etcetera etcetera
Around 40 events with a wide range of musical genres, from baroque to jazz, opera to piano, at affordable prices
For more information, join us on Facebook! Resonances de Gartempe
www.resonancesdegartempe.fr
A Note from the Editors
CONTACT US:
Tel: 05 17 36 15 32
editors.etcetera@gmail.com www.etceteraonline.org 17 rue des Chaumettes 86290 St Léomer
etcetera magazine @etceterafrance
Last month, we felt certain we could put the waders away (for a few months at least), but it was not so! Will July treat us to some glorious sunny days?! Even if she doesn’t, there are still plenty of activities going on, so be sure to venture out and support the local festivities. And, of course, we have the Olympics to watch and enjoy on home turf this year.
15 SAMU (Medical)
17 Gendarmes (Police)
18 Pompiers (Fire and also trained in medical emergency)
112 European emergency not always English
114 Text-message emergency number for deaf/hard of hearing
119 Child abuse
115 Homeless
113 Drugs and alcohol 1616 Emergency- Sea & Lake
Postal Subscriber
Annual subscription France/EU only 55€ Card payment by telephone
Advertise
Commercial adverts: Please see our Media Pack at www.etceteraonline.org
What’s On/Listings: 12€ per 50 words for a guaranteed spot or free (space permitting)
Classified listing: 6€ per 25 words plus 3€ per photo
Property listing: 10€ per 50 words plus 6€ per photo
Code APE 5814Z Edition de Revues et Periodique Siret 80903463000016. La Présidente G. Feasey Registered. Le Bourg, 87360 Verneuil Moustiers. Impression: Rotimpres. Pol. Ind Casa Nova. Carrer Pla de l’Estany s/n. 17181 Aiguaviva (Girona) Espagne. etcetera est gratuit.
While we always do our best to ensure the content in this magazine is given in good faith and businesses are reputable, we accept no liability for any errors or omissions and do not endorse any companies, products or services. Articles written are the personal opinions of the original authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of etcetera magazine.
3131 Last incoming call, key ‘5’ to connect Orange English speaking helpline
0033 (0)9 69 36 39 00
Website in English: www.orange.com/en/home
Technical assistance for landlines (French): 3900 (+33 9 69 39 39 00 from abroad)
SFR 1023 or 00336 1000 1023 (Not English) EDF 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday. +33 (0)9 69 36 63 83 EDF Helpline in English 0033 562164908 (From UK)
E-mail: simpleenergywithedf@edf.fr
CPAM - 09 74 75 36 46
Veolia Water Emergency No: 24h/24 et 7j/7 05 61 80 09 02 (press 1 for urgent problems or 2 for a technician)
S.E.P Du Confolens (Water)
05 87 23 10 08 Emergency 24/7
Aéroport Int’l Limoges 05 55 43 30 30
SNCF (train times, buying tickets etc) 36 35
Credit Agricole English Speaking Helpline Charente (residents only) 05 45 20 49 60
Alcoholics Anonymous
For contact details of meetings in your area including those conducted in English, visit www.aafrance.net
SSAFA France 05 53 24 92 38 email france@ssafa.org.uk
download
HOSPITALS
05 55 05 55 55 Limoges (CHU)
05 55 43 50 00 St Junien
05 55 47 20 20 Bellac
05 49 44 44 44 Poitiers
05 45 24 40 40 Angoulême
05 49 32 79 79 Niort
05 45 84 40 00 Confolens
Bereavement Support Network
English speaking support group for guidance on coping with bereavement in France. Personal and practical advice. www.bsnvar.org
Women for Women in France offering support to foreign-born (non-French speaking) women dealing with domestic abuse www.womenforwomenfrance.org
Counselling In France Counsellors, psychotherapists, NLP, CBT etc offering therapy in English to expatriates all over France on www.counsellinginfrance.com
French Health Insurance Advice line
CPAM English speaking Advice line: 09 74 75 36 46 (from France) 0033 974 75 36 46 (from other countries). The line is open from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
NHS website : www.nhs.uk/using-thenhs/healthcare-abroad www.ameli.fr
No Panic France Helpline: No Panic UK helpline: 0044 1 952 590 545 11h - 23h (French time) 7/7 www.nopanic.org.uk /nopanicfrance@orange.fr
English-speaking Mental Health Line
SOS- HELP 01 46 21 46 46 3pm-11pm 7/7
British Consulate in Paris 01 44 51 31 00
British Consulate in Bordeaux 05 57 22 21 10 www.ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/
Gayle and Sam
EASTMIDLANDS
HOMEMADE & NATURAL
Peppermint and Lemon Gel Air Freshener
SHOP-BOUGHT AIR FRESHENERS CONTAIN A LOT OF HARSH CHEMICALS SO MAKE YOUR OWN NATURAL FRESHENERS WITH ESSENTIAL OILS
Making your own DIY gel air freshener gives you full control of the
Materials:
1/4 cup cold water
1 package gelatin (7 grams)
1/4 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon of vodka
Steps:
1. Add the cold water to a measuring cup. Sprinkle a packet of gelatin onto the water. Allow the gelatin to sit for 1 - 2 minutes and mix. Pour in the boiling water and stir well, ensuring the gelatin is dissolved. If the gelatin won't fully dissolve, add it to the microwave for 20 seconds at a time until it's dissolved.
2. Pour in the vodka and stir well.
3. Dip a toothpick or a skewer in the gel food colouring. Place the skewer in the gelatin mixture and stir until the
ingredients and you can customise the scent to your personal preference
Gel food colouring (or regular)
Essential oils (your choice)
120ml mason jar (1/2 cup size)
Frog lid - couvercle de grenouille de fleur (optional)
colour is well combined and you have your desired colour.
4. Add 10 to 20 drops of essential oil in the scent of your choosing. Stir well.
5. Pour into a jar and allow to set.
6. Pour the air freshener mix into a clean jar.
7. If using, add a frog lid (the criss-cross wire top) to the top of the mason jar and secure it in place .
8. Refrigerate the gel air freshener for 1 to 2 hours to set, or allow to set overnight at room temperature.
● Don’t store your DIY gel air freshener in the car or near a heat source, it will melt!
● Oil and water don’t mix, so the essential oil will naturally settle in a thin layer on the top of your gel air freshener.
● They should last for at least 3 weeks. The gel will slowly evaporate, sending the scent into the air all around the jar.
● Vodka (or you can use rubbing alcohol) helps to stop the growth of mould in your air freshener.
● If, after a couple weeks, the scent of the air freshener isn’t as strong as you’d like, you can simply add a few drops of essential oil to the top of it.
GENCAY(86) behind Mairie closedSundays&Mondays
Contact Andrea: 06 17 45 65 60 ateliernumero18@gmail.com
Rue de la Republique 86290 La Trimouille
The Olympic The Olympic
IT’S THE OLYMPIC YEAR - TIME FOR THE ELITE ATHLETES OF THE WORLD TO COMPETE AND CAPTIVATE AUDIENCES AROUND THE GLOBE
Athletic prowess has always been vital to the Human race. For most of our existence, it has meant that we could eat in peacetime by catching animals who had no desire to be caught; in war it could make the difference between life and death. However, it was quite a long time before athletics became a part of life itself. Then it split its importance between religious observance and sheer exuberance.
How Did It All Start?
The first organised athletic challenge seems to have been in Minoan Crete, that sad civilization that was forerunner to the Greek ideal, that flourished and perished with the eruption of the volcano on the island of Santorini (now Thera) in about 1600 BC. Here they developed a very dangerous, challenging sport called ‘Bull Jumping’. Young, very fit people would goad a bull (a big one – no messing about here) to charge at themselves. At the crucial split second they would grab the ends of its horns and spring upwards. The bull would react by tossing its head, which would propel the jumper high above the bull’s back. At this point, it was vital to let go of the horns (before the bull lowered its head again) and use the momentum, and
the jumper’s own agility, to turn gracefully in the air, come down feet first onto the bull’s back, then spring off into the steadying arms of a fellow jumper who had positioned himself behind the bull to catch his colleague. It required intense practice, split-second timing and total team confidence. Injuries were, not surprisingly, common. The procedure seems to have been very much a religious ceremony.
The Greeks Take a Hand
With the demise of the Minoan civilisation, there seems to have been a hiatus until the Greeks began to realise the attraction of organised games, and the sheer thrill and self pride to be had from competing successfully in sports and physical competitions. However, there was always a strong religious component to any such games.
funeral of his friend Patroclus. We are treated to accounts of intense (but very, very sporting) encounters between Greek heroes in chariot racing, boxing, running, archery, javelin throwing, etc.
The bull would react by tossing its head, which would propel the jumper high above the bull’s back
During the Odyssey, Odysseus visits the palace of the king of the Phaeacians, who puts on an impromptu Games to cheer up the somewhat gloomy hero. This contains racing, wrestling, and even discus throwing. Again, this is all conducted with the utmost good sportsmanship, until someone taunts Odysseus that he can’t be a sportsman with his build, and besides, why hasn’t he had a go? Odysseus picks up a quoit and throws it far beyond anybody else’s distance, and settles the matter.
Sport Goes Global
We first meet organised games in the works of Homer. In the Iliad, Achilles organises a huge Games to mark the
However, these are both essentially local events. The Greeks took their sport very seriously. Eventually there were four main sessions of games in the calendar: the Olympic Games, the Pythian Games, the Nemean Games, and the Isthmian Games, each Games founded by a different hero of
Left: Bull-jumpers displaying different stages of a leap, a fresco from Knossos, Crete. Centre: Part of a gymnasium. The young athletes perform exercises, often
Olympic Games Olympic Games
ByMikeGeorge
Greece, and named in honour of a different deity. In normal games, winners would receive prizes, not uncommonly a large tripod, presumably for cooking purposes. These were quite large – one vase illustration shows a well-built winner struggling to carry a tripod taller than himself! However, in the great games the winning competitors received no prize apart from a wreath of leaves to adorn their brows – wild olive in the Olympic Games, pine in the Isthmian, laurel in the Pythian, celery in the Nemean.
Over time, the Olympic Games became the most prestigious of the four games. Originally it had featured single-course racing; eventually it was to include double-
sporting mode on vases and jugs and other vessels. What usually surprises modern sports fans is that they are almost always depicted naked!
Well, yes, they were, because that is how they competed. The Greeks had no horror of their bodies. Sport was the expression of the perfection of a healthy body, and to hide it would have seemed to them insane. The word ‘Gymnasium’, which is where sportsmen went to train, is derived directly from the ancient Greek word, ‘Gumnos’, γυμνός, meaning naked, so a gymnasium was a place of nakedness.
Now, I can hear the sound of male eyes
Mike George is our regular contributor on wildlife and the countryside in France. He is a geologist and naturalist, living in the Jurassic area of the Charente
want a nude painting of your favourite sportsman wearing his jockstrap, would you?
It also seems to raise the question of where ladies fitted in this system. Well, hardly at all, is the answer. In Sparta, where physical fitness was a national obsession, women did compete in races, but very much single-sex events. The sexes were not encouraged to mix very freely in Sparta. Getting off with a girl was all part of a Sport was the expression
accompanied by pipe-music to impart rhythm, and practice sports. Right: A red-and-black amphora depicting four runners
who by virtue of her office acted as a judge of the games.
One important aspect of the games was the truce. The games were open to all competitors, but no personal or national antagonism was allowed. All such things must be laid aside. The contest was all that mattered. This was often hard to achieve, with the city state system and the antagonisms to which it gave rise, but, once you had entered the games, and especially in the stadium, good manners and good sportsmanship were paramount.
A bronze discus of the period, but with a javelinthrower engraved upon it.
The Discobolus (discusthrower) by the Greek sculptor Myron. A fleeting moment in the final swing of the discus throw is stunningly depicted
A wrestling-match in progress
a memory. The only games the Romans wanted to watch involved death, agony, the strong defeating the weak, and the whole thing changed. Apart from local events, like inter village football-type games, or games associated with warfare such as jousts and tourneys (which were for the aristocracy anyway), people just got on with their lives.
Then a strange thing occurred. The French, in the 19th century, began trying to recapture the Olympic ideal. This met with little success at first, but eventually,
(WARS) resolved to establish a class called
Did You Know…
● The four-year interval between the Ancient Games editions was named an “Olympiad”, and was used for dating purposes at the time: time was counted in Olympiads rather than years.
● In Modern Day, women competed for the first time at the 1900 Games in Paris. Of a total of 997 athletes, 22 women competed in five sports: tennis, sailing, croquet, equestrianism and golf.
● Paris 2024 is set to make Olympic history by achieving full gender parity on the field of play for the first time. There are equal numbers of women and male athletes competing this summer.
● There is no specific age limit for taking part in the Olympic Games. This depends on each International Sports Federation and the rules it lays down for its sport.
● American swimmer Michael Phelps is the most-decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 medals, 23 of which are gold and also was the first athlete to win 8 gold medals at a single games.
● In 1966, Shizo Kanakuri set a new record for the Olympic marathon. At Stockholm he completed the 26.2-mile course in an unbeatable 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds; having started in 1912. He had run several miles before passing a group of people having a very pleasant drink in their front garden. As he was suffering from chronic heat-exhaustion at the time he did the only sensible thing and tottered over to join them. Being a sociable sort of man, he stayed for a few more drinks whereupon he changed his race tactics dramatically, caught a train back to Stockholm, booked into a hotel for the night, boarded the next boat to Japan, got married, had six children and ten grandchildren, before returning to the villa where he had stopped and completing the marathon for the honour of Japan.
to feature only approved Aryan sportsmen,
William Penny Brookes at Wenlock Olympian Games - c1890. William Penny Brookes is standing beside the herald, with beard, umbrella and medals
Parlez Français
French conversation, vocabulary & traditions
Les Jeux Olympiques - Paris 2024
Les Jeux Olympiques auront lieu cette année en France et notamment à Paris : JO Paris 2024 est en bonne voie. Dans ce contexte, je vous invite à en apprendre un peu plus sur quelques détails historiques, d’actualités, de culture, de langue… sur les Jeux Olympiques.
The Olympic Games will take place this year in France and in particular in Paris: Paris 2024 is on the right track. In this context, I invite you to learn a little more about some historical details, current events, culture, language... about the Olympic Games.
La flamme olympique a déjà traversé une partie du monde et une grande partie de la France. Vous l’avez d’ailleurs peut-être aperçue près de chez vous ?
The Olympic flame has already crossed part of the world and a large part of France. You may have seen it near you?
Organisés en France du 26 juillet au 8 septembre 2024, les Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Paris accueilleront des milliers d’athlètes internationaux et des millions de spectateurs. Tous seront réunis en France autour d’une seule cause commune : l’amour du sport.
Organised in France from 26th July to 8th September 2024, the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris will welcome thousands of international athletes and millions of spectators. Everyone will be united in France around a single common cause: the love of sport.
Quel pays a inventé les JO ?
Which country invented the Olympics?
C’est dès les premiers siècles de la Grèce antique que les Jeux Olympiques ont eu lieu. C’était au début une manifestation religieuse et avec une fonction politique.
The Olympic Games were held in the first centuries of ancient Greece. At the beginning it was a religious event and with a political function.
Puis, des siècles plus tard, à l’initiative d’un Français (cocorico !), le Baron Pierre de Coubertin en 1896, que les premiers Jeux Olympiques internationaux ont été refondés. Ils se sont déroulés à Athènes.
C’étaient les 1ers
Jeux de l’ère moderne.
Then, centuries later, on the initiative of a Frenchman (cocorico !), Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1896, the first international Olympic Games were refounded. They took place in Athens. These were the 1st Games of the modern era.
française la langue officielle, en mémoire, notamment, de son fondateur, Pierre de Coubertin.
English, Greek or French or ...? French is defined as the official language of the Olympic Games. In the Olympic Charter, there is even an article, Article 17, which makes the French language the official language, in memory, in particular, of its founder, Pierre de Coubertin.
La langue française a été, pendant très longtemps, la seule langue officielle du Comité International Olympique (CIO).
The French language was, for a very long time, the only official language of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The French language was, for a very long time, the only official language of the International Olympic
En 1972, la langue anglaise a rejoint la langue française, selon l’article 23 de la Charte Olympique, qui indique que les langues officielles du CIO sont le français et l’anglais. Malgré tout, le français reste prédominant. In 1972, the English language joined the French language, according to Article 23 of the Olympic Charter, which states that the official languages of the IOC are French and English. Nevertheless, French remains predominant.
Qui est Pierre de Coubertin ? Who is Pierre de Coubertin?
Quelle est la langue officielle des Jeux Olympiques ?
What is the official language of the Olympic Games?
L’anglais, le grec ou le français ou … ? Le français est défini comme langue officielle des Jeux Olympiques. Dans la Charte Olympique, il y a même un article, l’article 17, qui fait de la langue
Le Baron Pierre de Coubertin est né le 1er janvier 1863 à Paris, il est mort le 2 septembre 1937 à Genève, en Suisse. Pierre de Coubertin est un historien et un pédagogue français qui est fortement influencé par la culture anglo-saxonne.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin was born on 1st January 1863 in Paris, and died on 2nd September 1937 in Geneva, Switzerland. Pierre de Coubertin is a
Il milite toute sa vie pour l’introduction du sport dans les établissements scolaires français
He campaigned all his life for the introduction of sport in French schools. He was, of course, the modern-day Olympic Games renovator and founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He was its President from 1896 to 1925.
Le saviez-vous ? C’est aussi Pierre de Coubertin qui dessine les anneaux olympiques.
Le CIO s’installe à Lausanne en Suisse en 1915, où vous pouvez encore trouver aujourd’hui un musée et une bibliothèque, créés par Pierre de Coubertin.
C’est aussi lui qui a créé les Jeux Olympiques d’Hiver. Les premiers se sont déroulés à Chamonix, en France en 1924.
Did you know? It was also Pierre de Coubertin who designed the Olympic rings.
The IOC moved to Lausanne, Switzerland in 1915, where you can still find a museum and library, created by Pierre de Coubertin.
also known for a large number of books that he wrote. The main theme is pedagogy, especially concerning sports practices, and also historical and political works.
Il a une vision très internationale du sport. Il cherche à relier les ligues sportives du monde entier entre elles. Il a une préférence pour les jeux sportifs anglais (football,
athlétisme, aviron et tennis) (petit cocorico pour les Britanniques !)
He has a very international vision of sport. He seeks to connect sports leagues around the world with each other. He has a preference for English sports games (football, athletics, rowing and tennis) (a little hoorah for the British!).
Bons Jeux Olympiques à tous, les sportifs, les spectateurs et les téléspectateurs !
Happy Olympic Games to all, athletes, spectators and television viewers!
Bon courage ! Et à bientôt ! Isabelle
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.
language/assistance
Qui a dessiné la flamme olympique 2024 ?
Who designed the 2024 Olympic flame?
La torche et le chaudron olympiques ont été imaginés par le designer français Mathieu Lehanneur. Leurs inspirations et signatures sont : la pureté de la forme, la teinte et le relief d’eau (effets d’ondes et de vagues).
The Olympic torch and cauldron were designed by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur. Their inspirations and signatures are: the purity of the form, the hue and the shape of water (wave and wave effects).
dans un acier entièrement fabriqué en France.
The French company ArcelorMittal has been chosen to produce the heart of the torches and the ring, in a golden colour, in steel entirely made in France.
Quelle est la devise des Jeux Olympiques en français ?
Baron Pierre de Coubertin said, "The important thing is to participate"
C’est l’entreprise française
ArcelorMittal qui a été choisie pour produire le cœur des torches et l’anneau, dans une couleur dorée,
What is the motto of the Olympic Games in French?
La devise est « Ciltius, altius, fortius », ce qui signifie en français « Plus vite, plus haut, plus fort ». En anglais, c’est « Faster, Higher, Stronger ». Pierre de Coubertin a ajouté le mot « ensemble » à la fin de la devise.
The motto is "Ciltius, altius, fortius", which means "Faster, higher, stronger" in English. In English, it is "Faster, Higher,
Stronger". Pierre de Coubertin added the word "together" to the end of the motto.
Quelle est la phrase de Pierre de Coubertin ?
What is Pierre de Coubertin's phrase?
Le 24 juillet 1908, dans un discours qu’il prononce sur les valeurs de l’olympisme, le Baron Pierre de Coubertin a dit : « L’important, c’est de participer. ».
On 24th July 1908, in a speech he gave on the values of Olympism, Baron Pierre de Coubertin said, "The important thing is to participate".
Cette phrase peut s’appliquer à beaucoup de domaines !
This phrase can be applied to many areas!
N’hésitons pas à la mettre en pratique !
Let's not hesitate to put it into practice!
FRENCH LESSONS
FRENCH
TIMBER!
On a warm afternoon - which took its time getting here – meandering thoughts uncoil. A memory floats into view of when we lived in North Wales and had a bespoke fireplace surround made for us by a local craftsman who specialised in oak from his own trees. It was, admittedly, somewhat utilitarian in appearance - it looked like a section of Stonehenge and took three guys to carry it in - but its rugged simplicity made an eyecatching addition to our room. Later, I asked the gentleman to make us a coffee table from the same wood and, predictably, it weighed a ton and would have deflected a bazooka shell. Resembling three railway sleepers bolted together with two more crossways underneath, it was a little light on aesthetics but compensated for this by being heavy on, well, being heavy. ‘Rustic’ just about covers it.
In 2015 we acquired a special export licence from the Ministry of Defence and brought our coffee table with us to France. Our farmhouse felt a more appropriate setting for such a sturdy item, at least until we replaced it with something more decorous. It occurred to me then that our oak leviathan would actually make an excellent garden bench. Fortified with extra Weetabix and a triple espresso, I manhandled it outside incurring just two sprained wrists and a hernia. It now stands in oaken permanence at the centre of what we wittily refer to as our ‘lawn’
(Google Maps prefers “Le pays des taupes”). Every year I slather the elephantine lump with varnish.
The coffee table/bench now sulks at the foot of a giant pine tree which our neighbour reckons to be 60 years old. Using a sophisticated combination of Pythagorean geometry and a bloke on YouTube, I calculated our tree’s height as 18 metres, a fact I noted well because it stands about the same distance from the house. It’s a beauty, its upward curved branches draped with dense carpets of needles. In the springtime clouds of pollen waft from its boughs and its elongated cones fly like shrapnel from under the tractor mower. Ivy festoons its gnarled trunk.
Brian White lives in south Indre with his wife, too many moles and not enough guitars
garden with a discordant screech, my app said ‘Ed Sheeran’.
Silence so enveloping can almost become a sound in itself and I am transcendently calm. Brace yourself, I’m going to throw in the word ‘insouciance’. Anyway, it's here on my bench that I sit now, renewing the strings on the oldest of my acoustic guitars. It occurs to me that the instrument across my lap brings an exotic third element to this serendipitous convergence of timber as ancient Welsh oak and elegant French spruce meet oriental rosewood. This guitar was handmade in Nagoya, Japan when the renowned Suzuki Violin Company was trying out a new direction. It’s a beautiful object in itself, a graceful cutaway design which, paired now with new strings, produces a deep, warm tone. It’s been my companion since I bought it new in 1983. My wife, who once owned her own florist shop in Manchester, has a passion for plants of all kinds so it’s inexcusable that I’m such a doofus in these matters. Where Mrs W can offer the botanical name in Latin if friends ask about a particular item in our garden, should they be misguided enough to approach me they can expect my standard response – “It’s a Greenimus Plantiflorum”. This usually derails any further enquiries. They have mostly learnt not to ask.
The air is heavy with the hum of industrious bees and the distant chug of farm machinery in the neighbouring field
This tree is one of nature’s tenement blocks. Red squirrels sprint about its natural stairwell while dozens of tiny birds take sanctuary in its dark recesses. The air is heavy with the hum of industrious bees and the distant chug of farm machinery in the neighbouring field. The symphony of call-and-response continues until the birds take their lunch around 13h30. A friend has an app on his phone which identifies each birdsong but it didn’t seem to function for me. When a nondescript bundle of feathers spluttered across the
At the far end of the moles’ playground there is an expanse of woodland, the precise extent of which was oddly vague when we bought the house, (on the deeds it was marked as “Here Be Dragons”). Actually, we are completely surrounded by towering trees which shield us from high winds and erupt into colour quite suddenly each year. My research has shown that many of them are made of wood. See? I’m getting the hang of this.
A deep love of nature and a passion for music are surely intertwined. Each requires a calm focus and both will flood the senses, banishing the world’s noxious clamour, if only for a while. So I tighten the new strings, tune up and try out a favourite bit as befits the moment. Because here on my coffee table in the pine’s generous shade, the opening arpeggios of George Harrison’s luminous song seem almost too perfect, even when I play them: “Here comes the sun, and I say / It's alright.”
Southern Cooking Simply Summer
Eric, a chef de cuisine of 20 years. Originally from Florida he is now based in the Limousin & caters all of France
SIMPLE FOODS, FEW INGREDIENTS, PERFECT FOR THIS SEASON’S MEALS
I
t seems summer has finally arrived or at least we are all hoping. This month we’re sticking to delicious simple foods, that are easy to prepare and offer some variety and flexibility to suit your needs.
The cutting methods are useful to learn and apply
Seafood, refreshing sauce, learning another method of cutting, and a crisp dessert. The cutting methods are useful to learn and apply on all the dishes you make. Hopefully there is something for everyone here.
Don’t forget to wash all necessary produce thoroughly. Always wash the cutting board between uses.
Chiffonade Basil
Chiffonade is a simple slicing technique meaning ‘ribbons’ in French. It is easy to chiffonade cut leafy greens to add colour and flavour to any dish.
Simply stack the leaves then roll them tightly, next slice them with a knife to the size you need. These delicate and beautiful ribbons are the perfect garnish for soups, salads, pizza, and more. You can also use this technique to produce strips of crepes or omelette. (Note - it doesn’t work well with irregular or small and narrow leaves such as coriander or parsley. Always make sure your board is clean and dry and your knife is sharp for the best results.
www.chefericleclere.com
Instagram.com/chef_eric_leclere
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch of basil
CUTTING TECHNIQUE
1. Pick cleaned and dried basil leaves from stem and place into even sized piles on clean cutting board. Stack leaves onto themselves 3-4 at a time.
2. Place stacks horizontally, stem to the left, and gently roll them forward to form a tube. Use an extra sharp knife so as to not bruise the basil. Work from tip to stem.
3. Slice into very thin slivers, trying to drag knife through instead of pushing to further avoid bruising.
simmering water just until skin starts peeling back. Remove and place tomatoes into ice-cold water for 5-10 min. Drain tomatoes, remove skins, and dice.
Warm butter over medium heat with bay leaf and thyme until butter melts completely. Remove herbs from now seasoned butter and add shallots until they begin to become translucent.
Add garlic and cook until the same translucency. Lower heat if necessary, you want to cook it, not burn it.
Add strained and diced tomatoes to pan, bringing as little juice from tomatoes to pan as possible. Gently push mix into itself, cooking for no more than 15 minutes depending on desired consistency.
Remove from heat and finish with chiffonade basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
*Refrigerate overnight for flavours to develop gently.
*Rewarm mix over low heat in pan and serve with crispy bread.
Maryland Style Crab Cakes
Maryland Style Crab Cakes are the ultimate when it comes to a great seafood meal. A classic cuisine made with lump crab meat and minimal filler. You enjoy the taste of crab with every bite. There are a few key steps to making the perfect crab cake. The first step is to use Lump crab meat. Lump crab meat will yield a crab cake that is meaty and delicious.
INGREDIENTS
(6 patties - depending on portion)
900 grams fresh crabmeat drained, flaked, and all cartilage removed
2 large eggs
1 brunoised shallot
2 pieces of roughly chopped garlic
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
2 tbsp mayonnaise
5 shakes of Tabasco
2 tsp of Espelette (piment d'Espelette)
¼ cup of panko breadcrumbs
2-3 sprigs of shaved scallions
2 tsp yuzu (or 1 tsp fresh lemon juice plus 1 tsp fresh lime juice)
2 tsp of fresh squeezed orange juice
Pinch of salt
METHOD
1. Combine all ingredients except yuzu into suitable, non-reactive bowl.
2. Mix until well incorporated and form into even and uniform patties. Pat dry with towel.
3. Place in preheated sauté pan with sunflower oil (as it has lower smoke point).
4. Cook around 2 minutes per side or until golden, brown, and delicious.
5. Finish with yuzu (or lemon and lime) and salt.
Delicious paired with fresh asparagus. Or a green salad and homemade coleslaw.
Citrus Tart
A crisp buttery crust with a smooth tangy lemon custard. That is all you need to recreate this utterly iconic French dessert: a Classic French Lemon Tart. A must to have in your baking repertoire as a host. This is a perfect dessert all year long. It’s bright and sunny, while still being versatile. A classic French Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron) does not traditionally feature a meringue top.
TART SHELL
The tart shell recipe was gifted to me from a lovely Welsh woman in exchange for a tip on bringing dough together more easily. The tip is to use a cheese grater to grate the refrigerated butter into the flour/sugar mix
INGREDIENTS (22.9 x 3.8 cm tart pan)
225 grams of unsalted butter (extra cold, grated)
350 grams of all-purpose flour
100 grams of cassonade
Pinch of salt
METHOD
1. In a nonmetallic mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Incorporate grated, extra cold butter into mix and start to bring together by hand.
2. As mixture starts to come together, roll onto large piece of parchment paper, and using the heel of your hand, push dough into itself until nice and tight.
3. Form into a ball, and start to flatten as even as possible to form crust. As it gets thinner, place another piece of parchment paper on top and flip over. Carefully peel the now top of parchment paper, so as to not tear crust. Replace parchment paper and
continue to work dough, repeating the flipping process for uniform results.
4. Place in pie pan, then evenly and gently push to sides. Prick the bottom of tart evenly with large-tined fork. Place parchment on top and line with pie weights.
5. Blind bake at 170 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. If using a gas oven, place on higher racks so the bottom doesn’t scorch. Cool on wire rack.
FILLING INGREDIENTS
(8-12 portion by choice)
Zest and juice from 1 small-medium lemon*
Zest and juice from 1 small-medium lime*
150 grams of cassonade
170 grams unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
*Use microplane or knife to create a fine zest, you want very thin strips
METHOD
6. In a suitably sized, preferably nonmetallic, heatproof mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Place this over a suitably sized pot, ¼ - 1/3 full of simmering water. Continue to mix until thermometer reaches 75 degrees Celsius. This may take upwards of 20 minutes, but be patient.
7. It is very important to maintain whisking so eggs don’t scramble while they are pasteurising. Once pasteurised at 75 degrees, carefully remove from heat and whisk in butter little by little. When whisking butter into mix, hold whisk almost horizontally and push into mix from front of bowl to back. This process pushes air into mix, giving airier texture.
8. Pour into shell/s and cool for 4-6 hours. Garnish with fresh berries and Chantilly, or lemon slices and mint to serve.
*Some recipes call for straining this mix, but I think the zest adds character as long as it’s fine enough. La Ferme des Hirondelles
Direct Sales
06 48 17 20 94 fermedeshirondelles16@gmail.com
Texel lamb - whole or half
Gascon noir porc - whole or half Hereford Beef and Veal - 10kg packs
Renewing Your Visitor Residence Permit on the ANEF Website
For foreign nationals residing in France, ensuring your stay remains legal and hassle-free involves renewing your residence permit on time.
The French government has streamlined the renewal process through the ANEF (Administration Numérique des Étrangers en France) website, providing a user-friendly and efficient digital platform. This article will guide you through the steps to renew your visitor carte de séjour on the ANEF website.
Understanding the Carte de Séjour "Visiteur”
The visitor carte de séjour is a residence permit issued to non-EU nationals who wish to stay in France for more than 90 days without working. It is typically valid for one year and must be renewed annually if you plan to extend your stay. To qualify, you must demonstrate sufficient financial means to support yourself and have comprehensive health insurance coverage.
Preparing for the Renewal
Before beginning the renewal process, gather all necessary documents. The required documents typically include:
● A copy of your passport, including all relevant pages (identity, validity, entry stamps).
● A copy of your existing carte de séjour or visa.
● Evidence that you have sufficient funds to support yourself, such as bank statements, proof of pension, or a letter of financial support.
● Proof of comprehensive health insurance coverage in France.
The visitor carte de séjour is a residence permit issued to non-EU nationals who wish to stay in France for more than 90 days without working
Who Can Use the ANEF Renewal Service?
Holders of a visitor residence permit can renew it on the ANEF website in two scenarios. If it is their first carte de séjour application, they must have a visitor long stay visa (VLS-TS) that was validated within three months of their arrival in France. If it is a renewal rather than a first application, they must already possess a valid visitor carte de séjour.
● Recent utility bills, rental contracts, or other official documents proving your residence in France.
● A recent e-photo.
● Depending on your specific situation, additional documents may be required, such as marriage certificates, birth certificates for dependents, etc.
Accessing the ANEF Website
To renew your carte de séjour, start by visiting the ANEF website. If this is your first time visiting the web page, you’ll need to create an account. However, when you validated your long stay visa online, you should have received an email with your ANEF log in details.
Find the section dedicated to the renewal of residence permits. This can typically be
SUPPORT LAUREN DODDS
ANGLO FRENCH HELP contact@anglofrenchhelp.com
found under "I would like to apply or renew my residence permit".
Completing the Renewal Application
Your personal details should already be filled in - ensure that all information matches the details on your existing carte de séjour or visa, and passport.
Scan and upload the required documents. The ANEF website will specify the acceptable file formats and sizes. Ensure that all documents are clear and legible.
Provide details and upload proof of your financial means and health insurance coverage. This step is crucial for demonstrating your ability to support yourself during your stay. Enter your e-photo code to upload your ID picture.
Carefully review your application to ensure all information is accurate and all required documents are attached. Once satisfied, submit your application.
Tracking Your Application
After submission, the ANEF website allows you to track the progress of your application. Log in to your account and navigate to the "Ongoing Applications" section to see updates.
Receiving Your New Carte de Séjour
Once your application is approved, you should receive a text message stating that your card is ready to be picked up at your local Préfecture. If you require an appointment to pick the card up, or if a timbre fiscal is required, it will be mentioned in the text. Be sure to carry your current carte de séjour and passport when collecting your new permit.
Conclusion
Renewing your visitor carte de séjour on the ANEF website is a straightforward process if you are well-prepared and follow the steps carefully. By leveraging the digital platform, you can ensure that your stay in France remains legal and stress-free, allowing you to enjoy all that this beautiful country has to offer. Remember to stay informed about any changes in the requirements and procedures to avoid any last-minute complications.
Motorbike Insurance
The good weather is finally approaching, so some of you might want to take your motorbikes on the road! First, make sure you fully understand how motorbike insurance works in France. Yes, it is different from the UK. To start with, we drive on the correct side of the road! Also, with Allianz, you can put your motorbike into garage mode if you choose not to use it in the winter, which drastically reduces the premium!
Who Is Insured and Where: With Allianz (not the case for every company, so check your contract!) it is the motorbike that is insured. This means anybody can ride it as long as they have a valid licence for motorbikes, permission from the owner, and are not a young rider. However, note that if someone else drives your car or rides your bike and crashes it, it is YOUR no claims discount that is affected, not theirs.
Finally, your motorbike insurance in France does not cover you to drive someone else’s bike in the UK! However, your motorbike is insured everywhere in Europe and beyond.
And we don’t need to know when you are going abroad, so no need to tell us!
It is a legal obligation to have a motorbike (or any motorised vehicle) insured even if you don’t use it
No Claims discount/Bonus malus: In France, you need to have 13 years without a claim to be entitled to a 50% discount, which is the maximum discount. If you have had 50% bonus for more than 3 years, you keep your maximum discount after a responsible accident (a little thank you for being so good for so long!). We can also use your car no claim bonus if you don’t have a no claim for your motorbike.
contract). With Allianz it is usually around 20% of the cost of the claim. Your excess is reduced by half after 2 years if you don’t have any claims
Fully comprehensive/Third party: Fully comprehensive is the same as in the UK, you and the motorbike are insured whether it is your fault or not. Third party means that your bike is not covered for an accident (only public liability) if it is your fault and it has different levels of cover. Some include fire and theft, some don’t. Check your contract.
It is a legal obligation to have a motorbike (or any motorised vehicle) insured even if you don’t use it. If someone steals it and kills someone, you are responsible, so you must insure it at least for public liability. If you are hit by an uninsured driver, you and your bike are covered under your insurance if you have fully comprehensive insurance. If you are third party only, your claim can be dealt with thanks to a special fund called “le fond de garantie automobile” (but this can take some time to process).
We accept no claims certificates from the UK. We also have protected bonuses. You need to have held at 50% for 3 years, and it is transferable if you change your insurance company.
Excess /Franchise: As with most insurance, you can choose to have or not have an excess (affects your premium). If the accident is not your fault and the third party is identified, you have no excess to pay. If your motorbike is stolen then you have an excess. The excess can be different depending on the claim (always check your
Isabelle Want 06 17 30 39 11 Email: isabelle.want @bh-assurances.fr
22 rue Jean Jaures.
16700 Ruffec
Tél:+33 (0)5 45 31 01 61
10 Bd du 8 mai 1945
16110 La Rochefoucauld
Tél:+33 (0)5 45 63 54 31
102 Avenue de la République
16260 Chasseneuil sur Bonnieure
Tél:+33(0)5 45 39 51 47
2 Avenue de la Gare
16270 Roumazieres-Loubert
Tél:+33(0)5 45 71 17 79
Breakdown cover/ Assistance 0 km ou 25 km: You can have breakdown cover (recovery of your vehicle up to 180€) from 0 km (from home) or from 25 km, meaning if you break down at only 5 km from your house, it is not covered (with Allianz). For the recovery, the motorbike is taken to the closest garage (not the one you want). If the repair takes less than 2 days, the insurance pays the hotel, otherwise, the insurance pays to take you home or where you were going with your motorbike. The insurance then pays for you to pick up your motorbike (only one person) once it is repaired.
Replacement vehicle: It does not exist with motorbikes, unlike cars
Equipment: The designated vehicle, including standard equipment such as helmets, CE-certified airbag vests, and gloves for the rider and passenger, are automatically covered under fully
comprehensive insurance in case of an accident. If you have third party insurance, you need to take out the equipment option. This also applies if you wish to have other equipment covered (cases, locks, etc). Note that the wheels are covered for theft (when stolen without the motorbike).
Claims /Sinistres: In case of an accident, make sure that you fill in an agreed statement of facts on a motor vehicle accident form (Constat in French). Always have one with you and don’t sign it if you disagree with it. I strongly advise that you pre-fill it with your personal and insurance details to make it easier when you have an accident (usually people are a bit stressed and panicky!). Also, always fill one in even if the other person involved tells you they want to handle this amicably or have no insurance. Do not trust people! And take pictures. We all have mobile phones with cameras.
organised by emergency services due to an accident).
Compensation for death or injury is decided by the French code of law and the amount is calculated according to the extent of injuries or loss. For example, the death of a father of 5 children will be better compensated than one of a 100-year-old without any family.
You might think you are an experienced motorbike rider, but French car drivers are (as my husband always says) reputably bad
Note that you will not get compensation for death or injury or for the motorbike if you took the vehicle without permission of the owner or if you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol before the accident. You will have to pay for the compensation and damages you have caused to others! So, don’t drink and drive! Basically, the insurance will not work!
Premiums: It is calculated taking lots of different facts into account (probably why it is done by computer): The model of the motorbike, price of replacement parts, engine size cm3, the date it was first on the road, nationwide statistics of theft, and what option you choose (third party, fully comprehensive, excess, etc.).
Putting it into garage mode: As I stated in the introduction, if you stop using the motorbike, we can downgrade the cover to garage mode only, which reduces the premium, which could be from 50€ per month to as low as 6€ per month. So, even if you think the premiums are a bit steep in France, think of when you are not using your vehicle.
There is an emergency helpline (they speak English) for breakdowns, accidents, etc. but make sure you have the number on you even if you are not using your motorbike as it includes repatriation and health cover abroad. Note that the breakdown fee will not be reimbursed if you do not phone them (unless it was
UK number plates: Under European law, you have 3 months to change your number plate to a French plate. With Allianz, we do insure UK plated cars and motorbikes, and we are lenient if it takes you more than 3 months to change it (when there is a good reason). However, note that if you go back to the UK on a UK plate with French insurance, you will get fined for not having insurance, as our system is not recognized in the UK by the automatic recognition plate system.
OK, motorbike insurance in France is on average more expensive than in the UK, but this is because we have more roads and less traffic, so more accidents! Motorbike accidents are always costly for insurance companies as they mostly involve injuries to the driver as well as damages to the motorbike, which means payment for injuries and death. You might think you are an experienced motorbike rider, but French car drivers are (as my husband always says) reputably bad and can drive until they die (no age limit for drivers in France and no test either to check if they are fit to drive). So please make sure you are properly insured and check the options on your contract.
As summer rolls into France, the holiday season kicks off for many, but for self-employed tradespeople, the summer months often mark the busiest time of the year. With increased demand for services, efficiently managing workloads becomes crucial to maintaining quality, meeting deadlines, and staying sane. Here are some strategies and tools to help you maximise efficiency during this peak season.
Effective Time Management
Time management is the cornerstone of efficiency. Create a detailed schedule including your projects, deadlines, and daily tasks. Use a planner or a digital calendar to map out your workdays and allocate specific times for each task. Break down larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Prioritise Tasks
Not all tasks are created equal. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritise tasks based on urgency and importance. This matrix helps you focus on what needs immediate attention (urgent and important), plan for tasks that are important but not urgent, delegate less critical tasks, and eliminate those that are neither urgent nor important. By prioritising effectively, you can complete necessary tasks on time without compromising quality.
Leverage Technology
There are numerous tools available to help streamline your work processes:
Maximising Efficiency During Peak Season: Strategies and Tools for Self-Employed Tradespeople
Project Management Tools: Apps like Trello and Asana allow you to track projects, set deadlines, and collaborate with team members or subcontractors. These tools provide a visual overview of your workload, helping you stay organised and on track.
Scheduling Software: Tools like Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook can be synchronised across devices, ensuring you never miss an appointment or deadline. For morespecialised needs, consider apps like Tradify, which are designed specifically for tradespeople.
Time-Tracking Apps: Use apps like Toggl or Harvest to monitor your time spent on each task. This can help you identify areas where you might be losing time and make adjustments to improve efficiency.
Efficient Communication
Clear and timely communication with clients and team members is essential during busy periods. Use communication tools like Slack or create group chats on WhatsApp for quick, organised conversations. For client interactions, maintain regular updates through emails or messaging apps like WhatsApp, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Outsource and Delegate
Consider hiring temporary help or outsourcing specific tasks when the workload becomes too heavy. Delegating administrative tasks such as bookkeeping, invoicing, or customer service to a virtual assistant can free up more of your time for core activities.
Optimise Workflows
Analyse your daily routines and look for
ways to streamline processes. This could mean organising your tools and materials more efficiently, adopting standardised procedures for common tasks, or investing in time-saving equipment. Small changes in your workflow can lead to significant time savings during a busy season.
Self-Care and Breaks
Efficiency isn't just about working harder but also working smarter. Ensure you take regular breaks to rest and recharge. Short breaks throughout the day can boost productivity and prevent burnout. Stay hydrated, eat well, and get enough sleep to maintain energy levels.
Maximising efficiency during peak season requires strategic planning, effective use of technology, and smart work practices. By implementing these strategies, selfemployed tradespeople can handle the increased demand without sacrificing
Diversify your Portfolio to Mitigate Risk against Declining Global
Markets
According to the World Bank, the global economy is set to have its worst fiveyear growth in 30 years. The global market growth forecast is predicted to be 2.4%, compared to last year’s 2.6%. That’s the third year in a row. Although growth for 2025 is expected to rise to around 2.7%, it is still 0.75% lower than the average rate of the 2010s. Chief economist and Senior vice president for the World Bank Group, Indermit Gill, says, “Without a major course correction, the 2020s will go down as a decade of wasted opportunity.” This leads us to wonder if there is anything we can do to bolster our investment portfolios against struggling markets to mitigate risk. Are there solutions to mitigate the risk to your financial portfolio?
Diversification is basically risk-proofing your investment portfolio as much as possible. It can reduce the risk of losses by spreading your assets over various areas to keep returns favourable over the long term.
Different asset classes. Spreading your assets over equities, bonds, cash, and alternatives.
Different sectors. Sectors react differently to market conditions, and by having investments in different sectors, you are spreading the risk if one sector performs poorly, e.g. financials, technology, energy, commodities etc.
Different regions. Different regions are affected by global economic events differently. Some regions might show a decline in economic activity, and others improve because of the decline.
Every professional needs a solid financial plan to save for retirement and to build wealth. An advisor guides a professional from a young professional, building wealth through middle age, retirement saving, and after retirement. What do we do?
Build a solid financial plan based on a client’s financial goals and needs.
Make adjustments to the financial plan as the client’s circumstances change, e.g. they marry and have children or inherit money.
Ensure a portfolio is as tax-efficient as possible. Global professionals these days have assets in multiple countries, and ensuring that these assets are in a taxefficient solution requires the expertise of an advisor.
Actively manage a portfolio to ensure maximum returns and reduce risk through diversification.
subheader
deVere France
Knowledgeable on international and global financial trends and laws.
Act as a watchman to guard against frivolous or impulsive investing on the client's behalf.
We do the work on your behalf, so you can have financial peace of mind and not worry about the future of your family security.
Using a financial advisor is the best way to ensure financial goals are achieved, and your family is financially secure. Chat with your advisor today to review your portfolio and ensure you are suitably diversified.
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.
deVere France S.a.r.l. are regulated by ANACOFI-CIF and ORIAS which will only recommend French regulated products.
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. INDEPENDENT
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
Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et Financier et L 512-6 et 512-7 du Code des Assurances. Registered name: deVere France S.a.r.l, registered company number RCS B 528949837, 29 Rue Taitbout, 75009, Paris, France. Gérant: Mr. Jason Trowles. Registered with ANACOFI-CIF (National Association of Financial Advisers). Registered number: E008176, association approved by the
brokers, Category B, registered with the Organisation for the Registration of Assurance Intermediaries (ORIAS). Registered number 12064640. Financial and
conforms to article L 541-3
Dénomination sociale: deVere France S.a.r.l, RCS B 528949837, 29 Rue Taitbout, 75009, Paris, France. Gérant: Mr. Jason Trowles. Registre avec ANACOFI-CIF (Association Nationale des Conseils Financiers). Nombre enregistré: E008176, association agréée par l’Autorité des Marchés Financiers. Courtier d’assurances ou de réassurance, Catégorie B, inscrit à l’Organisme pour le Registre des Intermédiaires en Assurance (ORIAS) numéro enregistré 12064640.
Support
“Grieving is the price we pay for love” - Queen Elizabeth II. Feeling like the rug is pulled from under you, like everything just stops and moving forward seems pointless and impossible. It can feel like life makes no sense anymore and that the void that was left can never be filled, that the excruciating pain will never pass.
Losing a loved one is also losing a way of life, of connections, of habits and routines, of a future, hopes, dreams and expectations. Coping with so much loss is very difficult and there is no handbook on how to do it right or how long it will take. There are, however, similarities in people’s grieving process and general stages that most people go through.
Renowned psychiatrist Colin Murray Parkes developed a model of grief that consists of four stages.
Keep asking and just listen, without offering solutions or trying to make them feel better
Stage 1 - Shock and numbness: during which acceptance of the loss seems impossible, emotions can be so strong that they are completely overwhelming and being unable to process all this, our defence is to go numb, like a form of denial.
Stage 2 - Yearning and searching: during this stage we try to fill the void that was left by our loved one, by looking for comfort in memories, pictures and holding on to shared habits and routines. We can get very preoccupied with the lost one.
individual process and by acknowledging this we can be more open to their needs. Reach out, but don’t push. Let the person who is grieving know that you are there whenever they need you or whenever they are ready to talk or spend time with you. Let them know that you are available to them however long it takes. During bereavement counselling I am often confronted with the fact that people feel that their social network seems to have moved on, that they assume that the grieving person has moved on too or at least should have by now. Their network stops asking how they are coping with the loss or how they feel (sometimes out of fear of upsetting the grieving friend or out of fear of reopening the wound). It leaves the grieving person wondering if they are wrong to still feel pain and sadness and it can result in them not processing these emotions and not being able to move on. They get stuck in the grieving process and feel isolated. It feels like the loved one they lost dies a second time, they aren’t mentioned or spoken about anymore, as if they are not important and don’t deserve attention or to be remembered and thought about anymore.
Originally from Belgium, Rafaël has run private practices in the UK and France, working with individuals or couples on a huge range of issues
rafael@a-therapy.com
t. 07 83 23 77 23 Advert on page 32
normal, and that it is totally ok to feel the way they do, whatever that is or however long it takes. So don’t try to stop them feeling grief, but instead help them feel through it. It is scary for them, and sometimes for us too to witness all that sadness and despair. When you are supporting someone who is going through this difficult time, just remember that it is maybe not the one crying and feeling all the pain, even for a prolonged period of time, that needs therapy, it is the one that doesn’t that might need some support to start or unblock the process. Only through feeling the loss is growth possible. Only by feeling all those difficult and scary emotions can we start rebuilding and balancing out again.
Keep asking and just listen, without offering solutions or trying to make them feel better, so they feel heard and understood. We can validate how they feel by telling them that how they feel is
It was Colin Murray Parkes who wrote (and whose words were later made famous by Queen Elizabeth II), “The pain of grief is just as much part of life as the joy of love, it is perhaps the price we pay for love, the cost of commitment.”
Grieving can be very hard work, it can be exhausting, but grieving is loving, in a very painful way, but loving nonetheless. WHOEVER HAS
Stage 3 - Despair and disorganisation: now the fact that the loved one is not returning becomes real. It feels impossible to see a future and that can make us angry and feel despair. Some withdraw from others in this stage to be in their pain and their world can become very small for a while.
Stage 4 - Reorganisation and recovery: during which hope of a possible recovery starts to grow again. It is important to realise that the sadness and longing for the person we lost will never disappear, but it will change and will become less painful over time. Now one can start to establish some new habits, routines, and normality on a daily basis. They reach out again and reconnect with others and the bigger world.
When supporting someone who is grieving it is important to remember that there is no right or wrong way to mourn. Whatever we learnt through our own experiences or in supporting someone before in their grieving process might not be the same or helpful for someone else. It is a very
ByRafaëlDupré
Dealing with Eczema
THIS SKIN CONDITION IS CHARACTERISED BY INTENSELY ITCHY SKIN, REDNESS, HEAT, AND INFLAMMATION
I
t is usually chronic which means that it’s not something which just appears for a few hours as a reaction (acute) and then goes, it persists and can cause a great deal of misery to people who suffer with it. The cause of eczema is still unknown but research uncovers more and more all the time about the pathways involved in the development of the disease and its progression. As a disease which often has its roots in childhood, eczema is not contagious and cannot pass from person to person.
When we think of how we treat eczema we think of thick creams to moisturise the skin, or medicated ointments that ‘kill the bad bacteria’ which may be causing the irritation. In the medical paradigm we aren’t really encouraged to think about the root cause of eczema, we are given the cream or lotion equivalent of a sticking plaster to cover up the wound. If eczema or skin irritation gets really bad, then we may even be given steroids which can provide much needed and instant relief but have long term consequences on the immune system.
surround yourself with. These are all factors that contribute to the health of your environment. The science of epigenetics is the most important to consider here; this is how your environment causes your genes to switch on or off. That’s what we want to work with in naturopathy.
So, what are the triggers of eczema?
Stress
Or it can be down to the environment which might well be chemicals in the home or products we use on our skin, but we also see the environment as being ‘you’
This is quite possibly the biggest trigger. The immune system is heavily impacted by stress, since stress depletes the body of essential nutrients for important processes like methylation, namely zinc, B12, and other B vitamins. This leaves less available to combat an
Amanda is a registered Naturopath and Nutritional Therapist, specialising in Nutrigenomics, the science of how your DNA is affected by your lifestyle and diet. She works with clients around the world from her Private Online Clinical Practice.
www.amandakingnd.com
Email:nutrition@amandakingnd.com
and bacteria - these are commensal. Malassezia is important in the right amounts on our skin, but when levels get too high, it becomes pathogenic meaning that it triggers disease like eczema. It can be responsible for other kinds of dermatitis and even dandruff. It has both an allergic and irritating effect.
Pollutants/Chemicals
It is generally thought that a loss of moisture or dehydration of the skin is a cause of eczema. Sometimes the blame can be laid at the door of environmental triggers, like pollutants or sensitivity to certain cosmetics or hygiene products like body wash.
In naturopathic medicine we look for the root cause; this can be down to mutations called SNPs (singular nucleotide polymorphisms) on genes. Or it can be down to the environment which might well be chemicals in the home or products we use on our skin, but we also see the environment as being ‘you’. What you eat, how you live, how you move, and who you
attack on the immune system. Stress causes inflammation too which certain individuals with genetic mutations on genes like IL6 or IFNG (you can check these and many more genes with my Metabolics DNA report) are much more prone to. Inflammation also causes a depletion in the neurotransmitter serotonin which may explain why people also feel low or down when they suffer with inflammatory diseases. They may also struggle to sleep well since serotonin is used to make the sleep hormone melatonin.
Yeast
An interesting line of enquiry, since research shows that a kind of commensal yeast called Malassezia is implicated in the progression of eczema. Commensal means working together or beneficial. Our bodies are more bacteria and yeasts than human cells, and many of them help us to feel, create nutrients, clear away wastes, and fight off pathogenic or unwanted yeasts
As a naturopath, I group body washes, shampoos, cosmetics, sprays, antibacterial hand washes, and everything you basically cannot eat that you put onto your skin into this category. In integrative oncology we encourage patients to avoid all of these products as they can be ‘oestrogenic’ meaning that they can make you produce too many cancer-causing hormones; they destroy good bacteria on the skin which you need for a healthy immune system and they put a heavy toxic burden on the skin. Avoiding the use of these products is not limited to those suffering from eczema or cancer. This is good advice across the board. If you couldn’t eat it then it shouldn’t be put on your skin. Before you jump for the coconut oil though as a natural moisturiser, if you do suffer with eczema then it’s worth being aware that the kinds of SCFA (short chain fatty acids) in coconut oil can actually feed certain kinds of yeasts. It’s best to seek advice from a health professional who is used to working with eczema/skin issues to get the right plan in place for you.
Other factors
▪ One study showed a very strong relationship between smoking and eczema.
▪ Men on average are more likely to develop eczema.
▪ Children who are in stressed households can develop it more.
▪ Formula feeding infants are more likely to get eczema
▪ Vaccinations and use of antibiotics increase the likelihood of eczema.
Addressing the root cause of eczema I cannot emphasise enough how important stress management is. A good sleep routine is essential for stress reduction. Also finding ways to enjoy your life and bring peace in; no matter how much there is to do, how many responsibilities or how stressful, mindfulness can really help. (Look at the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn for MBSR to use in any life situation.)
Certain supplements can help. Quercetin and turmeric for example are shown to be anti-inflammatory and research has demonstrated good results with these. Speak with your natural health provider about doses and if you can get tested for your methylation genes, in particular COMT, MAOA, and MAOB then ensure that you don’t have SNPs on these as both these supplements will decrease the activity on these genes and could potentially lead to more stress not less. The only way to be sure is to test. You can purchase your methylation report through my website if this interests you.
Of course there is going to be a need for medications where symptoms become intolerable and these definitely have their place and purpose
Avoid irritants and chemicals in your diet and lifestyle. Wash your organically grown vegetables and avoid chemically grown food wherever you can. Avoid inflammatory foods and eat plenty of healthy fats from eggs, animal protein, and healthy plant sources like avocados and olives. I believe you should avoid grains and vegetable oils as both are toxic to the gut and pro-inflammatory. Oily fish is particularly helpful for skin conditions and should be supplemented if you don’t/can’t eat oily fish 3/4 times a week. This is particularly important for children. Certain herbs can also be helpful. Chamomile infusions on the skin have been shown to have a calming effect on irritation and inflammation and could be helpful with less severe cases.
Of course there is going to be a need for medications where symptoms become intolerable and these definitely have their place and purpose. We have a lot to be grateful for with developments in medicine. However, this is great only in the short term. By addressing the root causes of eczema and working with a healthcare professional where appropriate, you could turn around the drivers and triggers of this debilitating disease and live a happier and symptomfree existence, hopefully medication- and irritation-free.
Bibliography
Allen, S.J. Jordan, S. Storey, M. et al. (2014). 'Probiotics in the prevention of eczema: a randomised controlled trial', Archives Of Disease In Childhood, 99 (11), pp. 1014–1019. [Online]. Available at: doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2013305799.
NIAMS (2022). Atopic Dermatitis. [Online]. November 2022. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Available at: https://www.niams.nih.gov/healthtopics/atopic-dermatitis.
Saunte, D.M.L. Gaitanis, G. & Hay, R.J. (2020). 'Malassezia-Associated Skin Diseases, the Use of Diagnostics and Treatment', Frontiers In Cellular And Infection Microbiology, 10.
[Online]. Available at: doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2020.00112.
Sørensen, J.A. Fisker, M.H. Agner, T. et al. (2016). 'Associations between lifestyle factors and hand eczema severity: are tobacco smoking, obesity and stress significantly linked to eczema severity?', Contact Dermatitis, 76 (3), pp. 138–145. [Online]. Available at: doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.12674.
Theelen, B. Cafarchia, C. Gaitanis, G. et al. (2018). 'Malassezia ecology, pathophysiology, and treatment', Medical Mycology, 56 (suppl_1), pp. S10–S25. [Online]. Available at: doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/mmy/myx134 (Accessed: 2 March 2021).
These articles are for information purposes only and do no constitute personal advice. For personal advice, reach out to your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions…
I USUALLY PICK A TOPICAL OR SEASONAL THEME FOR MY MONTHLY ARTICLE, BUT THIS MONTH I WILL BE HOPPING ABOUT ON A FEW DIFFERENT SUBJECTS INSPIRED BY SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I GET ASKED BY CUSTOMERS AT THE NURSERY
Last Saturday literally everyone who came asked me the same question, “How do you deal with slugs?” (as well as, “How are you coping with all the wet?”). There is never an easy answer to this one, I would never use traditional slug pellets –their impact on the wider environment is too risky – but other methods of control are a bit hit and miss and you will only ever be able to reduce the impact. In the garden, barriers are the most effective. If you have a woodburning stove, a good
layer of wood ash surrounding your vulnerable plants is effective, plus it adds nutrients to the soil and makes good use of a waste material. If you do not have a supply of wood ash, spent coffee grinds are good (they also add nitrogen to the soil), and crushed egg shells work well too (they add calcium to the soil) –the slugs and snails simply do not like to
Le jardin créatif
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
I would never use traditional slug pellets – their impact on the wider environment is too risky
cross these materials and therefore they are a good deterrent. You will need to top them up from time to time after heavy rain. The other alternative is to go out at night with a torch and pick them off manually. In the daytime check under plant pots and other hiding places (you can create a trap by placing a plank of wood on the soil to tempt them to
hide under there so you can find them easily). The problem then is what to do with them all! If you have chickens they make a tasty snack for them, otherwise there are several other ways to ‘dispose’ of them. The kindest is to take them into the countryside and release them but you need to go a fair way (apparently, they can travel at 1 km per hour and have a tendency to return to the same hiding place) so you need to confuse them. I have heard of many other gruesome ways to dispose of them, but I am not going to recommend any of them here!
Another way to keep populations down in your garden is to encourage wildlife that prey on slugs naturally. Birds, frogs, and glow worm larvae prey on slugs so leaving areas of your garden wild, planting a diverse range of shrubs, trees and perennials, avoiding intense mowing/strimming, creating habitats, and totally avoiding the use of chemicals will help to build a population of beneficial wildlife. (I will go into this in more detail next month).
embrace slugs and snails because they do play a beneficial role in devouring rotting vegetation, for me it is costly when they have destroyed a whole batch of young plants overnight. I recently tried putting out beer traps on the benches where they appear to be most active; so far they have failed to lure any slugs or snails and I am a little worried that my cats will discover it and get themselves tipsy!
At the moment I have to go on slug patrol every day and physically remove them to try and limit the damage
In the polytunnel it is more difficult for me to use any of the preventative methods. At the moment I have to go on slug patrol every day and physically remove them to try and limit the damage that they cause. Although the media are encouraging us to
The next most common question that I have is “Why have you got eggshells hanging in your trees?” This question goes hand in hand with another common question “What is wrong with my peach tree? The leaves are all distorted and puckered?” A few years ago we were told by a French man that if you hang washed eggshells in your peach tree it will prevent the fungal disease ‘Peach Leaf Curl’, a disease that causes discoloration and puckering of the leaves which greatly reduces productivity, stunts growth, and will eventually lead to the decline of the tree. While I can think of no scientific reason why this would work (and can find no conclusive research on the subject) we just had to give it a go. We have done this for 3 years now, hanging the eggshells in net bags in all of our stone fruit trees (refreshing them each year) and we have had no sign of Peach Leaf Curl.
However, this could simply be that there are no spores of this disease in the vicinity. Fungal diseases are spread by airborne spores and are often ‘host specific’ i.e. they only affect certain groups of plants (tomato/potato blight is another example). Sometimes trees are already infected when you buy them because they have been raised in close proximity to other peach trees and the disease can quickly spread through a crop. The problem with fungal diseases is that you tend to only see the symptoms long after the infection has spread throughout the tree. Once infected it is hard to control (there are no fungicides that are safe to use on edible crops) so prevention is the only way. It is wise to clear up all fallen leaves and either burn them or take them to the déchetterie, and plant your trees where they will get good airflow (damp,
Mulch your trees well to add nutrients and prevent water stress at the roots
still conditions encourage fungal diseases). Mulch your trees well to add nutrients and prevent water stress at the roots (if the root zone is dry when there is dew or rain on the leaves it creates conditions where the disease will thrive). Prune out any dead, damaged or diseased wood to keep your tree healthy and vigorous and try the eggshells!
Another question is, “Can I use manure to fill my raised beds?” The answer is yes, but, never use fresh manure anywhere in the garden, it must be well rotted – for at least 6 months until there are no signs of straw and it is dark and smells pleasant - and you should mix it with good quality topsoil, using no more than 25% manure to 75% topsoil to fill raised beds. Fresh manure or 100% pure manure is too strong to grow plants in, it is too astringent for the roots.
If you have any questions that you would like me to advise on in future articles send us an email at: lejardincreatif87@gmail.com (remember to check your spam/junk mail if you don’t get a reply).
Or come along to the nursery on a Saturday where we are always happy to answer your questions. OPEN every Saturday 10h00 - 16h00 during the growing season
Summer Gardens
JULY IS HERE, AND I HOPE IT IS MORE SEASONAL THAN SOME OF THE MONTHS WE’VE EXPERIENCED SO FAR THIS YEAR! BUT WITH HEAT AND SCORCHING SUN, HOLIDAYS AND VISITORS, DIFFERENT ISSUES ARISE AS MOST OF THOSE THINGS DON’T MIX WELL WITH PLANTS!
Some plants, when exposed to the sun and a dry atmosphere, will succumb to mites. These are frequently tiny 'red spider mites' that bite the leaves and stems of your plants and weaken them. To reduce the possibility of them coming, increase the humidity level around plants by spraying water on and under the foliage twice a day. Another approach is to treat with black soap diluted to 10% in water. In some areas or parts of your garden it may be necessary to protect plants during the hottest part of the day. Anything is possible as long as the plants are sheltered
and don’t 'burn'. There are lots of optionsawnings, shade sails, perforated nets that allow air to pass through, or simple parasols.
It may be necessary to protect plants during the hottest part of the day
In the potager, heat can also be a problem so shade can be welcome for certain crops. Lettuce goes to seed very quickly and gives leaves that are tough making them inedible. Radishes experiencing a lack of water and excess heat will be hollow and prickly.
Watercress and spinach don’t like these conditions and will go to seed very quickly. One way to prevent some of this damage is
ByRonnieOgier
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!
to plant these crops between rows or at the base of other taller and protective crops such as beans or tomatoes. And as if the heat wasn’t enough to deal with at this time of year, plants will need regular watering which is very time-consuming and also uses another valuable resource. This makes the storage of water all year round more important than ever!
There are ways of using less water while still watering your garden. One is microirrigation, another is the use of oyas. I’ll talk about both approaches here.
Micro-irrigation systems first appeared in the early sixties, offering optimal distribution of water under low pressure
directly to the foot of the plants. This has the advantage of being able to be planned in cycles, according to the weather and the plants you are watering. There are several micro-irrigation systems, although drip irrigation is the best known and most widely used, especially in domestic gardens.
The drippers operate at a pressure of 1 bar. Each dripper is attached independently along the entire length of a pipe with a diameter of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. With one or more holes allowing the water to flow, the dripper can be selected or adjusted, depending on the model, to the right flow rate for each plant.
For larger areas it’s also possible to use microsprinklers, micro-diffusers or micro-sprayers. They can be fixed on a stake and diffuse water over 40 cm by rotating the cap with an adjustable flow rate.
However, there are a few drawbacks to installing a micro-irrigation system:
The cost can be prohibitive when it comes to irrigating a large plot, but in a mediumsized garden or on a balcony or terrace it is possible to get quite affordable kits that will pay for themselves fairly quickly.
The drip system needs to be checked quite often because some drippers can become clogged, especially by ants or soil debris. Leaks and breaks are not impossible, especially after the strimmer has passed!
An oya supplies water directly to the roots of the plants offering the same advantages as a microirrigation system
Finally, there are micro-porous pipes which are perforated with a multitude of small holes from which water flows at low pressure along the entire length.
Benefits of micro-irrigation:
This controlled watering technique provides 25% to 40% water savings compared with other ways of watering. Micro-irrigation can be linked to a timer, making it possible to water overnight.
Evaporation is less, especially when the system is activated at the end of the day. It also prevents many fungal diseases that are spread by watering the foliage.
Plants that are not stressed by lack of water are more vigorous and less susceptible to pests.
Plant roots are the main beneficiaries of this system.
There are far fewer weeds, which avoids competition for cultivated plants and tedious and time-consuming weeding.
Oyas, (or Ollas), pronounced ‘oy-ya’, the other system I mentioned, are an ancestral and very effective watering technique. An oya supplies water directly to the roots of the plants offering the same advantages as a micro-irrigation system. It’s ecological, economical and has only advantages.
The term oya comes from the Spanish word meaning 'pot’. The oya is a microporous terracotta container, most often in the shape of a jar. It has an opening at the top with a lid. It is buried at the foot of a plant or a small group of plants, then filled with water and closed. Only the neck of the jar will protrude slightly from the ground in order to refill. Its porous constitution allows water to escape gently and directly to the roots of the plants, thus ensuring targeted and highly effective watering. The plant only gets what it really needs and is no longer under water stress. It’s also possible to put diluted plant food in the oya when you refill it. Another benefit is saving the energy you usually spend watering several times a week because the oya is only filled on average once a week!
There are several different sizes of oyas so they can provide water for all kinds and sizes of plants, from geraniums in a planter to an olive tree in the ground. It is only the size which differs. Oyas can be found in roughly 3 sizes:
0.30 litres for small plants or pots.
1.5 litres for isolated plants.
5 litres or 10 litres for shrubs or trees, or even for the vegetable garden.
It is possible to make your own oya using a large porous clay pot with a plant saucer placed on the top. Remember you will need to cement over the watering hole in the bottom, and do use a tall narrow pot to give the volume of water you need.
I have discovered some oyas which have a small loop of wire protruding through the top; below this the wire stretches to the bottom of the oya with a cork pushed onto the wire at the bottom. This system tells you when the oya needs refilling – when the oya is full of water the cork floats on the water and the wire shows through the top, and as the water is used so the cork disappears into the oya until the loop is the only thing showing. This tells you to refill!! Easy! Another practical benefit is that when you go on holiday the oyas will ensure your plants get some water for a week to 10 days. This watering technique has many advantages:
It saves significant water and reduces watering work to an absolute minimum. It ensures that the water is diffused at depth, the soil is not wet on the surface and so the 'weeds' do not germinate, which reduces the work of weeding.
The roots draw the amount of water they need. Their growth is never stalled since they are no longer subject to water shock, provided you remember to refill the oya! Food, or rather drink, for thought!
Alan Schofield EI
The Night Sky
WELCOME TO OUR JULY SKIES, WHICH WILL DEFINITELY BE SHORTER, BUT WILL OFFER THE CHANCE TO SIT OUTSIDE DURING SOME WARM
BALMY EVENINGS AND ENJOY A FEW SPECIAL SIGHTS.
The 'star' of the show this month, if you will excuse the term, is almost certainly the beautiful conjunction on the 30th and 31st. Read on to find out everything you need to know about observing this scene.
The Perseid meteor shower begins to be active from around the 17th, but read on to find out about all the meteor activity news. A few details about summer constellations can also be found below.
Constellations of The Month Auriga, or 'The Charioteer' - looking towards the northern horizon, you can begin to see the rise of this constellation. The bright alpha star of Capella will begin to point the way to this summer constellation. It will improve its position throughout the rest of July rising higher in the east every night. Within this constellation lie the open star clusters of M36, M37, and M38. With good, wide angle binoculars it is possible to view these three bright objects together in the same field of view. Wait until later in the month when the constellation is much higher in the sky to find these clusters.
Pegasus, or 'The Winged Horse' - found in a quiet area of the sky and offering the asterism formed by four stars, in a regular pattern, named 'The Square of Pegasus'. This seventh largest constellation is home to the globular cluster M15 which is 33,600 light years from Earth. Good binoculars or a telescope can be used to observe this deep sky object.
tail of the swan, and the North America Nebula, which could be observed with good binoculars or a telescope.
Noctilucent Clouds or NLCs
NLCs are Earth’s highest clouds. They float at the edge of space more than 80 km above the planet’s surface. The clouds are very cold and filled with tiny ice crystals. When sunbeams hit those crystals, they glow electric-blue. July is normally a good time to look out for these clouds. The chances of seeing them increase the further north you are, although they have been spotted in many southern parts of France during very active years. 2019, for example, was one very good year for viewing in France.
Meteor Showers for JulyCapricornus & Aquarius and a little bit of the Perseids
Claire Wardlaw, originally from Edinburgh, lives in the Charente with her husband. Since their move to France, Claire has become passionate about astronomy
When sunbeams hit those crystals, they glow electric-blue
We can look forward to a little more meteor activity this month with two annual minor showers. First up is the Capricornids which are active from 3rd July into mid-August. These meteors are associated with the Comet 169P/NEAT and will be found emanating from an area close to the south eastern horizon. With a peak rate of 5 meteors per hour you will have to keep your eyes peeled! The Aquarids can be found in the same region of the sky from the 12th of the month, with a peak rate of around 25 per hour on the 30th. The Perseids shower will begin on the 17th and will offer a brighter, busier show.... particularly in August!
better positioned all the time this month and can be seen rising in the east in the early hours of the morning. Saturn can be seen after midnight close to a waxing gibbous Moon on the 24th/25th. With a telescope it may be possible to observe Uranus and Neptune in the early hours of the morning. On the 15th Uranus will be in conjunction with Mars.
Moon Phases and observing tipsNew Moon Phase - 5th at around 00h00 First Quarter - 13th just before 00h00 Full Moon Phase - 21st just after 11h00 Last Quarter Phase - around 04h00
On the 17th this month, take a look due south at around 23h00. It will be possible, with clear skies, to observe or even photograph an 11-day-old Moon very close to the bright star Antares. This is the Alpha star in the constellation of Scorpius and it will help direct you to one of the brightest areas of the Milky Way.
Astronomy Jargon Buster: Dwarf Planet
Cygnus, or 'The Swan' - this stunning and easy to identify constellation can be found flying through the brightest region of the Milky Way and close to the dark rift known as the 'Cygnus Rift'. The Swan's head is marked by the star Albireo or Beta Cygni. With a telescope it should be possible to see that Albireo is in fact a double star grouping made up with a golden giant star and a blue dwarf. Other notable objects within this constellation are the bright star Denab, which forms the
Planets for this month
Mars is a morning planet at present and will be seen close to Jupiter in the east on the mornings of the 1st & 2nd and then on the 30th & 31st. This planet will form part of a very pretty display at the end of the month with a crescent Moon and the Pleiades. In the early morning (around 05h00) of the 30th and 31st the Moon can be seen passing the Pleiades, Mars, and then Jupiter. It will be fairly light by then so not easy to spot! Jupiter is becoming
The 'Dwarf' planet Ceres will be well positioned for observation with a telescope this month as it seems to pass through the asterism known as 'The Teapot'. This can be located just towards the left of Scorpius on the southern horizon just after dark. But what is a 'Dwarf' planet? Our Sun is circled by many objects which are smaller than our eight main planets. The International Astronomical Union decided that as a celestial body these criteria would be used to identify an object as a Dwarf Planet: if it orbits the sun, has enough mass to assume a nearly round shape, and has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit and is not a moon. Dwarf planets must have an absolute magnitude brighter than +1. This means that its diameter will be greater than 838 kilometres (521 miles). As a result, our Solar System now has 8 Planets and 5 Dwarf Planets. Ceres has a diameter of 940 km and with its nearly spherical shape it was promoted from asteroid to Dwarf Planet. Happy Stargazing!
The Bee Orchid, Ophrys apifera, a relatively common European wild orchid, attracting the attention of a Marbled White butterfly Melanargia galathea
The Delicate World of the Orchid
FRANCE IS HOME TO A DIVERSE ARRAY OF WILD ORCHIDS, ENCHANTING BOTANISTS AND NATURE ENTHUSIASTS ALIKE WITH THEIR UNIQUE BEAUTY
This has been, so far, a good year for orchids. I have seen Early Purple Orchids and Pyramid Orchids this May, together with Early Spider Orchids and even a Man Orchid, all in the same garden. Soon we shall be seeing Bee Orchids and Lizard Orchids in bloom. In England, plant experts would be beating a path to my friend’s garden to admire and photograph these rarities, but for her, it is nothing unusual. There are places in our corner of France where orchids thrive.
In this temperate zone, orchids grow as we expect flowering plants to grow – out of the ground, with a stem and a flower at the top. However, orchids inhabit nearly every zone of the world except the arctic zones, and in more challenging places orchids are renowned for hanging upside down in the trees of the forests, with their flowers often dangling down and their roots buried in the tree’s bark. In other places they cling to rocks with no apparent access to the sort of nutrients they should need.
Is It a Parasite?
the orchid’s roots are simply clinging on to the bark to keep the plant in place. It does not share the tree’s circulation. The orchid is simply growing in an environment that suits it, where it can collect the moisture and sunlight it needs, and can attract pollinators and distribute its seeds, more easily than it could on the gloomy forest floor. Don’t forget, almost all adult orchids have green stems and leaves, and can use the process of photosynthesis to make their own sugars from the gases they respire and the sun that shines on them.
Getting a Helping Hand
Orchids start life from one of the tiniest seeds known
This has often led to the assumption that these delicate plants are in fact parasites, either of the tree they hang from, or of something hidden under the rock they are clinging to. Is this how all orchids survive?
Any orchid grower will tell you that this is rubbish. If an orchid has its roots in the bark of a tree high above ground, it is not doing what, for example, mistletoe does, which is to penetrate its roots into the sap channels of the host tree and syphon off part of the tree’s nutrient supply. Instead,
I say ‘adult orchids’ deliberately, because orchids start life from one of the tiniest seeds known. There is not much nutritional value in an orchid seed, so the embryonic plants must get the sugars they need to grow from somewhere else, and they actually get them from fungi. These fungi collect sugars by breaking down decaying vegetation, and they do it for their own use (as fungi cannot photosynthesize), and the orchid somehow ‘persuades’ the fungi to share their supply of sugar with it until the orchid has grown large enough to be able to photosynthesize on its own behalf. Then it will ‘repay’ the fungi with sugars it has made. And, believe it or not, this is actually what happens. Thus, both fungi and plant benefit. It is a symbiotic relationship.
Or nearly always. Recently it has been found that one huge orchid, Erythrorchis altissima, uses this trick with the fungi it encounters in the tree up which it intends
ByMikeGeorge
Mike George is our regular contributor on wildlife and the countryside in France. He is a geologist and naturalist, living in the Jurassic area of the Charente
to grow, who are gaining sugars from that tree, but then the orchid pulls out of the agreement, never develops the ability to photosynthesize (as its name suggests, it is pink in colour, not green) and freeloads on the hapless fungi, and thus indirectly on the tree itself. This is true parasitism. However, the orchid is very rare, and is the only one so far known that pulls this trick.
The Odd Ways of Orchids
However, the orchids have some other curious habits which might seem rather
The Lady's Slipper Orchid Cypripedium calceolus is one of the rarest European orchids
The Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis, a fairly widespread orchid that flowers in late summer
A Fly Orchid Ophrys
The Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum hircinum is more common in France than in England. It flowers in summer, and the flower-spike can grow to one metre
A close view of the flower of the Man Orchid Aceras anthropophorum showing the more usual brownish colouration
underhand. Even English and French orchids! I refer to their reproductive habits.
Most orchids, like other flowering plants, rely on attractive colours and/or perfumes to attract pollinators to collect nectar and transfer pollen in return. However, the orchids have a curious flower form. Instead of being radially symmetrical they are bilaterally symmetrical, which means that the two sides of the flower are mirror
images of each other. This enables some of them to create very imaginatively-shaped and coloured flowers, to the extent that they can mimic something else completely. Most of these are named for what the humans that look at them think they resemble, but in a few cases, they can fool other creatures into taking an excessive interest in them.
Now no one is suggesting that a lizard would be taken in by a Lizard Orchid. In
point of fact, botanists do not yet know quite why a lizard orchid has that shape, nor even exactly which insect pollinates it, but they suspect members of the miner bee fraternity. Similarly, no human would be taken in by a Man Orchid. It is pollinated by sawflies and beetles, which probably accounts for its reliance on an unpleasant perfume.
Sex Rears Its Ugly Head
Some orchids, instead of using nectar, pander to the sexual needs of their pollinators by supplying them with the basic chemicals for making their own sexattractant perfumes, by trapping liquid and gas – and even crystalline –component chemicals among the flower’s hairs. Others actually themselves make
Others actually themselves make perfumes similar to the sex pheromones of their favoured pollinators
perfumes similar to the sex pheromones of their favoured pollinators to call them to the flower. But some go the whole hog. The Bee Orchid has a flower that has evolved to look like a large bee, with a brown abdomen and greenish thorax and wings. It is quite uncanny, and apparently the plant also mimics the sex pheromones of the bee. The result is that a male bee will actually try to mate with the flower. I’m not talking honey bees here, but big fellows, such as the Carpenter Bee. I have
A cluster of wild orchids growing on a tree in Indonesia. They are not parasitising the tree in any way, just seeking light and a good temperature. European orchids rarely behave in this way.
The Naked Man Orchid is a variant of the moderately scarce Man Orchid Aceras anthropophorum. Less brown in colour, and tends to be equipped with a very slight dangling tag on the lip (hence the name!)
An Orobanche, or broom-rape, flower, imitating an orchid. It is incapable of making its own food, and therefore must parasitise other plants that can
watched Carpenter Bees mating (everyone should have a hobby!) and it is a fairly violent process. The male clasps the female quite tightly, and the two fly around in tandem, constituting quite a formidable missile in the garden, as they are not concentrating on accurate flying. Now suppose the female will not fly (since it is a flower, not a bee). The male will try to mate with it, and try to pull it up into flight. Eventually the flower will be torn apart, but as long as the male is covered in pollen, the destruction of the flower doesn’t matter to the plant. The male bee can transfer his load of pollen to the next flower he decides to mate with, and the job is done.
the Early Spider Orchid, though I have a feeling, having seen the flower, that that orchid is after bees, too.
So, in direct counter to my rather ethereal title to this piece, the orchids as a race are inventive, robust, tricky and can give as good as they get. Not a species to trifle with!
Is It an Orchid?
symmetry as an orchid flower does. The stem of the flower spike is thick and somewhat hairy.
The giveaway is that the plant has no green leaves, or indeed any green about it at all. Such leaves as it has are vestigial brown scales. Even the stem of the flower spike is lacking in green. In fact this plant has no chlorophyll at all, since it derives all its nutrition from other plants. It is a pure parasite.
With only very rare exceptions, all orchids have chlorophyll, and even if the flowers are impossibly colourful, the leaves and stems are green.
The mystery plant is called Broomrape or Orobanche. Despite its English name, it does not target Broom alone, but preys on a wide variety of plants. The commonest, the Lesser Broomrape (Orobanche minor), prefers clover and related species. The plant lives entirely underground, sending up a flowering body simply to produce seed. These flowers appear between May and August.
When a seed falls, it waits until a biochemical signal indicates that the root of a target species has grown nearby. It then sends out a fine root to penetrate that other root and thus begins to draw on its nutrients. This of course has a detrimental effect on the parasitized plant, causing its growth to be stunted and possibly preventing flowering and seeding. Certain broomrapes can, therefore, be harmful to crops. One species targets sunflowers, others favour the Solanaceae (tomatoes, potatoes etc.).
There is not a lot you can do about it, apart from cutting off the flower heads to prevent seeding, which is why they are not so often seen in constantly mown lawns. They seem, however, to survive the fauchage process, as they are often seen in roadside verges.
They do occur in southern England, but are rare further north. They require a degree of warmth. So it is in more southerly to tropical regions that they can be a real pest.
When a seed falls, it waits until a biochemical signal indicates that the root of a target species has grown nearby
There are a number of orchids that seem to use this technique – the Butterfly Orchid, the Fly Orchid, even just possibly
Wasp nest in a tree. Constructed entirely of chewed wood-fibre, forming a sort of paper. Note the typical grey-striped texture
There is a plant that is easily mistaken for an orchid that is parasitic. It looks like a small brownish-red orchid, in that it consists of a conical pyramid of flowers, and these flowers are rather like pea flowers with the top petal long and the lower petals clustered, showing a bilateral
However, humankind often finds a benefit from adversity, and the people of Apulia, in southern Italy, have found that a species of Broomrape that parasitizes the Fava Bean plant is in itself worth eating, and is known to them as sporchia. They treat it like asparagus; boil it in water until the water turns brown, throw that away and reboil in freshwater, then drain, cool, and serve with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and fresh mint. They say it has sweetness with a bitter tang. In a sort of poetic justice, they also serve it with crushed fava beans! Personally, I would not care to try it!
getting connected
STUART WALLACE
THE FRENCH HOUSE
Oh my, it’s all kicking off. By the time you read this, the UK will have a Labour government and France… well, I’m not sure it bears thinking about at this stage. But I think if your politics sit anywhere on the left, you may be disappointed. Still, could be worse. We could be American. They’ll get a convicted felon or sleepy Joe. Anyway, how the devil are you? Keeping well I hope and embracing what must now surely be summer. So, without further ado, let’s step away from the lectern, not make promises we know we have no intention of keeping, and turn off the GB News channel. That last one should be a rule every day though. Not just for July….
As the summer arrives (assuming it does), the chances are that the trees are in full leaf. It is quite common for this to result in a reduced satellite signal, or worse still, none at all. It’s amazing how fast some grow and begin to impact on the reception of a satellite dish. Remember that your dish needs a clear line of sight. It may have been clear last year, but is it still OK now? If it’s not, you have two options: trim the tree or move the dish.
Worth mentioning again, but if you have a Sky HD receiver and stop paying your Sky subscription, then it’ll still work for the free-to-air channels (BBC, ITV etc). There is no need to change to something like a Freesat box. The only time you might want to do this is if you wish to retain the ability to record. Whilst this is free via Freesat, to record using a Sky+ HD receiver you need to have an active subscription package.
Worth mentioning again, but if you have a Sky HD receiver and stop paying your Sky subscription, then it’ll still work for the free-to-air channels
Freesat is not the same as Freeview. Please do not confuse the two. Only Freesat is compatible with a satellite dish.
As I write this, the Starlink satellite internet system is priced at only 349€. The monthly subscription is 40€ per month. Not a bad deal. For those who need fast internet but don’t yet have fibre but know it’s coming, you can also rent Starlink for 50€ per month (40 for the subscription plus 10 for the rental) and not pay the equipment cost. It’s a rolling one month contract.
I offer free & friendly advice so please don’t hesitate to contact me
No need to head to your local distribution point, join our ever-growing list of postal subscribers and we’ll arrange for your magazine to be delivered
Annual Subscription FR/EU only 55€
Roofing / Renovations
● Wood and pellet boilers
● Air conditioning
● Solar panels
● Wood or pellet burning stoves
● Air source heat pumps
● Radiators
● Solar hot water systems
● Thermodynamic water heaters
● English speaking ● Free energy assessment of your home
● Government grants deducted directly from quotations
● Assurance Décennale, (10-year Guarantee)
