The Changing of the Seasons

   `Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
    Close bosom friend of the maturing sun`
       Well, here in Deux Sevres, we haven`t seen any mists but the summer sun has done its best with the vines! The other fruit has been disappointing, due to odd weather in the spring, unseasonably mild weather in February being succeeded by a late frost that blighted many fruit trees. Still, you do what you can with what you`ve got and I`ve made lots of fruit juice and jam from these abundant bunches on our treilles. We have had the normal summer weather of the Region, hot, dry periods with little or no rain and this seems set to continue a while. I bet my Scottish Facebook friend wishes he could say the same. I congratulate myself on a grain of good sense moving to the sunshine. I am a climatic migrant!

 Still, as I said in my title, the roundabout of the seasons is slowly turning. The Rentrée is past, the children are back in school, the tourists and the campers are gone and we are in what the French call the Arriere Saison, that time between the end of the summer and the beginning of autumn.Often, at this time of year, we have sunny weather, perfect for a late holiday for those lucky souls  (like us,) who don`t have to return to the office or workshop. Some years, the summer slides almost imperceptibly into autumn, and this season itself can drag out to greet November.

  However, like all things, every boon has its down-side and the lack of any rain is bothering the farmers and gardners. Our cour and sheep-field are parched and yellow, and even well-established shrubs and trees are looking sad. However this is normal for the time of year and they will green up again with the autumn rain. In the meantime ,we can enjoy the last of the summer, perhaps take a little trip when Kim gets back from Turkey?
  And amid the feeling of the summer`s end, we do have new life springing Likethis little kitten sitting on my knee and making it very difficult to type.

   Bye for now, off to pick some more grapes!