Most of the houses in the older villages around have the tradition of having a Cardabelle, a form of thistle, nailed to the front of their hall door.

They have a reputatation for being able to forecast the weather.

My bro-in-law Colm found one up the Cevennes.
We nailed it on the terrace wall

This is how it usually looks, laid out and enjoying the sun.

Once rain is threatened it closes its spikes protectively over its body.

All this we knew.

What surprised us was that when the thunder roared it spiked up aggressively like a cat.