A canicule (the dog days), in French, is a period of time when the daytime and the night time temperatures are extremely high. We are having a canicule. That means that what few apricots that the sudden late frost left us are now ripening fast.
The tomatoes are growing at an amazing speed.
The first lavender is just opening its buds and I steal some of the stalks from the bees in the early morning.
I look up, lavender in hand to see a hot air balloon between our Ash trees and I wave. (A hot air balloon? Is it the heat?)
Pull up! Pull up! I hope you know where you are going!
I knew where I was going. The garden is too hot during the day so we may as well take advantage of living near the sea.
a french garden 
The beach looks great! I fear you are sending some of your heat here–we are threatened with 33 Celsius over the weekend. Today is a perfect sunny Seattle summer day. No tomatoes yet though 😦
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It was great pretending we were tourists. Amelia
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Over here in Grenoble it’s a question of getting some height on the subject. With temperatures soaring and staying high we make use of the mountains we are spoiled for. The sea must be so welcome for you! As ever your pictures are absolutely stunning. Tonight we have guests for a casual supper. There will be plenty of garden fresh produce on the table (just not our garden since we are presently in a flat) – the marketeers look almost guilty at the rude choice of ripe and luscious, crisp and juicy delights they have on offer!!
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It is good to have an escape route when the temperatures soar. Getting into the trees must soak up a lot of the heat. When the sun is really hot in the summer a parasol in the garden just does not work but sitting under a tree is fine. Amelia
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I remember reading once, many years ago that trees always feel cool because they are constantly transpiring so we benefit from the cool water that they are releasing into the air even though we will not feel it as dampness. I need to look it up again and absorb the knowledge a little more fully but I think that is the gist.
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That is how some cooling systems work. Ambient air is pumped through damp straw and it can drop the temperature about ten degrees.
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Oh I envy you the beach! We are so far from the sea and it has been roasting all week. The only possible relief is deep in the forest when I finally get out of work. Still the red currants are ripening! Stay cool.
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The breeze over the water acts as a natural cooling system but under the trees works well too especially if you have some wind. Amelia
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I have blackcurrants. Not a huge amount but I make up batches for making into blackcurrant sorbet when I need it. Amelia
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How lovely to be near a beach. Do you swim? Our canicule has come to an end and it is windy. I could do with a bit more lovely hot sun and hammock.
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I’ve always loved the water. I taught myself to swim when I was very young and was not put off by outside unheated pools or the sea in Scotland. I’m softer now but I love being in, on or under the water. Amelia
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Hi Amelia..It’s been hot hot hot here too, today (friday) we are cooler so I’m taking advantage of this to try to find the momentum to catch up on chores… oh how we wished we lived a bit nearer to the coast, but being in the midlands not so. Enjoy yourselves. Sue
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We did enjoy ourselves. As a child everything stopped and we went out when the weather was fine, I just cannot stay inside easily when it is sunny. Amelia
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Our horrible heat has given way to a stretch of unseasonably cool weather. There’s been enough rain that it’s actually feeling more like spring than most of spring did. The garden is loving it, but so are the gnats.
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We have been so dry that I have noticed the lack of mosquitoes at night time this year. Still I would put up with them now if we could get some more rain. At least your garden is contented with the rain. Amelia
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Canicule: Thank you for introducing me to a new word. We definitely have them here in NC.
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It’s a word you cannot escape here at the moment! Amelia
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A day at the seaside is what I could do with Amelia! Hot here too. We have had several days of ‘tropical nights’, as they call nights here where it doesn’t go below 20°C. Enjoy those apricots! 🙂
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The hot nights are my weakness. I find it difficult to get a good rest when the nights are hot. Luckily the house is old and it keeps cool if you close the shutters to the sun. Amelia
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It’s hot here too, but welcome after such a cold rainy spring.
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After all your snow and ice the heat must be very welcome now. Amelia
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Yes, but not the humidity.
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It was very hot here too but now cooler. Everything seems further on than last year, flowers and insects.
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Everything seems to be happening before I expect it. I have asters opening. I wonder what will be left in the garden for September. Amelia
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The only drawback to living in the midlands is that we cannot pop to the sea. Enjoy.😎
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The sea was one of the reasons we came here but sometimes you get so caught up in things that you can let important things pass. Amelia
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Those apricots look so delicious!
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We emptied the tree today which just gave us a bowl – not a big crop. The flavour was good but not as good as other years which I put down to the lack of water this year. Amelia
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You’re right Amelia the beach is the only place when it is as hot as it is now. Do you make ice cream with the lavender?
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I have never cooked using the lavender. K has been experimenting with an essential oil distillation apparatus I bought for him and he has made mint oil. I am collecting some lavender just as it breaks into flower to see if we can get any lavender oil. Amelia
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I think you need armfuls of the flowers to make pull don’t you?
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When we are making the oil we are talking of a very small quantity. The good thing is that you can dry the material so it is something we can do later in the year if the rain keeps us in (ha! ha!). It is just for the challenge but I do have quite a bit of lavender and I still leave some for the bees.
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Lovely photos, as always, Amelia!
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Thank you :). Amelia
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