Bug squishing

En route to check for toads in the pool, I thought it best to have a check for another pest. Caterpillars. Start the day with caterpillar patrol. I think they are called Piryte de choux which is more dramatic than cabbage moth. Sounds like cabbage pirates, and they are of the destructive and swashbuckling type of pest – the helpful electrician (one of six people who came to our rescue with parts of the house affected by the lightning strike this past month) told me their name. As well as the name of all the mountains nearby which I dutifully wrote down but can’t remember.

More chipping for the new flower bed.

1130 am and that’s my favourite sound. An almighty din. I’m chipping, Bernard is drilling holes in the walls of the building for the rose bushes and Nicolas is chain sawing logs to make the steps to the path to the pool.

Went up to help Nicolas with the log rolling. I’m a wimp, came up with the car and stacked them in the boot and drove them round to the courtyard. I live in dread of one log taking flight and rolling right down into the pool. Happy to help out I zipped back up to the forest (a lie, it’s hot and sunny and one plods rather than races) and collected more sticks.

Later I worried that I am going to lose most of these cavolo nero to the cabbage white butterfly. More cloches are going to be needed if I am going to have safe plants. Just spent a very squishy half hour hunting the cabbage white offspring. And believe me, you get very green and gruesome hands from the dirty work.