The second week of October arrives and with it a few days of much needed rain, Autumn has arrived. The first signs of Autumn’s arrival happened in September, the light tweaks; the brutal searing light of Summer, the heat and rightness that burns through your skin mellows to a softer, and gentler glow; the yellow and browns of Summer transform to the reds and oranges that herald a change in the seasons. Our forest, after suffering a five month drought, has transformed, the yellow leaves of the deciduous trees have turned red, and the holly oaks have their Autumn new dark green new foliage.
In the garden the Rosemary, which all Summer has looked pale and sparse is once again pushing out fresh shoots. The Sage; which has looked on it’s last legs for two months is back, the Helichysum Italicum is throwing out fresh silvery growth.
It all started Saturday, I returned from the Përpignan market a little earlier than usual, looking up towards the Hautes Corbieres I could see the grey clouds beginning to gather over Mont Tauch. As I repacked the van for Sunday’s Eco Festival in Ceret the first drops started to fall. As Caroline played Backgammon by candle light an discussed the events of the our respective markets, Caroline does the organic market in Narbonne while I am at Perpignan, the rainfall stared to heavier. By the time I staggered off to bed at nine the water was bouncing off the terrace.
I left the Domaine at six on Sunday morning in pouring rain, indeed the rain was so heavy in Perpignan that I missed the turning to Ceret and headed off to Argeles sur Mer. Not exactly an auspicious start to the day, rain and lost, I started to wonder why I hadn’t stayed in bed. the Catalans and as bad as the Audois when it comes to rain, they seem to think that it contains acid and that to venture out in it is to invite death by meltdown.
Finally arrived at Ceret, got lost a couple of times trying to find that Mas that was to be the venue for the Eco festival. As usual I arrived far to early, the lovely hippies that organise it were few and far between, the rain continued to fall.
Finally; around ten, the last of my fellow stand holders had made it out of bed and roused themselves sufficiently to get their stands up, coffee and cigarettes consumed. First joint of the day smoked and conversation moved up a few syllables from the first grunts of welcome. And with the first smile came the sun, which continued to shine until packing up time at six. I returned in the rain, tired buy happy to have a van only half full of plants.
A huge thank you to all the members of Vallespir Terres Vivantes for their hard work to make the 18th Eco Festival such a success. Thanks for the food, the wine and most of all the coffee. See you all next year.
It has rained every day this week, always in the morning or the evening, with lovely sunny days in between, the garden is happy at last. Happy October and Happy Autumn
