Spring
Dandewine
Dandelion Fields at Malval
This post has been in the works since way back in April… Countless hours of editing and collaboration have been wasted bringing this to you now, four months later. So, please enjoy… more photos and stories hopefully to come soon.
Love, Jason
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By Julianne Dodds
One day late in April we decided to drive up to Malval, where there is an old mill as well as ruins of a millennium-old castle. The fields on either side of the rural road were bright yellow, completely filled with dandelions. It was a beautiful sight: the sunny flowers are not really considered much of a weed in France and are allowed to grow sans herbicide. Penelope made a casual comment about making dandelion wine, but it really fired up Jason’s imagination. He’d never even heard of it before, but suddenly he had a new project.
Neither of us had ever tasted dandelion wine or made any wine before, but luckily Google had us taken care of. We found a few intriguing recipes which we then synthesized into one master recipe.
The Yard in Spring
Mid June: The Irises that we planted in March were blooming. The Poppies covered the front yard. The sunflowers were growing tall and their buds were getting bigger. It was at this time of year that I received the most compliments about the yard and how great the flowers and gardens looked… It was late spring and the wildflowers had reached their peak. It was a wonderful time of year to sit back, relax, and finally enjoy all the hard work that was finally paying off.
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A Walk in the Village
The House in Spring
May Gardening Update
Garden View, 16 May
May was a big month for gardening. The last of the frosts were finally past, the weather became warmer, and the plants (along with the weeds) started growing quickly. Tomatoes and Peppers were in the ground, we ate more salad than anyone cares to remember, and already peas, radishes, and carrots were growing fast. Also, lots of seeds that were planted in the cold frame in April were ready for transplanting to their definitive locations in the garden. Wildflowers were blooming and the world was waking up from hibernation. By the end of the month, I already had far more vegetables than I could eat or giveaway. It was a great feeling, particularly knowing that there was much more on the way.
