DLCI 2022 Magazines - May
May
2022
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT
May already, one of my favourite months! Two of my children have May birthdays which in the UK I would always associate with hawthorn and lily of the valley but our blossoms and flowers are, of course, a bit further advanced in France. With the horticultural theme in mind, Liz Berks has kindly offered to organise her very successful orchid walk again. This will actually take place on Thursday 2nd June, due to late frosts, but if you have not experienced one yet, Liz is an orchid expert and an interesting and informative guide. See later in the magazine for details of how to book.
We are eagerly looking forward to our monthly lunch at the Villa Laetitia in Bergerac on 27 May. This restaurant has excellent reviews and we are going there for the first time, however, due to its location in the centre ville it isn’t appropriate for a speaker. So, we would like to make this lunch a ‘bring a prospective member’ occasion. If you normally come alone or with other members, please think whether one of your friends might be interested in joining DLCI and see if they would like to come along to ‘try us out’. They will be very warmly welcomed. If you normally come with your partner, no problem – but only one guest per member, please.
Our collaboration event with the Leeds University Big Band in Villeréal in early April was a great success and hugely enjoyable. The young musicians were superb and played a variety of big band, pop and jazz music to a high standard, creating a lively atmosphere. They were thrilled to be able to play to a live audience once again and we were most appreciative. We were delighted that so many people wanted to attend the concert and it generated a very pleasing contribution to our charity pot for 2022. Do have a look at our website where you will see photos and a video taken by Chris Green on the night.
It is almost time for our long-awaited (since 2019) ‘Evening with Martin Walker’ on Thursday 9 June at the Maison des Vins. As well as a talk, plus excellent wine (it is the Maison des Vins, after all!) and delicious canapés (created by the MdV’s new chef), Martin has offered some excellent and extremely generous raffle prizes. Tickets for these will be available only to those who attend the event and without giving too much away, the star prize is one that Bruno fans will not want to miss! There are only FOUR places left so please contact us as soon as possible if you want to reserve. First come, first served!
And the Bergerac book club has re-started! So as you can see, we have an action-packed May and early June and the committee works really hard on your behalf to create such a varied programme. However, we would love to have a couple of new committee members join us and are always open to suggestions of activities and places to go. Let me know if you would like to come along to a committee meeting to see what we do.
I look forward to seeing you very soon. Enjoy the late Spring sunshine!
Kathy
and Hector … is that foie gras?
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
LUNCH AT VILLA LETITIA, 21 Rue de l’Ancien Port, 24100, Bergerac
Friday 27th May 12 noon
Fabulous restaurant in the old quarter of Bergerac.
Cost is 30€ including a glass of wine and coffee.
This lunch is a ‘bring a prospective member’ occasion to see if they would like to come along to ‘try us out’. If you normally come with your partner, no problem – but only one guest per member, please.
MENU
Assiette perigourdine (foie gras, gesier magret)
Ou
Carpaccio de saumon mariné
LES PLATS
Poisson du marché suivant la pêche
Ou
Confit de canard maison
LES DESSERTS
Cheesecake aux fruits rouges
Ou
Tiramisu au cacao
ORCHID WALK AND PICNIC LUNCH
Serres et Montguyard
The arrangements for the orchid walk are as follows:
Please meet in the centre of Serres et Montguyard at 9.30am - we will collect our picnic (sandwich, quiche, cake, drink) before heading off on the first orchid visit. PLEASE ADVISE ASAP IF YOU REQUIRE A VEGETARIAN PICNIC
You will need good footwear - there is some walking but not terribly far and we will also drive between orchid visits
We have been offered a barn (with tables and seating) in which to eat our lunch so we will have some shelter from either the sun or the rain!
Once the picnics are ordered, you will understand that we will have to pay for them so it will not be possible to cry off even if the weather proves inclement.
strictly no dogs, please.
the picnics are 17€ per head payable direct to Le Petit Bistro and we are suggesting you might like to make a 3€ donation towards DLCI charity funds, as is usual on our organised walks
In this instance the email address Is NOT the usual one instead, to book, please email Lin Green at: DLCIMagazine@gmail.com
GARDENING IN FRANCE
By CHRISTINE LEES
Growing roses
In common with many other people, my favourite flower is the rose and I would encourage everybody to plant some roses in their garden. In this part of France we tend to have clay soil and I have found that roses grow extremely well here. I have had roses in every garden I have ever owned and the roses in my garden here are by far the best I have grown. The soil is fertile and holds water well although I do water my roses at least once a week in the summer.
The time to plant roses is in the winter, ideally November, for bare-root roses, and in theory containerised roses can be planted at any time of year, although in our climate I would also recommend winter planting. Prepare the soil well with added compost and add mycorrhizal fungi to the roots. Water and mulch well.
There are many theories about rose pruning but I find it best to shorten very long stems in the autumn to prevent wind rock damaging the roots in the winter. This can also provide cuttings which you can use to create more plants for yourself and friends.
I then carry out the main pruning in February, apply rose fertiliser and mulch and apply rose fertiliser again after the first flowering in May. With regular deadheading, you should have continuous flowering at least until the first frosts with repeat flowering roses.
There are different pruning regimes for climbing and rambling roses, standards, hybrid teas and floribundas. I recommend looking at a good pruning book or the RHS website for guidance. My roses are a mixture of old fashioned shrub roses, both single and repeat flowering, and the 'English' roses developed by David Austin to combine the features and appearance of old roses with the ability to repeat flower all summer. In theory shrub roses do not require any pruning, but I find to keep them reasonably within their place it is necessary to reduce new growth by about one third. The first stage of pruning as with all roses is to cut out dead, diseased, or damaged or crossing stems. If stems cross each other they can rub and cause disease to enter the plant. You are trying to achieve a nice open shape by pruning.
I do not use any chemicals in the garden and I find that the blue tits and insects keep greenfly under control.
You can combine roses with lavender and many herbaceous plants such as hardy geraniums and nepeta to make an attractive display and add interest.
At this time of year you can plant out hardy vegetables and after the middle of May, plant tender vegetables and bedding plants.
If you would like to visit a garden which has many roses as well as many other beautiful plants and features, I would recommend DLCI member Carelle Sherwood's garden at lieu dit, Colombat, 24400 Saint-Étienne-de-Puycorbier. You can find details of the garden on the Open Gardens website
Happy Gardening
Chris
MAY BIRTHDAYS
Sue Fairweather
Greta Knott
Laura Sankey
Freya Williams
TOUR OF THE HISTORICAL TOWN OF EYMET, GUIDED BY PHILIPPA TILLYER
Review by Vyvyan Harris
We all met outside the Tourist Office on a cold afternoon. We were fortunate that the rain stopped for our tour led by Philippa Tillyer and Paul Brown.
The official history of Eymet begins on 28th June 1270 with the creation of the bastide. To each head of family was given 1 ayral, a rectangular piece of land of approximately 200m square. It was up to the new owners to build their houses and barns in less than 2 years, otherwise they would be fined. The heart of the town is the square surrounded by arcades. The arcades were formed by the builders of the houses as they were taxed on the amount of land the house covered, thus they were not charged for the overhang. Market day was fixed by Charter to be a Thursday, and still is.
The Chateau, part of which was occupied until the 1970s, was at that time, the main entrance into and out of the town. An Artisan Macon, in those days, could neither read nor write but when they had been paid they marked a stone with their sign. There are several signs in stones at the gateway to the Chateau.
Rue Traversiere was a route straight through the town, from one end to the other. Today there are a good mixture of properties, most of which have been restored.
When Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry 4th she brought with her Aquitaine, which then became almost as English as it is today. During a particularly difficult battle with the French, the English apparently ran away!! Eymet then came under French rule as it is today. Eymet has a fascinating history.
The weather was not kind and everyone was fairly cold when we got to Rose’s Tea Room where the fire was burning. We all thoroughly enjoyed our scones and cupcakes and copious amounts of tea and coffee. A very pleasant afternoon.
SHORT BUT TRUE TALES FROM A ONE-TIME YORKSHIRE TOURIST OFFICE WORKER
(Among other things!)
‘Hello’ - greeting from a pleasant man of middle years
‘Good morning Sir - can I help you?’
‘I’m looking for Barnsley’ says he
‘I can show you on the map here and write down the route for you’
‘I’ve been to Bury, Bolton, Burnley and Blackburn - there’s no bl….y Barnsley!’
‘Actually Sir, those towns are all in Lancashire - Barnsley is located in South Yorkshire!’
Shock horror that a woman actually knows this and also that all the towns starting with B are not situated in the same area!
Those men that named the towns all those years ago should really have given it more thought………
Yorkshire Lady of wit
DORDOGNE LADIES BOOK CLUB
The following extract has been chosen by Sue from the book:
'Crossroads' by Jonathan Franzen
Set in the U.S.A. it follows the struggles of a First Reformed Church Minister's family, with the parents past and the growing-up pains of the teenagers in the mid-70s.
‘Becky pressed the receiver to her chest and walked it to Laura.
"It's Tanner. They need to start. Will you come with me? Please," Becky said.
"We need to go right now. The agent is there, he came to hear the band and you, and I just think-we should go."
Laura sprang to her feet and came at Becky.
The fact that Laura, after a moment, made a petulant, hand-flinging gesture of assent - the fact that she would never have done this if she hadn't hit Becky, which wouldn't have happened if the spirit of Christ hadn't brought her to Laura's apartment, which wouldn't have happened if she hadn't found God in the sanctuary, which wouldn't have happened if she hadn't smoked marijuana - seemed to Becky, as she followed Laura down the snowy stairs behind the drugstore, the most beautiful proof of God's mysterious working. She'd done bad things, she'd accepted her punishment, and now she had her reward. She could feel a whole new life, a life of faith, beginning.’
If you are already a Facebook user, you can join-in discussions on the 'Dordogne Ladies Book Club' private group. On there you will find notices, reviews of personal reading, plus any monthly choice of book & the subsequent joint reviews etc.
Just follow this link to the group and put in a request to join.
DL Book Club Private Group
There is also an ongoing list of books recommended by members, which can be emailed to you periodically on request.
Lastly we will encourage and give all possible help to anyone wishing to start-up a new meeting group, with a few friends, in their area.
JUST FOR FUN
POETRY CORNER
Pablo Neruda (12.07.04 – 23.09.73)
Chilean poet-diplomat and politician who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971
YOU START DYING SLOWLY
By Pablo Neruda
You start dying slowly
If you do not travel,
If you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.
You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.
You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.
You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.
You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
BRINJAL BHAJIS, Puja food
Sent in by Jenny Brahma
1 large aubergine
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of Haldi (turmeric)
1 teaspoon of curry powder
2 tablespoons of gram flour also known as chick pea flour (or use
a batter of water, milk and egg)
Cold water
Cooking oil for frying
Begin by slicing the aubergine into thick discs. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle over the salt and haldi.
Cover with a lid or plate and turn the bowl upside down at the same time giving it a
shake. This should ensure the discs are covered with the salt and haldi. Leave the bowl covered for at least 30 minutes. This process will allow the aubergine to cook quicker.
Meanwhile make a batter with the gram flour and water. It needs to be thick enough to coat the aubergine discs. This can rest whilst waiting for the aubergines.
Heat some oil in a frying pan. It doesn’t have to be deep.
Remove the lid from the aubergine dish and drain the liquid that has seeped from the discs.
Dip the aubergines, one by one, into the batter and fry in the hot oil.
Turn them over to cook on both sides. They should be soft yet crispy.
Drain on kitchen paper. Serve at once.
Eat as a snack with drinks or serve as a vegetable dish with a meal.
MEMBERS PHOTOS
A few of my tulips from the 99c bulbs from Lidl that I planted last year!
Sent in by Lin Green
PETS CORNER
Boris – beautiful until the last
Sent in by Laura Sankey
Mango – ‘Look into my eyes!’
Sent in by Laura Sankey
Figgy – 18 and still going strong!
Sent in by Laura Sankey
PHOTO REQUEST
We would love to include more of your photos including those for Pets Corner in the next Newsletter. Simply email me at DLCIMagazine@gmail.com (no later than 25th of the month) with the photo and where it is. They will be published in the next months newsletter
LASTLY
Taking care of the summer flower boxes in a local town!
A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS NEWSLETTER.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO CURRENT DATA PROTECTION LAWS THIS DOCUMENT MUST NOT BE SHARED
WITH ANYONE WHO IS NOT A CURRENT DLCI MEMBER