Just been invited round to the neighbours for wine tomorrow, shade promised! Will look forward to that. Not sure if I need to have the cuttings shredded. I left them in a pile in the sun and they appear to have shrivelled to half the size!
I have been eating Purslane for the last 20 years @Allotment Boy  the tips and young leaves and mixed in the salad - not a lot just some.  Just adds to a mixed salad - rocket, various lettuce leaves etc.  The Mediterraneans eat less "leaves" in the summer preferring tomatoes, basil and salad onions as a salad (mozzarella if you like - I hate the rubber texture of it)  Growing lettuce here is difficult as it is so hot, they get brown and slimy in the middle.  You can "pickle" Purslane in a jar in vinegar and a few pickling spices.  Frankly, I prefer it fresh.  As @Flories has said, it grows like weeds here and is a delight to pull out!!
@floralies Cucumber glut here too - as courgettes. Â I freeze grated courgettes for a frittata in winter but cucumber is difficult. Â
Still waiting for tomatoes to blush! Â And no, I haven't!!
I made a seafood salad for dinner. Hot here, but I love it and I've found an Avon product that stops the midgies biting. Skin So Soft. Apparently it forms a layer on the skin they can't get through.Â
Charlie's been back for one day and off again tomorrow, he's going to a lake to water-ski and accro-branch and ride a Tyrolean Zip wire. Wednesday he's going to a birthday party, I'm worried about beer being available.... He's assured me even if it is he won't have any..... he says.Â
He's passed his exams too, with a 'mention', which apparently is a good thing.Â
I know it's ridiculous, but I'm worried I'm losing my boy.., it's natural of course for him to grow up, but we're so close and now all of sudden he has new friends, new interests and is going away to school. He is going to England and Germany this summer, going away with his dad and a friend for a week... Even the clothes I bought him 6 weeks ago don't fit.....its a big scary change. I know rely too heavily on our relationship, I have to let go, but gosh it's so difficult to actually do!Â
âCoffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?â âBetsy Cañas Garmon
I had to let go of 4 of them @D0rdogne_Damsel and now they've given me 14 grandchildren! Time goes so fast. Oldest is 16, his brother is 14, they've just got mention trÚs bien for their Bac de Français and Brevet.
I had loads of purslane in my last vegetable garden. I didn't like eating it much, so din't put it in salads.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Oh @Busy-Lizzie, good news for the grand children, but so hard to let go, I've only got one, I suppose having 4 is 4 X the heartbreak. Of course you want them to move on and enjoy life, but gosh I'm really struggling with it. It seems to have come on so fast. Thank goodness for CdeG, but now I'm feeling guilty I let that absorb me too much when I should have been there for him.Â
One of my friends took the Mickey out of me for years, calling Charlie 'Project Charlie ' as I invested everything into his life experiences. It's all rather silly, I know, but as he finds his independence, I'm feeling very bereft. Â
âCoffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?â âBetsy Cañas Garmon
Hi folks, It's been 30 here today, a bit hot for me when I have to race around with the boys, especially as the air con isn't working in the car. Bestie called me yesterday to tell me she has tested positive for COVID. The only symptom she has is a bit of a runny nose, she only tested because she was going to a 90th birthday party. I felt dreadful yesterday. Temperature, cough, tight chest, aching all over. Have done two tests, both negative. It's no fun having a cold in 30 degrees. The air con unit might be getting plugged in tonight.
Donât you worry, D0rdogne Damsel! Of course you aren't losing him, just watching him confidently taking the next steps that you have so admirably prepared him for. And of course you were there for him while setting up and running C de G, demonstrating the importance of dedication and perseverance in making a career for yourself, and the means of providing for him. All useful lessons that he will have learnt by example while he has been growing up. They will stand him in good stead in the future.Â
Not only that, but Iâm sure he will enjoy his move away to school much more knowing that you have an established lifestyle and your own interests to fulfil you while he is away. And heâll be back! Iâd organise a few visits bearing cake for his friends, I bet youâll be the most popular mum in the school!
I did laugh at the mention of the beer! My son, now in his late thirties, was and still is, a very athletic type, played rugby and cricket at school and uni, and now takes part in Ironman and triathlon events. I collected him from a few parties when he was in his late tens, and noticed the strong smell of beer. I happened at some stage to mention how high in calories beer could be, and how it could lead to the dreaded beer gut. Not long after, I saw him checking his midriff in the mirror, and he later announced that he was really cutting back on beer as he didnât want to put on too much weight. I managed to nod wisely and agree that was a good idea, without sniggering!
Haven't tried purslane although I'm sure I sowed some seeds of it at one time and then forgot all about it. Don't despair @D0rdogne_Damsel - your Charlie, as @Ergates said will have learned some sound lessons from you. The poem 'On Children' by Kahlil Gibran came to mind: https://poets.org/poem/children-1  Kahlil Gibran has some wise words on all manner of topics. Managed to go to Book Club without the book and the notes I had written on it. So had to busk it and miss out many of my pithy observations. But it was OK - those observations were made by others and we all agreed we liked the book. Night night all.
@Yviestevie, I'm sorry you feel so poorly but it does sound like covid to me. I didn't test positive until 3-4 days after I felt dreadful with a heavy cold, so you may need to keep testing for a couple of days more. Hope you don't get it though.
@D0rdogne_Damsel, I thought the same when we saw our grandson over the weekend, he's 14 next week and changing fast. You have to learn to let them go although it's very hard, especially if it's your only child. I find it difficult to comprehend how both my adult children have experiences of which I have no knowledge.
Talking of children, my daughter's just rung to cancel my weekend down with her. She'd got tickets for a private guided tour of an Italian garden which I was looking forward to - but not in this very hot weather! I'm rather relieved not to have to drive down the M5 at the weekend so I don't mind too much.Â
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@floralies Cucumber glut here too - as courgettes. Â I freeze grated courgettes for a frittata in winter but cucumber is difficult. Â
Still waiting for tomatoes to blush! Â And no, I haven't!!
Salad looks delicious @Allotment Boy.Â
Love the flowers @didyw.Â
I made a seafood salad for dinner. Hot here, but I love it and I've found an Avon product that stops the midgies biting. Skin So Soft. Apparently it forms a layer on the skin they can't get through.Â
Charlie's been back for one day and off again tomorrow, he's going to a lake to water-ski and accro-branch and ride a Tyrolean Zip wire. Wednesday he's going to a birthday party, I'm worried about beer being available.... He's assured me even if it is he won't have any..... he says.Â
He's passed his exams too, with a 'mention', which apparently is a good thing.Â
I know it's ridiculous, but I'm worried I'm losing my boy.., it's natural of course for him to grow up, but we're so close and now all of sudden he has new friends, new interests and is going away to school. He is going to England and Germany this summer, going away with his dad and a friend for a week... Even the clothes I bought him 6 weeks ago don't fit.....its a big scary change. I know rely too heavily on our relationship, I have to let go, but gosh it's so difficult to actually do!Â
I had loads of purslane in my last vegetable garden. I didn't like eating it much, so din't put it in salads.
One of my friends took the Mickey out of me for years, calling Charlie 'Project Charlie ' as I invested everything into his life experiences. It's all rather silly, I know, but as he finds his independence, I'm feeling very bereft. Â
Bestie called me yesterday to tell me she has tested positive for COVID. The only symptom she has is a bit of a runny nose, she only tested because she was going to a 90th birthday party. I felt dreadful yesterday. Temperature, cough, tight chest, aching all over. Have done two tests, both negative. It's no fun having a cold in 30 degrees.
The air con unit might be getting plugged in tonight.
Not only that, but Iâm sure he will enjoy his move away to school much more knowing that you have an established lifestyle and your own interests to fulfil you while he is away.
And heâll be back! Iâd organise a few visits bearing cake for his friends, I bet youâll be the most popular mum in the school!
I did laugh at the mention of the beer! My son, now in his late thirties, was and still is, a very athletic type, played rugby and cricket at school and uni, and now takes part in Ironman and triathlon events. I collected him from a few parties when he was in his late tens, and noticed the strong smell of beer. I happened at some stage to mention how high in calories beer could be, and how it could lead to the dreaded beer gut. Not long after, I saw him checking his midriff in the mirror, and he later announced that he was really cutting back on beer as he didnât want to put on too much weight. I managed to nod wisely and agree that was a good idea, without sniggering!
for several years now part of our front âlawnâ has been mowed very infrequently once summer sets in.Â
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Don't despair @D0rdogne_Damsel - your Charlie, as @Ergates said will have learned some sound lessons from you. The poem 'On Children' by Kahlil Gibran came to mind:
https://poets.org/poem/children-1Â Â Kahlil Gibran has some wise words on all manner of topics.
Managed to go to Book Club without the book and the notes I had written on it. So had to busk it and miss out many of my pithy observations. But it was OK - those observations were made by others and we all agreed we liked the book.
Night night all.
@D0rdogne_Damsel, I thought the same when we saw our grandson over the weekend, he's 14 next week and changing fast. You have to learn to let them go although it's very hard, especially if it's your only child. I find it difficult to comprehend how both my adult children have experiences of which I have no knowledge.
Talking of children, my daughter's just rung to cancel my weekend down with her. She'd got tickets for a private guided tour of an Italian garden which I was looking forward to - but not in this very hot weather! I'm rather relieved not to have to drive down the M5 at the weekend so I don't mind too much.Â