Aude Flyer

POISONOUS: do not handle! Pine Processionary Caterpillars - Thaumetopoea pityocampa

Have you been wondering what the white fist sized “nests" are that are proliferating in the high branches of pine trees around the Aude? They look innocent enough - white and fluffy “ but the contents are anything but pleasant. The white fluff is the winter home of the Pine Processionary Caterpillar “so called because they form processions, nose to tail, as they leave the nest prior to changing into moths. This will be happening any time now. They are found in all Mediterranean climatic areas, ranging from Portugal in the West through to the Adriatic and beyond in the East.

The caterpillars have poisonous and irritant brittle hairs on their bodies, and are a mottled dull brown with faded yellowish splotches.

In adults these hairs will cause severe skin irritations, and occasionally anaphylactic shock, closure of airways leading to death, and obviously requiring immediate medical treatment.

In children, (who are more inquisitive about the processions and may handle the caterpillars then transfer the hairs to their mouth, eyes etc) the effects can be more immediately severe  and will almost always require immediate professional medical aid. Similarly, older people with less resistance can also be quickly affected. Golfers, tennis players, footballers and petanque players should be careful NOT to handle a ball that has gone through a procession, golfers should check local rules, some courses permit substitutions.

Balls should be cleaned with disposable cloths which should then be burned.

For pets, dogs and cats, the problem is that the caterpillars have a bittersweet smell and taste, and both dogs and cats will try to eat them. The results are almost certainly fatal, as little as three or four will kill a medium sized dog, and one may produce death in a cat. The reaction to the poison also causes necrosis of the tongue, and by the time the owner notices the problem, it is usually too late for veterinary treatment to do much except ease suffering.

Do not brush a procession away as this can cause more problems than it solves, spreading the irritation-producing hairs and thus the risk of poisoning actually becomeshigher as a result.

THE YOUNG AUDE FLYERS.

Over the course of the last 11 months my boys Simon(9) and Sebastian(7) have been competing in kart racing events the length and breadth of France and are both doing rather well. We’ve had 3 races so far this year for Simon and two for Sebastian. The first weekend was at Ganges nr. Montpelier and saw 2nd (+lap record) from Simon and 4th   for Basti (6 starters). Then the next race at Lavalanet saw a win (+lap record) from Simon and 5th  for Basti (10 starters).

A fortnight ago I was up at Sens near Paris with Simon for a training race at the venue for the French championship, 22 starters!!!!!

Simon unofficially broke the lap record in free practice, but I mucked up with the qualifying session start position and Simon went out a lap down, for only a 5 minute session, only getting 3 flyers to everyone else’s 4. His relative time would have given him pole but the other fast guys got in the extra lap (warmer tyres) and we had to settle for fourth. He had some fantastic scraps in the qualifying race and pre-final, Simon missed winning the pre-final by 4 thousandths of a second, we reckon about 2cm after 12 km (that's close racing).

Then it rained, a lot, and then stopped, just two races before his final the adults were still on wets, although with sunny spells and high wind the track was drying fast. But I could see another shower coming across the valley and I gambled on a wet set up!!!! Wrong!!! The shower just edged past and it was a dry race. Simon, started from second, but never hit the front, struggling for grip he looked like the front 3 had broken him for a while but somehow he reeled them back in, got up to second for a short time and then back to 3rd on the last lap. A coming together of back markers bought out a yellow flag, under which, fourth place passed Simon, too late to get it back Simon was convinced he'd get the decision for 3rd  because of the illegal overtake under yellows, but surprise, surprise nobody saw the local boys do it, so fourth it was. Worst result for months, first time he's been off the podium since last September, but he was only 1.3 seconds off the winner and with the set up he had, it could/should have been a lot worse. Still 8 hours drive each way is a bit of a drag with no silver wear to show for it!!!!!!

They are just starting an Ecole de Pilotage for 7-10 year olds every Wednesday at Lavalanet. Anyone who's interested could contact me or the circuit Director Jean-Claude Sanchez direct. While Carcassonne circuit does do some training in their old hire karts on a Wednesday it is not set up in the same way as Lavalanet who have new purpose built race karts, all kit provided and theory and practical sessions with qualified instructors. It's quite a thing. Lavalanet (Aigues Vive) is the spiritual home of Karting for both the Midi-Pyrenees and Languedoc. For anyone who's interested it also makes quite an exciting spectator sport, forthcoming local races are: Lavalanet this weekend, 30th March, Belmont-sur-Rance (nr. Albi) 13th April, then Lavalanet again the 18th May and later the 22nd June at Carcassonne,

look for us ˜BLUE BADGER RACING"

Kitchen

Plan ahead for beautiful "gourmet" salads.

Using flowers in food has been traced back to Roman times and today top French chefs are reviving this nearly lost art but you don't have to have a Michelin star or a fat wallet to get in on the act. Edible flowers are fun and easy way to add color and flavor to salads especially when you can pick them fresh from your own garden. Always avoid flowers that may have been sprayed with an insecticide, fungicide or herbicide if you are not sure don't eat them.

Most edible flowers are best eaten raw, pick and rinse them in water when you are ready to assemble your salad.  Flowers taste and look their best just after they have opened and should be picked when the sun is on them for the best flavour. The purple flowers of the Allium family, chives, leeks and garlic are all fab in green salads, potato and pasta salads and dips. Simply remove the little florets from the central stem. The bright orange and yellow flowers of Nasturtiums have a peppery flavor like watercress. All colours and varieties are tasty in salads or as garnishes and the leaves can be eaten, too. Choose small ones as the texture is more delicate. Calendulas are ready to eat now, separate the petals from the center of the flower and sprinkle the petals into dark green salads, an ideal way to make Mache (Lambs Lettuce) more interesting. If you dead head your Calendulas they will bloom continuously until autumn. Honeysuckle blossoms make a pretty and fragrant addition to salads but don't use the berries; they're poisonous. The sky-blue flowers of Borage have a light cucumber taste, they are great in fruit salads as well as green salads, try Borage flowers with beautiful pale green endive served with a delicate blue cheese dressing for dinner party chic or freeze the flowers in ice cubes for chilling cold drinks, children love them! Daylily buds and flowers taste a bit like asparagus. They can be used as a garnish, or can be stuffed like courgette flowers or made into fritters. Use them to add interest to stir-frys. All flowers of the mint family are edible and have a pleasant taste. Try lemon balm or spearmint in iced tea.

Plan ahead and plant now (well, as soon as it has stopped raining and the soil has warmed up a bit) and you can have stunning salads all summer long.

"LE MARCHE BRITANNIQUE"

BROWSE FOR BOOKS, hundreds of second hand and nearly new books,

EXCHANGE DEAL 2 for 1

BRITISH FOOD PRODUCTS; VEGETARIAN,

Insert that is surplus to requirements. It is black cast iron, with a glass full width door, approx 69 x 52 cm overall at the front, and 38 cm deep. The top flue exit spigot is 18cm diameter. 100 euros secures – any amount offered over this figure will be given to Cancer Research.

Please email: banks.christopher@wanadoo.fr

A new lady resident in Carcassonne is asking if anyone knows of a local (within driving distance) doctor with at least some English. It does not have to be a lady doctor though that might be a bonus. If anyone can suggest a name, she would be very grateful. Please email jodi1066@yahoo.co.uk or telephone us at 0468 725526. Thank you.

Bright and energetic Franco-American
            young man is looking for a job
                        in the Aude.

                Vartan Aharonian-Grey
              Please call: 04 68 20 81 59

FOR SALE / OFFERS

2 RENAULT ESPACE back seats.

Will fit Series 2, around 1993.

Very good condition.

 OFFERS. Tel no.  04 68 20 51 84.

Couiza area

ART Déco

Creativity, where Nature Matters

 Interior Design, A la carte decoration

Prestige finishes

Chalk distempers; marbling, frieze, Stencil

Freehand, Trempe L'oeil,

 Illustration  and Portraits

Home lessons in decorating  techniques using natural materials

(Save money and the planet at the same time!)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jennie Parker-Brown

Garbet, Bénac 09000

0561027003  0633034257

Siret pending

Can you please include a mention of The Full English, a monthly radio programme in English put out on Radio Oxygène 92.4 FM from the MJC in Pamiers. Its on the last Sunday of the month from 11.00 till noon and consists of interviews, information, reviews, What's On and music. You an receive the programme in the lower Ariege and the western Aude, roughly from Castelnaudary to Chalabre. To the east of that line you might have trouble receiving it depending on the hills. If you want to contact us aqbout the programme you can do so by e-mail at thefullenglish@orange.fr or phone during the programme on 05 61 60 08 09. The next programme is on 30 March ; we look forward to you joining us. Alan Baldwin (for the team)