My Green Summer

I pretty much took a break from blogging this summer - partly I was too busy and something had to give and partly my internet connection was playing silly whatsits and was often so slow (or even dead) that it made working online almost impossible.  I am keeping everything crossed that will behave itself from now on.

So I though I would take this opportunity to share with you some of my green moments from the summer of 2017.  I'd love to hear what you have been up to too.

Family Time

The boys and Simon went camping in the UK for a while and when they were here we had some great times playing games such as Settlers of Catan and Molkky (Finnish skittles made from wood), visiting local landmarks including our favourite castle at Falaise (birthplace of William the Conqueror) and taking some lovely walks around the Normandy countryside.

Playing Molkky

Falaise Castle with its medicinal garden

Walking in Normandy

Harvest Home

The veg patch kept me super busy this summer.  The weather has been unusually dry all year so this meant a lot of watering ... but when it did rain the weeds grew like triffids.  The courgettes, as ever, did well and I am still drowning under a mountain of them - if you are too, this post with 10 courgette recipe ideas may be just what you need.

Vegetable harvest at Eco-Gites of Lenault

I have also been foraging and the elderberries have been superb this year.  The blackberries have been ripe for a while but it will be a few more weeks before the sloes are ready.  Together with windfall or crabapples those are the main ingredients of a hedgerow jelly I make.

Elderberries ripe for picking

Light bulb moment

Isn't it great when you have one of these?  I did when I realised that I could buy the larger tins of tomato purée so I had less packaging (the 3 small cans I otherwise buy are held together with plastic film) and rather than waste what I didn't use I could pop it in ice cube trays and freeze it.  All I then need to do is to add the frozen cubes into whatever stew or soup etc I am cooking.  How simple and non-wasteful is that?!

Freezing excess tomato purée in ice cube trays

Eco-Gites of Lenault

Finally we have had a busy summer with guests in our eco-gite.  And this month we are featured in Complete France online magazine and you can read all about us here in "Living the good life in Normandy."  The gite sleeps 5 and we would love to welcome you here one day.  Mention the code GRH when booking a holiday of one week or more and we'll give you a hamper of local Normandy foods worth around 25€.  Offer subject to T&Cs which are available on request.

Eco-Gites of Lenault

Polytunnel and potager at Eco-Gites of Lenault

Free Hamper worth 25€ when you book a week or more at Eco-Gites of Lenault with the code GRH

I hope you too had a lovely summer.  I am linking this post up to my #GoingGreen Linky so do head over if you have a green themed post you would like to add ... or if you'd simply like some inspiration for ways to make your life a bit more environmentally friendly.