Itās gravel unfortunately, so not possible to mow, but when I originally laid it I did put down one of those membranes thatās meant to prevent weeds - I guess it must prevent alot, but they still seem to thrive 
Always amazes me how the stuff you donāt want to grow, grows so rampantly, and the stuff you want to grow seems to stall and waiver, then perhaps shrivel 
now preparing for the veggie patch 
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Iāve had lots of cardboard boxes from deliveries recently. So as of this week Iāve surrounded 1 thirsty plant with flattened cardboard after the rain had soaked it and then soaked the cardboard. Iām hopng it might keep more water in in the summer for the plant and keep weeds away till it disintegrates into the soil about when the rapid-growing season ends here in July.
I am not a gardener so will see how this goes. Perhaps it will work too when I get round to veg. Got the idea from my Scottish friend who said donāt dig to start your vegetable garden just put black plastic bags flat on the soil till the greenery goes then plant into compost on top of that. Thought about the anti-weed toile SuePJ? posted last year, and seeing how quickly one of the boxes is composting on the compost heap. Water is the issue here after the rapid growing season so will be interesting to see if using cardboard boxes helps retain any.
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So is ours, but:
thereās your mistake, I didnāt and the resultant growth is luxurious and with the blade height set appropriately, it does a perfect job. 
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Me too. On tightest possible cut. By high summer stops growing, looks quite neat and tidy for our guests.
Soās ours. If you are lazy enough to let everything come up through it after a few years makes a nice sward.
Had a wonderful time today, three youngsters and Iā¦ singing our hearts out while my friend (their grandma) went into the Mairieā¦
Phew, the kids were giving it their allā¦ and I was puffing along as best I couldā¦ and we were getting faster and fasterā¦
Their English became more and more ragged, my breathing became just a little strainedā¦ and eventually we all collapsed in giggles.
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The membranes are supposed to stop weeds coming up from below, but windborne seeds can get a hold as well.
I have a gravel parking area with lots of weeds coming through. Iāve dug half of it up (itās about 100m2) and there was a membrane under the gravel. It was a cheap 70gsm membrane though, and whoever put it down didnāt overlap. The cheap 70-110gsm stuff is no good really. Iāve bought a thick 400gsm membrane. Iāve removed all the gravel and painstakingly dug up the weeds by hand (mainly couch grass) and was going to lay the membrane a couple of weeks ago and then put the gravel back. Unfortunately, Iāve done the rotator cuff in my right shoulder which will probably take another 2-3 weeks to get back to some sort of normality. Iāll do the other half next year now. I approximate that Iāve lifted about 6 metric tonnes of gravel on just one half !.
Weāve been wondering what to do another flooring in the kitchen, since the lino is so old and damaged in places. A couple of days ago we managed to pull a small corner up, but there appeared to be concrete underneath.
Today we decided to remove the lino completely, a complete b*st4rd of a job because itās glued down. Turns out the concrete is actually leveling compound
Forgive the Shakey image, by this time I was pooped.
Now I need expert advice on how to remove levelling compound from about 50 years ago (neighbours estimate, sheās from the village). If there were a professional service that could do this, I think weād hire them! At least this solves all the questions of flooring and colour scheme. 
What a fabulous floor!!!
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Jolly tiles! Lovely 
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I remember a neighbour in our first village doing up a house to rent out. They had fabulous old cement tiles as well and were going to modern tile over them. We begged to be allowed to take them up to save them but she wasnāt having it!
Thatās a shame.
Ahh memories of a few years ago!
I had the same pattern tiles in the kitchen when I bought the house they were damaged and in very poor repair. Walking across the kitchen was like walking on a bouncy castle. Beneath was a 1/12āĀ“concrete screed and 18āĀ“ of dirt on slating over oak beams, the slating was rotten. I had to take up the floor the beams too.
Take plenty of photos, to look back on in a few years time.
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They seem to be a local-ish design, and the neighbours have them too. What weāve uncovered so far seems in basically good nick. This is the ground floor, about a foot thick at the thinnest point with arched ceilings in the cellar. I know the depth because I removed an oil feed pipe that went through the floor this afternoon. 
We spent yesterday evening with our (Dutch - the village has lots of Dutch) neighbours, and they showed us a photo of the house from around 1920ish, looking remarkably like it does now. It may be a little older than I thought.
Weāre both really tired tonight - itās been a long physical day for 2 people most used to light indoor work.
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Tired but happy, dormez bien
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Murky buckets. 
I love a relaxed evening on SF. Talk of bread, tomatoes, the early days of a new home in France when everything is a journey of discovery, a little bit of politics (but not too much) and composting toilets. What more could one ask for.
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Sae our first Golden Oriole yesterday. Have heard them for a while but first sighting. We realise we are very lucky and every year two arrive & four leave! they are so beautiful.
T
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