Springtime in Paris

Soyez bienvenus au Printemps à Paris... or ....Welcome to Springtime in Paris! Thoughts of the Eiffel Tower, flea markets or brocante's fill my mind, first; then food and wine! On my plane ride to Albuquerque 2 weeks ago, I pulled the airline magazine out of the seat pocket and what a treat to find a cover article titled "French Perfection: Searching for treasures in the flea markets of Paris." I couldn't wait to read about the author's adventure. Yes, she just helped me confirm that I would like to see it for myself. Now I know that I am a chineuse (french for "one who antiques") and I'd like to put my passion to use in the flea markets - les puces - of Paris.

French styles set the mood for unique and timeless interiors. You can add charm to the kitchen with a red and white checkered chef cookie jar / cake plate and a quirky french waiter wine holder, discover the simple beauty in the sophisticated and stylish, wrought iron wall planter that draws its inspiration from elegant French chateaus. Add mediterranean hues to the garden with this antique/iron birdbath or birdfeeder.

For more inspiration you may enjoy The New French Décor: Living with Timeless Objects or My French Life.


Visit the Essence de Provence......These french cafe canape plates will be perfect to enjoy any of these lavender treats! Just reading the recipe's makes my mouth water!



If you have a copy of Romantic Country's May/June edition there is a similiar Lavender Sorbet recipe. I think I am going to pick some of my lavender and give it a try!

Pamper yourself at the end your day with a lavender bath set. There are several to choose from. Tasmanian Lavender, gentle lavender, lavender and sage or sophisticated rose and lavender.

Don't forget to get a French tee to lounge around in...long sleeve available, too! Ohh! la la...

I hope that you have found a little bit of Paris to bring home with you.

Happy Printemps à Paris - Springtime in Paris.

Guilty Pleaseures of Summer Time!

There is a sun...a light that for want of a better word

I can only call yellow, pale sulphur yellow, pale golden citron.

How lovely yellow is!

~Vincent Van Gogh

This is just one of the sunflowers that are the fruits of my labor! I am so excited to get up and see them every morning and every afternoon when I return home from work. They just make me smile!



How are you spending your Summer Time, Summer Time...Sum, Summ, Summertime?

I just love to read and usually have 2 or 3 books going at once. But, when I found this one, everything thing else was left on the nightstand. It was so good. I took it to the ranch with me. I don't read a lot of fiction, so it was a real treat. The second book in the series was on a display in the bookstore. But, when it mentioned that there was a first, I had to track it down! Sometimes you just gotta start at the beginning! Marisa De Los Santos is the author, these are her first novels. I'm hooked.

And another guilty pleasure....knitting! I am knitting a scarf. Pink, because I love it! I am learning that we don't have much of a selection of yarn in my area. I took a knitting class right after I graduated from high school. It was taught in a fantastic yarn shop. But, I haven't knitted much these past couple of years. Until I came across this gorgeous pattern, I hadn't looked for much that my local craft store couldn't offer! Now, I am going to have to start ordering online, I guess. If you have any suggestions. Please let me know.

Long and Winding Road.....

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. ~ Edward Abbey

Took some time off and went to our ranch in New Mexico. It was 86 degrees the day before I left home in Louisiana and 47 degrees when my plane landed in Albuquerque! Totally different wardrobe required! Our ranch is closer to Santa Fe than Albuquerque but it's a nice ride from the airport.

Long winding roads.........

Check out this view! Our camper is 25 feet long but looks like a speck!

Guests?! These are the slow pokes that I was able to catch!

Cutie pie chipmunk! (Thanks to the zoom lens!)




This is my hummingbird feeder from last July! Thank goodness it survived the winter. Soon as I arrived, I made a syrup for them. You know the sugar and water one? (1/3rd cup sugar to 2 cups water.) They love it!

We were lucky enough to see a rare hummer pass through on his migration flight last year. I had a different digi camera and it wasn't fast enough to catch a shot good enough to share!



Can't you see these two in a commercial? They seem to be visiting; a couple of guys just hanging out!

Who's watching who???

What a sunset! The perfect end to a perfect day.

I'll show more pic's of my trip soon!

Everyday Epiphanies

Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it. ~ Anne de Lenclos

Banana Split maybe???

An Empty Belly is the Best Cook.

~ Estonian proverb

Got the munchies......I do, gotta have something to snack on,

lets see what we've got and how we can put it together.....no time to cook. hmmm

peanut butter, bananas, chocolate pudding....yum, then I found the whipped topping and walnuts. I finished the fresh strawberries already but they would have been perfect on top too! .....I think this is going to do the trick.

I smeared chunky peanut butter in the bottom of my bowl, kinda like a pie crust, then sliced a banana on top....

now time for the chocolate sauce, um, I mean chocolate pudding. Still rich and chocolate-ey.

Then to top it off, whipped topping and walnuts! Gotta go!!!

Yummy!

Having New Eyes....

The Real Voyage of Discovery Consists Not in Seeking New Landscapes But In Having New Eyes.~ Marcel Proust

I've been looking at this spot in my yard a lot lately. Mostly because it's the view I have when I'm sitting at the computer.....





Pretty dismal....so, I picked up a wrought iron trellis at the springfest with the expectation that I would put it in the middle of these bushes. There was one in the center years ago, but for some reason it just didn't do very well. Now, I have "new" eyes!






Maybe, I should work on the grass, now! Not nearly as fun!!! Still not finished.....I had this sweet cherub that I've been waiting to use in the garden. But, I'm going to make him look a little vintage.....with some help from Molly;

Lil Bit could care less!

After a tea stain; my garden angel is ready! I placed him under the hydragangea that my son gave me for Mother's Day. Perfect!

Creativity is seeing something that doesn't exist already.

~ Michele Shea

Spring is in the air....

Just Living Isn't Enough, One Must Have Sunshine, Freedom and A Lot of Flowers!

I was so excited to see that UPS delivered this box! I have more plants and need a place to put them!!!

It only took a few minutes for me to put together!!!

Now, even before I put the plants in "real" pots, I've gotta give it a test run..........

Well yes, I do believe that this is going to meet all of my needs!!! If you want one of your own you can get it here. Oh, the cute lantern on the bottom shelf holds a tealight candle! I think I may need another one, to put by the back door. te he!

For the Birds.......

The Great End of Life is Not Knowledge But Action.

~Thomas Henry Huxley

I decided to make petite bird feeders to put in my yard. I found the recipe in one of Sandra Lee's cookbooks. They were very easy to make. I used my vintage jell-o molds for the forms.

You will need:

non-stick cooking spray aluminum foil

1 cup wild birdseed

2 egg whites lightly beaten

Line your mold with the aluminum foil, spray heavily with non-stick cooking spray. Mix one cup of wild birdseed with the egg whites. Pour into your mold. Makes one 4" shape of your choice. Put your mold on a cooking sheet and bake for 10 - 15 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Place on a rack to cool.

While the birdfeeder is still warm, use a dowel rod or a skewer to poke a hole about an inch from the top. When your birdfeeder cools you can put a wire or a piece of raffia thru the hole to hang your feeder.

I'm looking forward to the feathered friends in the garden this summer! I started several varieties of flower seeds. The sunflowers are growing like crazy! I'll show you, soon.