For a few days last week, we had a ferocious door keeper - actually it was quite tricky at times to close the door as we didn't want to squash him or her! While last year we saw practically no mantis, this year there have been quite a lot and this one has decided our front door area is their stalking point. If I am in the way, then I too am a stalking point. Either mating or cold will eventually kill them off, but until then, I enjoy the company.
Rather less fun was the hornet sting last Sunday, which is still a bit painful and blew up overnight on Sunday to rather unpleasant proportions, and made yoga moves a bit challenging. My experience, if it helps anyone else, is as follows: the pain of the sting is like a searing hot needle into the arm. Get the hornet off you, as they can sting more than once - to be sure, have a large person jump up and down on the blasted creature as well in retribution. If you know you have sting allergies, get yourself to a chemist or doctor asap or use the EpiPen you carry or take the antihistamines you have been given. There is a rumour that a cider vinegar compress as soon as you can will also be helpful - I didn't spot that advice until a bit too late. Hydrocortisone cream will sooth, but needs fairly frequent application, and an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen will help with the swelling, but count on pain for four to six days. All in all I don't recommend the experience.
The trail camera has been in to have its batteries recharged - the new camera is heavier on batteries than the old one, and seems to use up the rechargeable batteries in three weeks. It is back now keeping an eye out for boar, and indeed the boar are about a bit, keeping an eye out for walnuts.
More interestingly, when I was going through what was on the memory card, were a series of short videos of a fox with something - frequent reviews of the set of 6 videos tells me that it was probably a blackbird. I've loaded up a few of the videos for those who don't mind watching nature red in tooth and claw. For me the interesting aspect of this, other than that foxes don't like feathers in their teeth, is that foxes, like cats, play with their prey. Now TypePad and YouTube don't seem to be playing ball anymore so I am hoping that if you follow this link, you can see video number 1 - but do press any back arrow to come back to this post, same for the other two links, if you can spot a back arrow or back function that is (I really hate technology at times). Then if you follow this link, you can see video number 2. And finally, if you follow this one, you can see video number 3.
The cristophine vine goes from strength to strength as this unseasonably hot autumn continues. We have harvested off 8 fruits now, and counting today, it looked to me like there were a further 23 that might do something if we don't get a frost, including 6 that actually need to be eaten in the next week as they are fully ripe. One tendril has disappeared 15 foot up into a birch tree, and the canopy the leaves provide over the structure we made for it are fairly waterproof. It is a thing of wonder - well, to us at least, as other British gardeners over here in France seem to be singularly uninterested. French people with relatives in the overseas departments are fascinated.
I'm not sure whether the recent full moon was the Harvest Moon or the Hunter's Moon, but it has been spectacular. Here it is rising between houses.
We are still working our way through the quince harvest. I have poached more and of course we do have some eau de vie de quince from a successful year about 3 years ago, so I have come up with Cocktail Maison - two small measures (a 2cl shot glass) of eau de vie, three good small measures of quince and spice syrup, and full to the top with fizzy water. It slips down very nicely!!
Cheers! Until next week.
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