Summer has now begun in earnest. Temperatures are pleasantly idling around 27/30 C; just warm enough to bring out the evil Horse Flies, mischievous Mosquitoes, and a host of other annoying insects. The big question is whether to leave all the doors and windows open, or to close-up in an attempt to keep them out.
Personally I favour opening-up to let them fly in and fly out again; Lady Magnon prefers the Fort Knox approach. I suspect my way is better (but I would say that, wouldn't I).
One thing we do agree on is simple salad lunches taken in the shade of the Quince tree. A few vegs from the garden, a slice of melon, some Goat's cheese maybe,; that's all we need.
And in the late afternoon (after a leisurely swim), half an hour with Cav, Chris, and the Sky boys makes the day complete.
Aaaah; I love Summer.
Right now that all looks very good - it is chilly (14 degrees) and raining. Actually, we have had very few wet days and it has been much warmer than usual for this time of year with more of the same forecast.
ReplyDeleteAlthough that salad looks good the soup I had for lunch was much more appropriate.
Is the melon home grown as well?
DeleteNo. I've reduced the size of my plot this year. Bought ones are fine.
DeleteZoom zoom swish ...
ReplyDeletewhoosh..
Wham.
I always buy a 'job lot' of swats.
DeleteThey were the bikes..
DeleteVery similar sounds; an easy mistake to make.
DeleteWhat a scrumptious looking salad.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you haven't got insect screens at your windows. They are more or less standard fittings here. Ours all came as part of the window frame, and roll up and down like a roller blind. It means we can have the windows wide open and enjoy the breezes without the nuisance from insects. If you can buy the netting, you could make your own - make a wooden frame to fit the window, fix netting over it, fit it in place - é voila - no more nasties !
We did used to have fly-proof 'curtains' made of bamboo or small wooden balls, but we became tired of them. It's finding something 'aesthetic' that's the tricky bit.
DeleteThe ones we have are a semi-transparent mesh - not really very noticeable - they don't impede the view. In winter they are rolled up out of sight. If you had separate frames they could be removed and stored away. That's what the owners of most of the older properties do here.
DeleteThey sound a bit like the one's we have in the 'tower'. Very light and transparent.
DeleteI was going to suggest screens too. Couldn't live without them here, what with mozzies and flies.
DeleteI think I will love Summer too..if and when it ever starts here ...it's raining again at the moment.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, another warm day forecast for here (30 C).
DeleteYou call that " warm" ? I call it much too bloody hot!! Though I could probably cope with a few days sitting in the shade at yours and popping into the pool every so often.
DeleteMy favourite temp is 25 C; anything above 35 C and I stay indoors.
DeleteThe killer is humidity, do you suffer from that or is your heat of the dry variety ? Have to say I hate anything over 29 and actually think 18 - 20 is perfect ! Think I live in the wrong place though !
DeleteI take the Fort Knox approach.
ReplyDeleteYou're out cycling from dawn to dusk, so it hardly affects you. Where are you off to today: Toulouse?
DeleteHa-ha, rest day. Cazals tomorrow I have been informed. (I hate that goddam hill.)
DeleteVice versa here.... I like all windows open, and Lester likes everything shut. I have ordered some voile panels to put up at the open windows, thinking that they will look quite nice gently billowing in the breeze, and hopefully will deter too many nasties from coming in. I also find that leaving the shutters partly closed seems to help.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried that 'Barrier Spray' that one sprays all around windows? I'd love to know if it works
DeleteSounds idyllic .... a bit like my day minus the insects and somewhat cooler !!!!! We love watching Le Tour but it clashes with Wimbledon a bit at the moment so am dipping in and out ...... what with all that AND the football AND the British Grand Prix at the weekend, we are busy doing nothing !!!!!! Lunch looks delighful, chez Magnon's !! XXXX
ReplyDeleteOur French TV has given up, so I'm having to watch the tour on my laptop; not ideal.
DeleteWe use the plug in insect killer thingies. Can't stand anything buzzing about in the bedroom overnight and these do prevent it even with open windows. The down side is dead flies on and around window sills. In homage to Wimbledon we are also using the electric tennis bat to fritz them.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't been too troubled at nights yet, but in the daytime the Horse Flies are everywhere. As soon as the sun shines.....
DeleteLate comment on Jam Factory: one of the things I really enjoyed about my French "Pilgrimage" was the delicious selection of home made jams and preserves for breakfast in the Gites
ReplyDeleteRegarding insect invaders: here in Oz most windows are fitted with fly screens of fine mesh. Life would be unbearable without them!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been stung by anything for years, so I may be exaggerating a bit. Usually a good plastic Fly Swatter does the trick. The worst place for Horse Flies is by the pool, and I'm not sure quite what one could do about that.
DeleteI would have to have screens. unfortunately here in Florida we have these nasty little "noseeums" that are so small they go right through screens and their bite causes an itchy welt....so we have glass doors and air conditioning in summer.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the Fort Knox solution. I visited the Cayman Islands some time back, and it sounds very similar.
DeleteGood analogy! In winter however,no bugs that bite,nice temperatures/open windows and no snow!
DeleteI was about to say much the same as Margaret - life would be hell in summer here in Oz without fly screens. Blow flies, house flies, mosquitoes and now our scourge, European wasps. I love windows and doors wide open but they MUST be screened.
ReplyDeleteWhen my niece relocated to Canada, her partner couldn't understand her obsession with keeping doors and windows closed in summer. They don't have the same plagues there, as here.
I'm sitting in my studio overlooking the pool and both the outside doors are wide open. Luckily (for the moment) there are no nasty bugs trying to bite me.
DeleteOh for a bit of that warm sunshine and some of those lovely salad veg over here. You can keep the flies though.
ReplyDeleteWe have some rain forecast for next week, but I shan't mind; it's getting very dry.
DeleteYou sure live in a beautiful place. My wife and I lived in Italy from 1982-1985. We used to drive to London twice a year and always took some time to enjoy France. My wife speaks French and has a degree from the University of Toulon (did I spell that right) so we always got along well there. I have to say, I envy you having settled there. You seem mighty content.
ReplyDeleteI could never have equalled my lifestyle had I stayed in Blighty. It's a beautiful part of the world.
DeleteWe leave all the windows open so the flies etc fly out, but go up and spray the bedroom about an hour before we go to bed as the mozzies can be really bad here.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had to spray the bedroom yet this year; no doubt those pesky Mozzies will show-up before too long.
DeleteSummertime, and the living is easy - except when you have to keep swatting bugs. We have 'no-see-ums'. They are super tiny bugs that leave a big itchy bite.
ReplyDeleteJan B (above) was complaining of the same things. It sounds as if Mother Nature cheated when she designed them.
DeleteIt's suddenly summer here, with lots of humidity to boot. I need to buy one more window screen in order to give more encouragement to the cross ventilation of this apartment, without encouraging mosquitoes. On the list for tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteLucky you to have a studio with a view of your pool! I am not envious, just observant.
Best wishes.
I throw myself in about three times a day. The water is 28 C; just perfect.
DeleteIf you have any spare Bees Cro please send them in my direction. My Runner Beans need pollinating. Tons of flowers but very few Beans developing this year. Marion x
ReplyDelete