Saint-Aignan in summer (25)

A year ago yesterday, our high temperature was 20C, which is 68F, and the morning low was 11C (52F). Those were fairly normal temperatures in the old climate. This morning, in the new climate, our outdoor temperature is 25ºC (77F) and yesterday our afternoon high was 34C (between 93 and 94F). It was about 92F up in the loft in the evening. Needless to say, we both slept downstairs again. (P.S. Walt just told me he went back upstairs at midnight to try to sleep up there, but had a miserable night.) I now have all the windows and doors open and a little cool morning air is flowing, with the help of two electric fans. MétéoFrance has issued a warning for strong thunderstorms in our region today.

I bet it's cooler inside the Château de Saint-Aignan, with its thick old walls, than it is in our house.

    
The basil and elephant bush plants in pots on our east-facing front deck are more tolerant of the heat than we are.

Saint-Aignan in summer (24)

Yesterday morning Walt noticed three tourterelles (doves) perched on a tree branch just off our front deck.
He said one was larger than the two others, so he figured one was an adult and the two smaller ones
were fledglings. I had my camera handy.

    
I started the summer thinking I have far too many succulents planted in pots. My intention was
to throw a lot of them in the compost. But with this summer's three torrid heat waves,
these turn out to be the right plants to be growing here now.

Today is supposed to be the hottest day of our current heat wave, with temperatures topping out at about 95F
here in Saint-Aignan and 100F south of here. It's good weather for refreshing salads. Above is one I made
recently with raw mushrooms, steamed green beans, chopped shallot and herbs, crumbled
feta cheese, and chopped pecans — all dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette.

Saint-Aignan in summer (23)

At the Saturday morning market in Saint-Aignan in 2010

     

    

Saint-Aignan in summer (22)

Here, above and below, are two pictures of the bridge in Saint-Aignan. I took the one above in June 2003 and the one below 13 years later — from approximately the same place, looking in the same direction. In 2003, the Cher was temporarily dammed because work was being done under the bridge. In 2016, we were experiencing the highest water levels in the Cher in about 20 years.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Above, the river walk on the left bank of the Cher at Saint-Aignan in June 2003,
and below, a longer view of it in June 2016 when the water was so high