Well what's that about? Only that the Patrouille de France - the French answer to the Red Arrows - have been based at our local airport for the past few days. They arrive, they do a practice of their air show, they go off and do their air show at Saumur, they come back, they get a delivery of air force kerosene, they do another practice, then they go and buzz the Tour de France finish before heading home. I've heard them three times and seen them twice - in formation - and not had a camera of any sort to hand to capture the moment. Rather splendid though. It was easier to capture us both relaxing in different forms of hammock at midday today, after working hard.
We are getting different flowers out now. My favourite cultivated flowers, agapanthus, are coming out by the front door. The first cyclamen have started to show in the lawn, making mowing so much more challenging. The gladioli are coming out but are a disappointing yellow - perhaps the red ones are the ones that got munched by snails. Last year in the UK, when I could still get there and visit a Poundshop, and could bring back bulbs, I bought a couple of mystery lily bulbs. They didn't do much last year but will be magnificent soon.
I worry a bit about our older cats and that they can be a bit lazy, so last weekend, I invested in a couple of things to arouse their interest. While Poirot has made it clear that all this is beneath her, Nibbles has taken a very keen interest in finding and catching the Red Spot, public enemy number one for all cats. She has also taken to worshipping the planter that the giant catnip plant is wedged in at the moment - I don't think she can climb into the planter, or it could get very ugly. She is not a pretty spaced out person.
We lifted the shallot harvest on Wednesday - magnificent though I say so myself - and they are now drying on a nice bulb drying tray I got from a chum locally - thanks Brigitte! I am concerned about the spuds. They have flowered and there is a lot of die back. I foolishly didn't read the packet properly and these are second earlies, so I am hoping they are doing what comes naturally, as the other explanation is Blight, which is Bad.
Have a good week!
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