"Qu'est-ce qu'y pique, ce hérisson!"

This past weekend was more reminiscent of summer than of early April.  People thronged to the beaches, gloried in their sunburns, barbecued to their hearts' content and enjoyed the excellent weather.   My Sunday morning bike ride was especially glorious.  My only complaint was that, even from one of my favorite vantage points, the Alps were slightly obscured by haze.

The orchards are beginning to blossom in earnest.   The netting rolled up overhead awaits the arrival of the fruit and will then be opened up and spread over the trees to help keep birds away from the ripening fruit.

Although leaves are sprouting to cover trees with lush green foliage, the vines are still slumbering, reluctant to awake from their winter's nap.

While cycling in the country, I found this delightful sign along the road.

The sign is not a permanent fixture.  But it is posted in the Spring, when les hérissons (hedgehogs) begin stirring.  The little creatures are generally nocturnal and are especially fond of coming out on the roads at twilight and at night with their new babies.  The signs are posted by an organization known as Pro Igel to remind drivers to watch for hedgehog families and, hopefully, avoid crushing them. 

Hedgehogs are generally beloved around here because they are a natural means of pest control.  According to Wikipedia, a single hedgehog can keep an average garden free of pests by eating up to 200 grams of insects each night.  Hedgehogs are easily recognized by their spines, which are hollow hairs made stiff with keratin. The spines are not poisonous or barbed.  Although they are rough to feel, they don't prick so as to cause injury.  And unlike the quills of a porcupine, the spines cannot easily be removed from the hedgehog.  When a hedgehog feels threatened, it simply rolls itself up with the spines outside for protection.

In a song called "La Chanson du hérisson," made popular by the late great French chanteur, Georges Brassens, a young hedgehog is very sad because he wants to be petted (caressed).  But, of course, no one will pet him because of his spines, that is, until a beautiful young girl named Emilie comes along.  She pets the hedgehog and makes him very happy.  You can hear the song here.

In some parts of the world, hedgehogs are considered to be edible delicacies.  In Spring 1981, HWMBO and our sons "rescued" one by buying it at the souk in Tangier, Morocco.   We carried it back to Rabat where we were living at the time and let it loose in our garden where it would be safe.  Unfortunately, the hedgehog disappeared.  We always hoped that it did not end up in a savory tagine or other dish.  But we will never know.