Down the road at Fontaine Guerin, they might be celebrating the ancient arts of harvesting, but here we are just trying to keep on top of things and failing to a greater extent. Last weekend we did manage to gather about 4 pounds of blackberries, which were turned into the first Bramble Jelly I have made in years. The temptation to eat it all very quickly must be constrained, not least as the less durable jams need to be made and used first. It always looks lovely when it is doing its hard boil phase!
We are now up to 188 courgettes, not counting the ones that "got away" and turned into chicken food about a foot long. I'm testing freezing courgette cake (savoury with cheese and chilli), and if that works, will be making more for the freezer. You can't eat a loaf of that a week or you end up looking like a cake yourself!! I must also give the courgette bhaji recipe another go now the onions have been lifted.
We are drowning under tomatoes, and that is before the main red ones get going, that is just drowning under small, sweet, pear shaped yellow tomatoes. The Coeur de Boeuf tomatoes are huge and starting to turn colour, although that does take quite some time with them. The Corne d'Andes are also starting to ripen, and I don't like to think what is happening in the triffid zone that is the companion planting paradise of tomatoes and cristophine vines! The individual Coeur de Boeuf tomatoes can weigh as much as 1 pound (450g or so)!
I picked a mixed tray of produce today, and we counted it a victory to off load 2 courgettes, 2 chillies, and 5 tomatoes of various sorts on our unsuspecting next door neighbour. He looks like he needs feeding up anyway!
In a few weeks more, it will be sweetcorn time. Yesterday I counted 24 lots of corn silks, which is manageable, but we have 59 plants so I suspect there will be a few more than that, even if some are small and more suited to chicken treats. For some reason, the computer and all the software don't think you should be allowed to see that.
But its not all about fruit and vegetables (although it seems like that sometimes), there are flowers too. Most of the flowering plants and shrubs are over, but the variegated Birthday Rose that climbs over the front of the house is still going strong, and the flowers are beautifully scented in the evening. Don't bother asking what rose it is! It is a climber we bought locally 15 years ago, and that is all I can remember!
The cats all deal with summer in their own ways. Monsieur Clause over at The Garden has decided that the only way to get through this summer is by living on the ride on lawnmower, on the seat, protected by a tarpaulin. He gets room service delivery of food and cuddles, so why should he change? Rebus has discovered the Gutter. It is a stage all our house cats go through it seems, but there is something comforting for them about the zinc gutter on our neighbour's house and makes it the best place to slump of an evening.
Next week promises heat, courgettes, tomatoes, plums, peaches and more courgettes - that's me sorted out, how about you? Have a good week!
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