The hail
killed almost a thousand free range hens near us. Why didn't they go inside?
Even killed a donkey. Old Guy says he's never known a storm as big as last
Friday's. Freakish. The damage is colossal. Fruit trees, maize, sunflowers as
well as vines.
What makes
it more infuriating is that apparently it could have been avoided. Or at least
mitigated.
Seems I was
wrong about the rockets. They've been made effective. These days they don't
just go bang, they scatter that silver iodide that gets the water to
precipitate as rain before it builds up into big hailstones.
There was a
well organised system; a series of lines of 'cannon' across the path of storms
which tend to form over the big sea lagoon of Arcachon and head up the valleys
of the Dordogne and Garonne.
But … (big,
rather crucial 'But …') they were manned by the Gendarmes. But no longer because
of the cutbacks. Now they are manned by volunteers. Fine. Except of course,
this being France in August, they're all on holiday! It is just August when the
storms happen. Somebody didn't think it through, did they? Millions of pounds
damage … many millions.
Barring
further storms we at Château La Clarière and Château Verniotte will probably
still make a perfectly reasonable wine. We always seem able to, no matter what.
It’s just that there won't be a lot.
But could be
worse. I can't imagine what it’s like for the man who lost 400 hectares of
vines!
Yesterday
went to see a new golf course nearing completion. It’s just up the road in the
next valley where the vines end and the forests of Périgord begin. I always
loved that valley. Was taught to hunt cêpes there. There are truffles, too. Bit
worried about my mushroom valley, I was. But they've done a lovely job. The
trees look even more beautiful now.
It opens
next year. I'm hoping to get a deal so my visiting customers can play as
guests. Châteaux, vineyards, our restaurant at St. Genes ... and golf. I have a few old mates would think life
couldn't really get better than that.
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