It’s the start of a New Year. As always you look back on successes and things you perhaps could have done better. For me 2017 was a year of ...let’s say...revelations about friendships and suddenly realising who and where you are! Yes...it’s only taken 60 years! So , for me, 2018 has started with a renewed vigour and a sense of of purpose. What did I learn from last year..... * Take each day as a new day DO WHAT YOU CAN. ENJOY EACH MOMENT AND DONT BEAT YOURSELF UP IF YOU DONT GET ROUND TO EVERYTHING YOU HOPED TO DO. * Fill you day with things you like to do and not just the things you have to ..read more

By the end of June...we have filled our preserve store with dandelion, nettle.cherry and elderflowerer products. So...before everything is ready in the potager......... What now? ROSES! Driving round the villages of Charente you cannot fail to be impressed by the beautiful climbing roses outside doors and beautiful bushes in gardens. They flower abundantly from now and it's a great time to start looking at what you can make with them while they are at their best. Here are a few easy ideas...... Throw some petals onto your salad Dry on newspaper to use in pot pouri and to make scented bag ..read more

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DANDELION BLOSSOM BREAD 1 cup of blossoms 2 cups of plain flour 2 tsps baking powder pinch of salt 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil 2 heaped tablespoons of of honey 1 egg half a cup of milk whisk together the oil, honey eggs and milk stir this into the flour, salt  and baking powder mix slowly fold in the flowers put in a 1lb greased loaf tin and bake at 400F for 20 mins  then turn down to 350F for another 15 minutes When a skewer is inserted into the bread and comes out clean then its ready! Enjoy x SHARE THIS: Press This Twitter Google EDIT"A – D" Search for:Contact ..read more

One of the reasons we moved from the Languedoc Region was the constant winds. Not known for a lot of wind here in Charente.......we go more for massive downpours of rain.....we seem to have been hit twice in the last month with the dreaded ORANGE ALERT  meteo message. Batten down the hatches, unplug your computer and prepare for the worst!!! We dont have a lot to batten down so other than moving  the car away from the house, where falling tiles can cause major damage, we really just sit by the cosy log burner saying...oooh isnt it windy out there!!! After storm one I discovered th ..read more

Last year one of our chickens died. The rest spent months  not producing a single egg. It wasn't just our chickens every one in the Charente area seemed to have had the same problem. Anyway.....as we were going back and forward to the Uk for periods of time  and we didn't want to constantly ask our neighbour to look after them....we decided to re home  them.Also as we were meant to be living as self sufficiently as possible it seemed daft to be keeping chickens and buying eggs! The lovely Sue from the Astrofarm near Confolens took them in to mingle with her own flock. Although ..read more

If you are a seasoned penny pincher then it's really hard to find something new that really is the bees knees! I always get excited when I see articles on saving money to just find the same old stuff being recycled! I suppose the longer you do it the less chance there is of actually finding any new little gems. So here's a call to those folk like me.......exactly what new have you discovered in 2016 ! Mine is as follows.... WATER We saved 40 euros on our annual water bill despite having had a drought. That was down to less toilet flushing.  You know the  saying.......if it's ..read more

We are just coming to the end of February and to the end of what I call Frugal Feb. This is the month when I really try to spend as little as possible on the weekly shop . WHY FEBRUARY? Most people make their cut backs in January after the mad spend of Christmas when money can be a bit tight or perhaps it can just be a New Years resolution to control your spending. However I find January great for bagging bargains and deals here in the French supermarkets. YES........SUPERMARKETS........AND WHY NOT? January sales are not just for department stores and clothes shops. Supermarkets must hate ..read more

 SAGE( SAUGE) IS AN IDEAL PLANT TO GROW IN THE CHARENTE CLIMATE. One of the easiest plants to grow and care for and it  will reward you with... LEAVES  to use in cooking all summer long and right up to the first frosts FILLING LARGE GAPS  in spaces in the garden where little else will grow. You can leave this  for a lovely display of purple flowers rather than for harvesting leaves. ATTRACTS  POLLINATORS ...so ideal when planted beside strawberries, fruit bushes and trees PLANTING It likes well drained sandy soil. It tolerates really well with dry condit ..read more

How is everyone managing in the garden now we are having day after day of searing heat. Our whole veggie plot is looking particularly sad. No matter how much you water the plants are suffering in the intense heat. The soil is dry and lifeless. Our French neighbour says the biggest problem is the difference in the temperatures between day and night.He also said that most French people were expecting a bad year due to the phases of the moon in 2016. I have written about lunar planting before both on my blog and on my website... and having just been for a birthday treat to the Astrofarm&nb ..read more