etcetera magazine August 2021

etcetera I’M FREE - TAKE ME, KEEP ME!

YOUR COMPANION FOR LIFE IN THE FRENCH COMMUNITY

AUGUST 2021

The Joys of Summer Know Your Seashells

Sizzling BBQ Recipes En Vacances À L’Hôtel

PLUS ASTRONOMY EXPERT ADVICE PLANT PROPAGATION

WHAT’S ON • PUZZLES • HEALTH • CRAFT

hello & welcome

Contents 3

A note from the editors

4

What’s on

CONTACT US: Tel: 05 17 36 15 32

email: editors.etcetera@gmail.com website: www.etceteraonline.org 17 rue des Chaumettes 86290 St Léomer

8

Craft

10

Latest News

11

Opinion

12

Food

18

Language

20

Business & assistance

24

Health

Welcome to the August edition of etcetera magazine.

29

Garden

36

Farm life

38

Animal

39

Angling

While restrictions are still in place and ever-changing, we hope you are all able to make the most of being in this beautiful part of France and enjoy the rest of the summer. Events and gatherings are picking up, we are keeping our fingers crossed that the country is able to keep a handle on the health situation without further restrictions being put in place, at least for the warmer summer months.

40

Free time

Continue to keep safe, keep well.

42

Nature

46

Astronomy

48

Home & Specialist

50

Getting connected

53

Artisans

60

Motoring & removals

62

Property

65

Classified

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MUNITY

SAMU (Medical) Gendarmes (Police) Pompiers (Fire and also trained in medical emergency) 114 Text-message emergency number for deaf/hard of hearing 119 Child abuse 115 Homeless 113 Drugs and alcohol 112 European emergency not always English 1616 Emergency- Sea & Lake 3131 Last incoming call, key ‘5’ to connect Orange English speaking helpline 0033 (0)9 69 36 39 00 Website in English: www.orange.com/en/home Technical assistance for landlines (French): 3900 (+33 9 69 39 39 00 from abroad) SFR 1023 or 00336 1000 1023 (Not English) EDF 0810 333087 EDF breakdown 24 hours +33 (0)9 69 36 63 83 EDF Helpline in English 0033 562164908 (From UK) 05 62 16 49 32 Fax E-mail: simpleenergywithedf@edf.fr CPAM - 09 74 75 36 46 Veolia Water Emergency No: 24h/24 et 7j/7 05 61 80 09 02 (press 1 for urgent problems or 2 for a technician) S.E.P Du Confolens (Water) 05 87 23 10 08 Emergency 24/7 Aéroport Int’l Limoges 05 55 43 30 30 SNCF (train times, buying tickets etc) 36 35 Alcoholics Anonymous For contact details of meetings in your area including those conducted in English, visit www.aafrance.net

Please download the pdf from this link now: www.paysruffecois.fr/sante/guide.pdf

HOSPITALS 05 55 05 55 55 Limoges (CHU) 05 55 43 50 00 St Junien 05 55 47 20 20 Bellac 05 49 44 44 44 Poitiers 05 45 24 40 40 Angoulême 05 49 32 79 79 Niort 05 45 84 40 00 Confolens Counselling In France Counsellors, psychotherapists, NLP, CBT etc offering therapy in English to expatriates all over France on www.counsellinginfrance.com SSAFA France 05 53 24 92 38 email france@ssafa.org.uk French Health Insurance Advice line.

CPAM English speaking Advice line: 09 74 75 36 46 (from France) 0033 974 75 36 46 (from other countries).

The line is open from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

NHS website : www.nhs.uk/using-thenhs/healthcare-abroad www.ameli.fr No Panic France Helpline: No Panic UK helpline: 0044 1 952 590 545 11h - 23h (French time) 7/7 www.nopanic.org.uk /nopanicfrance@orange.fr English-speaking Crisis Line SOS- HELP 01 46 21 46 46 3pm-11pm 7/7 British Consulate in Paris 01 44 51 31 00 British Consulate in Bordeaux 05 57 22 21 10 www.ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/ Credit Agricole English Speaking Helpline Charente (residents only) 05 45 20 49 60 Anglofile - Radio for British in Charente www.rcf.fr Tues 20h (repeated Sun 11h30). leme 96.8, Chalais 96.9, Confolens 95.4, Ruffec 95.4, Char. Limousine 104.1, Cognac 89.9

Print 2 copies - one for your home and one for your car - it could save a life.

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events

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craft Sarah is the author of craftinvaders.co.uk where she blogs about her original craft tutorials, recipes, foraging, and developing wellbeing through being By Sara h Whit ing creative, spending time outdoors and connecting with nature

Fuseaux de Lavande Made by weaving lavender stems and ribbon into a cage that holds the fragile flowers, Fuseaux de Lavande, originating from Provence, vary from simple, small designs to large versions with the ribbon woven into intricate patterns. Lavender wands are traditionally placed in linen cupboards and drawers to repel moths and keep clothes sweet-smelling.

Materials − Freshly picked lavender stems (I used 15 for the wand shown in this tutorial) − 6mm ribbon x 1.5m − thread or tiny elastic band − toothpick and scissors −

Tips ▪ Harvest Lavender in the morning, once any dew has dried ▪ Aim for stems at least 30cm long, the longer the stems, the easier they will work.

▪ Choose stems with flowers that are just starting to open, therefore most fragrant but firmly attached ▪ Always used freshly cut (more pliable and less likely to snap)

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craft Steps 1. Strip all the leaves from the stem.

These can be dried and retained for future crafts.

2. Line up the bottom of the flower heads and tie them together. I used a tiny clear hairband to secure mine, but thread also works well.

3. Tie the ribbon over the thread/band, leaving a short tail of about 30cm long at one end of the ribbon and the rest on the other.

4. The next step is creating the cage.

Turn the bundle upside holding the flowers in your hand and pinch the bunch where it is tied.

5. Gently bend each stem down around the blossom heads. Score the underside of the stem section that is being bent with your fingernail to avoid snapping.

6. When all of the blossoms are encapsulated by the stems, pull out the long end of the ribbon, leaving the short tail tucked inside.

7. Start to weave the ribbon under and over the stems. Gently pull on the ribbon to make sure the weave is tight. The most challenging part of this process is in the first two rows of weaving. On the second row, you should be going under the stems that you had gone over on the first row.

8. Continue weaving until you have covered all the flowers. Use a toothpick to push any buds that stick out back into the weave and tighten the ribbon as needed. Wrap the ribbon around the neck of the wand and tie it off. Finally, trim the stems to the same length for a neat finish. ● Note: After your Fuseaux de Lavande has dried for a couple of weeks, you may find it shrinks, and the ribbon becomes loose. If so, tighten the ribbon by pulling each loop from the top before retying at the neck. ● Lavender wands can last for many years. As the fragrance fades, squeeze or rub the baton in the palms of your hands to release more scent.

‘New’ 2nd Floor Unusual Gifts Furniture ‘New’ Boutique in the Picturesque Town of Magnac Laval 87190 Located in the centre of town Easy parking in the square opposite

Email: rruss1@hotmail.co.uk

Soft Furnishings Autentico Paint & more, at affordable prices!

Open Tue-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm (2pm Sat)

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news

MAIDEN NAMES ON VACCINE CERTIFICATES

HOLIDAY WIFI ACCESS These days, campsites and hotels offer customers access to their WIFI networks, so you can connect to the internet via your smartphones, tablet or laptop. While this service is incredibly useful for many reasons, it can leave you vulnerable to hackers. A lot of these networks don’t require a password, and those that do it’s often a very simple one. For hackers public WIFI networks are a dream come true, enabling the possibility of them accessing a lot of your personal data without you even knowing. When you are away from home and using a public network, take extra care when visiting websites (pay careful attention to the web addresses) and make sure you see the secure symbol. You don’t need to stop using public networks, just be more vigilant and perhaps consider using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which means your data is transmitted securely. A VPN creates a “secure tunnel” where data sent over a Wi-Fi connection is encrypted, making all that data sent to and from your device secure. Remember the golden rule - don’t check sensitive sites while connected to a public network - switch off access and reconnect to your operator’s 4G or 5G network.

Many vaccinated women will have noticed only their maiden name is mentioned on their certificate. At the time of print, there’s still seems some uncertainty as to whether it is EU law or French law (the latter often using maiden names on legal documentation) that is causing the confusion, but it does appear that you can go back to your vaccination

RESIDENCY CARD EXTENSION The website for residency card applications now states: “British nationals residing in France or coming to settle there before 31 December 2020 were required to apply for a residence permit online on this site before 1 July 2021. However, people who have not been able to submit their application for a residence permit within the time limits can still apply until 30 September 2021, this site is remaining open until that date.”

If you or someone you know hasn’t applied yet, please apply now: https://contacts-demarches.interieur.gouv.fr/brexit/brexitresidence-permit-application. Without this residency card, your rights in France will be affected.

ANIMAL ABANDONMENT IN FRANCE The French government is launching a 20M euro action plan in a bid to help animal rescue centres. France is Europe’s biggest offender of animal abandonment, and centres already at full capacity have seen an increase in the last year, creating a huge problem for them and their ability to 10 etcetera

centre and ask them to update their digital files to include your married name and issue a new certificate which shows both names.

Please bear in mind that this information may take a while to trickle down to the vaccination centres! So in the meantime, consider taking another proof of ID with you (carte de séjour, for example) that shows both names).

take on new arrivals. The new plan will aid the country’s 800 shelters to enlarge their capacity and offer more support to help with this problem.

A new advertising campaign will also be launched, with bill baords at motorway services, where up to 60% of these offences are commited.

opinion

Brian White lives in south Indre with his wife, too many moles and not enough guitars tribute was simply the result of an EU grant to boost tourism. However, in 2020 the global revulsion at the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis reached even Denbigh and a petition carrying 7000 names called for the statue’s removal.

Monumental Errors S

ince this year marks the 200th anniversary of Napoléon Bonaparte’s demise, I idly wondered how many statues of the former Emperor exist in this country. An amble around Google threw up a response to precisely this question from former French UN ambassador Gérard Araud. “Actually, Napoléon is rarely statufied in France”, he wrote, “because neither the monarchy nor the Republic wanted to celebrate him.”

(Incidentally, I had no idea “to statufy” was a verb).

France, I still struggle to comprehend the carnage. Maybe that’s the point – these dedications acknowledge a shared agony, society reeling from its loss.

It’s those other commemorations, the ‘great’ men of the past astride giant horses, or (inexplicably) portrayed in Roman robes, which leave me cold. These individuals’ success were frequently propelled by ambition and self-interest; it’s harder to see them as fellow citizens, striving for the common good. In any event, statues are not history, they’re mostly propaganda. The toppling of Monsieur Araud’s remarks underline the philanthropist and slave trader Edward inherent conflict in honouring historical Colston last year thrust figures in this way. For Bristol into the news all his undoubted These individuals’ success headlines. Yet the statue achievements, Napoléon were frequently propelled by wasn’t erected until 175 clearly divides opinion still. Great leader or ambition and self-interest years after Colston’s death, when wealthy overreaching tyrant?

Victorians wanted to Possibly both? For the remind the city of the generous curious, historian Andrew Roberts’ superb endowments made in the past by 2014 biography explores the conundrum. successful men such as themselves.

I’ve mentioned before my ambivalence In 2011 the north Wales market town of concerning flags, anthems and all the Denbigh, (where Mrs W and I lived before paraphernalia of national identity. To that moving to France), unveiled a statue of I would add most - although by no means Victorian explorer Henry Morton Stanley, all - statues. I’m emphatically not talking of “Dr Livingstone, I presume” fame. here about the memorials to those lost in Stanley was born locally as John Rowlands innumerable wars, which never fail to and much about him was dodgy, including choke me. Whether it’s the gut-wrenching his famous greeting, which was almost RAF Bomber Command Memorial in certainly made up long after the event. He London’s Green Park or the war was also a virulent racist. Stanley had died cemeteries and small roadside tributes to more than a century earlier and the new local Resistance fighters found all across

To be clear, I’m not a total statuephobe.

There are many tributes to humanitarians, scientists, civil rights campaigners and even entertainers, which I find compelling.

This very month of August marks 120 years since the birth of Louis Armstrong, the single most influential musician of the twentieth century, (your regular reminder his name is pronounced ‘Lewis’). Two statues in – where else? – New Orleans, pay suitable homage. There are smileinducing effigies of Ken Dodd, Victoria Wood and Eric Morecombe, and that’s just in Lancashire. I also recall my glee one morning at encountering Desperate Dan (and his dog) on the streets of Dundee.

Public statues, if they exist at all, should surely celebrate our shared humanity and perhaps less so those who subjugated or sold other people.

Still, if we must persist with the “Solemn Men of Destiny on Big Horses” tributes, I’m inclined to think Glasgow has the right approach. If you have ever visited, you’ll know the Duke of Wellington monument in Royal Exchange Square. Every city has its must-see landmarks and here it’s a statue with a traffic cone on its head.

Plonked there around 30 years ago as a late-night prank, the cone encapsulates Glasgow’s anti-establishment sense of humour. Originally, official attempts to remove it saw the cone immediately replaced. Further deterrent measures resulted in Wellington’s horse wearing one too. Officialdom finally gave up. When Glasgow hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games the Duke’s headgear was switched temporarily for a gold cone.

No statue is immune from being shamed by new revelations concerning its subject.

But lionizing men for their wealth and influence while overlooking their character tends to set them on a collision course with ever-evolving public attitudes.

Bristol’s Colston statue now lies in a museum, its life-cycle an important chapter in the city’s story. On its original site stands a plaque featuring the words of local poet Vanessa Kisuule on the toppling: “But as you landed, a piece of you fell off, broke away, And inside, nothing but air.

This whole time, you were hollow.”

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food

Summertime Sizzlers GREAT BBQ RECIPES DON’T NEED TO BE COMPLICATED - THE SIMPLEST ARE OFTEN THE BEST! ENJOY THESE EASY-TO-PREPARE RECIPES

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 tbsp low-fat natural yogurt

1 small onion, halved

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 green chilli, deseeded *

Green salad, to serve

30g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks

Method

75g ready-to-eat dried apricots 2.5 tbsp Thai fish sauce 3 tbsp lime juice 4 large, free-range skinless chicken breasts, each cut into 4 long strips

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By Beli n

da Prin ce

www.chateaumareuil.com

Subscribe to the Chateau Mareuil channel on YouTube

Spiced Chicken Kebabs

1 tbsp ground coriander

Belinda, the ‘Accidental Chatelaine’ loves to cook at any opportunity and is delighted to be able to share that love with you

1. First of all, whizz the onion, chilli* (you can use a 1tsp of dried red chilli flakes if you don’t have fresh chilli), fresh coriander, ground coriander, the apricots, fish sauce and lime juice in a food processor and blend together to make a marinade.

2. Put the chicken in a bowl and stir in three-quarters of the marinade. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat the grill/barbecue to medium-high. Thread the chicken onto 8 skewers and put on a non-stick baking sheet. Grill/barbecue for 10 minutes, turning halfway.

4. Meanwhile, stir the remaining marinade into the yogurt with the garlic. Serve 2 skewers each with the garlic yogurt and a green salad.

food Honeyed Barbecue Pork

Ingredients (Serves 4) 4 pork chops or cutlets 4 tbsp honey 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or Maggi 4 tbsp tomato ketchup 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp dried red chillies (optional) Method 1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small pan, simmer for a minute or two until itbegins to thicken.

2. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish and pour over the sauce. Cover and leave to marinade in the fridge for 1 hour (if you haven’t got an hour leave them as long as possible while you heat up the barbecue).

3. Cook the chops on a hot barbecue, turning regularly, for 30 minutes.

5. Throughout cooking, spoon over any remaining marinade to baste.

4. Or roast in the oven at 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6 for 25 - 30 minutes.

6. Once cooked, the chops should be sticky and browned.

Tandoori Salmon Ingredients (Serves 2) 2 salmon fillets 1 lemon, sliced 1 clove garlic mashed into a paste 200g natural yogurt 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp paprika 1 tbsp olive oil Pinch salt Method 1. Prepare the salmon. Remove the skin, then cut into bite-size pieces.

2. In a medium bowl, mix all of the marinade ingredients until well combined.

3. Add the fish to the marinade and let the marinade coat the fish well.

4. Cover with a cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

5. Thread the salmon and lemon slices onto skewers.

6. BBQ or grill for 5-7 minutes on each side.

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Dark Chocolate

4 bananas 60g dark chocolate (good quality) Ice cream to serve Method

Cook this delicious dessert either in the oven or on the barbecue to make a splendid sweet finale to your summer barbecue. Don’t be put off by the look of the blackened banana skins, this dessert is absolutely delicious!

1. Heat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas 6 (or use a BBQ).

2. Make a slit through the skin of the bananas along one side – making sure you don’t cut all the way through to the other side.

3. Push in the chopped chocolate along the cut.

4. Put each banana onto a sheet of foil and crimp the edges together to seal into a parcel.

5. Transfer to a baking sheet and cook for 25 mins until the bananas have turned black (or pop straight into the BBQ embers for 15 mins).

Serve with ice cream of your choice and grated chocolate. Enjoy!

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CHÂTEAU GALLERY & BROCANTE Now open for private viewings Call 05 49 48 02 93

Belinda and Lee Prince www.chateaumareuil.com Château Mareuil, Mareuil, 86290 Brigueil-le-Chantre 14 etcetera

Siret: 840796015 00013

Barbecued Bananas with

Ingredients (Serves 4)

food

Le Renard Roux

36310 Beaulieu

Lunch & Dinner - Music - Events Reservations recommended Full details on Facebook

T. 07 87 14 96 29

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food

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food

Sourdough The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

Amanda lives near Ruffec and is in the final year of an Advanced Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition with the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. She holds a BSc in Human Biology and Counselling/Psychol ogy. Amanda is passionate about living in harmony with nature and innate wellness.

By Am anda King

www.amandakingnutrition.com

SOURDOUGH BREAD HAS A DELICIOUS TANGY FLAVOUR AND IT COMES WITH A HOST OF HEALTH BENEFITS TOO.

T

his article will show you how to make your own sourdough and tell you about how swapping regular, processed bread for sourdough bread can improve your digestion.

So how do we stop this from happening?

When we leave the sourdough bread to ferment, the process that takes place actually removes the phytates from the bread. One study showed almost complete removal of all phytic acid (phytates) within 24 hours of fermenting the dough. This helps your body to digest properly.

What is it? Sourdough bread is an easy, slow way to create your own artisanal bread. It is made with the same kinds of flours as other breads. It requires nothing What’s in it for you? When the sourdough different except that instead of using culture is slowly fermenting (the bit where bought yeast to raise the dough, you use a you just leave it alone for 8-14 hours and sourdough culture. A sourdough culture carry on with your day or sleep while it looks a bit like floury water and has a sour works overnight) the yeasts and bacteria smell. Sourdough is simply a combination are working hard in there actually making of natural yeasts and bacteria which B vitamins for you. Yes, fermentation ferment the starch in the flour to produce actually INCREASES the vitamins in your bubbles of carbon food. B vitamins are dioxide which raise the essential for good energy When we leave the dough. So you don’t have levels. Sourdough bread sourdough bread to ferment, also has iron and other to knead it as you do with other breads. This the process that takes place minerals which are is one of the traditional actually removes the phytates essential for health. ways that bread was from the bread There are many places to made before find a sourdough culture; commercially available sometimes a generous friend will give you baking yeast was available. a little from their batch, or there are places What is the problem with commercial online where the cultures are for sale. The bread? Many grains and beans contain a culture must be kept alive with regular chemical called phytic acid (phytates). feedings of flour and water. Instructions Phytates cause indigestion (think blazing can be found from the person or place you saddles) and it is thought that Mother get your culture.

Nature cleverly uses phytates to stop her seeds from being eaten by animals. After all, the wheat plants want their seeds to become other baby wheat plants, not to be eaten by us. When we make regular bread, Equipment the phytates remain in the bread and can

Easy Sourdough Boule

disrupt our digestion causing many symptoms like bloating, constipation and tummy aches. Phytates also use up essential minerals in the body like calcium and magnesium, so even when you are eating a healthy diet, some of the minerals you are eating are not being used for your body but are instead passing through with the phytates.

Dutch oven or bread tin High temperature parchment paper Large mixing bowl Measuring cup Kitchen towel Sharp knife Kitchen scales

Ingredients 300ml filtered water 100g sourdough culture 100g organic wholemeal flour 400g strong organic white flour 10g fine sea salt mixed with 15g cold water Method 1. In a large bowl whisk your water and sourdough culture together well, gradually add all the flour and mix until you have an even ball of dough.

2. Leave in the bowl and cover with a damp cloth for 2.5 hours 3. Use your fingers to make holes in the outside of the dough and sprinkle over the salty water, fold the dough over itself and repeat this three times 4. Shape the dough into a ball, place on parchment paper in the dutch oven (you can dust with semolina if you like) and dust the top of the ball with flour and put the lid on.

5. Leave the dough for 8-14 hours, the longer you leave it the stronger the flavour and the more the sourdough culture will work for you.

6. Preheat your oven at 220 C for 30 minutes, slash the top of the boule with a knife and replace the lid, bake for an hour.

(If you like a crustier bread then take off the lid after 1 hour and bake for a further 10 minutes). Let it cool and enjoy!

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language & assistance

Parlez Français French conversation, vocabulary & traditions with Isabelle

En vacances à l’hôtel En juillet, beaucoup de Français vont en vacances. On les appelle les « juilletistes ». Ceux qui partent en vacances en août s’appellent les « aoûtiens ».

En vacances, les Français résident en famille, en camping, en chambres d’hôtes, en gîte, en hôtel… De plus en plus de Français vont dans des resorts ou clubs où tout est compris ou disponible sur place : le logement, les repas et les activités.

Voici un dialogue pour vous aider à découvrir les phrases et le vocabulaire typiques dans un club ou un grand hôtel, pour demander les informations nécessaires sur les activités.

Broaden your horizons with CONTINENTAL HORIZONS! Bonnes vacances et restez prudents !

Isabelle Dialogue: Maggie et sa famille sont dans un grand hôtel qui comporte une partie hôtel, des restaurants, des bars, des piscines, une salle de gym et des salles d’activités, comme une salle pour les spectacles. Tout est sur place. Il y a donc plein d’animations pour les petits et les grands.

Maggie : J’ai trois enfants. Stephen a 15 ans, Dorothy a 12 ans et David a 10 ans.

Nous sommes ici pour deux semaines, avec mon mari.

Broaden your horizons with CONTINENTAL HORIZONS! Mob. : 06 20 10 34 49

(Quelques minutes plus tard.)

L’employée : Vous enfants ont les âges requis pour les activités. Nous avons deux formules d’activités ouvertes tous les matins. La première est la formule « loisirs » qui consiste à faire des activités manuelles et créatives, comme le dessin, la confection de boîtes décorées et de la peinture. La deuxième formule s’appelle « sport ». Elle est plus sportive avec principalement des activités à l’extérieur.

Les enfants peuvent faire du foot, du basket, de la natation, de la course à pied et du vélo. Toutes nos activités sont encadrées par des professionnels. Vous n’avez donc pas à vous inquiéter pour vos enfants !

aimer la formule « sport » et ma fille va faire les activités « loisirs ».

L’employée à l’accueil : Bonjour Madame.

Je peux vous renseigner ?

Maggie : Très bien. Combien coûtent les formules ?

L’employée : C’est souvent comme ça. Les garçons préfèrent les activités sportives.

Maggie : Oui, s’il vous plait. Je voudrais savoir quelles sont les activités proposées pour les enfants.

L’employée : La formule « loisirs » coûte 120 € pour cinq matinées. La formule « sport » coûte 150 € pour cinq matinées.

Maggie : Où et à quelle heure est-ce que mes enfants doivent rencontrer les animateurs ?

L’employée : Oui, bien sûr. Avez-vous déjà consulté notre site Internet ?

Maggie : Où est-ce que je peux faire l’inscription de mes enfants ?

Maggie : Oui. J’ai vu que vous aviez des formules.

L’employée : Vous pouvez la faire ici avec moi, quand vous le souhaitez.

L’employée : Oui, en effet. Vous avez des enfants, quels âges ont-ils ?

Maggie : Alors, je vais les inscrire maintenant. Je pense que mes fils vont

L’employée : Voici les dépliants sur les formules. Les activités commencent à 9h00 et finissent à 12h30. Les animateurs attendront les enfants à partir de 8h45 devant l’entrée de la salle de gym. Vous verrez, c’est facile à trouver. Vous sortez d’ici, vous allez à gauche, vous descendez

L’employé : Bonjour Madame. Que puis-je faire pour vous ?

Maggie : Oui, bonjour. J’aimerais quelques renseignements sur les activités pour les enfants proposées par l’hôtel.

L’employé : Adressez-vous à l’accueil, làbas à gauche, ma collègue vous renseignera.

Maggie : Merci.

18 etcetera

Email : continentalhorizons@free.fr Isabelle works for CONTINENTAL HORIZONS Language Centre in L’Isle Jourdain and teaches French as a Foreign Language every day in their many classrooms. Do not hesitate to contact her on 05 49 84 17 73. www.continental-horizons.com

l’escalier, et la salle de gym se trouve en bas à droite.

Maggie : Merci. Très bien. Je vous dois combien ?

L’employée : Je vais vous demander de remplir ce formulaire avec le nom des enfants et surtout votre numéro de téléphone portable.

Maggie : D’accord. Comment puis-je vous payer ?

partir en vacances (verb) to go on holiday compris (adj) included disponible (adj) available sur place on site le logement the accommodation le repas the meal découvrir (verb) to discover un spectacle a show une animation an entertainment Que puis-je faire pour vous ?

What can I do for you? un renseignement a piece of information les renseignements (masc, pl) information proposé (adj) proposed, offered l’accueil (masc) the reception area là-bas over there renseigner (verb) to give information Je voudrais savoir ….

I would like to know… consulter un site Internet (verb) to visit a website une formule a formula requis (adj) required un loisir a leisure activity une activité créative a craft activity sportif / sportive (adj) sporty

L’employée : Vous pouvez payer maintenant par carte bancaire ou en espèces, ou alors, vous pouvez payer à la fin de votre séjour. Cela sera noté sur votre facture.

Maggie : Merci. Je paie maintenant par carte.

L’employée : Très bien. ……. Je souhaite beaucoup de plaisir à vos enfants.

Maggie : Merci et à bientôt !

principalement mainly

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encadré (adj) managed, supervised s’inquiéter (verb) to worry une matinée a morning faire une inscription (verb) to register Quand vous le souhaitez When you wish inscrire (verb) to register / to enroll C’est souvent comme ça.

It’s often like that. rencontrer (verb) to meet un animateur / une animatrice a leader / an event leader un dépliant a flyer Je vous dois combien ?

How much do I owe you?

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Call Jenny 06 79 85 58 84 Mail: jenifer@wordsmithcoms.com www.facebook.com/frenchwordsmith Siret 504 587 924 00011

remplir un formulaire (verb) to fill in a form Comment puis-je vous payer ?

How can I pay you? un séjour a stay une facture a bill / an invoice souhaiter (verb) to wish

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etcetera 19

business FINANCE

HELEN BOOTH INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISER deVere France

Is Your Pension at Risk?

I

f you have a sizeable pension accumulated or are still young and have time to build a solid nest egg, then your pension is potentially at risk. The UK government is looking into reducing lifetime allowances on pensions as a way of gaining back public spending used on covid relief. This allows them to pouring much needed revenue back into the coffers of the government, but at what expense to citizens?

This could mean that hard earned pensions will be taxed more heavily, reducing their overall value by thousands.

The cabinet is currently debating on the

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potential new tax reform and it could happen as early as November this year.

What are possible solutions to avoid this potential tax burden?

Currently, the lifetime allowance on pensions is just over a million pounds at £ 1 073 100. This means that anything over this amount in your pension portfolio could be taxed at up to 55%.

Most importantly, don’t stop making contributions in fear of reaching your lifetime limit. You could lose valuable employer contributions that are sometimes matched to your contributions.

Possible new tax laws ▪ One of the potential options the treasury is looking at is reducing the lifetime allowance to around £800 000 - £900 000, lowering the extra tax charge point. This means that you would have to pay more tax on your pension when you retire ▪ Another option is to enforce the same rate of tax relief for individual contributions to pensions. This means that higher rate taxpayers will lose out ▪ The third possibility is a new taxation on employer contributions These new tax laws could have major consequences on pension values ▪ More tax means less money in your pocket when you retire ▪ You would have to save even more now to get out the amount that was simulated and that you planned your retirement on ▪ Your entire retirement strategy would have to be replanned with your adviser

− Transferring your pension is another option. You could transfer your UK private and workplace pensions into a lower tax jurisdiction if you are living abroad and plan on retiring there as long as it is a UK recognised overseas pension scheme. Your state pension cannot be transferred − Placing your retirement portfolio in trust could also help mitigate tax commitments It is advisable that you chat to your adviser urgently to determine the potential implications of the possible new tax reform on your pension. There are several solutions available to protect your pension assets, and your adviser will do a thorough analysis of your portfolio to determine the right solution for you depending on your retirement plans and current financial circumstances.

Please note, the above is for education purposes only and does not constitute advice. You should always contact your deVere adviser for a personal consultation. * No liability can be accepted for any actions taken or refrained from being taken, as a result of reading the above.

business

Continuity Planning for the Small Business Owner

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here’s more than enough for the self employed to be thinking about; making sure work comes in and making sure enough income comes in to settle all of the bills. But do you ever stop to think about a business continuity plan? The global pandemic was a prime example of business owners having to pivot quickly to survive and unfortunately many have not.

Small business owners are just as vulnerable to disaster but it’s easy to ignore or push to one side and deal with it when it happens. But should something serious happen, what would you do?

Having a small business continuity plan to limit the impact on your business is worth thinking about sooner rather than later.

Aside from a pandemic there could be other scenarios that affect YOUR business.

What if your premises are flooded or caught in a fire? What if your equipment or tools of the trade get stolen? What if you experience a long term illness? How would your business function without equipment or you?

Start by thinking about the what ifs that could affect YOUR businesses:

1. Have your paperwork, files or client data been destroyed in a flood or fire?

2. Is your paperwork just stored on a computer? What if it the computer is destroyed by flood or fire? Or subject to cyber-crime? How do you get this information back? How can it be better stored?

3. What if your internet/telephone service is not available for a long period? What is your contingency?

4. What happens if your tools/equipment get stolen?

5. What happens if you are not able to work due to accident or illness?

6. Who do you need to contact immediately? How do you get hold of them? Do you have key contacts such as suppliers, staff?

Preparing your document of action Once you have identified the what ifs that affect your business, think about how you will manage them. What action will need to be taken? How will you get access to information? Where can it be stored? Who are key people that you need to contact?

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Where can this key information be accessed in an emergency? How would you get hold of tools/equipment? Who can help you should you be out of action for some time? Get as much detail documented as possible. When you have the final document with clear instructions of what needs to happen don’t just store it away in a file or computer. In the event of something serious happening this document needs to spring into action and be accessible as quickly as possible.

How/where can it be stored for easy access? As well as you, who else should receive this document?

There are plenty of templates that you can use when creating a business continuity plan. It needn’t be demanding or time consuming. But it will need to be reviewed regularly to reflect any changes. Creating a small business continuity plan allows you to react, communicate and continue as best as possible when things go wrong.

Let’s talk currency Sue Cook Regional Coordinator Centre Ouest 87600 Rochechouart +33 (0)555 036 669 +33 (0)689 992 889 E: sue.c@currenciesdirect.com www.currenciesdirect.com/france Siret: 444 729 008 00011

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TONY FARRELL INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ADVISER The Spectrum IFA Group, with over 20 years’ experience advising expatriates throughout Europe on all aspects of financial planning T: 05 55 89 57 94 E: tony.farrell@spectrum-ifa.com TSG Insurance Services S.A.R.L. Siège Social: 34 Bd des Italiens, 75009 Paris. R.C.S. Paris B 447 609 108 (2003B04384). Société de Courtage d’assurances. Intermédiaire en opération de Banque et Services de Paiement. Numéro d’immatriculation 07 025 332 – www.orias.fr Conseiller en investissements financiers, référencé sous le numéro E002440 par ANACOFI-CIF, association agréée par l’Autorité des Marchés Financiers

Advertise Your Business Contact Sam or Gayle: editors.etcetera@gmail.com etcetera 21

business INSURANCE

ISABELLE WANT BH ASSURANCES

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he new reform 100 % Santé gives you access to a large range of dental treatments including a large choice of crowns, bridges, and dentures, fully reimbursed: ● Crowns in ceramic-metal and fully ceramic for teeth that are visible.

100% SANTÉ FOR TEETH - EXPLAINED The visible teeth are in red and blue (front teeth called central incisors, canines and lateral incisors).

It’s important to note that the 100 % Santé is available with all dentists.

● Metallic crown for all the other teeth.

Your dentist will propose a quote showing the treatment and cost with precise descriptions.

● Replacement of bridges céramométalliques for replacement of incisors & canines.

Every procedure is mentioned in the quote and refers to a type of treatment defined in the new law 100 % Santé.

● Metallic bridges for all other teeth.

There are 3 types of treatments for prostheses:

● Resin dentures (removable prosthesis) for all or part of the teeth. ● The repairs and change of elements in the dentures.

On the diagram at the top of the next page, you can see how the teeth are classified (visible and non-visible), so the cover varies depending on the tooth and its location. The teeth in light pink and green (teeth called 1st & 2nd premolar, 1st & 2nd molar & wisdom teeth) are what are called non-visible teeth so crowns are in metal.

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1. le panier 100 % Santé: Crowns, bridges and dentures are fully reimbursed as long as you have a top up that includes the 100% Santé cover. With us at Allianz, only Hospital only cover, or ECO cover don’t include it. The top up contract which includes the 100% Santé are called « contrat responsible ».

2. le panier aux tarifs maîtrisés: This is medium price so for a crown

for instance, it would be 371 euro left to be paid by you and top up instead of 694 for the one below. So, crown is not fully ceramic but has metal in it.

3. le panier aux tarifs libres: High price and of course according to the dentist better quality or better looking so mostly fully ceramic.

OBLIGATORY QUOTE: Since 1st January 2020, all dentists must include systematically in their quote the 100% Santé treatment when it is possible.

In fact, you must get at least two quotes and one of them must include the 100% Santé.

The quote shows the treatment plan and the material used.

If they propose a treatment or procedure which leaves you an amount to pay yourself (reste à charge or montant non remboursé) after the reimbursement from CPAM, they must also do a quote 100% Santé so there is nothing for you to pay or if not possible with moderate costs (panier aux tariffs maitrisés shown above).

business I went to the dentist and my husband needed a crown on tooth 15 which is premolar. They gave us a quote. Guess what!

They did not give him a quote 100% Santé.

So, I politely inquired, and the secretary told me 100% Santé do not apply for those teeth! I insisted and then she said yes but it is a metal crown. Ah! So, you do it but didn’t quote for it! Remember, it is a legal obligation for the dentist to supply this in their quote for work. Note that the French government is lenient now but if they carry on not playing fair, it will be a fine of 1 500 euro per patient. Please also note that the majority of dentists do play fair.

KEY LIGHT PINK & GREEN Non-visible teeth: 1st & 2nd premolar 1st & 2nd molar Wisdom RED & BLUE Visible teeth: Front teeth (central incisors) Canines Lateral Incisors

On the first page of the quote it explains the type of materials, type of treatments (between the three choices I explained above).

The quote shows the teeth number, the type of treatment (which in the case of treatment number 3 is free pricing for the dentist!), the materials, etc. You will also see the total amount, the amount set by CPAM, the amount reimbursed by CPAM and what is left for you to pay.

For my husband’s quote, the second quote was included but the secretary did not mention it and surprise, surprise, the total amount and type of treatment (which in this particular case is medium price between 100% Santé and free price) was not on it! I guess it made it harder for me to realise it is cheaper…

General things to know about dentists in France: 1. The dentist must inform the patient of the treatment included in the 100% Santé but he is not obliged to do the treatment. In this case he must refer you to one of his colleagues.

2. Do insist for the 100% Santé.

Especially if you are on a budget! I have a metal crown on my premolar, and I can live with it, and nobody has noticed.

3. Please do visit your dentist at least once a year as it has been proven that bad teeth are a cause of heart

problems! Bacteria go into your blood stream and affect your heart.

But you need to know the law before you visit your dentist!! Now you do!!

4. When you need to have heart surgery, it is now an obligation to visit the dentist before the operation.

And remember to check out our web site www.bh-assurances.fr/en for all my previous articles and register to receive our monthly Newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook: “Allianz Jacques Boulesteix et Romain Lesterps”

Please feel free to contact me for a quote for top up insurance. Note that the law has changed now, and we can cancel your existing top up contract at anytime as long as you have had the contract for at least one year so please do not hesitate to contact me for a quote. You probably have a contract with extra level of cover for teeth where now it is not necessary as 100% is enough so you could have a cheaper contract! Plus, with Allianz, you can choose better cover for hospital while staying on low level for teeth or glasses, etc. Most companies have level 1, 2, 3 etc. so if you want best cover for hospital, you have no choice but to have best cover for all the rest as well.

And don’t hesitate to contact me for any other information or quote on subjects such as funeral cover, inheritance law, investments, car, house, professional and top up health insurance, etc…

Conclusion: The new law is fantastic and means you can get treatment covered fully by your top up as long as you have the proper contract (Contrat Responsable).

Isabelle Want 06 17 30 39 11 Email: isabelle.want @bh-assurances.fr

N° Orias 07021727/16005974

22 rue Jean Jaures.

16700 Ruffec Tél:+33 (0)5 45 31 01 61

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2 Avenue de la Gare 16270 Roumazieres-Loubert Tél:+33(0)5 45 71 17 79 etcetera 23

health

The Sugar Rollerco I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH WEIGHT LOSS FOR MANY YEARS NOW AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY ANNOYS ME IS THE FOOD INDUSTRY

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aster

Ride

health

T

hey are able to get away with suspect food labelling and their television advertising is misleading at best. I turn into ‘Victoria Meldrew’ on a regular basis!

Take Kellogg’s Special K and Cheerios.

One provides the family with a balanced breakfast or in the case of Special K it helps you lose weight, but what they really are is a processed food that is loaded with sugar. Don’t get me on Coco Pops and muesli, the editors would not be able to print what I think of them. So how do they get away with this?

When we eat foods that are high in sugar our blood sugar levels go up and our body produces insulin to bring it back down.

Some of this sugar is used as energy, some is discharged by the body and anything that we do not use is then sent to fat cells – weight gain. For those of you with a science background – I am keeping it simple here!

Eating highly processed, sugary foods gives our bodies tremendous highs. The subsequent downs makes us feel worse and we reach for more food and find ourselves on the sugar roller coaster. This is a new 20th century ride. Breakfast cereals, such as the ones mentioned above, low fat yogurts, (code for high sugar) and fruit juices are your ticket to ride and I believe that they make you hungry for the rest of the day.

Let us start with Cheerios. The plain one is low in fat, not too bad on calories and they are high in vitamins and minerals. If you choose one of the other varieties, say the honey nut version, it is 12 times higher in sugar per 28g portion, increasing the calorie intake from 100 to 140. This does not include the milk which contains By changing the first meal of the day to a natural sugar in the form of lactose. protein-based meal stops the body from Special K has about 5 having its initial high. times as much as plain There is no corresponding By changing the first meal low and no need for Cheerios, yet is branded to help you another high and the cycle of the day to a proteinlose weight. based meal stops the body is broken.

John Kellogg from having its initial high There is a lot to be said for developed Cornflakes poached eggs and bacon as a plain breakfast for your first meal. An cereal as he believed it stopped impure omelette with a small amount of cheese or sexual desires. So, if you have ever noticed a vegetable frittata. Smoked salmon, that your thoughts are particularly scrambled eggs and avocado. A wholesome while having your morning continental breakfast of cheese, cold cereal, then you have Mr Kellogg to thank. meats, olives and full fat yogurt is also a good option. As always you just have to The next hidden sugar is my other pet hate be mindful of – British baked beans. This store cupboard your portions. favourite of many is branded as ‘one of your five a day’. True, they contain beans, Many of us have happy days, but a large tin of British baked given up the good beans contains 4 teaspoons of sugar! old English Newsflash, Haricot Blanc a la Sauce breakfast as we Tomate, the French version, does not. were told in the They contain less that 1 teaspoon. Disliked 1970s that the by many due to this low sugar content. saturated fat would kill us, but Other hidden sugars can be found in all we have done bread, ‘low fat’ products, smoothies and is exchange it for fruit juices. the new enemy Reading food labels is really important of sugar. So and not just taking what the ‘strap line’ please be sure to tells us. We all know that chocolate and check the fizzy drinks are high in sugar, so why do ingredients on we have to worry about sugar? breakfast cereals, and The recommended daily intake of added don’t be fooled sugar is 9 teaspoons for men and 6 by the slogans! teaspoons for women. − There are 5.2 teaspoons of sugar in a standard Mars bar. (36g) − There are 9 teaspoons of sugar in a can of coke. (330ml) I have been researching the effect of how what you eat affects our bodies, specifically the first meal of the day. When we break our overnight fast, (commonly known to us as breakfast), at whatever time this maybe, I am now a great believer that the first thing we eat sets the tone for our body for the rest of the day.

Research material – Dr A Jenkinson – Why we Eat (Too Much) – The New Science of Appetite) Magazine pictures kindly provided by Alice Yarrington.

By Louise Cotton

Louise works with the Fit for Life Association as a Clinical Weight Loss Coach. She is also a Hypnotherapy Practitioner Specialising in Hypnotic Gastric Band Therapy email: louise@fitforlife.one

health

The Importance of Self-esteem HOW YOU THINK OF YOURSELF CAN HEAVILY INFLUENCE THE CHOICES AND DECISIONS YOU MAKE ON A DAY-TO-BASIS

Y

our self-esteem is the opinion you have of yourself and when it's at a healthy level, you tend to think positively about yourself and be optimistic about life in general. On the whole you feel able to navigate life's challenges and to value who you are and know your own worth. You are able to express your positive characteristics such as "I am kind", "I am a good friend" or "I am honest".

2. If after learning something new, the old values you hold don't fit any longer - individuals with positive self-esteem do not have any difficulty modifying their belief.

Here are a few examples of someone with healthy self-esteem:

5. Considering yourself self-worthy and equal to others, regardless of differences in finances and personal success.

1. Being able to make choices, trust your own judgement and not feel guilty about choices if someone does not agree.

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By Sim one Perrym an

Simone Perryman moved to the Charente several years ago with her now grown up family.

She is passionate about mental health and as a Person Centred Counsellor has a private practice here. Currently working online or by telephone

Facebook Simone Perryman Wellbeing Solutions Tel 0604409719 or 0545 893034 E.mail Simoneperryman@gmail.com

3. Resisting manipulation by others.

4. Believing in your capacity to solve problems, adjust to failures and ask for help if needed.

When you have a low self-esteem, you tend to see yourself, the world and even

your future more critically and negatively.

When you encounter life challenges, you doubt that you are capable of and so might go out of your way to avoid them.

You are likely to be talking to yourself in a negative way and telling yourself, "you can't manage this", "you're stupid" or "I don't amount to anything". This could leave you feeling sad, low, unmotivated and anxious. Often criticizing yourself too

health harshly and reducing your self-confidence even further.

A few examples of someone with low self-esteem: 1.

Chronic indecision due to fear of making mistakes

2. Excessive will to please out of fear of displeasing someone 3. Feelings of insignificance.

4. Exaggerating the magnitude of mistakes or behaviours and not being able to reach self forgiveness.

As no one is born with low self-esteem, it means it is often developed as a result of the experiences we have throughout our lives. Often from childhood but not exclusively. At the core of low self-esteem is the beliefs and opinions we hold about ourselves, which often come from the stories we tell ourselves about who we are; we form conclusions from them about ourselves. These opinions get fixed as though they are "truths" for all time.

This is often when we attach negative labels to ourselves which are very selfcritical about our abilities to do something or that we are for example "stupid", "ugly" or "boring" and produce feelings of worthlessness.

The development of low self-esteem is often from our early negative life experiences which may include: ▪

Punishment, neglect or abuse including bullying. Negative childhood experiences of these kinds can often form beliefs that the child is bad and deserves this treatment.

▪

Failing to meet parent's or other people's expectations. This can leave a person feeling that they are not good enough even when the expectations are unfair and unrealistic in the first place.

▪

Not meeting the standards of your peer group. In adolescence, when you are developing your identity and being told “you are the odd one out”, it can be very damaging to self-esteem.

▪

Developing low self-esteem just through the deficit of not receiving

enough love, warmth, affection, praise and encouragement. Without this reinforcement children can form a belief that they are not worthy or good enough.

This results in us speaking to ourselves in a critical way which reinforces the negative thinking and feelings which can be very difficult to change. If we don’t see ourselves as competent and capable, then we often feel the world seems full of danger and this raises our anxiety levels.

This leads us to use avoidance strategies meaning that if we think our flaws will be exposed then it makes sense to avoid a situation. For example, not attending a wedding reception because you will be asked to dance but you don’t want to go because as a child you may have been told “you have no coordination” and “that you are a bad dancer” and you don’t want to feel humiliated by being forced to get up and dance. By not going to the wedding it will give you a shortterm sense of relief but in the long term it will prove unhelpful as you don’t give yourself the opportunity to learn to cope more positively and so it remains a cycle of critical thinking and self-doubt.

judgement. To question the basis of critical thinking and get curious as to why you hold negative beliefs and opinions and provide an opportunity to reframe them with compassion for ourselves. To learn how to improve our internal language and modify our assumptions that we make about ourselves and the world when we feel threatened, so that we don’t remain stuck in a negative cycle.

So, challenging yourself to change your focus and learn some better thinking skills can boost your self-esteem almost immediately. Helping you to engage in life more fully with positive self-belief and an attitude of worthiness.

Treatments for low self-esteem are where talking therapies can be very helpful.

Having a safe environment to gently explore without

Couples Counselling • Mental Wellbeing • Addiction Initial consultation FREE Face-to-Face or 86150 Queaux

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www.rootscounselling.fr etcetera 27

health

Chez Beautique Estheticienne/Beautician �Covering many areas within dept 86 & 87 �32 plus years’ experience �Professional colouring and cutting services

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Hair designer with many years’ experience, including the Vidal Sassoon team.

My salon is based in the heart of Le Dorat in the Limousin.

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garden Cosmos, members of the daisy family, the outer petal like structures are modified flowers, the inner flowers having no petals

Dahlias love to put on a show in summer and autumn

Tender Perennials

By Caroline Wright

Caroline has been a lecturer in horticulture for 20 years and is now running a nursery and 'garden craft' courses in the Haute-Vienne at Le jardin creatif Lejardincreatif.net

WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY AND HOW DO WE CREATE THE BEST ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM?

T

ender perennials are plants that will live for many years but do not survive hard frosts in the winter and generally need some protection such as bringing indoors or wrapping up in fleece. They have evolved in warmer climates where it rarely or never gets below freezing and have therefore not had to develop any mechanisms to survive this.

The benefit of many tender perennials is that they will keep on flowering right through to the first frosts because they are used to having a very long growing season and are not triggered into preparing for dormancy by the shortening days.

Although many cannot be planted out permanently, they are really useful for long lasting summer and autumn colour.

Often, they are grown as bedding plants as

if they were annuals and discarded after the season is over but with a bit of care they can be overwintered successfully to replant outdoors the following year. You can use them to fill gaps in the border, in troughs, baskets and containers planting them out from mid-May after the final frosts.

Dahlias are a classic example of a tender perennial - they will keep on flowering up until the first frost. The foliage is usually killed off by the frost, but it is fine to leave them out for this to happen because the short sharp shock of the cold will then trigger dormancy.

Dahlias produce Dahlias produce tubers tubers which store Tender perennials vary in which store energy for energy for surviving terms of their hardiness; surviving the dormant period the dormant period some will survive in the and to fuel the first flush of and to fuel the first ground during mild winters flush of growth in the growth in the spring with just a layer of mulch spring. It is over the crown, wrapped in traditional to dig up fleece, or in a pot in a sheltered corner the tubers after the first frost and leave against a wall for a bit of protection while them out to dry off in an airy, frost free others will need more protection and need place for 2-3 weeks and then store them to be brought into a frost-free wrapped in newspaper or cloth until it is environment for the entire winter.

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garden

Geraniums bloom beautifully and make for easy container garden plants

People often treat their potted gift calla lilies as annuals and then throw them out once the bloom is finished.

However, calla lilies are tender perennials in the right conditions will bloom again the next year

You can enjoy Lantana’s flowers in sunset colours from April right through to October

Coleus look great in summer bedding schemes or as a filler at the front of a border, also perfect for summer pots and containers

Begonia flowers give a long display of colour in containers

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garden

Fuchsia can be grown in patio pots or in hanging baskets

lily, certain Salvia species. The tuberous time to pot them up again in early spring. I Begonia and Cala lilies can be treated like have had mixed success doing this and the Dahlias because they produce have often found that when I unwrap them fleshy tubers. when I am ready to plant them up, they can be mouldy, too dry and shrivelled or Pelargoniums, Fuchsia, Gazania, Lantana, sometimes totally rotten. Here in France, I tender Salvia (such as Salvia leucantha, have left them in the ground, just cutting Salvia ‘Love and Wishes’) all need to be back the faded stems and don’t even cover kept in a protected environment – it them with a mulch because in very wet doesn’t have to be heated but it should not winters there is a risk of them rotting. Left go too much below freezing. Keep them in the ground they can be a bit later to fairly dry so that the roots don’t rot – it is start regrowing because the soil needs to often the combination of a wet root warm up before growth is triggered. An environment and freezing temperatures alternative is to grow them in pots. They that kills them – and it is also a good idea contribute plenty of to take a few cuttings flower power to from the shoot tips in the container displays and It is also a good idea to take autumn as a safeguard in after the first frosts case you lose the main a few cuttings from the you can bring them shoot tips in the autumn as plant. The cuttings should into a polytunnel or be kept in a frost-free greenhouse or find a a safeguard in case you lose environment and should sheltered spot the main plant not get too wet either. In outdoors (I find that early spring the under the eaves next overwintered plants can to a wall keeps them dry and gives them be repotted or top dressed with some fresh protection from the harshest weather). compost and you can start watering them a Allow them to dry out and keep them dry bit more frequently. They will benefit from all winter, you can repot them in spring or being cut back to buds low on the just top dress with a layer of fresh compost framework to ensure that they produce and start watering them around early sturdy new productive stems, otherwise April. You can also divide the large tubers they can get a bit top heavy and this will by slicing then into portions making sure also remove any winter damage to the tips. that each portion has an ‘eye’ or Wait until the danger of overnight frosts growing point. has passed before placing them outside, this is usually after mid-May in this part Other popular tender perennials include of France.

Geraniums, Begonia, Fuchsia, Coleus, Cala

Gazania come in an array of colours, attracting butterflies and bees

le jardin creatif…

Check out our website for updates on courses over the summer. You can visit our nursery and garden on Saturdays 10am-4pm until the end of October. www. lejardincreatif.net

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garden

Making the Cut

By Ronnie Ogier

Ronnie is a passionate gardener and now loves sharing her years of experience of success and failures in her own garden and sharing it with you. Also a keen runner, having been bitten by the ‘Couch to 5K’ bug!

HOW TO PROPAGATE AUGUST IS HERE AGAIN, BUT IF IT IS ANYTHING LIKE EVERY OTHER MONTH SO FAR THIS YEAR, PERHAPS WE SHOULD EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!

I

know we seem to have had a lot of rain, but looking at my rainfall record during March, April, May, and June for 2021 and 2020, we’ve had the same total rainfall each year - 395mm. I just think the months when it fell were different. It just goes to show that we really don’t know what is going to happen from one month to the next - the only thing for sure is that the weeds will grow!

ensure good rooting, the cut must be clean and neat, without any burrs. A very sharp knife is the ideal tool, but you can also use secateurs, provided that the cutting blade is very well sharpened and that the tightening of the blades is optimal so as not to pinch the cutting. Gardening enthusiasts who work according to the phases of the moon think that the best cuttings are taken when the moon is waning.

August is a very good month for multiplication – not as you did in the STEP-BY-STEP classroom, but increasing your stock of As already suggested take semi-ripe plants either to put into your garden or cuttings from the current year’s growth, share with others. There are several using the middle section. A ‘good’ cutting different ways of increasing your plants should be between 5 and 15 cm long. For a cuttings of many types, dividing plants, successful cutting always cut just under a collecting seeds, leaf or a pair of leaves. and then growing When a stem is cut, the Cuttings taken from from seed. Cuttings wound heals and forms a and division will vertical shoots are, in callus. It is on this callus ensure you get a general, more vigorous that the roots will appear. new plant that is a This is stimulated by the than those taken from clone of the parent. action of hormones, called side shoots Seeds are a little auxins, substances always less predictable as present at the level of the it depends on how they were germinated, buds. All the leaves on the cuttings except but it can sometimes be possible to get an the top two should be removed to reduce interesting mixture. The most commonly transpiration. If the top two leaves are found ‘new’ plants’ are Aquilegia; large, cut them in half. frequently these will pop up all over your Only take cuttings from a plant that is garden and sometimes in colours and healthy and vigorous, with no signs of styles you don’t disease! It is preferable to take cuttings on even recognise. a day when the sky is overcast and NOT In this article I shall focus on cuttings. during a canicule, as this will reduce Taking cuttings is a simple method of transpiration of the cutting, and therefore propagation with a high chance of success, its premature drying out. Also, cuttings and plants grown from cuttings grow taken in the morning are preferable to the faster than those produced from seed. afternoon because the tissues are well Cuttings should be taken from this year’s saturated. Cuttings taken from vertical growth as the stems are changing from shoots are, in general, more vigorous than tender growth to woody growth. Another those taken from side shoots. advantage of semi-ripe cuttings is that ▪ GOOD TO KNOW: they do not require any artificial light to Ideally cuttings should be planted develop. For a successful cutting, and to

34 etcetera

within an hour of taking them.

However, if you are not able to replant your cuttings within an hour of collection, wrap them completely in several layers of newspaper or absorbent paper, then moisten. Place the whole thing in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. They can last for a day, but no more, because they will be in the dark.

▪

If it really isn’t possible to replant cuttings shortly after you’ve taken them, pop them into an empty plastic bottle, and close the cap. The cuttings can last a few days like this, in the light, without the need to water them.

▪

To keep or not to keep flowers and leaves on cuttings? You should not keep the lower leaves and even less the flowers on a cutting. These require sap, and so would contribute to the rapid drying out of the cutting which still won’t have any roots.

▪

Avoid taking cuttings from stems bearing or having borne flowers, because the hormone level of a stem with only leaves and buds is higher than when there are flowers. It is precisely the high level of hormones that helps the formation of new roots.

▪

True or false? Potato cuttings. I have read that it’s possible to place a stem of a shrub or rose bush in a raw potato, then plant the whole thing in the ground and it is a success every time.

However, the humidity of the tuber will keep the wound cool, and this is likely to delay the formation of the callus, and therefore the appearance of the rootlets. I leave you to decide!

What is the ideal soil to transplant cuttings into? The quality of the soil mix is essential to guarantee the success of the

garden Collect rain water rather than using the mains supply

Container plantings can add a splash of colour to areas in your garden

cuttings. This mixture must ensure a compromise between good structure to "support" the plant, lightness for the growth of young rootlets, ventilation to allow the movement of water, air at the roots, and good water retention to maintain the necessary humidity around the cuttings. The use of vermiculite or perlite helps the success of the cuttings! Vermiculite and perlite help form a good structure to "support" the plant, lightness to encourage the growth of young rootlets, ventilation to promote the movement of water and air at the roots. By adding these elements, an ideal substrate is obtained.

Should you put cuttings in a plastic or clay pot? It doesn’t make much difference to the cutting which you use. Plastic pots are lighter, reusable and less easily broken than clay. Also, if you use square pots, they are easier to group together. Clay pots must be thoroughly brushed and both types of pot benefit from washing in weak bleach or Jeyes Fluid to remove the risk of transmitting disease from previously grown plants.

Planting the cutting. Plant the cutting up to 1 cm below the leaves at the top of the stem. This will allow roots to grow over the entire length if nodes are present. If you use hormone powder, make a hole with a pencil or a piece of wood slightly larger in diameter than the cutting, and gently insert the cuttings round the edge of the pot. Keep a space of at least 3 cm between the leaves! Gently press the soil against the cutting and water from below. Wrap the container in a plastic bag fastened with a rubber band, so that outside air does not reach the cuttings. Put in a well-lit position but out of direct sun for six to eight weeks. Keep the cuttings moist but not wet.

However, whatever the rest of the year throws at us do keep spending time in your garden. Research shows that people who spend time in their gardens whether gardening or relaxing are significantly more likely to enjoy better health, higher feelings of wellbeing and greater physical activity that those who don’t. Visit other gardens that are opening for Open Gardens/Jardins Ouverts and you will also get the opportunity to chat to other garden enthusiasts as well as making a valuable contribution to the charity which supports French children and young people with conditions which affect the quality or length of their lives.

Now back to the weeds….!

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farm life

Goats Love People 36 etcetera

farm life GOATS ARE HIGHLY SOCIABLE AND BECOME VERY TAME WHEN HANDLED GENTLY FROM A YOUNG AGE. THEIR NATURE IS KEY TO THEIR CHANGING ROLES IN SOCIETY

A

lthough goats are a minority farm species in Europe, they are an important resource in Asia and Africa, reaching one billion head worldwide.

Traditionally, goats have ranged over wide areas, often in difficult terrain, due to their unique climbing and foraging skills. Their thrifty and efficient digestive system and adaptable nature renders them essential to agriculture in the face of climate change.

However, rapid changes in farming practice and changing trends in goat keeping have enforced large unnatural changes on their lifestyle. For example, 50% of commercial dairy goats in France are housed indoors full-time. These goats have been bred to produce unnaturally high volumes of milk. On the other hand, recent trends see goats kept as pets or for managing the landscape. We need to ensure that they can handle such changes, and provide environments that meet their biological needs.

couple of animals who aren’t doing well or showing signs of illness, the goats will have already examined you from head to toe. They behave differently from one day to the next. Not because they are in a good or bad mood, although that can happen, but because your mood changes. They will have done their psychological assessment before you do.’

Alan McElligott, Jan Langbein and Christian Nawroth have devoted a large part of their careers to studying goat cognition and several of their experiments highlight how goats perceive us and communicate with us. They have found that goats are sensitive to our body position and will seek our attention by approaching us from the front. They are not discouraged if our head is turned away, perhaps because goats themselves see well out of their peripheral vision.

However, they are more likely to approach people with their eyes open and body For this reason, researchers have been facing in their direction. If they are after studying goat cognition and how they food, they tend relate to their human to wait until we handlers. The aim is to are looking at They can also learn from understand how the goat them before watching us do things, so be mind works well enough they beg. If we to ensure that the facilities careful not to hop over fences or are not paying we provide them with make bolts too easy to open them attention, meet physical and they may stare psychological needs at us or even imposed by goat nature. Already, we have paw at us. These observations show that found that small barren pens and goats are attentive to our body posture and featureless barns can lead to boredom and face. A further study revealed that they frustration. In response, we can provide preferred to approach people with smiling, climbing and play equipment and access to rather than frowning, faces. outdoor grazing. In addition, we find that goats form friendship bonds, need the companionship of other familiar goats, and are stressed by changes in herd membership.

How goats perceive humans Goats that are not used to people or who have had bad experiences with them view us as potential danger and can take a long time to tame. However, kids that have grown up with regular pleasant contact with people tend to treat us as friends, providers, and perhaps even honorary herd members. Being herd animals that rely on others for company and safety, goats are very sensitive to facial expressions, posture, and emotion in the bleats of herd members. Recent research indicates that they are good at reading humans too. Alain Boissy, research director at INRA, studies goats at an experimental farm near Poitiers. He explains, ‘Goats watch us a lot more than we watch them. From the moment you enter the barn, you’re detected, identified and analysed. Goats can pick up on your posture, your smell, and above all your facial expressions. Before you can spot a

Communicating with goats Dogs and horses have evolved over many thousands of years to work alongside people and have developed a deep understanding of human body language.

Recent studies show that goats have similar skills. Alan McElligott explains, ‘From our earlier research, we already know that goats are smarter than their reputation suggests, but these results show how they can perceive cues and interact with humans even though they were not domesticated as pets or working animals.’

His team had been testing if goats understand what we mean when we point with a finger. They found about half the goats in the study would approach a bucket if an experimenter was pointing at it from 30–40 cm away. However, if the experimenter was sitting by one bucket and pointed to another 90 cm away, the goats tended to approach the experimenter. Other similar tests confirm that goats understand pointing to some extent, but focus more on what the demonstrator is touching or standing by.

Christian Nawroth commented, ‘This

Tamsin Cooper is a smallholder and writer with a keen interest in animal behaviour and welfare www.goatwriter.com

By Tam s

in Coop er

study has important implications for how we interact with farm animals and other species, because the abilities of animals to perceive human cues might be widespread and not just limited to traditional companion animals.’

Learning and getting help from people Goats who want help accessing feed are known to alternate their gaze between the foodstuff and a potential helper. This was tested by placing a treat in a Tupperware box and sealing the lid, so the goat could see but not access the treat. After trying to access the treat, many goats alternated glances between the experimenter and the box, often approaching the experimenter.

When goats have learned to trust us, they often follow our lead, trying plants that we offer them, and following us to new pastures. They can also learn from watching us do things, so be careful not to hop over fences or make bolts too easy to open. When goats were faced with sheep hurdles in front of a box of treats, they naturally tried to climb over or reach through it, without success, until they worked out how to circumnavigate the obstruction. When an experimenter demonstrated the way around the hurdles to the treat, goats watching him copied his route rather than trying out their own ways. In short, we are influential and can teach our goats through clear demonstration, but they are great at trialand-error learning too. Goats have learned to pull ropes and drop levers to operate a box that delivers treats. Some can operate a computerised water-delivering machine by pressing one of four buttons, each labelled with a different shape. As the shape moves to a different button each time, the goats had to learn which shape delivers. There is also evidence they enjoy such puzzles, probably through a sense of achievement from solving the challenge.

From what little evidence we have so far of how the goat mind works, we can see that they need to keep occupied, have social contact, and are keen to communicate with us. They are sensitive to our mood and emotions and take pleasure in friendly human contact.

Sources: - Into Farm Animals’ Minds (Arte film): vimeo.com/473797887/8b1867429e - Dr. Alan McElligott: www.alanmcelligott.co.uk - Dr. Christian Nawroth: christiannawroth.wordpress.com

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animal Rochechouart 30 minutes from Limoges airport

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angling

CATFISH TIME! IF YOU HAVE EVER WANTED TO LAND A WELS CATFISH THEN THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR DREAM

By Clive Kenyon

C

atfish probably more than any other species are most active at this time of year and also at their most aggressive.

Lure fishing for catfish is becoming more popular and provides an exciting way to break your catfish duck.

Catfish spend much of the daylight hours lurking close to the bank under the shade of trees or in the deeper parts of the lakes and rivers that they inhabit. They are not purely nocturnal, but do become more active at night. That is not to say that you cannot enjoy success in daylight hours as catfish tend to be more aggressive at this time of year and will readily take lures and other baits. When spinning for catfish it is advisable to use a lure that makes some sort of noise or vibration. A large bladed spinner such as an Ondex or Voblex or a large plug containing beads will do nicely as they send vibrations and sound out through the water that attract any nearby catfish. I am not a fan of latex jig head lures as they do not create as much disturbance as bladed spinners, but you can enhance your chances of success by adding a small rattle above your leader and working the lure and rattle with sharp tugs during the retrieve.

Bait fishing is another reliable way of catching catfish and baits can include sea fish, squid, large halibut pellets and Frolicks dog biscuits. The latter are used successfully by anglers fishing the Seine in Paris to lure catfish up to 40kg from the river. Incredibly they use carp poles and up-rated elastic to land these monsters. It helps to take two rods and spin near to your bait to wake up any nearby catfish and attract them into the area that you have baited.

Hooks must be strong and very sharp.

Their mouths are very tough and many catfish are lost during the fight due to the hook coming loose. If you do lose a catfish whilst playing it my advice is to check your hook and re-cast to the same spot as quickly as possible. I have had several catfish immediately take a bait twice or more after having come unstuck. Catfish have thousands of small teeth rather like Velcro that will wear away your leader if it is not suitably tough. You can purchase Kevlar on spools to make up your own leaders or traces, or utilise strong mono’ of at least 40lb breaking strain.

Your normal heavy carp or pike tackle should be adequate as long as there are no

nearby snags. Landing nets should be as large as possible although I have had a few catfish of up to 25lb safely landed in my folding reservoir trout net when spinning for pike and zander. They can be landed by hand simply by grabbing the lower jaw with your non rod hand and dragging them into shallow water. It is advisable to wear a glove when doing this, but the worst injury you could expect to receive if not using a glove is lightly grazed pads on your fingers.

air their requirements rise along with their metabolism in higher temperatures.

Oxygen depravation causes high levels of stress in some species and some weak or old fish succumb as a result of a long lasting heat wave.

Oxygen is absorbed by water is several ways including the effects of weeds, waterfalls, wind and rain. Weeds create oxygen in daylight and can provide a The Sound of Silence welcome oasis for any fish that inhabit the There is a common misconception weed bed or are downstream of it. amongst non-anglers that fishing is a Waterfalls, wind, and rain break the peaceful occupation. This was brought surface tension allowing oxygen to be home to me recently while attempting to more easily absorbed and wind can also catch carp from one of the large lakes of affect where the oxygen is concentrated. A the Haute-Charente. The birdsong by moderate to strong wind will push early summer had subsided from the oxygenated water downwind where, on deafening spring chorus of nightingales, reaching the lee shore will create an area orioles, cuckoos and frogs. It wasn’t them where the dissolved oxygen is higher than to blame for the disturbance. Just a few on the opposite bank. If the wind is chaffinches and pigeons could be heard. blowing towards shallow water in a bay There is a saying that in London you are then that whole area could be full of never more than three feeding fish. yards from a rat. In Similarly, just France, even in the downstream of Catfish have thousands of deepest countryside, weirs and weed beds we are never more small teeth rather like can be productive in than fifty metres from Velcro that will wear away high summer. a chainsaw or other your leader if it is not Obviously we power tool, or so it suitably tough should not be seems. Forestry is big targeting fish that business in France are distressed by and by definition, oxygen starvation and the signs of that takes place in the countryside, not the can often be seen when carp and chub lurk cities. As does the hedge trimming, just below the surface with their mouths rotovating, harrowing and harvesting. gaping open. And extra care should be Normally these sorts of activities cease taken when unhooking and returning any between the hours of repas - midday to fish caught in hot temperatures. You often 2pm - but the French Air Force do not see carp anglers with suspended cradles abide by those rules and their aerobatics containing water that are used to unhook and dog-fight training drone on for hours. fish instead of an unhooking mat. I have To make matters worse a gas gun pigeon come across these where the water has scarer was operating just across the water been left in the cradle so long that it is from me. The noise was incessant! There over 30C, much too warm for the welfare must be quieter ways to spend an of the carp. For me, the best way to afternoon – watching motor unhook a fish is whilst it is on the landing racing perhaps? net and still in the water. If an unhooking Warm Water Fishing mat or cradle needs to be used then it should first be wetted and cooled using At this time of year water temperatures water from the lake or river. It is always are at their highest and that can affect the better to return fish as soon as possible behaviour and welfare of fish. As the water and even more so at this time of year and temperature rises the amount of dissolved sometimes they might need a little oxygen that the water can absorb is support in the landing net before being reduced. Whilst fish can get by with a fraction of the oxygen that is contained in allowed to swim away.

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free time

40 etcetera

free time

etcetera 41

A Giant Clam Tridacna gigas on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

The mass of pale-blue dots around the edge of the mantle (the blanket-like tissue lapping over the shell's rim) are the creature's eyes (really light-sensing organs).

The shell of a Pearly Nautilus (Nautilus pompilius), a cepalopod, rests on a tropical beach

42 etcetera

nature

Cockles and Mussels - but Not Alive-oh!

By Mik

e Geo r ge

Mike George is our regular contributor on wildlife and the countryside in France. He is a geologist and naturalist, living in the Jurassic area of the Charente

“WHAT ABOUT SEASHELLS?” SAID OUR EDITOR. “WE HAVEN’T DONE SEASHELLS BEFORE.” MY FIRST REACTION WAS THAT THERE IS QUITE A GOOD REASON FOR THAT

I

, personally, have never collected seashells – at least not “modern” ones. I have spent quite a slice of my former existence in looking for fossil seashells, of course, as any geologist will, but not modern ones, with their empty, abandoned look, their endless patterns and shapes, and the sheer impossibility of ever forming a complete collection. A bit like stamp collecting, I guess – which is another form of collecting that doesn’t appeal to me, but that many people find most fulfilling.

Then I started remembering, and I remembered a day when I was staying with my beloved Aunt in the Channel Islands, and we went on the day-trip to Herm Island. There is a lovely, curving beach there, entirely made up of seashells, and we spent an idyllic afternoon poking about and studying the lovely forms and intricate patterns of the tiny shells.

Remembering that golden day, suddenly I could see the appeal.

Also, on my way through the study of Natural History, I have acquired a few books on the subject (a keen naturalist never turns down the offer of a secondhand text-book) so I dug them out and started to re-read them.

What does shell-collecting involve?

For a start, I discovered that there were certain shells that were not included in most shell-collecting textbooks.

Apparently, people like to collect shells from the members of the great phylum Mollusca, the second largest phylum after the Arthropoda (insects etc). That covers quite a multitude of forms – everything from gastropods (snails, whelks, winkles etc) and bivalves (oysters, scallops, cockles and clams) to cephalopods (octopuses, squids etc). The sizes of specimens range from 2 metres (the Giant Clam) via the

Conches (just under 1 metre) to microscopic.

Let’s have a look at these creatures more closely.

the international trade in Nautilus shells is controlled by the CITES regulations.

Consequently, they are becoming harder to obtain. I purchased one in a brocante a few years ago for €4; now they are being advertised on-line for upwards of €25 each.

These are the ‘headfooted’ creatures, namely squids, octopuses and cuttlefish. Budgerigar Sometimes also referred to as owners tend to collect the internal Pelecypoda or Lamellibranchia, these cuttlefish shells, but for a different reason. animals are characterised by having two There is only one cephalopod with an separate shells (not necessarily the same external shell, the Chambered Nautilus, so shape) which work together to enclose the that would be a fairly limited collecting animal, and which it can partially open to goal. The shell is the size and roughly the enable it to feed, move etc. Usually, the shape of a small melon, and quite unlike opening edges of the shells fit together to anything else. It consists of a spiral of ensure a tight closure. chambers; the animal lives in the largest end-chamber, and the rest of the Some bivalves burrow most efficiently. chambers act as a buoyancy controller.

These tend to have a strong, large foot The soft orange markings are uppermost with which the burrow is dug, and which when the shell is alive the creature uses to push and swimming, and itself through the substrate.

We spent an idyllic break up the shell's The Razor Shell is a prime outline when viewed afternoon poking about and example. Others fix from above. The bright studying the lovely forms themselves to a firm base white living-chamber is and stay put. These tend to and intricate patterns of the have a smaller, weaker foot, underneath, and can tiny shells hardly be seen against although some dispense with the bright sea-surface the foot altogether and above. This is called "counterattach themselves with stiff threads, camouflage". Some think that the Paper known as byssae. The mussel is a good Nautilus produces a shell also, but this is example of this – the byssae are the in fact an egg-case that is held in two of “threads” that you scrape off when the creature’s tentacles, and does not act preparing the shells for cooking. Some, as a “home” for the creature itself. such as the Scallop, swim free, using their shells to expel a jet of water to Sadly, the Nautilus, while living for about propel themselves.

20 years, is only sexually mature after 15 years, which cuts down its fecundity. Also, Bivalves are most familiar as food-sources females tend to be outnumbered 2 or 3 to for humans. Scallops, mussels and, of one by males, which again makes them course, the ubiquitous oyster have been a rather sluggish reproducers. Sadly, perfect source of human rations for centuries, and shells have usually been removed from by no means as delicacies. Oysters were killed specimens, as shells from owners eaten by the poor as the cheapest source of who have died naturally have a tendency protein available. Dr Samuel Johnson to sustain damage. Many of the sourceused to buy oysters to feed his cat, Hodge, countries now protect the creatures, and and would himself go to the market to buy

etcetera 43

A Cone Shell (gastropod), Conus suratensis, probably from the Philippines. Some species of this genus can deliver a poisonous sting when alive

Sectioned view of a Pearly Nautilus shell Nautilus pompilius (Cephalopod). The animal lived in the big end chamber; the remains of the tube used to control the bouyancy of the other chambers is just visible

A fossil brachiopod (Oleneothyris harlani), about 64 million years old, from New Jersey, USA

It shows the typical shape of a brachiopod, with the aperture for the creature's supporting stem

A Triton gastropod shell, possibly Cymatium lotorium, from the Indo-Pacific area, about 10 cm long

A beautiful collection of shells. There is an Ormer-shell (the green iridescent one upper-right) and a mixture of gastropods and bivalves… just the sort of prizes a shell-beach can yield

44 etcetera

A living sea urchin, complete with spiny armour. Best not to touch!

An empty shell washed up from a tide today may end up as an empty shell back in the ocean tomorrow where thousands of creatures rely on it for survival

nature them to avoid embarrassing his servants by sending them to buy such cheap food.

Archaeological sites anywhere within reach of the seashore are usually characterised by huge middens of oystershells. Incidentally, it is no use searching your plate of oysters for a pearl. The Edible Oyster does not produce pearls – it is the Pearl-Oyster that does that. Certain other shell-fish also produce items that are classed as pearls – the clam can, as can the conch, which produces a rather charming pink pearl.

dissimilar shells, the larger with a tiny hole in it where the “stem” on the animal emerged.

If you want to collect brachiopods, there are places you can go where you can just pick them up, and these places tend to be inland! My best collecting was done in the Mendips in Somerset, where you can walk across a ploughed field and, when your eye has got used to looking, you can with patience find perfect brachiopods shells just lying in the furrows.

Best to wait after ploughing until a few rain-showers have The heaviest known of washed the fossils clear of these known weighed 263 the mud. And don’t forget kg, and many measure to check that you over 1 metre in length aren’t trespassing!

The bivalves include the largest sea-shell of all, the Giant Clam Tridacna gigas. The heaviest known of these known weighed 263 kg, and many measure over 1 metre in length. Not surprisingly, their method of life consists in staying put, feeding, like all their fellows, on material that floats through their open shells. Legends of men drowning by being trapped by a limb caught in the closing shells are just that – legends. The edges of the shells are, however, sharp and can inflict a nasty wound. Collecting a specimen is generally an engineering feat.

(“stomach-footed”) are animals with only one shell, which normally encloses the wholewhile body of the animal. Some have a second hard item called an operculum, with which they can “close” the shell aperture after retreating into it, but this does not constitute a second shell, and is often not even calcified. On the other hand, it should be said that some gastropods have dispensed with a shell completely, or reduced it to an inconspicuous or even internal remnant.

On land, we are familiar with the slug. In the sea, the “Nudibranchs” include the sea-slug, sea-hare and others, and some are very beautifully coloured, but the beauty fades after death, or even when they are removed from the water.

It is the gastropods that seem to create the most varied and interesting shells. Many are characterised by ridges and projections resulting from the growth-stages of the shell. Some are huge (the Conch and the Triton, for example) but most are small to minute. The range is vast, some are impossibly bizarre in shape, and several are known from a few or perhaps only one specimen.

Are there any other shells to collect?

The text-books didn’t recommend collecting anything else. No brachiopods, which were always the ones that I liked when fossil-hunting. This is probably as well, as the brachiopods, or lamp-shells, once the dominant dwellers in the oceans, are now, thanks to the processes of natural extinction, few and far between and very vulnerable. These creatures look a bit like small Roman oil-lamps. They had two

There is something called a Chiton, a member of the Mollusca, whose covering is a strange mixture of leathery tissue and small plates of shell, which falls apart after a while and which would be a difficult thing to preserve.

The crabs and lobsters are the chief candidates here. The shells of these are in fact the creature’s external skeleton, and therefore tend to fall into a large number of separate units when the flesh is removed. Reconstructing them is a difficult and specialist task, to which as anyone who has wrestled with a crab or lobster in a restaurant can testify. Usually, such creatures are the province of museums who have the time and expertise to do the job. Also in this phylum come the barnacles, with a complex system of interacting shell sections, which do not lend themselves to easy preservation.

full of dead seashells - there are plenty of those to go around. It's hunting - or paying someone else to hunt - for impossibly rare creatures then slaughtering them so they can say, "I’ve got a whatever-it-may-be in my collection”. That's what I mean. It benefits no-one, not even the collector.

Most pocket shell guide books are designed for you to take down to the beach. You can get your book out and have hours of fun trying to put a name to anything you find.

Please take only what is already dead; leave the living to continue their species.

Alternatively, of course, you could always collect stamps!

Tutufa bubo - the Giant Frog Snail - a 10 to 30 cm long gastropod, from tropical seas

The aperture of a cowrie shell. Usually tropical to sub-tropical, small specimens of cowries may be found in the Channel Islands on beaches

These are the sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, sand dollars, and brittle stars, and are again characterised by a complex external skeleton, though in this case, part of the body protrudes through the skeleton in the form of tube-feet, which enable the creature to move. Again, after death the skeleton falls apart in many cases, although the sea urchin has a skeleton of interlocking platelets which can hold together to some extent, especially when small.

Responsible collecting At this point, I would like to make a plea.

If you are going to build up a collection of shells, PLEASE DO IT RESPONSIBLY! By that I mean try not to harm any creature just to add a pretty or interesting shell to your collection. This includes not removing Hermit Crabs from the shells in which they have made their homes. There is no harm in sitting on the sea-shore raking through the shelly debris to find something pretty or unusual, but collecting should be designed to enable one to further one's studies and interests, not just to gain bragging-rights. There is no problem with folks who take home a jar

A Spider-shell (gastropod) of the genus Lambis, from the tropical Indo-Pacific region

etcetera 45

astronomy

The Night Sky

By Clair Wardla e w

Claire Wardlaw, originally from Edinburgh, lives in the Charente with her husband. Since their move nearly 6 years ago, Claire has become passionate about astronomy

WHETHER YOU ARE NEW TO STARGAZING OR HAVE EXPERIENCE EXPLORING THE DARK SKIES HERE IN FRANCE, YOU CAN FIND SOME HOPEFULLY INTERESTING DETAILS IN MY MONTHLY ARTICLE ABOUT WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR DURING AUGUST.

A

very special national astronomy event is planned for the first week of the month, while the Moon is tucked away. You can find more details about this on our new Facebook page 'Astronomy and Astrophotography France'. The beautiful bright planet of Venus will be particularly easy to spot while Saturn and Jupiter are very well placed throughout the month. One of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year, 'The Perseids', will be well worth losing a little sleep over. Why not plan a meteor spotting party with a few friends?!

Les Nuits des Étoiles 2021 After a very difficult wait due to the many restrictions we have all had to experience, it will again be possible for 'Les Nuits des Etoiles' to happen across France this month. From the 6th to the 8th many towns and villages will host a great stargazing event. This annual astronomy event has happened around France since 1991. Members of the public can explore the Moon, Planets, stars and many deep sky objects throughout the event using a wide range of telescopes and binoculars with expert guides pointing the way. I will be helping out with my telescope again at the local event here in Villejoubert in the Charente. To find an event near you or for more information, go to the site www.afastronomie.fr/lesnuits-des-etioles or look on Facebook for Association Française d'Astronomie.

starting in the east and moving towards the west; −

Andromeda, with its 'Square of Pegasus' being the most obvious formation.

−

Cygnus, the swan heading south and almost directly overhead, with the star Albireo marking the point of the swan's head

−

Hercules, where on a clear night you may be able to see M13 the beautiful Globular cluster set within the 'keystone'

−

Capricornus, much lower on the southern horizon and where you can find the planet Saturn

You could make use of a planisphere, or star chart, to help orientate your way across the skies to search for these constellations. Positions will of course change slightly as the month progresses. A great free app you can use on a computer or mobile phone is 'Stellarium'.

Constellations to look out for in August Facing south after dark, a few of the main constellations you can try to spot are;

46 etcetera

The Moon and Planets With the 'New Moon' falling on the 8th the few days either side of

this will be the best and darkest nights for observing.

With the bright light of the Moon out of the way we can see far more stars and perhaps even spot other deep sky objects. The Full Moon - or Full Sturgeon Moon - will be on the 22nd.

Venus, while lower on the western horizon, will be especially bright this month. You can see it blazing away (magnitude -4.0) in the twilight. A very

astronomy Join our Facebook group ‘Astronomy & Astrophotography France’ We’re very excited to have started up this group, a place to share experiences of the night sky in France, for English-speaking residents.

this month. An almost Full Moon can be spotted on the 20th, close to Saturn and on the 21st close to Jupiter. Look towards the southeast around midnight.

Meteor shower this month: The Perseids This is one of the most impressive Meteor showers of the year so I am looking forward to getting outside and hopefully catching a few shooting stars with my

camera.

The shower began in July, peaks on the night of the 12th to 13th and will continue until around the 23rd of this month. It may produce up to 100 meteors per hour so it can be a spectacular show. This year the Moon will be well out of the way making observing conditions very favourable. These meteors are fast, can leave persistent trains and occasional fireballs. To enjoy a night observing meteors, make sure that you have allowed your eyes to adjust to the dark for around 30 minutes. Ensure you are reclined with a wide open view of the sky … and remember to make a wish!

Shining a light on Astronomy Jargon: Libration

thin crescent Moon will be seen in the west close to Mars and Venus on the evenings of the 10th and 11th. One of the brighter stars of our northern hemisphere, Antares, will seem very close to an almost quarter Moon on the 16th from about 10pm looking southwest. August brings the giant planets of Saturn and Jupiter back to prominence in the southern skies. They are both at their closest and brightest

This is a term which is used to describe an apparent 'wobble' of the Moon. As the Moon spins on its own axes we can observe slightly more - 59% or a little over half - of its surface. The details on each edge of the Moon can then be viewed a little more during the month.

Before manmade satellites were able to image every part of the Moon in detail, these 'peaks around the edges' were very fascinating. The British amatuer astronomer Patrick Moore studied these edges and named one large circular area he observed the Mare Orientale. After the far side of the Moon was later mapped out in detail it was discovered that this was in fact the largest impact crater on the Moon.

Object of the month: The Planet Saturn Saturn is the second largest planet in our Solar system and being further away from the Sun than Earth takes around 29.4 Earth years to complete one orbit. It is, at its furthest point, 1,658.5 million km from Earth. At its closest approach it is 'only' 1,195.5 million km away.

Saturn will reach its closest point to us on the 2nd August. You will find it in the middle of the constellation of Capricornus. To the naked eye it appears as a bright light rising in the east with Jupiter not far behind it. Through a small telescope the stunning rings - twice the diameter of the planet - are revealed. Also using a small telescope a few of Saturn's more prominent moons will be on display. Of its 60 + Moons, Titan is the largest and is even greater in size than the planet Mercury. The moons of Saturn which orbit closest to the planet orbit among the icy rings. Saturn, one of the gas giant planets, is made mostly of hydrogen and helium. It is thought to have an iron core. 760 earths could fit inside this planet! It is the fastest spinning planet in our galaxy, taking only 10hrs 40 minutes to rotate. Because of the speed of its rotation it is extremely windy on the surface of Saturn with winds of up to 1800kph. Viewing Saturn over a period of a few years it is possible to observe a change in the angle - or tilt - of the rings in relation to the planet as it orbits the Sun. At times the rings will be edge on, when they will be almost invisible. Later in the orbit the rings will appear fully open revealing far greater detail.

Observing/ Photo Challenge: Here is a simple challenge for the month.... Whether or not you have a camera to pop on a tripod, a camera in your mobile or no camera at all, why not try and note/ record when and how often you can spot the Moon during daylight hours. It is always a beautiful sight and can make for some stunning images. If you do get a snap of the Moon, perhaps rising above a local landmark or above your garden, do share your images on our Facebook group 'Astronomy and Astrophotography France.

Happy Stargazing!!

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getting connected no difference to us in France. Do not buy a to France. So, that’s not really that much Freeview box. use. Another seller is Currys/PC World, An increasing amount of new TVs have a who also don’t deliver here.

Can you send satellite and satellite tuneryour already builtsignal into them. terrestrial aerial a single cable?

This means thatsignal you dodown not need to use a STUART Why yes. Yes you can.

This(Sky is done seperate satellite receiver box,by using And, it’s still not the same as Freeview. aFreesat couplerbox andetc) decoupler.

Thereception. coupler You WALLACE for UK TV combines the two signals at the dish & aerial will know if it has one by a) looking for THE FRENCH HOUSE reception as well as all the other things that and the decoupler splits themor, outmore behind DVB-S on the specifications A little late to the party, as I wasn’t no doubt need checking.

I often receive your TV. If the ‘common’ cable is of likely, b) by looking to see if it has a notified until after last month’s articlethere had calls saying that for whatever reason, sufficient it’ll work just fine. threadedquality, male connection point next to submitted, there are isbeen a problem withbut theat TVpresent, set up and that traditional push fit aerial socket.

If it ell, that didn’t go so well did it?

I the know I’ve talked about joins and splitters no new domestic Tooway (satelliteAs the guests are arriving ‘tomorrow’. has, you’re goodare to go.They sometimes England didn’t win the football, Andy before and there reasons are for and against much internet) This is dueI can, to the as I activations. like to help wherever it’s a little less user friendly thaninsomething Murray didn’t win the tennis and some both of them (mostly against the case of fact that Beamthat 15, Iwhich covers our entire quite unlikely can offer a same or like a Freesat can other stuff probably happened as well. splitters).

But, box, if youbut doyou have to create put anya sort next region France,This is atprobably full capacity.

If you dayofservice. applies to listTV to make However, of that interests meallas there offavourites join in your have a Tooway all installers likesystem, Hello andnone welcome.

How are you life easier.

Docover not be isdoing? nothing more exciting than talking about cabling, don’t it you may well have myself.

Well, I hope.

Surviving the heat I often receive calls saying told youplasterboard have to buy or a satellite TV. Don’t pretend you don’t go a up with noticed it running and the continuing requirement to wear that for whatever reason, Don’t forget that if you seperate box, little giddy you seek out told this that article each tile over itreceiver etc. It needs slower during the masks?

I’veasactually been have a rubbish you don’t. there is a problem with the month.

How are you all anyway?

Fighting to be accessible.

Joins lockdown and wearing a mask makes me more attractive. landline internet TV set up and that the guests fit and ride this are always the weakest subsequent school I’m notready sure to if that's in arollercoaster '50 Shades ofI service and you don’t hope. betteror, still, it’slikely, free. I it’s could holidays. Business are arriving ‘tomorrow’ Grey' And scenario, more an never part in a cable run and if The new 4K Freesat+ fancy satellite expect forcare. this.I’ve Donations you can’t get to it, you tariffs remain insult.you Still,toI pay don’t got thickare receivers (the ones that broadband, 4G welcome though…! available but these cost more money and (well, I) can’t fix it. skin. Which I guess, is another downside record stuff) are now available from internet might be the way to go. Please feel are advertised H.T. (hors taxe) meaning to my features.

Freesat is not the same as Freeview. Even I Amazon should have this a they couple of months UK. said However, won’t deliver free to get in touch (regardless of whether I though they have merged into one company back. But, if you have a gîte and have guests cover your area or not) if you’d like any (done specifically to annoy me!) it makes booked, it’s a good idea to check the TV information. Have a good month.

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OUR SPEC SPECIALISED VEHICLES CAN ACCOMMODATE FULL OR PARTIAL ACCOMMO CARS, CARAVANS HOME REMOVALS, REM AND MUCH MUCH MORE.

CALL TO TODAY

OFFICE: 0044 (0) 1522 569 099 ANDY: ANDY DY: DY Y: 0044 (0) 7876 504 547 DAVE: A AVE: 0044 (0) 7515 722 772 EMAIL: ENQUIRY@WATSONEUROPEAN.CO.UK

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property

I Need Your House to Sell!

Due to high sales figures over the past 18 months, I am now looking for new and exciting houses to replenish my portfolio Contact Cathe Bower Cabinet de France SAS Email: bower@immoboulevard.com 0033 (0) 6 09 60 60 82 (Mobile) its

204,090

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listing

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listing

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DO YOU USE

OR

FOR HEATING?

DO YOUR BILLS KEEP RISING? HERE IS THE SOLUTION

Installation of an air to water heat pump * Are you eligible for the new "prime CEE coup de pouce pac" (3500€ or 5000€)?

IT can be deducted straight from your quote AND combinable with the grant MaPrimeRénov (up to 4000€) which is received afterwards under the condition of agreement from MaPrimeRénov

REDUCE YOUR HEATING BILL

BY UP TO 70%

Visit our facebook page to see customer feedback and get tips on energy saving.

WE TAKE CARE OF ALL THE ADMINISTRATION

ENERGY SAVING (Heating)

Return form to: New Wave Energies, 51 Rue Descartes, 87000 Limoges

FAST RESPONSE

www.newwave-energies.com New Wave Energies • Siège social : 51, rue Descartes 87000 Limoges Tel : 0 981 324 237 • S.A.S.U. au capital de 50 000 euros • N° de Siret 800 247 274 00035 66 etcetera

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