Small Thoughts on the Summer Garden
Champêtre: My Garden, My House
On Longer Days:
Each morning as we creep closer to full summer, the sun in Southwest France rises early, about 6 am today, and won’t set until after 9:40 pm. These early summer days are getting warm, up to 90°F/32°C by noon, so the best time to garden is first thing with a cup of coffee in hand before the house is awake or much later in the day as apéritifs are set out and a few more hands are willing to help.
On Summer Chores:
It’s time to reset the garden well pump and unkink that long hose. Miraculously, it started right up with barely a cup of water for priming. I rearranged the lengthy extension cord that snaked across the gravel and through the cats’ window, where a new plug made it into the only outlet in reach, and eh, voila! we had power and water. No rain is planned for the next 10 days starting next week, and the young tomato plants, freshly sown cosmos, and zinnia seeds all need water—now!
