Odds & ends ...

To end the episode of the edible dormouse in our neighbours house, it was caught yesterday afternoon in a trap in indoors. It was only a baby and their daughter wanted to keep it a as a pet, after all they are cute and appealing. Parental wisdom prevailed with the prisoner released in a nearby field. The question is will it return?

Local report - set to reach 37° later this afternoon with similar temperatures for the rest of the week.  The occasional evening thunderstorm is forecast too, usually at this time of year  with very little rain.  These are just totally spectacular electric storms in the traditional French style of son et lumiére that can last six or seven hours at a time.  One minor difficulty is that these generally upset Sky TV reception to the point that the service is completely disrupted.  Doesn't really matter as there is little worth watching in the evenings!

Speaking of son et lumiére we went with friends last weekend to watch one of the Battle of Castillon, the ultimate battle of the Hundred Years War resulting in the English being kicked out of France.  This takes place in a huge natural amphitheatre  late in the evening with a chateau on the hilltop overlooking the arena.  As a spectacle it is the biggest and best thing that I have ever seen, so much so that last weekend was the third time that I have seen it!  Unfortunately it only runs mid-July to mid-August each year but I would urghe that anyone coming to our part of France really should see it. The only downside is that I have yet to be back home from it earlier than about three in the morning.

Last Sunday we went to a lunch in our local village hall to celebrate the Day of the Assumption of the Virgin. Given that France is a secular country they manage to have quite a number of public holidays during the year for religious festivals.  The menu was seven courses, an excellent meal, naturally with aperitifs to start and a digestif to finish over a period of about five hours or so.   Everyone is kept entertained between courses with various local folk telling jokes, singing, playing the accordion and a raffle. Each year we go to seven or eight of these in our local commune as they are very enjoyable as well as social occasions, again these are something that we try to encourage friends or family who visit us to be here for one of these.

Speaking of food there is another tradition in our region during July and August, effectively the French holiday season, of villages and towns having a weekly night market. Our nearest is the picturesque, ancient village of Villeréal, held under cover of the old market hall. Local growers, producers and wine growers display cook and sell their wares, lamb, escargot, moules mariniéres, wine of course, bread, cakes and pastries, pizzas, dry cured ham; foie gras, duck, chips, cheese and much else.  Having bought your selection there are tables and chairs set out under the hall, many people eat en famille or with groups of friends in a delightful, convivial atmosphere. Later in the evening there is always entertainment, again locally grown such as a group, an accordionist, folklore dancers etc. These evenings are always most appreciated by everyone, not least visitors because there is nowt quite like it in England.

In the woods near our home there are resident buzzards, beautiful birds that we see soaring, riding the thermals most days over the valley;  This time of year their chicks have fledged, normally two, and the parents are teaching them to fly properly.  We often hear the parents calling to the young ones before we see them in a very palintive single note call.  Then we'll go out onto our deck to watch wonder and marvel at just how graceful, elegant and effortlessly they soar in the sky fo ages before returning to their roost in the woods.  We also had a red squirrel scamper across the deck yesterday morning, there are a good number locally without any of their grey cousins for company.

In one way summer is almost over here because the national holiday season ends at the end of August and visitor numbers drop considerably with mainly English holidaymakers remaining.  This means that local restaurant prices revert to non-summer prices, tables are easier to reserve, shops are less crowded and parking is easier. What it does not mean that weatherewise summer is over, far from it, September is frequently hot and dry, October is still shirtsleeves and shorts time, only in mid-late November does autumn start to show itself.  Meantime leave the suncream handy, plenty of water to drink plus the odd bottle of local wine and just enjoy our good fortune living where we do.