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Unlike many other parts of Europe, we haven’t endured searing temperatures for too long (we know, we’ve said it now!). If the heat does hit us, please remember to keep hydrated, avoid the heat of the day and keep your home closed up and cool.
Lots of events going on again this month, plus August sees the amazing Perseids meteor shower (see details in Claire’s astronomy article).
Wishing you all a wonderful month ahead.
15 SAMU (Medical)
17 Gendarmes (Police)
18 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
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CREATING DOT PAINTINGS IS A GREAT ACTIVITY FOR ALL. NEEDING JUST A FEW MATERIALS, YOU CAN MAKE BEAUTIFUL ITEMS TO GIVE AS GIFTS OR TO DECORATE YOUR HOME
Materials:
Choose your rocks. You want smooth, even ones (no holes). If you’re using a canvas instead, prep it with a layer gesso, or paint a background colour.
Dotting tools of different sizes. You can buy dotting tools, but you’ll find plenty of items around your home that you can use (e.g. toothpick, a head of a pin for small dots, cotton buds or pencil eraser for medium).
Pencil (optional, to sketch the design)
▪ Clean old paint from the tool immediately so it doesn’t change the circular shape
▪ Only dip the tip of the tool into the paint, you need minimal amount
▪ Hold the dotting tool close to the end (as you would a pen) to increase precision and dot so it is perpendicular to the surface. No need to hold the dotting tool on the surface, just a ‘dot’.
▪ If you’re adding another dot on top of the first layer, ensure the paint is completely before applying a top layer.
Steps:
By Gayle Feasey1. Prepare: Make sure the rock (or whatever you are painting onto) is clean and dry.
2. Choose your design: Decide on the pattern or design you want to create with dots. You can start with simple shapes like flowers, mandalas, or abstract patterns.
3. Select your colours: Pick a colour scheme that you'd like to use for your dot painting. The beauty of dot painting lies in the harmonious blend of colours. You’ll find plenty of colour schemes online to guide you.
4. Start with the background: If you want a coloured background, paint the canvas with your chosen colour and let it dry completely.
5. Dip the dotting tools: Take your dotting tools and dip them into the acrylic paint of your desired colour.
6. Create the dots: Place the dotting tool on the rock and gently press to create a dot. You can vary the pressure to change the dot's size. Continue making dots to form your chosen design.
7. Space the dots: Be mindful of the spacing between the dots to maintain a uniform pattern. You can also overlap dots or leave spaces for different effects.
8. Layer the colours: As your design progresses, you can add layers of dots with different colours to enhance the visual appeal.
9. Take breaks if needed: Dot painting can be time-consuming, so take breaks to rest your hand and maintain precision.
10. Let it dry: Once you've completed your dot painting, allow it to dry completely before displaying or handling it.
11. Recommended: If you want to protect your dot painting, you can apply a clear varnish or sealant over the dried artwork.
Remember, dot painting is all about creativity and personal expression, so don't be afraid to experiment and have fun with it!
If you go wrong (you will!) then embrace the mistake. The best creations can be made when you go off-piste! Or if it’s a total disaster and you’re really not happy with it, simply paint a new background colour, let it dry and start again!
Never throw away your treasured piano, until we have seen it! We have repaired and reconditioned pianos in England and in France for over 40 years, from mini pianos to concert grands. Many years of experience.
Telephone: 05 45 21 16 13 Email: mr-piano-man@hotmail.com
Encadrement d’Art
1 Rue du 19 Mars 1962 87150 Oradour sur Vayres
Picture framers to La Galerie de Gabriel
Custom Framing for Arts, Crafts & Memorabilia
Browse our selection of unique gifts, enjoy a meal from our new menuindoor & terrace seating available.
by Denise can also be contacted directly on 06 75 89 95 55
To view our collection, please visit our FB page: www.facebook.com/bespokedenise.eyre or website www.bespokebydenise.com
Histoire :
Le concept de la carte postale fut imaginé par un Prussien dès 1865, mais la première utilisation en France date de 1870 et elle fut utilisée à des fins militaires notamment pour la gestion des blessés de guerre. C'est au début du XXe qu'elle devient un objet de collection grâce à l'utilisation d'illustration et de photographie sur le verso.
« Coucou Maman et Papa. Avec Papi et Mamie c’est super. C’est la fête. Nous avons pris pleins de photos ! Laurent »
« Mon chéri, J'espère que tu t'amuses beaucoup et que les activités te plaisent. Tu auras plein de choses à me raconter quand tu reviendras. Moi, je vais très bien, tout le monde va bien à la maison. Ça se passe bien au travail. Je te fais plein de bisous et je pense beaucoup à toi.
Quelques exemples de textes de cartes postales de vacances :
« Nous voici arrivés en Corse ! Que le voyage était long et ennuyeux ! Nous avons traversé presque toute la France ! Nous avons pris le bateau pour Ajaccio. Malgré la chaleur, que la traversée était belle ! La Corse est magnifique ! La mer, la montagne, tout y est !Bons baisers à tous ! Sylvie & Isabelle »
« Salut la Famille ! Je passe d'excellentes vacances dans le sud de la France. Le soleil est au rendez-vous et les balades sont splendides. Eté torride ! Je pense bien à toi et j'espère te retrouver en pleine forme à la rentrée. Mélanie »
« Coucou. Nous profitons d'une semaine de vacances dans le Lubéron.
Le paysage est enchanteur et nous sommes ravis ! Gros bisous »
« Déconnexion totale ! On s'amuse tellement qu'on a tout oublié... mais on pense à toi quand même ! Plein de bisous ensoleillés. »
« Salut ! Je passe quelques jours à la campagne pour me reposer et prendre un peu de temps pour moi. Cela me fait le plus grand bien et je rentrerai en pleine forme pour venir te faire un petit coucou. Mes amitiés »
De nos jours, envoyer une carte postale lors de nos vacances, c'est une tradition qui ne se perd pas. Arrive l’été et nous sommes contents d’envoyer une carte postale depuis notre lieu de vacances. À l’inverse, nous aimons en recevoir de nos amis, notre famille, nos enfants. Quelques phrases suffisent ! Cela nous fait plaisir et cela change des factures ! Wishyou were here…
« Nous avons visité la Toscane en famille pour une quinzaine de jours. C'est absolument merveilleux. D'ailleurs, ne comptez pas sur nous pour revenir, on a jeté le billet de retour ! »
Maman / Papa »
« Salut la collègue ! Oui, oui, je sais, tu crèves de chaud au travail pendant que je suis au bord de la piscine, un cocktail à la main. La bonne nouvelle, c'est que ce sera bientôt ton tour ! À bientôt ! Marie »
« Farniente, soleil, spécialités locales, marchés nocturnes, plage, mer…tous les ingrédients sont là pour passer de bonnes vacances ! Bisous et à bientôt ! »
une carte postale a postcard
les vacances (f, pl) the holidays
à des fins militaires for military purposes notamment especially un blessé an injured person
envoyer (verb) une carte to send a postcard
le lieu de vacances (villégiature) the holiday resort à l’inverse on the contrary
recevoir (verb) to receive faire (verb) plaisir to make somebody happy la facture
the bill
faire (verb) bon voyage to have a good journey
malgré in spite of, despite la chaleur the heat
torride (adj) very hot
un trajet ennuyeux a boring trip
l’été (m) the summer
apprécier (verb) to appreciate
les vacances (f,pl) the holidays
le bateau the boat
splendide (adj) wonderful en pleine forme fit and well
un coucou hi there la rentrée back to school
Élargissez vos horizons avec CONTINENTAL HORIZONS ! Broaden your horizons with CONTINENTAL HORIZONS!
Isabelle works for CONTINENTAL HORIZONS Language Centre in L’Isle Jourdain 86. She is a specialist Teacher of French as a Foreign Language with more than 26 years’ experience.
Do not hesitate to contact her on 06 20 10 34 49 or 05 49 84 17 73
Learn French with Continental Horizons! Contact us by email : continentalhorizons@free.fr
le soleil the sun
la plage the beach la mer the sea
On a visité … we have visited, we visited (a place)
merveilleux
wonderful
jeter (verb) to throw out
le farniente laze
les spécialités locales (f, pl) local specialities un marché nocturne a night market
les activités (f, pl) the activities
Je vais très bien
I’m very well
Mes amitiés (f,pl)
Best regards / best wishes (friendship)
bisous Kisses
la campagne
the countryside
la montagne the mountains
le paysage the landscape
ravi (adj)
delighted
merveilleux / merveilleuse (adj)
wonderful
Papi
Grandpa
Mamie
Grandma
passer (verb) de bonnes vacances to have great holidays
la traversée en bateau the boat ride/crossing
photographier (verb) to photograph
prendre des photos (verb) to take pictures
la déconnexion disconnection au bord de at the side of/beside la piscine the swimming pool nager (verb) to swim
crever (verb) de chaud (expression)
to bake (in the heat)
On crève de chaud ici We’re baking here
s’amuser (verb) to have fun
Le soleil est au rendez-vous (expression)
The sun is out
Les ingrédients pour passer de bonnes vacances (expression) Everything is here to have great
Belinda, the ‘Accidental Chatelaine’ loves to cook at any opportunity and is delighted to be able to share that love with you
By Belinda Prince
www.chateaumareuil.com
FLAVOURS FROM THE MED ARE WELL-KNOWN, USING SIMPLE INGREDIENTS TO CREATE EASY YET DELICIOUS DISHES
Ingredients (Serves approx 8)
For the dough
225ml warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, stem removed and chopped
400g white bread flour (farine a pain)
1 ½ tsp dried baking yeast
For the topping
2 tbsp olive oil
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, stem removed and chopped
Method
1. Place the water, flour, salt, yeast, garlic and rosemary and olive oil into the pan of a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer, select the dough cycle and press start. If you don’t have a
bread machine (I love mine), make the bread dough by hand.
2. Remove the dough from the bread machine when the cycle is completed. Pat the dough into a lightly oiled baking tin (23 x 33cm approx.), or pizza pan. Dimple the surface with your fingers, brush with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan. Cover the focaccia lightly with cling film and a clean tea towel while the oven heats up.
4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 2025 minutes, or until golden brown. If you can wait, allow to cool for a few minutes before serving!
Ingredients (Serves 6)
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas (pois chiches)
4 tbsp lemon juice (or to taste)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
Pinch salt
2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste) or peanut butter
8 tbsp water
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp paprika
Pitta, crisps or tortilla chips, crudités etc to serve
1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse. Reserve a few of the whole chickpeas for serving.
2. Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, tahini or peanut butter, and water in a food processor, and blend to a creamy purée. Process for a few minutes if you want a really creamy result.
3. Add more lemon juice, garlic, cumin or salt to taste. Turn out into a dinner plate, and make smooth with the back of a spoon. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and scatter with the reserved chickpeas or simply serve in a pretty bowl.
4. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with warmed pitta bread, crisps or crudités.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
250g ripe flavourful tomatoes (any type)
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 cucumber
1 green pepper
Handful fresh dill
Handful fresh mint
Handful black olives, stoned (Kalamata if possible)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (good quality)
200g Feta cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
Method
1. Chop the tomatoes and place in a large salad bowl with the sliced red onion. Pare some of the skin from the cucumber in ribbons, leaving some for colour and texture and cut into cubes or slices. Remove the seeds and core from the pepper and slice into rings or thin strips, add to the salad with the cucumber.
2. Chop the fresh herbs and add to the bowl together with the stoned olives.
3. Season with sea salt, add the vinegar and the olive oil and toss everything together, taste at this point to see if it needs more seasoning.
4. Either place the whole block of feta on top of the salad or chop into cubes or crumble to serve, sprinkle over the dried oregano.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
4 large chicken legs
650g baby new potatoes
120ml olive oil
2 lemons, juiced, divided
2 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
350g fresh green beans
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan
1. Brush a little oil around a large, deep roasting tin and place the chicken legs in it.
2. In a large bowl, coat the potatoes in the olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, dried
herbs, salt & pepper. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken in the roasting tin. Pour about ¾ of the oil mixture over the chicken, reserving the remainder. Drizzle the remaining lemon juice all over the chicken and potatoes.
3. Place the tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, then shake the tin to loosen the potatoes. Continue baking for another 15 minutes. Place the green beans in the remaining oil mixture and toss to coat. Remove the tray from the oven and pour the green beans all over the chicken and potatoes.
4. Return the tin to the oven and bake until the green beans are tender and the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear – about 15 minutes.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 large red chilli
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 limes, juiced (approx. 120ml juice)
½ tsp ground turmeric
4 chicken joints (legs, large thighs)
125g cucumber
450g plum tomatoes with crushed garlic
225g onions
2 tbsp capers
1 tbsp sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
225g bulgur wheat
50g pine nuts (toasted)
3 tbsp each chopped fresh parsley and chives*
50g raisins
5 tbsp olive oil
Method
1. De-seed and finely chop the chilli. Place in a large non-metallic bowl with the crushed garlic, 3 tbsp of the lime juice, turmeric and lightly scored chicken pieces. Toss together and
marinate in the fridge 3 hours minimum.
2. Meanwhile, chop the cucumber and tomatoes into small pieces and thinly slice the onions. Mix the tomatoes with the capers, 2 tbsp of the lime juice, sugar and seasoning.
3. Place the bulgur in a bowl and cover with 250 ml of boiling water, cover with cling film and leave until all the water has been absorbed. Fluff up with a fork and stir in the cucumber, toasted pine nuts, herbs*, raisins, remaining lime juice and 3 tbsp of olive oil. Season well and set aside.
4. Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade. Place, skin side up in a roasting tin with the remaining oil and the onions. Cook at a high temperature, 240ºC /220ºC fan for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the tin and set aside. Add the tomato mixture and the remaining marinade to the tin and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
5. Spoon the warmed dressing over the chicken and serve at room temperature with the tabbouleh.
Ingredients
For the cake
4 eggs
1 cup olive oil
1 cup white sugar
2 cups plain Greek yogurt, strained
Zest of 2 oranges
3 tsp baking powder
450g pack of filo sheets
For the Syrup
3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups sugar
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC and brush a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with olive oil.
2. For the cake, put the eggs, olive oil, and sugar in a large bowl. Beat the mixture well with an electric mixer until the ingredients are well combined. Add the yogurt, orange
zest, and baking powder, and beat to combine.
3. Crush the filo sheets with your hands. Add the crushed filo to the cake batter and stir it in with a spatula. Evenly spread the batter in the prepared pan.
4. Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Make the syrup while the cake is baking. In a medium saucepan, stir together the orange juice and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil then simmer it over medium heat for 20 minutes, until it thickens to the consistency of maple syrup, stirring often. Let the syrup cool.
6. Slice the cake into 20 pieces and leave it to cool. When the cake and syrup are cool, pour all of the syrup on top of the cake; it will be absorbed.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
250g digestive biscuits (or similar)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
80g unsalted butter, melted
350g good quality cream cheese, softened
120g crumbled feta cheese
3 large eggs
200g granulated sugar (sucre en poudre)
500g plain Greek yoghurt
1 lemon, zested
1 tsp vanilla extract
Berries for decoration
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/150ºC fan. Lightly grease a 20cm springform pan with cooking spray or a slick of oil or butter. Wrap the exterior of the pan in heavy foil so that water cannot enter from the bottom or the sides. Crush the biscuits, either in a food processor or in a medium sized bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Mix in the cinnamon, and
butter and blitz lightly until combined in the processor or mix with a fork in the bowl until it all comes together. Empty the mixture into the springform pan and gently spread and press down the mixture evenly over the base. Set aside.
2. In another medium bowl, combine the cream cheese and the feta. Using an electric mixer on low, beat the mix together until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition. Add the sugar and continue beating mixture until incorporated and creamy. Stir in the yoghurt, lemon zest, and vanilla. Pour the mixture over the biscuit crumb base. Place the pan in a baking tin large enough to hold it and fill the tin with enough very hot water to reach halfway up the sides. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until the cheesecake is set and the centre still wobbles a little. Remove the cheesecake from the water in the baking pan and discard the foil. Allow the cheesecake to cool on a wire rack in the springform pan and then refrigerate it for at least 4 hours to set completely. Add berries or lemon zest for decoration if liked.
If you are considering buying a vehicle for your professional activity, you have two options: purchase it personally or through your business.
How to Choose the Best Solution?
Professional or personal
One of the determining factors to take into consideration is the status of the vehicle, as to whether you want it to be part of your personal or professional assets. Indeed, if the vehicle is acquired by your business, it falls within the scope of your professional assets and could be seized by your creditors in case of economic difficulty.
As a professional, if you buy a vehicle as part of your activity, you have the opportunity to have the purchase covered by your company. All businesses can buy a vehicle, regardless of their legal form. In this case, your company can finance the acquisition of the vehicle through a loan for example, or through personal funding. You do not need to bear the purchase costs personally.
If your business purchases the vehicle, there are several issues to consider:
Depreciation
▪ The vehicle becomes an asset of your business. It is recorded in the balance sheet and the cost is depreciated in general over a period of 5 years or in line with the capital repayments on the loan.
▪ Depreciation makes it possible to take into account the loss in value of the vehicle related to its use and to reduce the taxable profits of your business.
▪ The amount of deductible depreciation is capped at the fraction of the purchase price below a certain ceiling which depends on the CO2 emission rate of the vehicle – €30,000 or €20,300 for the "cleanest", €18,300, or €9,900 for the most polluting vehicles.
VAT
▪ Buying a passenger vehicle through your business does not allow you to benefit from the VAT.
▪ If you opt for a utility vehicle on the other hand, you will be able to claim all the VAT.
This applies to Sociétés and not sole traders. The purchase of a vehicle through a company entails the application to two
taxes. This replaces the old tax on company vehicles and are relevant to all companies:
▪ The annual tax on CO2 emissions;
▪ And the annual tax on the age of the vehicle.
If you also use the vehicle for personal purposes, this is considered a form of additional remuneration. You will have to declare this Avantage en Nature which is subject to income tax and social security contributions.
As a business owner, you can opt for the purchase of the vehicle in your own name using your personal financial resources. The vehicle is not listed on your business’ balance sheet. In fact, the vehicle is not subject to company vehicle taxes. Naturally, VAT is not collectable. However, for the part corresponding to your professional use of the vehicle, you can be reimbursed by your business:
▪ The actual costs incurred for the professional use of the vehicle: repair and maintenance costs, insurance, fuel costs, etc.
▪ Or use the fiscal mileage scale to compensate for your costs.
These mileage allowances are not subject to income tax or social security contributions. They are also deductible for your business. Please note that the mileage scale is not the same depending on whether you are BIC or BNC.
If you do not want to opt for a direct purchase of the vehicle, you can consider leasing or long-term leasing. The tax advantages are similar to those applicable to the purchase of a vehicle by the business. The rental cost is deductible within the same limits as depreciation and according to the company's CO2 emission rate. VAT, on the other hand, is not deductible. Taxes on the age and CO2 emission of passenger vehicles used for an economic activity are also applicable.
The right method of acquiring a vehicle for your business needs to be assessed, you need to take into account:
1. your asset choices - personal or professional,
2. the applicable taxation,
3. the impact on social security contributions,
4. the type of vehicle concerned
5. and how you use it.
For example, if you drive a lot of kilometres on a professional basis, paying mileage allowances could be more beneficial.
You can ask your accountant or business support provider to carry out a simulation on the different options for you and advise you on the most advantageous solution according to your asset objectives, the vehicle concerned, and your professional and personal usage.
All businesses can buy a vehicle, regardless of their legal form
It’s summer and hopefully many of you are able to go away somewhere. But before you go, you had better make sure you look at how you can be covered in case of emergencies! So, here is all you need to know about travel insurance.
You are retired and covered via the S1: The UK government will NOT cover you outside Europe, but you are covered inside Europe via the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
It is a free card that gives you access to healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 28 EU countries plus Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some countries and not in others), as people insured in that country.
Cards are issued by your national health provider (Newcastle for UK) and you can apply for it online. Some CPAM offices also provide it. Check your ameli account (CPAM website) before you ask the UK.
It is NOT an alternative to travel insurance as it does not cover costs such as return flights, repatriation, stolen goods, and it does not guarantee free service as each country’s healthcare system is different. What is free/covered in France might not be elsewhere.
Bad news is: You are NOT covered outside Europe.
You are working in France or an early retiree and covered by the French system: The same will apply inside Europe but you have to ask for the European Health Insurance Card from the French healthcare system and not from your native country.
Good news: You are covered outside Europe (everywhere in the world) as long as it is emergency treatment. You will have to pay the cost up front and then get reimbursed once you are back in France. You will be reimbursed only up to the amount the French healthcare system would have paid if you were in France. This is why it is important to take out travel insurance if you travel to countries where the health system is expensive (USA, Japan, etc)
The cover from your car insurance: This will come as a surprise to you and this is why most French people don’t actually bother with travel insurance. You are automatically covered everywhere in the world for health issues and repatriation via a majority of French car insurances as long as you are a French resident. It should be written on your contract under “Garantie Assistance”. You don’t need to be with your car so you can take the plane to Turkey and if you break your leg belly dancing, your French car insurance pays for your repatriation and health expenses. Do note that the insurance will only pay up to a certain amount. For instance, Allianz pays up to 7600€ on top of what the French health system will pay. Check your contract to see the exact cover you get. And remember, if you are retired and covered by the S1, it will be 7600€ in total as you will get nothing from the UK health system if you are outside Europe. 7600€ is enough in countries like India or Morocco but it is nowhere near enough if you go to the States! In any case the repatriation is covered.
The cover from your house insurance: You have private public liability with your house insurance. So, if you break anything abroad while on holiday, it is covered by your house insurance. Less the excess you have on your contract. In fact, it works everywhere,
so if you visit a friend’s house and break their TV or something else, your house insurance will cover that.
Debit/credit card: With some Visa or Mastercard (especially Visa Premier), you get free travel insurance when you purchase your trip using this card. Check with your bank or look at your online bank card website to check.
Why take out travel insurance: For the reasons I stated above and especially if you are going to a country with an expensive health system (USA for instance!).
Allianz has now created some new insurance products to cover a range of travelling:
1. ASSURANCE VACANCES is for holidays of less than 2 months and comprises 3 options below:
Cancellation insurance: Basically covers for cancellation or interruption of your trip up to 8000 euro. Reasons for cancellation are:
death, accident or disease (include covid) of the insured person, family member, or the person going on the trip with them
theft of your travel documents or visa refusal
quarantine of the insured person or their travel companion
natural or industrial catastrophe stopping the trip
divorce or separation
main residence
becoming uninhabitable
convocation at a tribunal
terrorist attack or compulsory evacuation by local authorities
loss of employment
Also covers up to 150€ per night (max 14 nights) if you have to stay there longer.
will come as a surprise to you and this is why most French people don’t actually bother with
Excess is 5% of the cost of cancellation with a maximum of 100€ per person.
2. ASSISTANCE PLUS: basically covers medical costs up to 200 000€ (300 000€ for USA and Canada)
luggage up to 3 000€. Excess of 30€ interruption of the trip and up to 150€ per night (max 14 nights) if you have to stay there longer.
repatriation
search and rescue fees up to 10 000€
funeral costs
private liability
legal costs up to 3 000€
theft, loss, or damages to official documents or keys up to 400€
3. MULTIRISQUE: This is basically the 2 above combined so Assistance Plus with cancellation cover as well. But it also covers if your trip is delayed by more than 2 hours, maximum 300€ per day compensation and in total 2 000€ You can go anywhere in the world apart from North Korea.
ASSURANCE LONGS SEJOURS is for trips between 2 months and 2 years.
It covers:
medical costs up to 200 000€ (300 000€ for USA and Canada)
luggage up to 3 000€. Excess of 30€ interruption of the trip and up to 150€ per night (max 14 nights) if you have to stay there longer.
repatriation
search and rescue fees up to 10 000€
funeral costs
private liability
legal costs up to 3 000€
“It’s not the hours you put in, but rather what you put into those hours”
Anthony Robbinstheft, loss, or damages to official documents or keys up to 450€ cancellation up to 8 000€ (same reason and excess as per cancellation insurance above)
damage to sport equipment up to 600€ or 300€ if rented.
ASSURANCE MULTI-VOYAGES is an annual contract to cover trips up to 2 months with no limit per year on the number of trips everywhere in the world apart from North Korea.
It covers:
medical costs up to 200 000€ (300 000€ for USA and Canada) luggage up to 3 000€. Excess of 30€ interruption of the trip and up to 150€ per night (max 14 nights) if you have to stay there longer.
repatriation search and rescue fees up to 10 000€
funeral costs
private liability
legal costs up to 3 000€
theft, loss, or damages to official documents or keys up to 400€ cancellation up to 8 000€ (same reason and excess as cancellation insurance above)
Allianz travel also do Group travel cover or business travel cover.
You must phone them before you undertake any medical expenses otherwise you risk not being reimbursed.
Conclusion: Personally, I would not bother to take out travel insurance for a trip to Spain (or in the EU) but I would not go outside Europe without one. And remember to check out our website www.bh-assurances.fr/en for all my previous articles and register to receive our monthly newsletter.
Time is precious, and for the selfemployed, time is also money. As a result, being able to manage your time effectively is crucial, not only for the success of your business, but also for your own well-being.
There are many benefits to managing your time more effectively, including: Productivity and efficiency – by accomplishing more in less time, you’ll optimise your productivity. Use of deadlines and time blocking will help to minimise distractions and enable you to focus on high value work.
Poor time management can be a major cause of stress and feeling of overwhelm
Meeting deadlines – we often have multiple projects/workstreams going on at any one time; effective time management enables you to meet deadlines and deliver on time which in turn helps to build and maintain your professional reputation and client satisfaction.
Work-life balance – ‘being your own boss’ is perhaps the biggest advantage to being self-employed, however it’s easy for the boundaries between work and home life to become blurred. Effective time management can help avoid (or at least minimise) this.
Reducing stress – Poor time management can be a major cause of stress and feeling of overwhelm. Better planning can allow you to work in a more relaxed manner and improve overall well-being.
Business growth – Good time management allows you to build in time for those activities that will contribute to the growth and development of your business (the ones that fall off the bottom of the list when you are stressed/busy!). There are many scientific theories and techniques out there (eg. Pareto’s Principle, Parkinson’s Law, Pomodoro
System, Eisenhower Matrix, ABCDE Method, the 4D System) and if you’re inclined to research them, usually at least one of these will ‘talk to you’ in terms of making sense. However there is no magic secret or hack to effective time management. It requires a good dollop of self-discipline alongside consistency and practice and importantly, there is no ‘onesize-fits-all’ solution. Essentially, you need to understand yourself, your personality, and how your mind works, and then plan your day smartly:
Track your time – this is crucial if you really want to get a grip on your time management, (and you need to do this for at least a week). Although it might seem tedious, it’s crucial to understand what you spend your time doing (and be honest, if you’ve spent half an hour watching Netflix or Tik Tok during your coffee break, then write it down!). This will give you a good understanding of where you’re spending your time, and where you’re wasting it. Set some goals – you’ve probably already heard of SMART goals (specific/measurable /achievable/realistic/timed) - they are effective and will help you keep focussed. Your goals will help you create an action
plan (how you intend to achieve your goals), from which you can create your todo list and priorities.
Understand your ‘zone’ – are you a morning person, waking up full of energy and raring to go? Or do you get your energy spurt in the late afternoon. When you understand the time of day you’re most effective and focussed, you can plan around it.
Take breaks - working continuously for hours without breaks is detrimental to focus, and can lead to mistakes, burnout, stress, and fatigue. Taking frequent short breaks, even though it may sound counterintuitive, really helps to maintain focus. Just a 5 minute leg stretch and refreshment break really can work wonders and help you to reset.
Block distractions – whether it means putting your phone on silent, switching off your email or message notifications, closing the office door, or putting up a sign, you’ll be amazed how much more focussed you can be without them. Learn to say ‘no’ - whether it’s to professional or personal requests or commitments, saying no can help not only
to avoid over-committing yourself but also avoids the guilt that goes with it. It’s not easy but sometimes it’s essential.
Be aware of procrastination - we can all be guilty of it at times, trying to convince ourselves and justify delaying or postponing important tasks, usually irrationally and often because of a feeling of overwhelm. At the very least you need to recognise when you’re doing it, and ideally ‘eat the frog’ (get on with whatever it is you’re putting off).
Delegate or outsource – if there are tasks that you continue to struggle with, either in terms of time commitment or expertise, consider outsourcing these. Very few of us are experts in everything, and you may be surprised at the relief you feel from getting those jobs off your desk! Use a system that works for you – there are many apps and software systems available to help you track and manage your time. The important thing here is to select one that works for you (and not one that simply eats up more of your time to use!). You may opt for an app such as Todoist, Trello, Asana, or use your online calendar to block and plan time, or you may prefer traditional pen-and-paper ‘to do’ lists – the main thing is that it needs to work for you and not become a chore in itself.
Are you Prepared for Retirement? business
Have you done everything possible to ensure a comfortable and financially independent retirement?
Your retirement income might depend on several workplace pensions, your social security pension, or perhaps even investments and savings. Are you confident that you have enough saved up? Did you know there are ways to optimise your retirement income and reduce taxation?
Pension transfers - You could transfer all your workplace pensions into one taxefficient place where you have control over the investment choices, e.g. a QROPS. Often workplace pensions are invested in generic funds, and returns are not necessarily optimised. You might end up with several smaller workplace pensions. It could make sense to have them all in one place where a larger amount can earn more interest.
Private pensions – A private pension is something you have control over and could be the one constant during your working life, e.g. a SIPP (Self-Invested Pension Plan). Because we change jobs an average of seven times in our lifetime, a private
pension could be the way to guarantee a specific retirement income. It would be best to decide whether your workplace pension or your private pension will be your primary source of retirement income. Do you know at what age you wish to retire?
This could significantly impact your retirement planning. Remember that we are living longer, and our retirement may be longer than that of our parents. The longer the retirement, the more you must save.
What about supplementing your pension if you want to retire earlier?
A separate investment could help bridge the gap years if you wanted to retire earlier than expected without eating into your primary source of income, e.g. if your retirement planning and forecasts were planned for 65 and you want to retire at 62.
retirement. Retiring early could see you run out of money down the line.
It is always good to have an extra retirement income source that is not part of monthly income plans. These savings could cover any financial emergencies and unforeseen expenses or be used for holidays. Either way, it is always good to have a pot of gold hidden away at the end of a rainbow for a rainy day. Chat with your advisor about optimising your retirement portfolio and adding on supplements.
Remember, you earn the most interest on your capital in the last few years before
Please note, the above is for educational purposes only and does not constitute advice. You should always contact your advisor 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.
Helen Booth works as a financial adviser for deVere France S.a.r.l and has lived as well as owned property in the Deux-Sèvres region. Having worked in the financial services in the UK for over 15 years, Helen prides herself in being fully diploma-qualified for the services that she provides. Helen has lived and worked in France for over 8 years and enjoys being part of deVere France S.a.r.l., a division of one of the world’s leading independent financial consultancies, deVere Group.
With over $10 billion of funds under its advice and administration and with more than 80,000 clients around the world, deVere Group truly offers a myriad of unique products and notes that are not available anywhere else in the market. This, as Helen puts it, gives clients the pick of the crop when it comes to investing.
deVere France S.a.r.l. are regulated by ANACOFI-CIF and ORIAS which will only recommend French regulated products.
deVere France can advise you on ways to help safeguard and increase your wealth, as well as helping with HMRC-recognised pension transfers to a Qualified Recognised Overseas Pensions scheme (QROPS) to give you potentially more flexibility in your pension plans.
If you would like to know more about how deVere France can help you, contact
Helen Booth DipPFS , EFA : +33 (0) 77 171 2879 : helen.booth@devere-france.fr
Most of us have heard of the sunshine vitamin! Vitamin D3 is a hormone as well as a vitamin and it is synthesised in the skin whenever we are exposed to sunlight.
Vitamin D is associated with the feel-good factor and a lack of it contributes to SADSeasonal Affective Disorder. Vitamin D is especially important for healthy bones and kidneys. A healthy thyroid maintains calcium levels in the body and Vitamin D is used in this process too. We have cells that use vitamin D all over the body, from the skeleton to the lungs, the reproductive system to the heart and the pancreas to the skin. Our immune system uses Vitamin D directly which is why people who get frequent infections should have their D3 levels checked and optimise them, especially in preparation for winter, and always under the guidance of a health professional. The recommended daily amounts of Vitamin D are (IU = international units):
Children up to 12 months: 400 IU
1-70 years: 600 IU
Over 70s: 800 IU
This level of intake will possibly prevent deficiency but that really depends on your genes. Some people can only use around 10% of the Vitamin D in circulation in their body so this would represent a very low intake for them and a minimal intake for the rest. In functional medicine we work with optimal health parameters, that means the levels that give you great health, not the levels that keep you just out of the deficiency range. We test for Vitamin D levels in ng/ml and traditional ranges vary between countries. In general 30ng/ml may be considered normal, however ‘standard’ blood levels aren’t optimal blood levels and for most people, this is still a deficiency. Functional medicine teaches us that 60-90ng/ml is good and more optimal and less than 60ng/ml should warrant supplementation of around 5000 IU a day (please supplement only under the care of a health professional) with a maintenance level of 2000 IU once the body is in a sufficient range of over 60ng/ml.
Vitamin D deficiency in the Northern Hemisphere is increasingly common and especially with the rise in the use of sunscreen, there have even been recent recorded rises in rickets, the condition that arises due to severe deficiency in Vitamin D3. Vitamin D has been shown to be protective against skin cancer so some sun exposure without using sunscreen is
essential for your health and if there is a risk of burning, personally, I believe it’s better to cover up rather than use sunscreens, some of which have been shown to contain the cancer-causing agent benzene. (If you do use sun screen, I recommend using Green People.) I follow the rule of not putting anything on my skin that you cannot eat since all chemicals are absorbed into the body and will add a burden onto the organs of detoxification.
Kinds of Vitamin D
There are different kinds of Vitamin D. In humans the important ones are D2 and D3. D2 (Ergocalciferol) comes from plants and D3 (Cholecalciferol) comes from animal sources. D3 is also created in our body on exposure to sunlight. 10% of our Vitamin D comes from food, the rest is synthesised by sun exposure (or supplementation). D3 is the important and most bioavailable form of Vitamin D - this means it can be most easily used by our body. D2 is often what manufacturers fortify juices and milks with as it’s a lot cheaper to produce but this is not very easy for the body to use and a lot of it simply passes through the body unused. It can be considered a gimmick when foods say they are fortified
because often the versions of the vitamins that are being used are not created in a form that can be used by the body
Which foods should you eat?
▪ Cod Liver Oil
▪ Salmon
▪ Swordfish
▪ Tuna Fish
▪ Sardines
▪ Beef Liver
▪ Egg Yolks
Including three to four portions of Vitamin D3-rich foods will boost your immune system, keep your bones stronger and sharpen your mental faculties plus there are many more benefits.
Above all, make sure that while you get sun exposure, you have light summer wear with long sleeves and long legs/long skirt so that when you have had your fill of the sun, you cover up and protect your body from overexposure and burning.
THIS SUMMER HOPEFULLY MANY OF US WILL BE ENJOYING THE HOT WEATHER AND SPENDING LOTS OF DAYLIGHT HOURS OUTSIDE AND GETTING LOVELY SUNSHINE ON OUR SKIN
D2 is often what manufacturers fortify juices and milks with as it’s a lot cheaper to produce but this is not very easy for the body to use
For an appt please contact: 05.45.71.56.02
‘Our Healthy Kitchen’ is
From
MICHAEL WILLIAM PARK
FRANCE IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS GRAPE AND WINE PRODUCTION, BUT THE LIMOUSIN IS NOT REALLY WELL KNOWN AS A WINE GROWING REGION BECAUSE THE SOILS AROUND MOST OF THE LIMOUSIN ARE TOO ACID
Grapes thrive best on calcium rich soils that develop over limestone and the flavour of the grapes is influenced by the type and range of minerals in the soil as well as by the variety of grape and the microclimate in which they are grown. However, it is perfectly possible to grow a good crop of grapes for domestic use, whether they are a dessert variety (eating grapes) or for grape juice or wine.
The vines themselves are also very decorative and can be grown over a pergola or arbour to create shaded seating areas
The vines themselves are also very decorative and can be grown over a pergola or arbour to create shaded seating areas, or planted in rows, trained on wires for a bigger harvest, or you can train a single vine along the wall of your house or barn if you just want a few.
It is possible to grow grapes from seed, but they may not come true to type. You can grow them from cuttings to ensure that the variety will be true to type but it is best to purchase a named variety that has been grafted onto a rootstock which will help the vine to tolerate a variety of soil types and conditions, resist soil borne pests and diseases, and improve the vigour, particularly if you want to be sure of a good reliable harvest. But it can be fun to grow your own from seed or cuttings.
Grapes need a sheltered sunny spot and it is wise to improve the soil with some wellrotted organic matter before planting. Always plant to the same depth as they are
Caroline has been a lecturer in horticulture for 20 years and now runs a nursery and ‘garden craft’ courses in the Haute-Vienne at Le jardin créatif
in the pot, do not bury the graft. They will need to be watered in and then watered well during dry spells in the first season. One of the key principles of managing your vines is pruning and training. This will depend on whether you are planting them in rows or singly against a building or pergola and whether you want wine or dessert grapes. There are two popular systems of training which I will describe. For a single vine grown against a wall or up a pergola, you can use the ‘Geneva single or double curtain’ system where you allow the main shoot (‘rod’) to grow vertically until it reaches the top of the support (you may need to tie this into a wire initially). Once it has reached the desired height, pinch out the tip just above a node. This will promote lateral growth that can be trained horizontally along the pergola or wall (again using wires to tie
Caroline Wright Le jardin créatif
node beyond the 2nd or 3rd bunch. After harvesting, when the vines are going into dormancy, you can cut all of these sub laterals back to just one bud; they will produce from the same point each year. The single or double Guyot system is a good choice if you are planting multiple vines in rows as in a mini vineyard. Ideally, they should be planted on a south or west facing slope, with the rows running from top to bottom (not across the width of the slope) so that cold air can easily roll down to the bottom of the slope and the rows of vines do not shade each other from the sun which is required for ripening the fruits. Plant each vine at 1.2 metres apart. You will need a system of posts and wires to be able to support and train them. In this system you allow the
vertical rod to reach the height of the lowest wire then pinch it back. The subsequent laterals are then trained horizontally along the lowest wire (one for a single Guyot and two for a double). The sub laterals then grow upwards, scrambling up the wires. This system is generally used for wine grapes so you can allow 2 or 3 bunches to grow before pinching them back. You may need to pinch back several times through the season to allow the fruit to ripen in the sun. The other main difference in this system is that during the dormant season you cut back all the lateral growth except the two sub laterals closest to the main rod - these are laid down on the lowest wire
ready to produce the sub laterals the following season. These are replaced each year where in the Geneva double curtain system they are permanent and develop into thick branches. For further reading, the RHS book ‘Pruning and Training’ is an excellent resource, and there is also good, detailed information on their website advice pages too. You can also pop along on a Saturday and chat to us. There is also a blog post on our website that contains a short video of pruning a Geneva double curtain:
https://lejardincreatif.net/2018/06/05/k eep-your-vines-in-line/
You can purchase vines in most big garden centres. We produce just one variety, the ‘Strawberry Grape’ Vitis fragola’, which is a dessert variety with a hint of strawberry flavour.
The single or double Guyot system is a good choice if you are planting multiple vines in rows as in a mini vineyardPrune all sub laterals back to one bud after harvesting during the dormant season Stephanie
Stephanie is a freelance writer who puts her knowledge of astrology together with her love of gardening. British born, then living in the USA, she now lives in rural France
August 2023 is a very unusual month as it both begins and ends on a full Moon, with the Moon in Aquarius on Tuesday the 1st of August, and ending with a full Moon in Pisces on Thursday the 31st. August can be a difficult month for planting things because of the weather usually being hot and dry, and this month is no exception. However, working with both the phases of the Moon and the signs she is passing through, can help you achieve your gardening goals.
The period between the full moon and the next new moon on the 15th is a good time to mow and prune and harvest those fruits and vegetables which are already ripe. Tuesday 1st and Wednesday the 2nd are good days to pick herbs for the kitchen and also those which can be medicinal.
Root vegetables can go in the ground so that they will be ready for winter use.
On the 3rd and Friday the 4th the Moon is in Pisces which is a fertile water sign and under the influence of the full Moon. This will be a good time to plant trees shrubs and perennials which you have obtained bare root. On Monday and Tuesday, the 7th and 8th the Moon is in the earth sign of Taurus. Continue planting any root vegetables that you want to enjoy cooking for the winter and maybe try some that you have never attempted to grow before. Adding succulents to your garden would be a good addition as they are drought resistant. On the 9th, 10th and 11th, the Moon is in Gemini, not a time for planting but good for regular garden
maintenance. It would also be a great time for you to enjoy social activities and meetings with friends. On Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th the Moon is in Cancer which is a very fertile sign but then goes into the barren fire sign of Leo on the 14th. Remove all dead and flammable material which could be a fire risk.
The New Moon in Leo will arrive on 16th and the next window for planting begins on the 17th when the Moon goes into Virgo and will stay there until Saturday when she goes into Libra. It is a little late to be sowing seeds but if you want to bring in some new plants to beautify your home this would be a good time to do that. On the 22nd and 23rd with the Moon in Scorpio this would be an excellent time to plant your bare root perennials or new trees and shrubs
The Moon is in the sign of Sagittarius on the 24th and 25th. It is time to harvest as many of your fruits and vegetables as you can. On Saturday afternoon, the 26th, the Moon goes into Capricorn and will be there until Monday the 28th. Check your ‘To Do’ list and see if there are still any root vegetables that you want to plant. With the Moon going into Aquarius on the 28th and 29th you can check online and plan ahead for any bulbs you want to order for autumn planting. The moon enters Pisces on the 30th and culminates at the full moon in the wee small hours of Thursday morning of August 31st.
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▪
▪
▪
▪
Hunt-Crowley
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS HUMANS HAVE FOLLOWED THE SEASONS, PLANNING AND HARVESTING THEIR CROPS
This will be a good time to plant trees shrubs and perennials
AUGUST GARDENING WELCOMES VIBRANT BLOOMS AND REQUIRES
CAREFUL WATERING THANKS TO THE WARM CLIMATE AND POTENTIAL DROUGHTS
August will I expect, as usual, be dry and sunny. The air is warm, hopefully the hot colours of summer are now filling the borders and we should take time to sit and enjoy the gardens we have made. But for some parts of the garden watering is essential, so now is the time to use the water you collected during the winter and spring. Whilst you are sitting it’s a good time to think about what you want to change for next year. Make notes, take photos, plot and plan for an even better display next summer. But now, in the words of Monty Don, here’s something you can do in your garden this month.
In the Flower Garden
▪ Deadhead flowering plants regularly to prolong the display into autumn.
▪ Divide bearded iris now, so they have time to form roots and flowers buds for next year.
▪ Water camellias and rhododendrons to help the development of next year's flower buds.
▪ Water pots, tubs and hanging baskets daily, sometimes even twice a day.
In the Vegetable Garden
▪ Tomato plants need on-going attention – pick out side shoots; tie in stems for support as the fruit ripens; feed weekly as the fruits ripen; pinch out the top and remove lower leaves to help with air circulation and prevent disease; try planting basil nearby as a companion plant to deter whitefly and greenfly.
▪ Feed peppers, cucumbers, aubergines and chillies with a tomato fertiliser,
▪ Harvest vegetables regularly while they are still young and tasty.
▪ Limit the fruits on a squash plant to about three, but make sure these fruits are established before pinching out the surplus
In the Fruit Garden
▪ Cut down canes of blackberries and summer fruited raspberries and tie in new canes.
▪ Control strawberry runners, rooting some in pots as replacement plants and removing others.
▪ Prune main and side shoots of gooseberries to five leaves and the fruited stems of blackcurrant.
▪ After fruiting, prune damsons, peaches and plums.
By Ronnie Ogier
In the greenhouse
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!
▪ Hang sticky traps to catch flying pests.
Lawns
▪ Don't worry if your lawn is looking brown, the autumn rains will soon make it green again.
▪ And finally, ladybirds are an attractive sight in any garden but they are also a natural predator of aphids. So why not build a ‘bug hotel’ and encourage more ‘guests’ to visit
France will soon impose a mandatory requirement for motorbikes and mopeds to undergo the roadworthiness test (Controle technique). The decision came after the country's highest administrative court, the "Conseil d'Etat," determined that it cannot circumvent EU regulations. The government was initially given two months to implement this measure starting from 1 June, but the Transport Minister, Clément Beaune, announced that it will now be enforced from 2024. The application of the tests will be done in phases, beginning with vehicles manufactured before 2017. According to Beaune, the inspection cost will be below 50€.
Recent legislation now requires insurance companies to offer their clients the option to cancel their contracts online, using a simple "three-click" process, regardless of whether the initial subscription was completed online or in-person at a branch. This requirement extends even to contracts that were established before the enactment of this law. Additionally, this obligation has been extended to other industries, such as phone and electricity contracts. Consequently, websites must now include a prominently displayed "Résilier votre contrat" (Cancel
In 2009, when Des and Allie Brennan introduced a small potted pothos cutting to their office, their intention was to add some vibrancy to the workspace. Little did they know that over 14 years later the plant would flourish to an astonishing length of nearly 600 feet! It continuously produces new shoots that need to be carefully pinned up along the office walls and ceiling almost on a daily basis. In the open-concept office plan, which spans 50 by 25 square feet, the colossal pothos has grown to such an extent that it needs to loop and intertwine itself several times across the ceiling.
The 50€ assistance allocated for sports club fees has been expanded to encompass commercial sports centres, including gyms, climbing walls, and skating rinks. The Pass’Sport benefit is now available to approximately 6.7 million young individuals who meet specific eligibility criteria, such as those receiving the ARS back-to-school allowance, the AEEH benefit for children with disabilities, the AAH for adults with disabilities, and students who are recipients of a bursary. If you are eligible, you can expect to receive an email from the Sports Ministry in the latter half of August, containing a unique code to use when enrolling for the benefit.
Who remembers sweets called Spangles? And did you ever get mumps? How about being belted in the shin by your bike pedals? And remember school dinners with. . . ok, enough already. Countless silly prompts like this pop up on social media sites dedicating themselves to “British Nostalgia”. “Do you remember tape cassettes?” Of course I dowhat am I, a toddler? Fond memories are one thing but this fetishising of all things past leaves me cold.
I recall a TV programme years ago in which Americans who had chosen to settle in the UK discussed the differences between the two countries. Someone cited the British love of nostalgia, noting the successful “Memory Lane” brand of cakes and the ‘just-like-the-olden-days’ tone in much of British advertising. It was suggested that such campaigns would be less successful in the US where customers tend towards what’s new and exciting rather than emulating what their grandparents had.
The thing is, though, when we eulogise a past era we can be sure that those who lived at that time were doing exactly the same thing concerning their own ‘golden’ period, a few decades earlier. TV shows like Downton Abbey (and its forerunner Upstairs Downstairs) rhapsodise the
elegance of the Edwardian period - all silk parasols and Hugh Bonneville in a teagown (don’t ask me, I never watched it). But the sumptuous era portrayed in these programmes was actually a time of acute anxiety (not to mention appalling poverty). Much of Edwardian art and literature romanticised instead the preIndustrial age when life was essentially rural and perceived as simpler.
We’re all partial to wistful recollections, since remembering past years and those who populated them gives warmth to our lives in the present. But like scurvy and the Carry On films, not everything should be welcomed back. Fixating on how life once was doesn’t only let in the cake sellers, it also presents a tantalising mirage of a time we didn’t witness but of whose appeal we can be persuaded.
This matters because therein lies today’s ‘populism’, demanding a return to an era (always one not too long ago) before things went off the rails. Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” mantra would have been no more than a vacuous slogan without the ignition of that fourth word. To today’s millions struggling financially, a return to some unspecified shimmering age is a seductive proposition. But it’s an implanted memory, an illusion.
Brian White lives in south Indre with his wife, too many moles and not enough guitars
Similarly, seven years ago Britain’s exit from the European Union was achieved largely by persuading millions of voters that the past was more illustrious and it was imperative we “take back control”. Paradoxically, this strategy relied on many people having scant knowledge of the history they were being urged to defend. The endless regurgitating of World War 2 references evoked ‘the Dunkirk spirit’ and the Battle of Britain despite neither event seeming to support the Leave campaign’s message. The evacuation of British troops at Dunkirk was greatly aided by French forces and – despite the many myths woven around it since – represented a humiliating defeat. Conversely, the Battle of Britain, with some 16 nationalities among the pilots, was a powerful endorsement of international cooperation, (although this didn’t stop prominent ‘Leave’ figures posing in front of a Spitfire). I also recall a voter lamenting to a TV reporter, “We used to have an Empire!”. This was the Union Flag as comfort blanket and – to me - made Britain sound like a country obsessed with its own past.
Whether you believe Brexit to be (a) a glittering step forward (b) an opportunity mishandled or (c) a ruinous fiasco, is beside the point (spoiler: it’s ‘c’). My contention is simply that tapping into a peculiarly British nostalgia was decisive in getting the ‘Leave’ vote over the line. Forward to the past!
Obviously, those social media sites I mentioned are just sentimentality - all gobstoppers and Enid Blyton - but nostalgia can be much more potent and easily weaponized. George Orwell (of course) warned that he who controls the present can shape what we believe about the past in order to determine our future. Every society has those who agitate for a return to an imagined time when the solutions to life’s complexities were more straightforward and the future could be reached through an idealised past. However, it’s a fantasy and often simply a licence to scapegoat minorities and launch an assault on individual rights. A country’s self-image can sometimes be built on an illusion and the fake allure of days gone by. Tragically, in this eternal tug-of-war, although the past can no longer defeat us, we can still lose to it.
And surely that really is something worth remembering.
But like scurvy and the Carry On films, not everything should be welcomed back
Iwrote about fishing in the hot weather a couple of years ago. Last year was extremely hot for a long period and this year is shaping up to be the same. It might be that this becomes the new normal so let us look again at how the extreme heat can affect our sport.
In mid-summer water temperatures are at their highest and that can affect the behaviour and welfare of fish. As the water temperature rises the amount of dissolved oxygen that the water can absorb is reduced. Whilst fish can get by with a fraction of the oxygen that is contained in air, their requirement for oxygen rises along with their metabolism in higher temperatures. Oxygen deprivation 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 in several ways including the effects of weeds, waterfalls, wind, and rain. Weeds create oxygen in daylight and can provide a welcome oasis for any fish that inhabit the weed bed or are downstream of it. Waterfalls, wind, and rain break the surface tension allowing oxygen to be more easily absorbed, and wind can also affect where the oxygen is concentrated. A moderate to strong wind will push oxygenated water downwind where, on reaching the lee shore, it will create an area where the dissolved oxygen is higher than on the opposite bank. If the wind is blowing towards shallow water in a bay then that whole area could be full of feeding fish. Similarly, just downstream of weirs and weed beds can be productive in high summer.
Obviously we should not be targeting fish that are distressed by oxygen starvation and the signs of that can often be seen when carp, bream, and chub lurk just below the surface with their mouths gaping open. A few years ago I was scanning the water surface of Lac de Lavaud where the road crosses the lake near to the Soleil Couchant bar. My binoculars picked up a strange sight. There were hundreds of carp just under the surface, all with their coral-coloured lips wide open. The fish were maximising the extra oxygen contained in the surface layer.
Of course it would have been foolish to try and catch these carp for a variety of reasons. They need to be left alone to cope as best they can. In less hostile conditions it is still wise to consider that stress should
be minimised and extra care should be taken when unhooking and returning any fish caught in hot temperatures. You often see carp anglers with suspended cradles containing a small amount of water that are used to unhook fish instead of an unhooking mat. I have come across these where the water has been left in the cradle so long that it is over 30ºC, much too warm for the welfare of the fish. For me, the best way to unhook a fish is whilst it is on the landing net and still in the water. If an unhooking mat or cradle needs to be used then it should first be wetted and cooled using water from the lake or river. It is always better to return fish as soon as possible and even more so at this time of year - sometimes they might need a little support in the landing net before being allowed to swim away.
Some species are less tolerant of the heat and lack of dissolved oxygen in the water. Trout, barbel, and pike are particularly prone to these conditions. Carassin, the chubby cousin of the crucian and black bass, are far more tolerant of warm water temperatures. Fishing surface lures around weed beds or other features is a good way of catching the latter.
It is possible sometimes to find locations where the water temperature is lower than other places and the dissolved oxygen higher. Last year I confined my summer barbel hunts to the Charente where underground aquifers and depth keep the water temperature lower than on the Vienne. Weirs have the effect of adding to the oxygen content of the water and they are often the best places to fish. There are areas of lakes where cooler, fresher water enters and that is where the fish are likely to be. You would only know about those areas if you had done your homework in the depths of winter when the same spring water would prevent ice from forming in those parts of the lake where the springs enter.
The Department of Fisheries for your area will be monitoring the situation and it will pay to check their website regularly in case they have closed waters to fishing.
Regular readers might recall that mullet are one of my favourite species and if I had to choose just one species to fish for until eternity, mullet would be the one. Despite never living less than two hours from the
By Clive Kenyoncoast, the ‘European Bonefish’ has fascinated me for decades.
Mullet can be found a couple of hundred kilometres up the Loire, but they normally do not venture far from the brackish water of estuaries. Just to the west of our region are the marshes of the Marais Poitevin that, like the English Fens and Broads, were drained in the Middle Ages to leave low lying land criss-crossed by drains and canals. The main water course is the Sèvre Niortaise and that is linked to canals large and small that in turn are fed by small drains bordering the vast fields of the region. Mullet can be found in many of those drains and canals in the summer months. They are tolerant of high water temperatures and not too fussy about lower oxygen levels. They are, however, the most frustratingly contrary species of fish known to man. One day they will swim past you with total disdain, ignoring everything that you put in front of them. On other days, far fewer it must be said, they can be almost suicidal.
I find the best way to target mullet is to find a location where they are comfortably browsing. I have not had much success in faster flowing water even though the fish are clearly visible. Give me a weed raft, overhanging branches, or wooden lock gates and I am a happy man. Often they can be lured by the use of soaked white bread, but other times bread spooks them. On these occasions I revert to the small grey shrimps that can be bought in supermarkets. Sometimes maggots and small worms will get a bite. In Spain earlier this year I could not get any mullet to take anything I offered. I had resorted to harvesting small snails found hibernating on vegetation, but the contrary mullet declined my offerings. They really are frustrating at times. If you do manage to elicit a bite though you will soon forget about the failures. Nothing this side of the Caribbean pulls like a mullet. The nearest thing that you will find in France that fights pound for pound as good as a mullet is the black bass. But even then I would rather have a mullet on the other end of my line.
If you are out in the Marais Poitevin around Marennes or Marans this summer and fancy a challenge, the grey ghosts will be waiting for you.
Some species are less tolerant of the heat and lack of dissolved oxygen in the water
Private pens, each with inside and outside space. Peaceful garden setting. Open 7 days a week. Viewings welcome by appointment. Recommendations available. Situated in Montemboeuf (16)
"Cats don't have owners, cats have
AT 18H38 ON 16TH JUNE 2023 AN EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED. IT WAS FOLLOWED A FEW HOURS LATER, AT 04H27 AND 09H13 ON 17TH JUNE, BY TWO AFTERSHOCKS
Don’t worry; this was not an event that laid low a teeming city and killed thousands. In fact, no one was killed, or even seriously hurt, and the damage to property was (thank goodness) restricted to a few walls partially demolished. Some damage was done, of course, to ornaments and loose items around the houses in the area, but it could have been very much worse.
The epicentre of the earthquake was the village of La Laigne in Charente-Maritime, France, roughly midway between La Rochelle and Niort. The intensity of the earthquake was between 4.8 and 4.9, which is moderate but not alarming. The tremor was reportedly felt over much of north-central France, from Bordeaux in the South to Caen in the North, and as far east as Clermont-Ferrand. I have to say that, in my home near Ruffec, I didn’t notice a thing, but this is a rural area, and we are used to unexpected vibrations from passing farm equipment. That would have been the sort of vibration one would have felt.
But how can it be that France has suffered an earthquake? Surely they happen in distant lands where there are mountains and volcanoes, not in peaceful, rural France? What causes them, anyway?
Until about 200 years ago, an earthquake was the Wrath of God, pure and simple. Wages of Sin. Goodnight, Sodom and Gomorrah. Bye, bye Lisbon - don’t know what you’ve been doing, but it was obviously bad!
Then people began noticing that earthquakes seemed to be a fact of history, even before there were humans to earn a bit of wrath. The fledgling science of geology found evidence of huge upheavals in ancient rocks that would have put many modern earthquakes to shame.
An earthquake happens when two sections of rock slide past each other, releasing some stored energy. If there is a lot of stored energy, you get a big, devastating earthquake; if it is a relatively minor energy release, the effect is usually small. The details can depend upon local geological conditions, but generally that is the case. But why should rocks have stored energy? That is because of the way the Earth’s crust behaves. Our Earth has a hot, mostly solid, core, surrounded by a mantle of
ByMikeGeorgeMike 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
plastic semi-rock that has the ability to flow slowly under the influence of convective heating. The whole lot is covered by a thin layer of solid rock called the crust. That is the bit we live on. The movement of the slowly-flowing mantle causes the crust to deform and to float about in sections, rather like the skin on a custard that is being heated. These sections can move apart, slide past each other, or even collide. This is the mechanism by which oceans open (as sections part) and mountains rise (where sections collide).
This gives plenty of chance for stress to build up in the rocks of the crust. At the margins of the sections (often referred to as “plates”) there is plenty of stress, and large earthquakes and volcanoes are common. But we are not in that situation here, are we?
Not now, we aren’t, but the sites of activity have changed over the thousands of millennia the Earth has existed. At one time, 300 million years ago, we were at the south edge of a collision zone that pushed up the mountains of Armorica and the Massif Central, implanted the granite from
The epicentre of the earthquake was the village of La Laigne in Charente-MaritimeDamage in the commune of La Laigne Image credit Jean-Christophe Audru BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières)
Dartmoor to the Scilly Isles, and crumpled up the Mendip and Cotswold Hills in England. That left a huge legacy of stress and cracking in the existing rocks below us. Later the rocks of the Jurassic and Cretaceous covered them, but the stress was still there, and this has been causing movement in the old rocks, which also affected the later rocks, ever since. Most of this is now low-level stress, but it still makes itself felt when the crust twitches and releases a bit more energy.
Also, the Pyrenees Mountains, caused by the movement of the Iberian Peninsula
relative to France, started forming some 80 million years ago and have not yet finished growing; there will be a lot of stress release to happen there for a long while.
Stress release is what happened in June in La Laigne. A small vertical movement along a line of weakness about 3 km below the surface released enough energy to be felt, and to do some minor damage. The northern part of New Aquitaine is in fact classed as an area of “moderate” earthquake risk – check the deeds of your home! And blame the Armorican
Mountain-building Event 300 million years ago!
The energy an earthquake releases is directly calculable from the seismograms recorded for it. This is what the Richter Scale records. The energy levels are written in Arabic numerals. This can give a reasonable indication of the effect of an earthquake at low energy; high-energy earthquake effects are less predictable, and depend on the local geology. Incidentally, the scale is not linear, it is logarithmic. Thus, an earthquake at level 4 does not release twice as much energy as one at level 3; it releases 10 times as much.
To relate the effect of an earthquake, several scales have been adopted. These are made by actually observing the damage done and correlating it. They tend to follow the energy scales to some extent, especially at low levels, but the levels are written in Roman numerals to distinguish them.
If you want to know more, either about this particular event or about earthquakes in general, there is a very good web address that my colleague at BRGM sent me, it is rather scientific, but has excellent full-colour maps and charts to explain matters:
www.brgm.fr/en/news/news/earthquakevillage-laigne-charente-maritimeinitial-analyses
It occurs to me that there are a few aspects of seaside fauna that I have touched on in passing, but perhaps this would be a good moment for a better look. I refer to venomous sea-creatures.
There is a difference – a very clear-cut difference – and it is important to make it clear. An animal is poisonous if it contains poison within its body, but is incapable of transferring that poison directly into another animal. To become a victim of that poison you must eat it (for example the Fugu Fish) or get it into your system through the skin (for example certain frogs and toads). A venomous animal, on the other hand, can pass its toxin into you by direct injection (for example an adder) or by poisoning an open wound (for example a lizard like the Gila Monster or the Komodo Dragon). Usually, venom is used to capture prey efficiently. Any protective function is secondary.
There are a number of fish that are capable of passing venom to another animal (in this case mostly a human animal), but their venom is never used in hunting; it is purely defensive. They are normally equipped with spines upon the upper part of their bodies, usually as part of their dorsal fins or gills, which contain venom. An incautious step that forces one or more such spines into an unwary foot will introduce a toxin that will hurt severely. If one or more spines break off, carrying its load of venom, so much the worse.
These are the venomous fish that you are likeliest to encounter around France and the United Kingdom, ranging from the south coast of England and Ireland, down the coast of France, Spain, and Portugal,
ByMikeGeorgeMike 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
and into the north Mediterranean coast. Notice they are not “Weaver fish” as they are often miscalled. The name is probably derived ultimately from the Latin Vipera, a snake. The Spanish and Portuguese refer to them as “Spider-fish”.
The Weever Fish sits on the sea-bed, often quite close to the shore-line, where the bottom is sandy. It lies almost buried, in the hope of catching a passing shrimp or small fish in its huge, gaping mouth. Its dorsal fin has about 6 spines, carrying venom, purely to “protect its back”.
I have never, fortunately, trodden on such a fish (my interest on sea-shores did not include swimming or paddling) but I am told that the first reaction is that you have cut your foot on a sharp stone. This is followed within seconds by intense pain. Pain is really the only problem. The fish is
These are the venomous fish that you are likeliest to encounter around FranceA weever fish lying on, not under, the sand. The spines are folded down, but can just be seen along the back
saying “Get off”; it has no interest in killing you. Very rarely are there any complications, and the pain will start to fade after half-an-hour or so. If left untreated, the pain is usually gone the next day. The process can be speeded up by soaking the affected limb (or it may be a bottom, depending upon the disport in which you were engaged) in water as hot as the victim can bear without being scalded. This will speed the denaturing of the toxin.
Normally, your chance of encountering these fish is low, but it is not negligible. Records show that some areas, such as the Gower in Wales, may see several hundred cases in a year, but these are only the reported ones.
It is as well to check for any broken-off spines and remove them from the wound. Also, get the victim looked over at the local hospital emergency unit, in case there is a complication or an allergy problem.
Other fish
Probably the deadliest of the spineinjecting fish is the Reef Stonefish Synanceia verrucosa. Normally one would not expect to encounter it outside the tropics, but there are reports that it has set up home in the Eastern Mediterranean. Its lifestyle is not unlike that of the Weeverfish, but its venom is more toxic, and if you step on one of these, seek immediate medical help.
Other fish, often referred to as scorpion fish, have similar poison delivery systems. One of the most beautiful (and deadly) is the Lionfish, a spectacularly spined orange and brown fish that has become very popular in aquarium displays. These swim about among coral reefs, and you would have to be very unobservant not to see one well ahead of any contact. They definitely carry their own warning colouration. Best seek out a good aquarium and encounter them in safety!
With all these fish, once the spines have been removed, the danger is past, and many of the fish are used in local speciality foods. In fact, the bulk of the victims of fish-spine injuries are fishermen, to whose lot it falls to remove the spines. In Southern France, the rascasse, a blanket term for several sea-scorpion types of fish, is often used as an ingredient in the local delicacy, Bouillabaisse.
There are several fish of the cartilaginous ray family that carry an erectile spine and so can deliver a painful sting. Rarely are these encounters fatal. Again, the fish is usually issuing a warning. One such encounter, however, did prove fatal on a large canvas. Steve Irwin, known as “The Crocodile Hunter”, a popular Australian TV naturalist, was filming a marine sequence off the coast of Australia. During a break in filming he saw a very large stingray a short way off. Since he knew his daughter was compiling a film article on
rays, he called his cameraman over and they set out to film the ray to add to her footage. Nothing easier. The ray approached the cameraman, and Irwin followed behind the ray for some now unascertainable reason. Unfortunately, this was the sort of approach that a seal would have made that was intent on eating the ray. The ray reacted by stopping dead in the water and erecting its spine, onto which Irwin swam. The spine penetrated his heart (the ray was, as I said, a large specimen) and he died almost instantly. Venom would have been irrelevant.
There are, of course, several other venomous creatures, especially in tropical waters, which you are unlikely to encounter. The Blue-ringed Octopus, made famous in the James Bond film “Octopussy”, does in fact exist. Its bite can deliver a venom that contains tetrodotoxin, which causes death usually by respiratory paralysis. There is no antivenin, and each octopus carries enough toxin to kill 26 normal people. This is of course an extension of its feeding strategy, in which it uses the toxin to kill crabs and other crustacea. It has no desire to attack man. It is quite small and shy, and will only bite if cornered and interfered with. Probably only about 11 human deaths have been recorded. The only other serious hazard you may encounter is the tribe of jellyfish. There are many different species, and their toxicity is variable. The Portuguese manof-war Jellyfish (ok, so they're not technically jellyfish, but that's a whole other article) is quite dangerous, but rarely proves fatal. The stings, however, are very painful. Deadliest of all is the
Australian Box Jellyfish, which can often prove fatal. However, the stings only work on exposed flesh, which is why you may see Australian lifeguards wearing ladies’ tights, which are sufficient protection!
Jellyfish trail filaments below and around them, often extending far beyond the area of the float or body. It is said that a Manof-war can attack you without you even seeing the float approaching. The filaments are covered with special cells that, when they detect a change in the chemical environment, fire a tiny barbed harpoon connected to a venom delivery system. These enter the victim’s body (usually, of course, a food item) and sufficient contact will kill or disable the prey.
Should you be ensnared by such an attack, do not panic. Get to safety (the shore, for choice) while you can. Then wash off the stinging filaments with seawater, NOT fresh water, as this will alter the chemical environment and cause more cells to fire their poison darts. Scrape any “harpoons” out of your flesh using a credit card (if you have one). It is easiest to get a crowd around you to help! One thing, however, that you must not do, or allow anybody else to do, is to urinate on the jellyfish filaments or the wound. A curious legend has grown up, probably as a result of an episode of the TV comedy “Friends” some years ago, that urine will disable the stinging cells and neutralise the toxin. It will do neither. If anything, it will cause more cells to fire, and it may introduce bacteria into the damaged skin. Better, after the stinging cells have been removed, to wash the area with vinegar, which may soothe the pain, and get to hospital.
Have a lovely holiday!
The Blue-ringed Octopus, made famous in the James Bond film “Octopussy”, does in fact existA freshly-caught Weever fish needs careful handling! The Portuguese man-of-war Jellyfish, recognised by its balloon-like float
August provides us with the rare chance to observe a 'Blue Moon'. What is it and does the Moon actually turn blue? Read our Moon section to find out more. The most prominent constellations and asterisms (star patterns) to find this month will be…
In the northern skies
Bootes - towards the western horizon with its brightest 'alpha' star, Arcturus, shining brightly
Corona Borealis - forming a clear 'C' shape is a little higher in the sky
Hercules - further north again, where you can identify the rhombus shape of the 'Keystone' asterism.
In the southern skies
Cygnus - you will find 'The Swan' high in the sky towards the 'Zenith' (the highest point any astronomical object will reach in the sky)
The Summer Triangle - formed by the lead stars of three constellations: Denab, Altair and Vega. Denab marks the tail of Cygnus
The Teapot - a prominent asterism found near the brightest area of the summer Milky Way
There are a few binocular targets for you to find and observe this month. For example, the Andromeda Galaxy which can be found by using the 'W' of Cassiopeia as a pointer. Secondly, the Ring Nebula, or M57, is a planetary nebula which can be found a little south of the star Vega which is in the constellation of Lyra. For more detailed information on the positions of these objects you can download a free application such as 'SkySafari'.
Moon phases and observing focus for August
Full Moon phase - 1st August at 19h00
Last Quarter phase - 8th around 11h30
New Moon phase - 16th around 10h30
First Quarter phase - 24th just before 11h00
Full Moon phase (2) - 31st at 02h30
As the cycle of the phases of the moon lasts approximately one month, we typically experience 12 full moons each year. Many cultures have given distinct names to each month's full moon. 12 months, 12 full moons, 12 names. Simple right? The moon phases actually take 29.5 days to complete, which means it takes just 354 days to complete 12 lunar cycles. So every 2.5 years or so a 13th full moon is observed within a calendar year. This 13th full moon doesn't conform to the normal naming scheme and is referred to as the Blue Moon.
Planet activity this month
Mercury is very low in the west now and best on the 1st of the month.
Venus is a bright morning object at the moment and can be observed low in the east so long as you avoid the sun as it rises.
Mars has faded now as an evening object and is not easily seen.
Jupiter is a very bright morning planet this month and will be found rising earlier every day.
Saturn reaches 'opposition' - when its orbit brings it closest to the earth - on the 27th when the rings will appear to brighten.
Uranus and Neptune are both morning planets now and may be observed with a telescope.
This is one of the most impressive and most anticipated meteor showers of the year. The Perseids began in July but will reach a peak of activity around the 12th13th when hourly rates can be as high as 100. This year the Moon will be in a
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
waning phase just before New Moon so conditions for observing are very favourable. These meteors are debris from the Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle which is also known as The Great Comet of 1862. The Perseids can be bright, fast and often leave persistent trains. Given the lovely warm evenings, this month is a perfect time to arrange a star party with friends and spend a few hours spotting the Perseids. The shower will continue until around the 24th.
It is possible, with a simple DSLR camera fixed to a sturdy tripod, to create images of Meteor showers like the one seen here. Set your camera up to point towards the sky where the meteors will emanate from. Start with an ISO of 1600 to 3200 and adjust from there (take a few test shots to find out what works best for your location and for your particular camera). If you have Long Exposure Noise Reduction (LENR) enabled on your camera, switch this off… you are guaranteed to miss the best meteors while your camera is creating a noise reduction frame! You’ll also need to cover a fairly large part of the sky, so opt for a normal photographic lens with a focal length of 18-35mm if you’re using a nonfull-frame camera, or a focal length of 2850mm if you’re using a full-frame model. The lens needs to be opened fully so that it’s set at its lowest f/number: f/2.8 is good, f/2.0 excellent, but f/1.4 is close to perfect. It also needs to be pre-focused at infinity and have autofocus turned off. Take many images over as long a period as you can using an intervalometer, with an exposure time of around 30 seconds each. I have left my camera out all night at times, if no rain is forecast! Perhaps you will be lucky and capture multiple Perseids. Please do share your images in our Facebook group....
This is one of the most impressive and most anticipated meteor showers of the year
DISCOVER THE CELESTIAL WONDERS OF AUGUST IN FRANCE, AS ASTRONOMERS AND STARGAZERS MARVEL AT METEOR SHOWERS AND PLANETARY ALIGNMENTS
During this journey we will travel a mere 1.33 light-hours from Earth in our virtual space ship. We are making our trip on the 27th when the Planet Saturn is at 'opposition'. The view for us upclose will be so much more spectacular than it is from Earth. We can begin to see in detail the stunning rings of Saturn which measure 170,000 miles from one side to the other and are less than 1 mile thick. We
SpaceX's next astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA now has a target launch date.The flight, known as Crew-7, will lift off on 15th August if all goes according to plan, NASA officials announced on Wednesday (5th July).
Like SpaceX's previous astronaut missions, Crew-7 will employ the company's Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket. It will launch from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew for this mission will be mission specialist Konstantin Borisov, pilot Andreas Mogensen, commander Jasmin Moghbeli, and mission specialist Satoshi Furukawa.
will be careful to avoid the house sized chunks of ice which make up the rings as we fly by. You can see the three main rings now, the bright A and B rings and then the third dark C ring which we can almost see through. The 'small' gap you can see between the A and B rings is the 'Cassini' division and is in fact around 3000 miles. Many theories have been considered as to how these rings formed but one popular theory states that a large Titan sized satellite was ripped apart creating the icy rings as the pieces were pulled inwards and outwards. Should we return to visit the planet in billions of years time, we may not find any rings at all.
The day 'Saturday' was named after the planet Saturn. The rings of Saturn could reach almost all the way from Earth to the Moon!
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We will be careful to avoid the house sized chunks of ice which make up the rings as we fly byByKristian Jennings
The ceramic rope on the door of your wood-burner is considered a perishable item. Its purpose is simple; to create a seal between the door and the body of the stove which allows you, the stove user, to regulate the air entering the firebox for efficient combustion. Over time, stove ropes can fail to complete the task they are designed for and this can happen for a variety of reasons.
As a perishable item, stove rope can simply wear down and fall apart from use. This happens particularly quickly when the previous stove rope was not secured by heat resistant stove rope tape as the loose woven fibres fray and fall apart. Stove rope can also go hard and become ineffective. This can happen if the door seal has not been sufficiently tight for an extended period of time which allows the exhaust gases from the fire to collect and cool on the rope, hardening it in the process. A hard stove rope cannot compress and therefore cannot create a tight seal. Even stove rope in good condition can fail to perform. When the stove rope is fitted, it is perfectly cylindrical. After much time spent compressed against the body of the stove, the rope can flatten and then no longer creates the intended seal.
Knowing when to change your stove rope is a pretty simple task in most cases. Firstly, check your stove rope to see if it has frayed, if any part of it has fallen apart
or is even missing, and give it a squeeze to see if it’s still compressing or if it’s gone completely hard. So long as it passes the metrics above, you can now try this trick to know if your stove rope is doing its job. Take a strip of newspaper around a couple of inches wide, place it between the stove rope and stove body at various points around the seal and pull. If the paper slides out, the seal isn’t good enough. The most common question asked at this point is, “How do I know how hard to pull”? The answer; imagine you are using a bank note instead of newspaper, not one of the modern plastic ones but one of the old cotton fibre ones, you know, the ones that could rip (can you see where this is going yet?). If you would be concerned that a bank note in its place would tear, you’re pulling too hard. Anything less than this, if the paper stays in place, your rope is good and there is no need to change it yet. Do make sure you check multiple sites around the stove rope to make sure it’s a nice tight fit all the way around.
one thing you must look at before pulling the old rope off and replacing it. Take a moment to check if your stove allows for adjusting the door catch to tighten the seal. This adjustment feature is often found in stoves with door knob style handles and can be a simple solution to ensure a snug fit without the need to replace the stove rope.
If you would be concerned that a bank note in its place would tear, you’re pulling too hard
By conducting these checks and taking the necessary steps, you'll ensure your woodburner remains efficient and your home cosy throughout the log burning season. An annual inspection of your stove rope should be more than sufficient and we would recommend checking the condition of other parts of your stove, such as firebricks, baffle plates, and the fire grate alongside. This will give you plenty of time to get your stove back to tip-top condition before the cold weather returns this winter.
If your rope is in good condition, compresses well, and passes the paper trick, you needn’t do a thing. If your stove rope is tatty, hard, fallen apart, or even missing, it’s time to change it regardless. If, however, your stove rope passes on its condition but fails the paper test, there is
On that note, it may be 30+ degrees outside and winter is the last thing on anyone’s mind but do remember Chimney Sweeps’ calendars fill up extremely quickly this time of year in preparation for the winter months. Just a reminder that contacting your preferred Chimney Sweep sooner rather than later is a good idea to secure your slot and avoid disappointment in a few months' time.
Hello and welcome to August’s musings. I’ve nothing especially against August (for it contains my birthday, if anyone is interested) but it can be a bit of a pain. Often too hot to work comfortably, sometimes the places you want to take visitors to are shut because it’s the actual holidays, but mostly because, by the end of it, you know autumn is just around the corner. Like a policeman with a speed camera. Just waiting to take the fun away. Still, it does mean it’s then the countdown to Christmas and you know how much I love that. If you don’t, you soon will.
Well, I really should be sponsored by Starlink. The super fast - and I do mean super fast - satellite internet service has just reduced its monthly subscription to 40 euros. And, to add to the money saving, the price of the kit is now only 199 euros! Inflation? Times of austerity? Pah! Because I’m on the slightly boring side of dull, I’ve been keeping a track of all the LNBs I’ve replaced this year due to cracked rain covers allowing water ingress. Well, the results are interesting (spoiler: they’re really not). The vast majority, in fact 83%, are the LNBs which are specific to Sky minidishes. The stupid ones with the oval necks which don’t fit French dishes. As far as I can tell, they are simply not designed for the weather we experience in this part of the world. They are also stupid. So if you find an installer who wants to use a Sky minidish (they're the virtually black elliptical ones, full of holes), tell them no,
and ask them to use a proper satellite dish which will hold a 40mm neck universal LNB that’ll last longer than the ones that come with Sky dishes. Not sure if I mentioned it, but those ones are stupid. And rubbish.
Did you know that you can create a Freesat ‘favourites list’? This allows you to add your favourite channels into one list so you can access them without having to use the TV guide. To do this, press the ‘Home’ button on your remote control and go to ‘Settings’. Then select Freesat Channels and enter your PIN. Finally, choose Favourite Channels and simply select the channels you want to save. You can access this quickly by pressing the LIST button on your remote control.
Please remember that I no longer cover the same areas as I used to. I cover a 90 mins radius of 79240 (DeuxSèvres/Vendée border). Google Maps will help.
Because I’m on the slightly boring side of dull, I’ve been keeping a track of all the LNBs I’ve replaced this year
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