some sort of liner. The BIG question was : Would it hold water?

Here it is now.....still a lot of landscaping to do, but it does hold water and there are a dozen or so fish living in it, who survived the winter, when the pond was frozen! The reeds and lily pads are now breaking through the water surface and the frogs are beginning to croak!

But nothing could compare it to what this blogger considers is the BEST pond in the Charente.
Below is Linda's pond: a fish filled delight of pure clear water, with green graced bottom and lily-pad laced surface, hiding a myriad of life so varied no list could ever be complete.

What Is This??!

Clearing and re-stacking wood was the order of the day. I always know when I do this that I am going to find a lot of critters and creepy-crawlies lurking under logs......and this colourful creature was one of them....except I don't know exactly what it is ....I think lizard, but not sure.

Are there any readers out there who know?

Old Banana Skins & Roses and Other Gardening Trivia

Apparently old banana skins, if placed with the inside of the peel face-down, just below the surface, in and around the roots of the rose, will yield wonderful blooms!


Daffodil Facts: The bulb of the daffodil can last for 80 years! The bulbs contain a substance called galanthine - which scientists have developed for treating Alzheimer's.

Nettles are a source of garden fertilizer as they store many vital nutrients from the soil. Fill a container with nettles and rainwater and leave for about a month. Dilute it to 10 parts to one and water the roots of the plant!

It takes the energy of 50 leaves to grow one apple!

The Source for all this gardening trivia is from "The Curious Gardener's Almanac " by Niall Edworthy

Finding Fossils - the hidden charm of gardening in the Charente.

Gardening in the Charente can be hard work as the soil is calcareous mixed with clay. However, fossils abound here adding a sense of discovery to a normally mundane task.

Expert help is often needed as well!!!

Things to make with Beetroot!

Last year I had a HUGE success growing beetroot...but there is only so many days when you want to eat it....so I preserved it....







Another option is to make a beetroot chutney, so I include this recipe, which is taken from "Best-kept Secrets of the Women's Institute - James, Pickles & Chutneys" by Midge Thomas:

BEETROOT & GINGER CHUTNEY

Make about 2.2 - 2.7 kg (5-6 lb)
Preparation Time: about 40 minutes
Cooking Time: about 2 hours

1.3 kg (3 lb) beetroot, cooked
450 g (l lb) onions, chopped
1.1 litres (2 pints) vinegar
450 g (1 lb) cooking apples, peeled and chopped
450 g (1 lb) seedless raisins or dates, chopped
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
900 g (2 lb) granulated sugar

• Peel and cut the beetroot into cubes or mash well if a smoother chutney is preferred.
• Place the onion in a large preserving pan, with a little of the vinegar and cook for a few minutes, to soften the onion. Add the apples, raisins or dates and continue cooking until pulpy.
• Add the beetroot, ginger, salt and half the remaining vinegar. Simmer gently until thick.
• Stir in the sugar and remaining vinegar and continue cooking until thick again.
• Pot into cooled, sterilised jars, seal with a vinegar-proof lid and label....

Trust me, this is truly delicious!

This is so Stupid...but I thought I would put it on anyway.

Just in case you are 'lost in France', remember someone out there does speak English...probably.

The Hidden Dangers of mixing French Rural life with too Much OOH LA LA!

It's important to remember that although life seems idealic here in the French Countryside - there are dangers - especially if you let your guard down!