July, sunflowers and the European Cup

Fabulous sunflowers everywhere

July started well, with England getting to the European cup semi-finals after beating Germany 2.0 then Ukraine 4.0  The Ukraine match was exciting to watch.  I then went to Brametourte chateau for an apéro on Wednesday followed by a BBQ and the semi-final match against Denmark which put us into the final.  However, after playing well in the final, the result after extra time was 1-1 and we ended with penalties, the result, was not surprising.  The awful behaviour of some "fans" made me glad that I moved to France.  Now it's the Tokyo Olympics and the UK have started well.

Evie, Charlie and I went to the end of school Fete de l’école et Bal des enfants, part of the Fiesta d'été where Evie sang with her class (very professional for 10 year olds) followed by apéro, the odd (good) beer and an auberge espagnol.  Basically, a bring your own picnic.  Charlie was acting on stage for his end of year show, the boy did good!

Pool fabulous

The gites look super, I have just repaired a floor and laid a slate hearth in the Grange and replaced the kitchen extractor.  The pool is getting a lot of positive comments and I have to say looks great.  I enjoy a quick dip when I can, normally when closing down for the day (around 9pm).  The play barn and play tower are getting lots of use with the six children here at the moment.  The football table a real hit.

We have bookings in the three gîtes from now until September, and are fully booked in August, so lots of gardening and cleaning of gîtes.  Mainly French, Belgian and Dutch have booked  We have one English family, who booked two years ago!  The UK government are being reckless (in my opinion) lifting all restrictions, it will be how France view the new guidelines.  We are having to vaccinate the boys, as otherwise they cannot travel or visit any indoor activity centres or restaurants.  I have booked flights to the UK in October to visit friends and family, we are all very excited.  Let's hope the UK will let us in and it's safe.  However, a quarantine for those coming from France is currently in place, so we may have to change dates.

This month is Evie's and Tom's birthday.  They will be ten and fourteen respectively.  Tom will go with three friends to Walygator amusement park with Janine.  They will camp out the night before as they have to leave by 8am!  For their birthdays Tom would like a VR headset and Evie a phone.  She has friends coming over to a party with a piñata, BBQ and swim in the pool.

Pitcher plant

I have just bought carnivorous pitcher plants, to keep the fly population down, I must say within a few days, no flies.  They look really architectural and are an asset too.   Evie in her bedroom, now has a pitcher plant, a Mimosa pudica or sensitive plant, due to the leaves closing upon touch, two budgerigars and a hamster, outside Evie has frogs, toads, tadpoles, stag beetle and praying mantis.  She will open her "zoo" soon, before letting all the outdoor creatures back into the wild.  On the final day of the month we went to a real zoo, Evie thought all the cages were too small, so I told her about Windsor Safari Park, maybe we will go one day.

Golden fields

I am already eating my tomatoes, my plans to accelerate ripening worked, Marmande and Ananas my favourite. Courgettes and plums next.  There were flowering sunflowers in the fields late June.  This month they have exploded everywhere.  This year due to the rain in spring, crops are growing very fast in the fields.  I am sure there will be a second hay crop.

The weather has been unpredictable with some rain at the beginning of July (very unusual), but blue skies, 30+ degrees and very green.

Another visit to Brametourte chateau, this time with Charlie and my friend JP.  We watched a local band the fabulous "Blue Ben Quintet," talked to English and French people attending and ate fantastic fish and chips cooked in a van that came from the Three vallées.  A super supper!  Watch a small clip of the band here: Blue Ben Quintet

When we came to the Tarn it felt like the UK of the sixties, less cars, rolling countryside with lots of working farms, boulangeries where you met and talked with people, great food and wine.  Friendly people who seem happy with their lot.  Little has changed, but the tourism has jumped into the 21st century.  It is now fully on-line tempting visitors with videos and 360 degree views of places to visit and towns, like ours:- medieval Lautrec.  

You can now glimpse what is on our doorstep and experience some of the reasons we made the move to La Bastide below.

Link to: Tarn Tourisme