GARDEN AND ANIMALS

The cat stalking in my jungly garden

When it  was  so hot, I did homemade lemonade: a lemon cut into thin slices, a few dried scented rose petals from the garden, a good chunk of ginger cut into pieces, covered with a litre of boiling water. It turns out a delicate pink colour and is so good.

I've been knitting jazzy slipper socks for the Boukhelifa boys, not quite the time of year, but they'll be ready to take over with me when I go in September. I did these with just one ball of Noro Kureyon, and I've done myself a pair too, with a bit more wool than that!

I've been out of the pottery circuit for a while what with my trip to India and then school holidays here, I've now got a batch of things being completed that I either started before I went away or that I have done since. There are a lot of my garden bowls, that not everyone likes but that are very useful for miniature gardens, and putting keys in, and coarse salt in the kitchen, etc. There are a few little mini houses I experimented with, thinking they might be fun for Marius, but upon reflection, too fragile. And a lamp base in the shape of a sort of 1920s a bit art deco lady in a long skirt.  I'm quite pleased with this and now have to set about either making or finding the right sort of shade for it. Pictures will follow this week, nothing was ready to photograph last week.

A brave dachshund confronting the neighbour's cat with double glazed protection!

I have been walking Ellie on the opposite bank of the Odet, in Quimper, the side which is in fact nearer me. LocMaria. Down by the Quimper porcelaine works. You can't walk very far there, but it is quite lovely. There is a large field with three Pie Noire Breton cows, which have been given to the Ville de Quimper by various people, and are part of a conservancy project, first of all of Pie Noire cows, then of the banks of the Odet which they graze. They have their identity cards pinned up with their names, origins, character etc. Then there was a lovely little enclosed garden near where I park, filled with gloriously scented roses and jasmine, open to the public and maintained by the Ville de Quimper. I must say we are very lucky to have so many things at our disposal, paid for and tended by the council. Our local taxes are heavy, true, but at least we see something for them.

My carpenter came at the end of last week and put up a little gate at the head of the stairs down into my garden. He took pity on me and did this for free, including making the gate, so that Ellie could be contained on the terrace. It has changed both of our lives! She can run in and out and play the fool endlessly, I don't have to keep an eye  on her the whole time, I can leave the door open when it's warm, and eat on the terrace and sunbathe. For her, it is almost a substitute for her walk, she is so active, but not for me unfortunately!

I have discovered this year a sort of allium, I think, which must have self seeded from somewhere all over my garden. Wild garlic? Its leaves smell of it. Very pretty white and slightly pink flowers.

And an update on my palm flowers.