Living and Gardening in Brittany

Yesterday I went to the coast to celebrate a friend's birthday. We spent the whole day on the beach. We walked for an hour before we lunched on a huge picnic with wine and cider. We were lucky with the weather. It was blazing hot all day. does life get any better? I love patterns in nature This tree had really interesting bark.

Finally after weeks of sun it has just rained. Not a lot but at least I don't have to water this evening. If it rains a little more maybe I will be able to put in new plants. I have just bought even more today. I was also given a dozen tomato plants, a pheasant tree and a tall blue flower ( I have forgotten its name already). Thinking I should make labels that do not disappear. I have started to list everything in the garden. I can't believe how many different kinds of trees I have (over 20) and the garden still seems empty.

I weeded last year's very overgrown strawberry patch with the intention of planting celery and tomato plants which I have been given. But I found lovely ripe and almost ripe strawberries under the weeds. So I have netted the patch and hope to eat them before the birds do. I shall have to keep the plants in pots near the house so that I can water them. Still no rain! The ground is very hard. Still can't plant dahlias or sow seeds.

Rain forcast for tomorrow but not a cloud today. The beds I watered ready for the dahlias and seeds are so dry you can't tell that they  have been watered at all. It is interesting that the theme in the libraries is 'water'. We have painted fish in water, we have written poems about water, we have lectures and slides about fish and water.  But no rain. and the local lake has been drained. What is happening?   Some of our Fish Paintings

I keep telling myself not to buy anything else for the garden unless I have somewhere to plant it. But I still do it. Last week I bought three packets of seeds and three packets of dahlia tubers. Now I have to clear some space for them and that means weeding and since I can't remember the last time it rained I have to water too. My latest success is the poppies. I can't believe how wonderful they are. Unfortunately one of my little pond/puddles has developed a leak. But the geraniums are a lovely bright blue.

I seem to spend a lot of time at the library. Last week we had a very interesting talk about water. From springs through streams and waterfalls and rivers and lakes and pools and out to the sea. The speaker explained about the fish that live in each kind of water. We learned which fish lay eggs in the sea and return back up river and vice-versa. He had brought a tank of creatures and the children were allowed to hold them in handfuls of water. They were shown how to extract creatures from their sleeves of wood and to discover the lives that survive beneath rocks. I took a video but suppose it will not be possible to bring it to the blog.

I think this is turning into a gardening blog. I have worked really hard since last Friday digging around trees and working on the willow house. I managed to plant all the trees and shrubs that a brought back from UK after the rain last week. I have to repair the wood store as the mud wall of the barn has fallen on top of it and broken the supports. It is not an easy job as grass has grown in it and it has become a veritable roof garden. I am tackling it like I tackle all big jobs a little every day. I finally planted some seeds and dug up the tulip bulbs. I have even cut the grass - 5,000square metres! So satisfying. must get some photos from the camera.

I am trying to be positive since I found out that the estate agent has robbed me of £1500 pounds. It is not easy.

I have been trying to grow clematis for at least 11 years. This year I have succeeded. Here is the first flower. I have two others which are full of buds. I am hoping they don't get clematis wilt like all the others.

                              Same Morning Sun Rise and Moon

Thousands yes thousands of acorns grow from one oak tree. I try to transplant them to my little wood every year. Sometimes with success.