March & April 2023 – Gardening time

March has got away from me. I think with the start of spring and the garden beginning to open up, the start of the month was magical.

The month was stormy in terms of billowing winds – good grief the roof creaked (actually thought it was coming in one night!) and it snapped a tree in half in the garden. Good job we had removed 90% of the dead trees before the storms set in. 

I wanted to do some planting and we got a digger in to remove a hump in the middle of the lawn – Alastair was sure “there be dead bodies in there”  .. Dramatic?  And create a pathway from the future gites up to the pool. Any way grass seed and netting everywhere to start mending the big excavated bald patches and fingers crossed the wildlife did not eat all the seed.

VOLUNTEERS AHOY!

With the launch of the website and people actually reading my blogs we have had a steady enquiry of people signing up in the coming months to visit us and volunteer some help .. This is exciting.  Mix of ages and abilities, which is fabulous, and I look forward to receiving old friends and new from May. We will of course post pictures of the hard work and good times they will be experiencing.

MAKING FRIENDS

I have joined the local Lauzun Atelier, which aims to bring French and English residents together in a range of social activities. I have attended some art life drawing and portrait classes to keep my hand in and look forward to other future events and meeting new people.

I have made friends with Catherine my neighbour who has just moved from Paris to the village and her cousin Elizabeth who owns a country chateau on the edge of the village. They are perfectly French and help me with the language and have become really good local friends.

At 53 it’s like starting again in business and making new friends, but all in a new language. My French is coming along but it’s using it more ..or should I say being brave enough to use it.. I now attend two classes. In the second class pretty much as soon as you walk in the door you have to speak French and my first class this week I was the new kid on the block. Brain went blank, cheeks went red, Brummie accent came out in full and I was 10 again in the back of Miss Percival’s French class.

THE GARDEN IS MY SAVIOUR

I started my garden plan. To put a little bit of me now into the ‘Park” as my French friends tell me its called. 

The Park is beautiful, full of trees and very natural. I do know that Madame Becq filled the front of the house and garden with roses.  There were one or two fading ones left, so I decided to prune and save those and have now added another 10 roses to the garden, climbing and bush in her memory.

The garden does need a touch of colour and I have added anti mossie plants around the steps and where chairs will go out for summer.

Chestnut trees are now in full bloom and looking elegant and we have some rain which is helping new grass seed I have put down.

We are trying to work on the garden and terrace – so even this summer guests can sit out and enjoy a rosé and evening meal. Here is the progress so far.

APRIL 2023

April was a sad month as my brother Elliot died. So I was back and forth to the UK and was very quiet. As you can imagine for me things stopped, and I spent many hours thinking about my brother in the garden. Digging and planting was very therapeutic.

So this month’s entry is shorter. I intend to plant a tree for my brother so he will be forever with me.

THANK YOU

For all your comments on the blog last month and helpful tips for the garden and planting.

If you think you would like to join us to help, June and July are now available and good times to consider coming over – the pool will be open and days will be brighter and longer. For more information or to sign up to volunteering,  click HERE.

We hope you are finding the trials and tribulations of interest. We would love to hear any questions you may have.. ask away.

With love from France – a bientot

Leesa, Alastair & Cersei xxx