The 2006 vegetable garden vs. now

A year ago, July 12, 2006, I took some pictures of the vegetable garden. As you can see, it was pretty far along. Big fat tomatoes, while still green, hung in large bunches off the tomato plants. The green and yellow summer squash plants were full of flowers, and we had already harvested some squashes of both colors. And the green bean plants were big, bushy, and covered in red blossoms.

12 July 2006 — lots o' tomatoes...

...and big healthy squash and bean plants

This July 12, in 2007, we have almost nothing, save weeds. The bean plants mostly didn't come up. I think the snails, slugs, and other pests ate the shoots as soon at they poked up out of the soil (mud would be a better term). The squash plants are still small and they are just getting ready to produce a couple of flowers. The tomato plants look good, and there are flowers and even some tiny little green tomatoes, but it will be weeks and weeks before we might be able, weather permitting, to eat a fresh garden tomato.

Yesterday it didn't rain. Let me repeat:

IT DID NOT RAIN! Il N'A PAS PLU !

How about that! I had a really nice walk with Callie out in the vineyard between four and five o'clock.

The road in the vineyard winding its way toward the house

We do have daisies (with bugs on them) in the garden...

...and some nasturtiums (called capucines in French).

Weather reports are saying that we should have a hot weekend. Le temps changera avec le changement de lune is the conventional wisdom around Saint-Aignan. There's a new moon on Saturday (which happens to be July 14th, Bastille Day) and the weather will change then. This is not the first time I've heard this talk of the weather changing on a full or new moon.

Walt and Callie working in the garden, 11 July 2007

If the weather does turn sunny and warm, we won't know how to act.

Callie on our walk: "You mean there's a car out here too?
You know I hate cars. I refuse to go near the ugly thing!"

If I don't post anything over the next few days, you'll know it's because I'm in shock. Heatstroke. Sunstroke. Out riding around in the car with the AC on. You get the picture.