After effects 13 Apr 10:30 PM (13 hours ago)

Here's approximately the same view as the "before" shot. This cut was the highest available on my mower, level five of five. As the season progresses, I'll gradually lower the level to three. I don't think I've cut the grass down to levels two or one since I've had this mower.

Tasha sniffs around in the freshly cut grass.

I've started working on the edges and corners and walkways, all places that the rider can't really reach. For this I'm using the walk-behind mower and the weed eater. It's slow going in the thick grass but, once it's done the first time, it will get easier.

Volunteers 12 Apr 10:30 PM (yesterday, 10:30 pm)

There are some nice surprises when the grass gets tall. These volunteer flowers are among them. I won't cut them down until the petals drop off. Close by, there's a patch of irises where we had stored them after digging them out from another part of the yard. We never moved them, and now they're claimed the spot as their own.

Some nice color out by the garden shed.

It rained yesterday from late morning into the night. I'll see how soggy the ground is when I go out with Tasha. I'm so happy that the big mow is done. I started working on the details where the riding mower won't go. The little mower started right up and did a good job. I also gave the weed eater a workout. There's still much to do, but it's under control. Stress levels have decreased significantly.

And we have liftoff! 11 Apr 10:30 PM (2 days ago)

The guy from the hardware store called yesterday morning. The battery is back in stock and he set one aside for me, as promised. I picked it up, brought it home, and installed it with no problem. And it works.

Part of the west forty before mowing. Those aren't yellow leaves on the trees in the background; the rising sun's rays lit them up.

I still had the problem of the white smoke. I'm talking billowing clouds, here, not the odd wisp. Then, suddenly, it occurred to me. Is the oil cap on correctly? Uh-oh. Pilot error. I had the oil cap the wrong way on (it's not lost on me: the dipstick couldn't manage to close the dipstick). Every time I turned the mower, oil was splashing out and burning on contact with the hot engine parts. A quick twist and the cap was properly closed. And, just like that, no more spillage, no more white smoke. In the words of Bugs Bunny, "what a maroon!"

I got just about the whole yard mowed yesterday afternoon. There are still the edges and other hard-to-reach spots to cut with the weed eater/strimmer. I'll try to do some of that today, depending on the weather. Rain is forecast. But the big job (first cut of the year) is finally done. Until it grows back.

Gargoyle 10 Apr 10:30 PM (3 days ago)

Here's a cheery face to match my mood. A gargoyle is poised above and the little man below him looks grumpy. Like I feel. I want this lawnmower thing to be over with. I got no call yesterday about the new battery. That leaves today. And rain is supposed to be returning on Saturday. Joy.

Grumpy guy.

I wanted to drain some oil out of the tank, but for the life of me, I could not find the drain plug. I looked for hours (not an exaggeration) but it just wasn't where the manual said it was. Aaaack! I looked at a few videos online about changing the oil on this model. I only found one video wherein the mower looked like mine. And there was the oil plug, right where it was supposed to be. Yeah, it's easy when you know where it is. Only, instead of being a hand operated valve with a hand operated nozzle like the manual shows, it's just a nut that the guy in the video opened with a socket wrench. It's buried about halfway into the engine itself and I don't have a tool that will reach it, let alone unscrew it. There's no valve to turn like the manual shows, just a nut that, even if I could get it open, would allow oil to spill out onto the mower's cutting deck and then who knows where. Well, I do know where: onto the floor of the garage. No pan could contain that gusher.

I'm ready to load up the truck and move to Beverly.

Hills, that is. Swimmin' pools. Movie stars.

Ok, it's not that bad. The dipstick (I resemble that remark) shows the oil level to be just at the max point, maybe a tad more, so I guess it's alright. Bother.

Arty choke 9 Apr 10:30 PM (4 days ago)

Our main bundle of artichoke plants is growing strong. And we have a couple more volunteers out in the garden plot. Maybe we should try eating them again. Once they form, or course.

Artichoke.

I had a little bit of drama with the riding mower yesterday. I'm not out of the woods, yet. First, I realized that I had accidentally overfilled the motor oil tank (crank case?) and it spilled over, causing billows of white smoke to fill the air when I started the engine. As fellow blogger Urspo might say, "Oh, the embarrassment." Then, in an unrelated (I hope) incident, the engine's battery went into meltdown, literally. And perhaps as a result, it doesn't seem to want to hold a charge. It worked fine last year. Ugh.

I'm slowing recovering, but the growing grass waits for no man. I went to the hardware store yesterday and talked to the guy there, and we agreed the battery should be replaced. He informed me that the warranty on the battery was for six months only and, naturally, had expired six months ago. Also, that he didn't have a battery of the correct size in stock. He said he's getting some in today or tomorrow and that he'd set one aside for me. It's a different brand, hopefully one better than what came with the mower. That done, I came home and cleaned up the oil mess (I hope) This morning I will drain what's left of the excess out of the engine. I've changed the oil in my push-mowers many times over the years, so I should be able to handle this. Keep fingers crossed!

Woodsy 8 Apr 10:30 PM (5 days ago)

It's been a while since I've visited the Artsy Organized Neighbor's "installations." One of the grape growers put in an electrified fence a year or two ago to help keep the deer out of his vines. I'm not sure how well that works. I did have the effect of keeping me and Tasha out of the adjacent woods. There's a way in, but the only way out is to retrace our steps.

The grove, with assorted out-buildings and trailers.

A couple of weeks ago, however, the fence disappeared. I don't know why, but it's gone and Tasha and I can once again take the trail through the woods. I wonder if this is temporary. It's getting to be prime bud munching time for the wild critters. We shall see.

Tasha Tuesday 7 Apr 10:30 PM (6 days ago)

Here's Tasha admiring last Thursday's sunrise. Well, she probably heard a deer in the nearby woods. I don't think the sunrise really interests her. We see roe deer in this spot often. And yesterday I saw what I think was a fox on the edge of another vineyard parcel. It was quite a distance away from where I was standing, so I can't be certain.

Tasha looks to the east.

Grilling season continues with hamburgers yesterday. Ken made a delicious potato salad to go with them. I'm not sure what's on the menu for today, but maybe we'll grill again.

In other news, the riding mower is back in service! You might recall that I had unintentionally let the battery go dead last fall. Apparently, I was supposed to remove the battery at the end of the cutting season and recharge it periodically through the winter. We bought a charger last fall and I was able to save the battery. Yesterday I reinstalled it in the mower and lo! it works. The other problem I had with the mower is that the front tires had completely deflated. So, we bought a household air compressor that plugs into the car's cigarette lighter. There are also tires on the wheelbarrow and a hand truck that need to be reinflated. I haven't done that yet, but the mower tires filled as expected and I cut the north forty yesterday afternoon. Today: the west forty!

Spring is in there somewhere 6 Apr 10:30 PM (7 days ago)

The last couple of days have been relatively warm and we are noticing more and more leaf buds on the trees and vines, and more wildflowers in their usual places. Right now, violets are in bloom around the yard. They stay close to the shady areas and their vibrant blue color is eye-catching. But all of that fades away when I apply a sepia treatment to a photo.

As one of my readers pointed out recently, the sepia treatment gives the photo a "Kansas in the Wizard of Oz" look.

With Tasha in the role of Toto, of course.

One chore that got completed yesterday is the breaking-down of cardboard boxes. I'll bet we had accumulated close to thirty boxes in the garage, taking up space. They were mostly wine boxes (ahem), but we also had more than a few Amazon boxes in the mix. Ken and I spent about an hour breaking them all down and flattening them. Some were closed with tape necessitating the use of a box cutter (what an appropriate name!), others with glue, and those can be stubborn, not to mention hell on the fingernails. We put the flattened cartons in big leaf bags and Ken took them to a recycling station over by the supermarket. Good riddance!

Sausages on the grill yesterday were tasty. We may do burgers today. The grilling season is officially here!

Le pliage 5 Apr 10:30 PM (8 days ago)

Here's an example of grape vines that have been pliées (folded). The single cane that remains after la taille (pruning) is bent to the horizontal and wrapped around a guide wire. Then, in most cases, a sort of twisty tie (what do you call them?) secures the cane to the wire.

These vines are pretty old, but they still produce.

More spring chores are getting done around our place, but there are many more to go. I'm dreading the window and curtain washing. It's not difficult, but it's a chore and it takes time. I do like the result when it's done. I think we'll be firing up the grill for today's lunch. The first grilling of the season will be saucisses de Toulouse (Toulouse-style sausages). Yum.

Plowshares 4 Apr 10:30 PM (9 days ago)

This is what one of the newer vineyard parcels out back looks like after the plow passes. The tractor with the plow straddles the vine row and, as it moves through the parcel, turns the soil on both sides of the vine trunks. The result is not particularly pretty, and it makes walking between the rows awkward at best. We casual walkers can avoid the plowed rows, but vineyard workers have to deal with them.

My phone camera saw the clouded morning sky as a deep blue.

Friday was another productive day! I power-washed the deck, opened up the bbq grill, and brought the table and chairs up from the garage. This morning, our indoor temperature is just above the point where the central heating comes on. In other words, it's the first morning since winter began that we haven't needed heat. However, morning temps in the single digits are predicted to return from Sunday forward. Yuck.

Thursday morning sunrise 3 Apr 10:30 PM (10 days ago)

I used my phone to take some pictures in the vineyard yesterday. I'm not happy with the result, so I'll probably take the DSLR out in the next day or two. This sunrise photo came out ok, so here it is.

Looking northeasterly toward our hamlet at sunrise on Thursday.

We're having a relative warm spell. It got up to just over 20ºC (about 68F) yesterday and we're expecting the same through the weekend. I'm thinking of power-washing the deck and getting the bbq grill up and running for the season. But there's no lack of chores to choose from. We'll see how it goes.

The parcel of grape vines shown below was re-planted two seasons ago. This will be its third year. The vines resemble little sticks at this point. Yesterday, one of the vineyard workers used a plow to turn over the soil on either side of each vine row. I'm guessing that's intended to help keep the weeds down while the vines mature.

Mediocre photo of the replanted vineyard parcel behind our hamlet.

I also noticed that the pliage is under way in neighboring parcels. Several workers walked through the pruned rows "folding" each remaining cane to the horizontal and attaching it to a guide wire. The buds are thus well-spaced when they sprout rather than all bunched up. I'll try to get some photos. A picture is worth a thousand words. At least it was before the tariffs.

Whole lotta prunin' goin' on. 1 Apr 10:30 PM (12 days ago)

Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid. Little by little, the bird builds its nest. An expression that applies to the annual grape vine pruning here (and everywhere, I expect). It's a job done by hand (except that the pruning shears are battery powered): last year's growth is cut off the main trunk, except for one cane. The pruners have an eye for which cane should stay.

Do plum trees get pruned?

Yesterday, in a burst of productivity, I got our US tax return done and sent it off via the internet. A message came back soon after saying that the IRS received and accepted the return. We're expecting a small refund. Yay! Now its on to the French tax return.

Killing me softly 31 Mar 10:30 PM (13 days ago)

Since Round Up was taken off the market, I've been trying (with little enthusiasm and less success) different ways to control weeds in our gravel paths and driveway. One way is not to bother. I'm not sure I like that method. Ken did some internet research and found lots of mention of using vinegar, and one that combines strong household vinegar with salt to kill weeds. I decided to try.

I don't know what this is.

So, yesterday I mixed up the "recipe" which also called for a measure of liquid dish soap. That, supposedly, helps the vinegar/salt solution to stick to the weeds' leaves. Once mixed, I sprayed the solution on everything green in the garden path before I ran out. I'll see this morning if the weeds show signs of kicking the bucket. If so, I'll mix up some more for the north side and the driveway.

p.s. I just realized what day this is and I want to let you know that this is not an April fool!

So long, March 30 Mar 10:30 PM (14 days ago)

It hasn't been a lovely winter. Overcast, rainy, and cold most of the time. And both of us were sick for about two months. Nearly everyone we talk to says they had this virus, whatever it was. Our doctor told us it was "something going around." I'll be happy to see March go.

Tree trunks.

At the risk of jinxing spring, we are enjoying more sunny days. It's still not very warm, but the sunshine helps it not to feel too cold. I'm hopeful that we have more and more sunny days as April arrives.

Springing forward 29 Mar 10:30 PM (15 days ago)

The vineyards around us are looking very spring-like. No leaves, yet, but there are buds forming on the vines. Pruning continues and the vines are looking quite neat and tidy. Some parcels that are normally pruned by now are not, making me wonder if they're scheduled to be ripped out. Time will tell.

Some parcels are getting sprayed for weeds. I thought that herbicides were no longer used out there. Is a puzzlement.

I'm getting a few more things done in the yard while the weather is decent. I ripped out an overgrown sage plant on Friday. It was way past its prime and we hardly ever harvested its leaves. I wonder if it's like our oregano that doesn't have much flavor unless it's dried? Oh well, it's too late now.

Sunny daze 28 Mar 11:30 PM (16 days ago)

We enjoyed a mostly sunny day on Friday, with another expected today. Of course, cloudless days are often chilly. I ended up putting a fire in the wood burner in the afternoon to take the chill off and to give the central heating a rest.

This shadow happens in the spring and in the fall.

When the sun does shine in this time of year, it casts shadows around the rooms. This is a corner of the dining area with the Eiffel Tower and its shadow. Our friend Cheryl gave us the tower. It came from Pottery Barn, if memory serves, back in San Francisco. Back in the olden days. The little wiry figure (sold separately) has magnetic feet.

Redux 27 Mar 11:30 PM (17 days ago)

This image is from our 2018 trip to the Vendée on the west coast of France. It's the city of Niort and one of its churches, Saint André de Niort. We had Tasha for just over a year at that point.

Saint André de Niort, October 2018.

I've got to get out with the camera one of these days and take some new photos.

Wednesday was pizza day 26 Mar 11:30 PM (18 days ago)

We had some left over radish leaf pesto sauce and thought it would make a good base for pizza. I made the usual crust dough. I make it in the stand mixer then let it rise for about three hours, so putting it together first thing in the morning makes it ready for lunch. The recipe makes enough dough for two individual pizzas.

Delicious pizza pie!

Before topping it, I shaped half the dough with my hands (I've learned that using a rolling pin presses too much air out of the dough), then covered it with a towel and let it rise for about twenty minutes. I spread the pesto on, using a brush to bring the sauce almost to the edge. Then I added cooked and cubed chicken breast, bell pepper cut into strips, and garnished with black olives. I also sprinkled some grated parmesan on top at the table (remembering that there's already some parmesan in the pesto itself). Yum!

Again with the primroses 25 Mar 11:30 PM (19 days ago)

The best way to preserve primroses? Photography! But don't fret. The real thing will be around for a while. Mowing won't happen right away. Usually, by the time I cut the grass, the primroses are past their prime.

The predominate colors in this year's primrose crop: purple and white.

Sunrise is at 6h44 this morning. Each day, for the time being, we gain about three minutes of daylight. We're still on Winter Time until the weekend. Then Sunday we'll turn our clocks ahead and enter Summer Time. It won't be light so early in the morning, but it will stay lighter later in the day. I think I've got that right...

More primroses 24 Mar 11:30 PM (20 days ago)

Primroses, as I've certainly mentioned before, are called primevères in French. That's derived from the latin primus, meaning "first." They're among the first flowers to appear in spring. I got all that from Wikipedia; I'm no flower expert.

Primroses in the north forty.

One day, should the weather cooperate, I will cut them all down with the first mowing of the season. With the weather we've been having, that won't be anytime soon. The ground is still very soggy.

A preponderance of purple primroses 23 Mar 11:30 PM (21 days ago)

There are a few blues, a lot of whites, no reds. This year's crop seems to be mostly purple and white.

Primroses pop up in our back yard, mostly in the north forty, every spring.

Yesterday brought cloudy skies, rain showers, and some wind. The house felt chilly so I built a fire in the wood stove to keep us warm through the day. We also at a yummy gratin of endives wrapped in ham slices with a cheesy béchamel. I guess that would be more properly called a mornay sauce.

Still going 22 Mar 11:30 PM (22 days ago)

I posted a photo of this fruitless cherry last week, but I think now it looks even more spectacular. Our plum tree's blossoms are all gone now. Look toward the bottom of the photo and you will catch a glimpse of the primroses blooming in our lawn. I'd like to get a few shots of those, maybe later today.

Cherry blossoms.

My trip to the Saturday market in Saint-Aignan was mostly a bust. No asparagus, yet. No strawberries, yet. The Asian guys weren't there, so no nems. I'll try again next week. I did get a bunch of radishes and they are delicious.

Worse than ours? 21 Mar 11:30 PM (23 days ago)

This building is probably, over all, in better shape than our garden shed. But the door looks like it's seen better days. Still, there's something about that old weathered look...

All four glass panes are missing, the window is patched with wood. Brillac, Vendée, 2018.

I'm planning a trip to the market this morning, as long as there's a break in the rain. We've been hearing reports on TV that asparagus crops are early this year, at least those near the coast and in the south west. I don't know about our local crops, but that's what I'll see at the market. I'll also check out the local strawberry vendors (it may be too early for those), and look for some radishes and nems (Vietnamese egg rolls).

Fermetures 20 Mar 11:30 PM (24 days ago)

The contractor showed up on time yesterday morning to replace the motor on our overhead garage door, fix a little glitch in one of the new roll-down shutters, and to take measurements for a a new set of standard shutters on the garden shed. He spent about three hours working on the new motor. The shutter glitch took a minor adjustment and now it seems to be fixed.

The garage door when it was new in 2018. It looks pretty much the same today.

As for the garden shed, we decided that he'd repair the existing door rather than replace it. It looks like new, even though we had it installed in 2003. All it needs is to have the sheared bolts drilled out and new bolts put in. He seemed to think it would be fastoche (easy). Then he'll put in new all-white PVC shutter doors on the window.

The shutters on the garden shed in 2018. They look a lot worse than this now. The wood is disintegrating. The door's hinges will be repaired.

His company is called CLP Fermetures. A fermeture is a closure and, as you can imagine, they do gates, shutters, windows, doors, and anything else that closes (and opens!). To date, he's installed eight shutters on our house, one garden gate, and one garage door. He didn't install the garden shed door.

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