Echorenovate Blog

Last year we spent not enough time in the garden, due to her indoors spending far too much time studying. It got out of hand. Stuff found its niche. The strawberries in particular spread. Everywhere. All over a south-facing patch of the walled garden that was otherwise occupied by creeping buttercups, the mainstay in our Normandy meadows at this time of year.
We had tried unsuccessfully to grow strawberries in other parts of the garden, possibly less south-facing, possibly slightly damper, possibly slightly drier, to no avail.

But this year, yo! Strawberry jackpot! Protected amongst long grass (not being weeding maniacs) these bright red sensual jewels provide great excitement for small boy strawberry hunts. Some would definitely be eligible for a Strawberry version of the Rorschach [ink blot] test, causing great amusement to all, and most would never make the supermarket shelf.

But oh the joy of field-to-face in minutes (those that make it past a few seconds!) and washed down with pink ALDI champagne :), one of the few times we've given in to something really frivolous! We've no idea what variety the strawberries are, so have given them the honorary name of one of our fave Tweeters, @Permagoddess.

Her indoors has made this Zen spot for a little gentle contemplation. Old granite doorstep on old cornerstones. Turned towards the Laughing Buddha or outwards with a view over the whole walled garden. Few minutes of lugging stone around definitely worth it!

We'll be starting up a Proper Blog soon, provisionally very tackily called Diary of an Accidental Smallholder Abroad. But it does what it says on the tin and will do for now! So long, till then!