Blueberry Piroshki Cooking Lessons

The Polish Grandma is the pierogi expert. 

The dough is just flour and water, rolled out and cut with a jelly glass.

The are filled with just wild blueberries.

We made dozens.

They are left to sit until just before serving. 

Put them in a pan of salted boiling water and cook until they come back to a boil.

Drain and serve with sweetened sour cream and a sprinkle of sugar. Or just sugar in my no dairy case.

Enjoy.

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Walk to Mourrens

About 1.5 miles from St. Columbe is the 12th century church of Mourrens. 

We were on out way there on foot the other evening when we were scared off by thunder. Success today! 

There are lots of really old in age people buried in the grave yard. 

On the way we found an old stone reported to be a menhir like in Asterix the Gaul comics. Tom says no but I am willing to go for it.

There was a farm advertising it's produce

Then we scurry back to see the latest news regarding the Tour de France in French on the TV

This and that

IThe down side if renting a house in a village is that it is right on the road. It was a little noisy at first with all the coming and going early (for us retires) in the morning. But we don't even hear the race cars going by at 5:30 am anymore, don't hear the church bells at 7:30 am and school is out so kids are not being dropped at 8. 

The up side is we can lean out the window and see if the bread store is open and can watch the action with the street paving. The kid driving the truck looked like he was about twelve with a cigarette hanging out oh his mouth. 

The older experienced guys were behind uncovering the manholes and drains. Too much fun.

Tom and I are planning a return trip to rent a boat and travel up and down the canal. We think the grandkids will be the perfect age in about 8 to 10 years.

We got back just in time to watch the Tour de France on TV. Today it went through the pavee section of Northern France, Tom's absolute favorite, the course of the famous Paris-Roubaix race. The finish was in the town of Arenburg where we stayed in one April. We could see the cottage we rented, or at least one of the several hundred miner cottages that all look the same.

We brought home pizza and beer to start off the race, then I had to go take a nap.

Mine is the Tuniss pizza olives, potatoes, Onions, chicken and merges sausage- no cheese Tom's has lots of cheese.

So, "How come Agen?"

It's like this, see. Couple of years ago when Becky went to Duck school, her teacher taught at her home, alongside the Canal Lateral. It's been her dream ever since to ride her bike on those beautiful, tree-lined tow-paths. So, we're doing it.

 

 

First you get a bike. Airlines need to cover every expense these days to help pay the gas bill so packing up and taking our own bikes would cost $300 each. Instead we went to French sporting goods chain "Decathalon" and bought 2 Canal bikes for $250 euros Total. Perfect for dead flat canals. We had to get a better bike seat for Becky - once that was perfected we are now up to 90 minutes a day! We'll leave them for the 2 Canadians who will be taking over the Gite when we leave

 

We stash them inside the Berlingo - all the back seats fold up - and drive to the furthest spot traveled the day  before. We had a first ride into Agen to see the famous Canal bridge over the Garonne River - that would be our real start - then we could make our way west towards Bordaux and see how far the good tow path goes.

 We're not into exploring - when the tow path disappears - we've done it, Dude. We take the Garmin with us to GPS the most distant stop - so we can find it again. Yesterday we were sure "It's just around this corner....." and spent 45 minutes exploring farmland around Buzet before we got back to that landmark.

 

It's harvest time for the wheat crop and the combine harvesters are working until 10:00 pm - when it's not raining or the crop isn;t too wet. And we're curious to see how they're going to get some of the hillsides cleared - there are some pretty steep fields of wheat waiting for some brave soul to tackle them.   

This one's not so steep but it's a "Bio" field - organic. So, a little weedy - how's that working out for you, organismos?

Night Market Laverdac

Time to step up your game Food truck Tuesday. These French country towns have it dialed in. Big long tables and chairs, beer and wine and a big assortment of food. Duck breast with salad, sausages, tapas, crepes.... The fried food stand was the most popular-think steak frites. Tom and I had paella and piperade with apple and prune tarts for desert.

The whole town turns out. Next time we'llbring  our own table cloth, or not...

Here's the French equivalent of a funnel cake the crepe wagon. Yumm to Nutella crepes.

But the best part is the band "Les Seniors de Bruihois". Here they are lining up for beer 

Went for a hike today

We met a village couple at Kate Hill's house last week - Rene and Alvin from Liberty St. In Noe Valley.They  come for 5-6 months every year to stay in their house across the street from the village school. Rene is a walker and she took us for a sweaty hike. It rained last night and made the paths pretty soft - and this part of France has really clay mud

I  got a good stick to clear out the worst of it and we wiped them off on lots of grass. 

Now we need some help from you agriculture specialists. What is this plant? We have seen fields of it, not just an isolated bush somewhere. 

It's wheat harvest time and the trucks are bringing in the loads to the silos next to the canals and the harvesters are working as soon as the crops dry out. And when those harvesters start moving, they need lead vehicles to guide them and clear the road in front. we drive on 1.5 wide roads and when a harvester shows up on the radar screen, everybody goes into the ditch or driveway