coping with the heat
Its been very hot here for some time now, the first 'canicule' this year lasted over a fortnight, but luckily the Cevennes misses out on the worst of the heat, maxing out around 37 degrees in the shade. But now the whole of the south and south west is getting round 2 and temperatures going up to 38 now with maybe more heat to come. What's worse is that the fires are starting and both Gard and Herault are having fires, including around Montpelier and Nimes. We kive in the middke of a forest, so forest fires are a danger and last year it took around 200 firefighters nearly 2 days to stop a fire in les Causses from spreading into the nearby forest. Here the majority of firefighters are volunteers who do a great and heroic job keeping people, animals and places safe. The only way to stay healthy is to go out with the dog in the mornings and evenings, also when to water the gardens and fields. From11.30 through till 6 if you can its best staying inside, curtains drawn, fans on plus I turn on the mobile aircon upstairs, as the bedrooms are the hottest, then the living room OK and the 'cave' or basement rooms are the coolest. Meals are mainly salads as cooking makes the kitchen pretty damn hot during the day. Sleep requires the air con on as its hard sleeping well when its over 20. But while its the new normal and shows how we really need to combat man made global warming life goes on, restaurant have some air con, outside there are fans so its still pretty good eeating outside with a menu fixe ( 3 courses for 20 euros). In the evenings there is often music, of all types and on La Fete de la musique on 21st June, the longest day there was in our town, like all over France choirs, bands, singers performing across the town, about 40 groups in 8 venues, with my wife singing in her choir in one. At the end there was a paid group performing in the town square with a couple of hundred people including small children all running around and playing at 10 pm with no worries. At least there is plenty to watch on TV from the World cup through now to the Tour De France. While its quiet during the heat of the day , in the mornings and evenings the bird songs make a real chorus to go with the noise of the cicadas, the frogs and the insect. Last week my daughter who was staying wth my grandaughter and friend managed to photo the wild life that came out during a quick storm, 2 toads, a small black snake and scorpion. All part of rural life
