July 12, 2013
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summer pleasures/ a decisive help.
9 juillet 2013
Plaisirs de l' été
Summer pleasuresEnglish version below the pictures or after the French text.
En lisant ce qui a été fait Vendredi , Samedi et Dimanche dernier( après-midi ) vous comprendrez pourquoi cette entrée est assez courte . En effet en ce début de semaine cela continue à un train d'enfer : 250 m de haie à tailler , 400 mètres-carré de pelouse à tondre soud s une soleil de plonb. Quelques fois je me dis que je serais mieux dans un petit appartement dans uun gratte-ciel culminant au dessus des nuages .Voici quelques photos :
At reading below what has been done , last Friday, Saturday and in the afternoon of Sunday you will understand why this entry is rather short . Indeed in ther beginning of this week this work continues like hell : 250 meters of hedges (at least) , 400 square meters of lawn to mow under a burning sun . Sometimes I tell myself I would be better in a small flat in a skyscaper above the clouds.
Cueillette de cerises . Picking the cherries
Our granddaughter Manon on a small stepladder
Notr petite-fille Manon sur un petit escabeau
In the cherry tree : a delight!
Dans le cerisier : un délice
Les photos ci-dessous sont une démonstration de taille de haie en grimpant sur un grand escabeau historique(1970) désarticulé mais de ce fait restant bien en équilibre sur un sol inégal avec creux et bosses . Il suffit de trouver une bonne position pour ajuster .Photo 1: la grimpe commence 2) l' ajustement final 3) la taille commence .
3
The three photos above are a demonstration of trimming the high hedge in using a big historic stepladder from 1970 , disarticulated , but having by this way a good adaptation to a land with dips and swells
. You have only to adjust the position of your body to keep the balance...and go, my comrade!
Photo1: the climbing starts photo2: adjust at the top 3) the trimming starts , quiet!Et Samedi soir nous avons mangé dehors pour la première fois depuis deux ans : un barbecue préparé par Janine et Manon . Elles se sont bien débrouillées et ont su affronter la fumée . Agréable ce petit souper dehors . mais savez - vous quoi ? Après la sueur de l'effort on endure un pull et une veste ! ( pas de cravate cependant )
And Saturday night we ate out for the first time in two years: a barbecue prepared by Janine and Manon. They managed well and were able to deal with the smoke. This pleasant little supper outside. but you know what? After the sweat of effort a sweater and a jacket were needed ( without tie, however! )
I stop here to go to the hedges!!
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I keep you informed I just donate today 48 dollars to relaunching xanga and this is to add to the 25 dollars paid last April 2013 for Premium ( so 73 dollars in three months) . I was not sure of what to do but I want to keep my xangafriends
____________Up date July 12 2013
Une aide décisive
a decisive helpA la mi-Juillet la haie était vraiment trop poussée et c'étair dur à couper . Pour des raisons diverses, j' avais trop attendu. Mardi dernier ma fille Carole ( la duchesse ) et son Chevalier Thierry nous téléphonaient pour nous proposer leur aide . Je dis "nous" parce que Janine travaillait autant que moi à ramasser tiges et feuilles coupées et à les transporter sur un tas avec le brouette.. Et le mercredi ils vinrent et le soir tout était fini : haies et pelouses . Un grand merci à eux deus et aussi à Manon qui a aidé de son mieux .
Manon learning to use the lawnlmower with Carole
Manon apprenant à utiliser la tondeuse à gazon avec Carole 10 Juillet 2013
Thierry is starting to cut an elder tree in the hedge
Thierry se prépare à couper un sureau dans le haie
Sureau coupé
Elder tree cut.
ramassage de feuilles (carole et Manon sur la photo prise par Janine comme la plupart de cette entrée
Picking stems and leaves cut ( Carole and Manon on the picture taken by Janine as most of the photos of this entry)At the mid-July the hedges had really grown too much and it was hard to trim . For various reasons I had waited too long to do the job. Last Tuesday I got a call from my oldest daughter Carole ( the duchess) and her knight Thierry . They proposed to help us . I say "us" because Janine worked as much as me to pick the stems and leaves cut and carry them with a wheelbarrow to a pile . And on Wednesday they came and at night all was done : hedges and lawns. A big thanks to them and also to Manon who helped too.
Au total le travail demanda six jours ( excepté le Dimanche matin) et le septème jours on se reposa
At the total the work spread on 6 days( except Sunday morning) and the seventh day we took a rest.
Comments (62)
Talk about having fun, after a hard day of working....Thanks for sharing your pictures.....
:sunny: 
Be careful on those ladders!
Wow, trimming the hedges sure does look to be quite a chore, and somewhat dangerous, but your efforts are rewareded with a delicious barbeque, I am sure! What will you do with the cherries you picked? Cherry pie, perhaps?Love the pictures! Best wishes to you, Janine and Manon!
Wow! I didn't know that cherry trees got that big! You must have a ton of the delicious fruits! Perhaps you could make some cherry wine!Be careful on that ladder, Michel! Maybe you should get one that isn't so "historic!" :giggle:
That is a whole lot of work! How much land do you have and i don't understand meters-only in acres or square ft... I can't imagine it cooling off in the evening. Here in Western Kentucky about 700 miles from the east coast it is very hot and humid even at night during the summer months. We have been very lucky this summer. It's just starting to get into the 90's and a lot of humidity. It does wonders for the hair! lol
That looks like a great time!
answer to a_thousandmiles: I used an unit converter on Google and I found 250 square meters = 0,1 acre and 250 meters = 820 feet
Hurray for Xanga 2.0Hurray for Michel!Hurray for barbeques! Three huzzahs!Huzzah!Huzzah!Huzzah!
I love BBQing but since it is so dry here we aren't able to at this time.
Oh, fresh cherries, Yum!!! Looks like you got a lot done and were rewarded for it. Manon is a beautiful young lady. Your outdoor meal looks like fun. Thanks for sharing your great pictures.Hugs and smiles, Char
Be careful on that ladder!
You will be such an expert trimmer that you should come over and help Wil deal with all the trees we have down that have to be cut, piled and burned after they dry out.
Oh, delicious barbecue!And my Slovak grandparents have sour cherry trees. I can't wait to pick them soon!
Dear Michel! Looks like that was a good balance of work and fun! BBQ and eating outdoors seem to make any food taste yummy! I love cherries and just bought some from the farmer's market. When I eat fruits, veggies and nuts, I do think about the people who grew them and cared for them and picked them. I appreciate their work. I usually just eat cherries like I eat grapes...but now I am thinking of a cherry pie or cobbler! HUGS!!!
I am waiting for the secrets of the Clafoutis....Show time for Michel's circus act: Michel on the cherry tree. 2) Michel cutting the hedge. Manon learning to do the circus act climbing the cherry tree. Test passed.Janine passed the test as a photograph too, but that we already knew...and as barbecue cook and fire lady.An apartment close to the clouds would not fit you, I think.AmitiéCarlo
With you, I sure wonder what is going to happen to Xanga! Don't work too hard on those hedges ~
You are amazing! I don't know that I would be brave enough to be up there to trim those hedges. The cherry trees are beautiful! Do you have problems with birds eating the cherries?
Mornin Glorie...what a wonderful site the cherry tree is, full of fruit looking like rubys :goodjob: also I noticed that Manons boots match the cherries, she is such a beautiful young woman, it has been such a pleasure watching your grandchildren grow in maturity and numbers :yes: I'm glad you pledged, I did also, I prefer to be positive about the future of xanga :sunny: Now be careful on the ladder, I don't think I could stand on the top of a ladder and trim hedges at the same time...I get a since of falling even holding tight with both hands :rolleyes: ilym :heartbeat:
you make me hungry
Manon sure has grown and become so beautifully grown up. As for the food and eating arrangements, fantastic. Itoo, paid the 48 becausenthis xanga has been home for so long and when I try other places, i just am not as happy there.
J'espère que ce ne sera pas de l'argent jeté au feu. Je ne les trouve pas très reconnaissants envers ceux qui sont là depuis quasiment toujours. Ils ont fait sauter les indicateurs "True" et "Life". Je ne vois pas ce qui pressait à cet égard, si ce n'est qu'ils voudraient s'enlever cette responsabilité de reconnaissance. Pas très net, tout cela (à mon avis, qui ne vaut que ce qu'il vaut).Ce qui n'est pas le cas des travaux sur la propriété. Là on sent qu'on sait où l'on va. Ici ce sont les hommes qui s'occupent du barbecue. Ils y tiennent mordicus pour une raison que j'ignore. Le résultat n'est pas toujours à l'avenant.
You are working so hard trimming the hedges. I hope that Xanga continues.
Great pictures! I understand what you mean about so much work. I did a square foot garden this year so there was a lot to do since everything was new. Plus, I am painting the house... the inside. We have 100+F degree days now in Texas so it's too hot to be outside as much and my garden is starting to show signs of heat exhuastion! Again, thanks for posting the pictures! Blessings, kc
Ah wine and Pringles. What a generational meal! LOL
Les joies du plein été :heartbeat:Bravos pour la récolte et le très grand gazon tondu!Magnifiques images!Amitiés estivales :sunny:
I hope that Xanga will be saved, as I will very much miss your blogs. You are the most active 80 year old that I know I hope you are getting the lovely weather that we are having here in France now, so that there will be many more BBQ's for the family
Answer to englishjuls Yes, Julie, we had a splendid time with a burning sun until today.. Fortunately I got help yesterday to finish trimming the large hedge and mowing the lawn. Today, Thursday, the weather has changed and the sky is gray
I would love to have the high hedges all around my house. I would have a secret garden then. I was suppose to have a lifetime membership in Xanga...and also paid for the URL for 2 years. I don't know how to transfer it so I guess it will be lost. I'm tired of paying and then getting things pulled out from under me. I will, somehow stay in touch with you and the few friends that are still here. Most of my friends have moved on. :sunny:
Answer to the TheSunnyC . I wonder what you do with all those trees that are down in your property . You will be able to provide your fireplace( or your bread oven ) with wood this next winter and the the others .
What a lovely post dear Michel. Beautiful and awesome pictures of you in the cherry tree, on the old ladder and sitting outside to have dinner in your sweater and jacket! What a country gentleman you are. Beautiful post.
Michel, I have been following your Xanga for years now, and love it! If Xanga does not relaunch, and you are journaling on another site, please let me know! My name is Michelle Myers and my email is michelle.myers83@yahoo.com I would feel so sad if I did not get my "fix" of Michel and Janine!Thank you,Michelle Myers
It looks like it was a productive day! I personally can’t abide being on ladders, I would not want the job of trimming the hedge. RYC, I will have to look into the “cherry time” song and the related history (have not had a chance yet).
will you be coming with us to Xanga 2.0? I'll miss your bum and sweet mug if you don't!
Michel, I lik my XP, but guess by 2014, will have a new computer as techie says mine on way out and can only update and add to so much. I like IE and have removed the google chrome as my homepage, but google chrome still is installed on computer. Have a new security system as my CASecurity System was cause 'big-time' problems. Will see how this fix and clean-up will work. I still get updates for the XP, but that probably will soon end. Found out this a.m. that a few things missing, so had to hunt around to find them and get them back to working. I'm not technical and so all of this becomes very difficult/frustrating for me. I guess I don't like thinking outside the box. lol, lol. Weather temps have cooled a bit, but by next week we'll be back to about 88-90 degrees. But that is better than 100F plus ! Veggie garden not doing very well. Cabbage , onions, dill, basil doing fine, but tomatoes a real dissapointment as well as eggplants. But there is still time for that to change. Just want the weather to stablize as all theses changes have made my arthritic knees really hurt a lot, then my 2 curvatures in the spin decided to join in too. This getting older is really hard work, but one must push on and forward and here I thought I was retired. Now you and Janine have a wonderful weekend with family/friends on xanga. Haven't heard what the situation is on that. Yes, I'm on FB because that is the only way to keep in touch with family members as they usually don't write letters, email or use the phone. FB has given me a lot of grief. Now you two take care............love Marilyn
So wonderful to have the family come to help. Just wish mine were not so far away
Michel, do you know if a Lifetime membership still has to contribute on top of that to have same treatment?
RYC: Simon like the sun, where he come from. The sun is his house.The grow in the month of July goes very quick indeed. (Long hours of sunlight)A sheep could be a good idea to keep the pelouse short... or a goat.AmitiéCarlo
"Anne has sworn never to have to cut a hedge again. Her Dad, several years before being killed, planted a flowering rose hedge. He intended to have flowers. After his death, Anne's mother insisted the hedge be trimmed, therefor no flowers. What is the point she asked? Now, over 60 years later, the hedge shows signs of too much trimming. Better to relax with a find barbeque and glass of wine. AMEN""Anne a juré de ne jamais avoir à couper à nouveau une haie. Son père, plusieurs années avant d'être tué, a planté une floraison couverture rose. Qu'il avait l'intention d'avoir des fleurs. Après sa mort, la mère d'Anne insisté la haie être coupé, à cet effet pas de fleurs. Quel est le point qu'elle a demandé? maintenant, plus de 60 ans plus tard, la couverture montre des signes de trop tailler. Mieux vaut se détendre avec un beau barbecue et un verre de vin. AMEN "
Michel I understand why you continue with xanga. I am no longer willing to give them any money as I am not assured they will continue. I don't understand their connection with wordpress either. Or if that will continue. So I kept my MizBee that I had long before xanga.Seeing you on the ladder reminds me of my doctor's advice for Wil and I. "feet on the ground" he said.
Now to go find your flickr picture.
Michel, we must all work hard to make sure that Xanga continues - if for no other reason than to continue seeing your wonderful picture-stories!
I would love for my kids or g-kids to be able to help here some but they are so involved and busy and not close.
Wow, those hedges and trees are tall! Looks like a lot of work. Love the outdoor table set with food and nice people. I would choose work over a skyscraper any day of the year, even when tired and overwhelmed with work. I can always rest and start in again tomorrow. Blessings on your week-end!
Your blog has been one of Xanga's treasures--I hope it will not be lost.
Ah... mon ami. You work so very hard and put much younger people to shame. But I know you enjoy what you do and especially the results! You have a beautiful home and garden.Happy Bastille Day. What do you do to celebrate?Love,votre amie,Francoise.
That is an interesting grill! I've never seen one like that here. My family grilled out a few weeks back, in my sisters backyard, since I live in an apartment. I got ate up by bugs bad! I always enjoy the pictures of your garden and backyard work. Keep up the good work and hopefully, I can stop by and see them. =)
I am sorry that I don't always comment on your beautiful posts. I enjoy them so much! I hope Xanga makes it so I can continue to take virtual trips to France! I never wanted to visit France until I started to read your blog. It's now on my bucket list! <3
Looked like a heck of a job followed by a good time...Really nice pictures..
Happy Quatorze juillet.IN belgium the 11th of july was the day of the Flemish (Victoire du 1302 contre les Français: Bataille des Eperons d'or) of the Flemish. The 21th will be the Belgium National day. (The day of the sermon of the new king Leopold (1831) In Italy we had the 2th of June. Very confusing all this national days.AmitiéCarlo
I could not comment on your most recent post about the Fete. One of my kids put Bing on our computer (whatever that is.) Now we get a different screensaver picture every day. The one for today is a beautiful scene of fireworks on a bridge in Paris. I wondered why. Now I know. Thanks.
Viva La France.I hear the French horns sounding with regale in the anthem!It is a shame though that our nations must rise up to arms to defend our freedoms. Why is there no respect for the individual freedoms of men and women that tyranny affronts us at every turn? Even in a free nation there are those who strive to govern with deception, underhandedness, for selfish ends.When those who govern do so without fear of reprisals their power becomes absolute and absolute power becomes corrupted.We give thanks for those who have stood against tyranny and corruption, even in the face of death.
Bonne Fête Nationale!!Le défilé des Champs-Élysées est retransmis sur TV5. Il fait un temps superbe sur Paris. François Hollande doit être content, pour une fois qu'il ne lui pleut pas sur la tête.
So much work to do in your yard!! :yes: But, hard work has it's rewards. :sunny:
Oh my, all of those people on ladders makes me nervous. Glad no one was hurt & all the jobs were done. Your yard and garden looks so lovely and like a place to spend time in, I always enjoy seeing the photos of it. Plus, you work so hard in it, but it's worth it. I won't be going onto the new xanga, I paid a Lifetime membership a few years ago & it should still be valid where ever the site is. But I shall try to find you at the new location, because I like reading about your adventures. And of course, I can also keep in contact with you on Facebook, I hope. But may I say that you are one of the people who made xanga such a pleasant place, with your friendliness and interesting posts and coming around to comment on other people's writings. No wonder you are so popular and well liked, it is well deserved!
I think families that work together are the happiest families, everyone has something to do and having a purpose goes a long way towards being content...Your family is probably the happiest and most content family I know in all the world....I'm so glad to know you :sunny: ilym :heartbeat: :heartbeat: :heartbeat:
RYC: Thanks for dropping by! I always appreciate your feedback. I've come to the conclusion on these topics, that I just don't care anymore. It's not my fight. However with this said, I don't appreciate the politicians in my country, using their religion to hide behind their sinful actions. Their biggest; not supporting the poor, but they have no problem telling us that we are causing God's wrath. I'm more attracted to the quiet type of Christianity and anymore, that would be the peace inside of a Catholic church. =)
Actually... you lived through WW2. What's your opinion of Hitler and why he did the things he did? (need an opinion outside the US since so many think they know it all here)
:wave: Looks like a good time. Look me up on Facebook if you ever are over that way. Alice Woodrome
Your picnic looks like it was so much fun! And, that is awesome that you have a cherry tree ... we had one at our house when I was growing up! : ) I need to look and see if we can pay Xanga by the month like we were able to before, if we can then I will sign up but I can't afford to pay the whole amount at one time.
I love, love, love your accompanying photos with this story! I can't believe how much Manon has grown! She is lovely!The cherry tree looks immense, and I have to admit I was concerned for your safety on that ladder! My goodness!The sad part is that all of that trimming won't last, but I bet it looks wonderful now. Several bushes and ornamental trees I trimmed just weeks ago have grown out already! They are not nearly as big a job as you had, but they have made me reflect in the advantages if apartment living as well. And then I go outside, and all is forgotten. I am sorry to be so late to visit. I read only a few at a time, in order, and when I saw this, I wished to read it at a time when I could enjoy and savor it. I have not forgotten or ignored you on purpose! However, I doubt that I will be on Xanga once it switches (if it does) to a paid model. And that, too, makes it more difficult to come by here. I have lost most of my good friends already, scattered or disappeared altogether; and so, every time I visit it is more loss, and hard to accept.
Answer to hesacontradiction : to try to understand why Hiyler did all all he you have to read an analysis of his book published in 1925 : Main Kampf . All is announced in it . For instanc here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mein_Kampf . All is annouced in it but western countries such France exhausted by the World War I did nothing at time so France was crushed in 1940. and the US declared the war only after Pearl Harbor 1941 )
RYC: I know! 10 years for me! But so many of my friends have dispersed; only a very few remain here.
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