Definition **Its too warm but it feels distinctly Autumnal.

I’m not used to this. It’s the 2nd of August and the weather for the last few weeks has been, well, odd. I’m not complaining though. For the first year I can remember, we’re not having watering restrictions, apart from we can only do it before 8am and after 8pm, which is pretty standard.

We’ve had no canicule (Heatwave), in fact the temperatures have only really nudged the 30’s once. We haven’t had to bust out our little emergency air conditioning unit in the bedroom so much as once, not even for the dogs. It’s rainy, sometimes stormy, sometimes the sun comes out and it’s unbearably hot and humid. Then repeat. Because our old stone house isn’t being bombarded with radiant heat 24/7, sleeping remains comfortable. In fact a couple of mornings this week, we’ve had to supplement our wafer thin summer duvet with a blanket come the dawn, as it’s been borderline chilly first thing.

One thing that’s started to happen though, is that we are starting to get absolutely savagely bitten. I can’t determine if it’s mosquitos due to the warm moist weather or those things that the ex-pat forums blather on about and I’d never heard of them before moving here. The fabled “chiggers”. No, not Cheggers, formerly married to Maggie Philbin, “Chiggers”. Apparently harvest mites of some sort, also loving the moist warm weather. Perhaps it’s a combination of the two.

I’ve taken a scorched earth approach. Bedding stripped and changed, showered after dog walk, clothes going through the wash, blathered in repellant and Asda’s finest hydrocortisone cream, bedroom sprayed to the point of choking. Come at me bitches!!!

I don’t usually get bitten too much, but, what does usually happen is that I get bitten in some sort of ridiculous pattern. Like the mozzies are like, “Brian, check this out. I’ve done Orion’s Belt across the middle of her forehead.” “Nah bud, I’ve just gone for the classic 3 in a row on her nose situation”.

Cheers guys, cheers.

In wildlife news, spotted my first Pied Wagtail yesterday, and while walking my beloved bulldog and one of my cats around the garden at dusk, saw a pine marten running up into one of the apple trees.

We’ve ordered firewood, as it seems like the right time. I find myself gazing longingly at the wood burner then having a word with myself as it’s 22 degrees out. After August though, it’s watching Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus time right? I’ve begun stockpiling tealights in readiness, and ordered more of my favourite incense, forsaking the scents of Mimosa and Lavender in favour of Pine and Cinnamon. I’ve discovered these delightful little candles in terracotta pots that are scented with Rose Geranium to help ward off unwanted Mozzies. Neve mind the mozzzies, I think I shall be burning these just for fun….

Today has been dark, windy and rainy, and I firmly felt the need to nest after supermarket shopping this morning. There must have been about a dozen camper vans in the carpark today, it’s lovely to see people heading through this picturesque part of France on their travels, even if the weather is less than desireable. Given I’d procured some beautiful apricots this morning, baking was pretty much a foregone conclusion. So, I set to making an Apricot and Almond sponge cake, and I can confirm now I’m 2 generous slices deep, it is indeed a wondiforous thing. It’s the ideal transitional bake really, honeyed summery apricots giving way to an almond sponge with a texture not dissimilar to a steamed pudding. Pretty sure it would work as well with custard as it would ice-cream. Or, eaten hunched over the kitchen sink collecting crumbs in the crooks of your elbows – but you do you….. You can find the recipe on my Pinterest if you fancy a go at it. I highly recommend!

While I’m busy beavering away at this sweet little endeavour there’s an almightily crash as a large limb fell from an old apple tree that’s so sickly, it should have been prescribed leeches and sent to the sea-side to convalesce. I donned a kagool and tried to move this big chunk of tree as it’s flattened our wrought iron table and chair set. It’s way too heavy for me to do alone, I just hope that it’s only knocked everything over rather than broken them entirely. We shall have to wait and see and cross our fingers. At least we can reach the apples now…….

The wind is still high and banging part of our barn roof which I don’t much care for, but I believe it’s heading for Blighty soon. Something to do with a combination of the Super Moon and El Nino apparently. Ah well, stay safe French & UK friends.

TTFN V x