We have harvested some delicious nectarines from our newly planted nectarine tree. Our first apricots and cherries were stolen by someone..I will have to take stronger measurements against the feathered folk next year…

This rustic tart is prepared in a jiff, bakes 40 minutes, just enough time to get the coffee ready, clean up and call everybody to the table under the old oak tree.

La recette;

 

Pincée de fleur de sel:

• Use other fruits like apricots, or apples, pears, peaches, plums…
• Use pine nuts or pistachios instead of almonds.
• Be careful not to use too strong a honey like lavender honey which will completely overpower the tart.
• Serve warm with a dollop of créme fraiche, or a dollop of ice cream on hot days.
• When the flesh of the nectarines stick to the seed, place the nectarine on its stem side and cut a cheek on each wide side of the nectarine from top to bottom, close to the seed. Cut each cheek in half to get neat quarters. Cut off the rest of the flesh on each narrow side of the seed which already resembles en quarter.

Yesterday  it was time for the new mother hens and their chicks to be upgraded to the chicken coop. When the chicks are born, I always take them and mamans from the chicken coop and keep them aside  in a basket with me where I know they are safe and I get to enjoy the chicks more as well. Every moring they are taken outside and the flap lifted and they scurry out, happy to see light(and me, I hope) and every evening they move into their beds themselves, I close the flap and bring them inside. After a three weeks or so, when the chicks are strong enough and they start walking with the rest of the flock, I walk them to the chicken coop late afternoons, have them investigate and integrate en find their spot among the others. This takes a few evenings, because the rankings have now been disturbed in the poulailler and new ones have to be established. Never a dull moment.

..les deux mamans et leurs petits poussins..

..la poulailler “secondaire” ou elles partent en “vacances” (the holiday home where they spend their vacation)…

..le gardien devant la poulailler (guarding the chicken coop)..

In “le jardin de Ronelle” everything is a bit wild in July. The weeds win me over a bit, the lawns need constant mowing and trimming and deadheading drag behind. The chicks appear and begs for attention, the rabbits multiply and eat my salads… the tomatoes are growing like Jack’s beanstalk and we can keep up with the abundance of courgettes! Not to forget my constant desire to plant more and change again and again.

..les lapins n’attendent pas une invitation, elles sont trop à l’aise déja(the rabbits don’t await an invitation , thye just make themselves at home)..

 At times like these, I just sit back and start focusing on the corners and little details that work together to make a garden. Some small corners and moments that give me pleasure. They tell a story in their own way.

..mais mignons quand même (but so cute)…

.Quelques morceaux de porcelaine voisinent un pelargonium odorant dans la mini serre ( old pieces of porcelain next to a scented géranium in a mini greenhouse)..

..les chaises et les lanternes (chairs and lanterns)…

..mon chéri picking some nectarines..

..J’adore mes pelargoniums odorants sur la table ( I love my scented geraniums on our outdorro table)..

 

Ice cream is a big favorite in our home. Usually I have my one or two scoops in a little bowl and mon chéri takes over the rest of the contaziner. As you see here, Carte d’or being very popular here. Apparently Carte d’Or saw the light in 1978 in France with only 5 flavors and their latest flavors arr absolutely just to die for..I am close to not handing over the container to mon chéri! See Carte d’Or here.

..et surtout la glace!..

..mes agapanthes bleue..

 ..dipladania blanc et les lavandes à l’arriére plan ( dipladenia agains a backdrop of lavenders)..

 ..L’heure de siésta!

 ..un verre de vin, une magazine et la tranquilité (a glass of wine a magazine and calm)..

à la prochaine fois

Ronelle