In it went; out it will have to come
So now the tiller is in the car. It spent the night in there. We have to get it out this morning. We successfully loaded it in there the other day to haul it to the shop, so I guess we can get it out again. But we can't use it right now. The ground is just too soggy. Our heavy clay soil really soaks up moisture and holds onto it. It's too wet to
I spotted this three-inch monster crossing the road
yesterday. To get to the other side, of course.
yesterday. To get to the other side, of course.
One thing that can't be denied is the greenness that results from so much rain. We've had nearly 1½ inches of precipitation since Sunday. And it's supposed to continue today. It doesn't all fall at one, but it drips like some kind of water torture. On the news, an anchorman called this our October-in-June weather. Not only is it damp, but it's chilly. Down south on the Mediterranean coast and in Provence, they're having 50 to 60 m.p.h. winds.
The last time I could hang clothes out to dry was on June 1.
The sun is shining this morning, and I did laundry overnight. I don't dare hang it outside to dry. The outdoor clothesline hasn't gotten a lot of use this year — at least not yet. We can still hope for warm, sunny weather when summer finally arrives next week.
Headed out for a stroll
And guess what. Today is tax day. I'm finally getting a round to-it. The deadline for filing the French déclaration is tomorrow, June 14. And for filing the U.S. tax forms it's day after tomorrow, June 15. Americans who are out of the country on April 15 get an automatic two-month extension.
The male fern in my small garden here in Paris is greener, bigger and more luxuriant than I’ve ever seen it [or him?], and it’s more than sixty years old!
ReplyDeleteI can confirm that the wind has been blowing in Provence. And it's colder than normal. Both my girls wore sweaters to school this morning.
ReplyDeleteSame here Ken... damp and grey. I'm glad I fired up the boiler yesterday for our hot water supply, because it is so cold that the downstairs underfloor came on this morning... for the first time in three weeks!
ReplyDeleteAnd whilst the veg, etc are just standing still and shivering... the grass and weeds are growing like crazy. One of our friends here who runs a gardening business said he has had to mow for clients ten times already this year. His records go back ten years and the previous earliest he's ever had to mow ten times was the 20th of July.
Tim [on Pauline's machine]
Same here. The grass [or what paases for grass] romps away, other plants just huddle miserably and washing takes days to dry in the house.
ReplyDeleteAt least you're not stuck doing the tax forms while the sun is shining outdoors. As first timers we had to have ours done by the 31st of May.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteI can't help noticing that a little bit of the States is still with you after so long in France.
MPH, Feet and Inches, Farenheit.
My 91 year old Dad here still converts even though we are totally metric. Great to see some more good weather coming your way.
Leon
So soggy, but your photos still make it look beautiful. Even, almost, the one of the slug! Wishing you some sunshine.
ReplyDeleteHi Leon, I still specify measures in Fahrenheit, miles, inches, feet, etc., because I think most of my readers are American.
ReplyDeleteWe just had a downpour so heavy that our satellite TV went out. The rains continue.
I also have washing draped around the house. We have a tumble drier, but I object to using extra electric unless desperate!
ReplyDeleteThe grass is green and far too long, but cutting it this wet is out of the question. Maybe Thursday or Friday if the forecasters have got it right for a change! Diane
Diane, I'm like you, I have an electric clothes dryer, but I hate to use it. Luckily, I have a couple of clotheslines down in the utility room. Drying clothes takes a while, but it's free and I have the luxury of time!
ReplyDelete2 months extension for out -of the US citizens - now I understand why "June 15 deadline" has been popping up on some of the financial and business web sites since Monday.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the picture of the snail, I thought to myself "I know what they're having for dinner." But you didn't.
ReplyDeleteStarman, people in France eat snails (escargots) but not slugs (limaces) as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteHi Beaver. Yes, the 2-month extension applies to all U.S. taxpayers who are out of the country on April 15.
Ken, do you and Walt use an accountant in France and/or in the US to help prepare your taxes? Do you file electronically?
ReplyDeleteDean, our lives, including taxes, are pretty simple these days. We do our own taxes. And yes, we do file them electronically. It's easy in France.
ReplyDeleteThose poppies are breathtakingly gorgeous. And I do like your double-decker clothesline. Very sensible.
ReplyDelete