The other half volunteered last week to help me in the garden – with the rotavating. I nearly fell off my chair in surprise – normally I have to bribe, blackmail or beg for help!
I’ve got a really big veg patch – about 1000m² in total, big enough to make me pretty much self-sufficient in vegetables. I’ve also planted up a small orchard though it’s not doing terribly well – the birds seem to get to the pears, apples, cherries and plums way ahead of me!
Before I came to France I never really got the appeal of gardening, wine bars were much more my thing but then I suppose that went with the territory – stressful city job in a male oriented world, working with loads of blokes who liked to bitch and wine/whine after work!
The pace of life for me in France has taken a bit of getting used to but I wouldn’t change it for the world now. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to go out the garden and listen to the birds, smell the fresh air, feel the seasons changing and get stuck in. I’d spend every hour there is in the garden if I could.
Remy my neighbour has helped me loads over the last couple of years, he gives me weather advice, reminding me I should fleece my potatoes against the frost, telling me about moon garden planting and lunar calendars – that sort of thing!
I’ve got grand plans for the garden this year but when I took my walk round this morning I was really worried about the amount I have to do. Before the rotavation takes place I need to weed and clear and turn the top layer of soil over and that could take me a week of Sundays!
Any volunteers?!
A bientôt Janine
