The close of summer but the crux of football.

 

Every year..I compost my over an armoire arrangement..(It's so big..) And refresh with this year's blooms of Pink Diamonds..Nikko Blue variations..and some Morden Blush roses..I leave it in the garage for a few days..that way if there are any little bugs..they are gone by then.This arrangement lasts the year for me..far less fresh at the end..;)

This day is always special..a bit of Indian summer..and the blue skies I loved in Provence..and walking around thinking of the putting to bed of the gardens and the hopes of next year.

I will never get over Provence.

The porch still looks like summer..until the leaves change..I leave as is..The ferns are going to one of my daughters.I have one indoors for 3 ys ago..and have no room for more..

Speaking of Provence..these grow in cracks of sidewalks in Provence and thrive on no care.They bloom early morning here and a

late afternoon..

Cosmos forever now.

This? Never again..Shiso..Took forever to sprout..and now is taking off.. and I find it bitter.. 

The white Fairy is sooo hardy..Blooming it's pretty little head off again now..

As the leaves change..the gardens will again..fall in a couple of days..

I am smitten with watching our grandsons..cannot call them littles anymore..play football..some of the next photos are not mine..the first..someone at his college must have taken it..Some of you may remember Lucas..as a newborn..:)xoxHe is captain of his team and deserves it.

Oli..is the youngest in their family turned 14 this past Sept.

If I told you he has become a wonderful humble stellar QB..I would not be lying.

 Max the middle one..   below.. works so hard like his brothers..

None of this is a given talent.These boys work at it..all the time..ALL the time.This bottom pic was taken by my fave sports photographer..

He is amazing..and very nice!

Don't ask them the table of elements or our archaic history content in schools (PITIFUL)..but they can name every player ..every QB ..on every team.Excellent sports statisticians.

Math etc..really good..It's true what they say..you can understand if you are interested and enjoy.

 

They were holding a football at 2:)

You have no idea how many times they passed the football out here from such a young age.

When I walk around our gardens..I see them all as babies..sleeping under a tree..or fast asleep in a swing.. digging for worms and bugs..splashing in a baby pool..running through a sprinkler..

The summer we put a tent up out back..I had taken photos of them..and had them developed..I bought them each a little journal..and we pasted all the photos in their books and remembered the days.

I am certain they don't remember this..but that day..is in my memory bank:)

I see every stage of all 4..To leave here would be to leave those vivid images of paradise.

I became a nana at 51.

My favorite name..right there.

Oli has no recollection of baking so many cookies with me..LOL if he doesn't the others won't..

But again..In my memory bank.

 So forgive my diatribe  but I document things here and so many of the photos of my blog were deleted..

Soo..

We have another darling grandson ..he stopped football this year and I don't blame him.The last three years were nothing short of discouraging to him.The team was just not for him.An off team..

He has many other qualities..:) It's just that football season is upon us right now..I'm relaying current news;)

I am sure I will have Noah news sooner than later:)

Have a great week.

I just love zinnias and my grandsons.. and somehow ..football too lol.

 Undoubtedly  my girls in my gardens.. These were new to me..last to bloom..

I can go out every day and make a few bouquets to sprinkle here and there ..

Sooner than later lovely home grown bouquets will be a thing of the past.The best for me at this time of year..Cosmos bouquets and these.Many:) 

I would love Dahlias but ..they don't flourish for me.

In April this is one of the Riviera people I painted gleaned 100% from Geeparee's photo..You will see below why I am showing you:)

This is a terrible shot of a pie I made ..This is Marie's  recipe..

An apple pie has a baby with a sugar pie:)

It's perfect for an apple lover with a sweet tooth..Thank you Marie.

You know..I have been making many of her recipes for years and years.An unsung hero in the kitchen dept if you ask me.

If you like to cook and bake she is a wealth of info and tried and trues.

I couldn't resist adding this recent bloom on Nikko Blue.. Look at the variations in one bloom.

Nature is amazing.

And this is a fun part..I fell in love with that jean jacket..from the Riviera..

Look what I found on Poshmark.

We had a delicious casual Sunday  dinner at one of our daughter's for darling Oli's 14th bday..Caro took a pic of me..in front of their blackboard wall which was quite distracting lol..she removed the background to show the jacket.

I know something is Ok when my girls reallly like it too:)

Had to swoop my hair to show the details..It really is maybe a bit too long now and hides too much...

I felt so lucky when I saw it.

It will hopefully make it to a few football games..

We have been to a few..have another this Saturday..

As long as I don't see them getting hurt..I really love watching them.

What dedication.

I can tell fall is coming..some trees have started to show their true colors..perennials are tired and old looking.

Not anticipating the Fall cleanup with excitement....

Take care...

September beckons..

 

I love antique shops and thrift shops..my husband doesn't lol..nor my girls..the latter into different styles..

I pick up very little these days.

I need nothing.

For some reason I gravitate towards our vintage clothes shop..and I do like makeup.

I have so many cookie cutters..lol cake pans..years of blogging.

No wall room left for art..I don't tire of things..I don't redecorate lol.

One thing I would love is  a GREAT bed.

in the last 10 yrs we have bought two mattresses.They both are :( for me.

My friend from Fl visited..and she was talking about her beds..

People tell her she makes a bed better than a high quality hotel bed.Best linens best beds.

She couldn't believe J and I sleep in a Queen:) She said one of the first things she told her husband was KING.

Oy I would need a whole new headboard footboard..etc..we've had this set for 50 yrs.And the room would be tighter.

But why can't I get a mattress I ADORE.

She has a mattress and bed and linens here where she spends her summers..and the same in Fl.

Puffy.

Once you start Googling mattresses..it never ENDYS lol.

Pros and cons for all kinds..

I don't have hot flashes way past that and never had any .

But my calves get so warm.

I can't sleep without a sheet and blanket.

Surely there is a mattress I could love somewhere in this universe.

I mean I NEED to sleep.

Any suggestions?

Funny how my art tutorial by Chris Petri..please Google..it leads to my account if I link..hundreds of fabulous tutorials..led me to bed talk..

I know they are cute..but they munch too:)

Luckily none of these..I follow a feed in French that has gardens..veggies..they sell them..one day she suggested making edible bouquets..

All these are edible:)

Zinnias..cosmos,dill,shiso,basil,lovage,sage and sorrel.

I find they look lovely together.

Speaking of flowers..The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart..has the worst ending ever.

I hated it.

This little cake..if you think you can't bake..you're wrong.EASY Peasy.

Food By Khan on Tik Tok.

@foodbykhan

https://www.tiktok.com/@foodbykhan

I am a fan of TikTok..recipes..cooking ..gardening..babies..tutorials..

I love this new to me zinnia..She's smaller than the others..but packs a sweet punch.I may have to amend that area where I sowed her..I did the stupid mistake of putting geotextile 22 yrs ago..  unfortunately the earth has sunk the textile is too high now so its a struggle for seeds to grow..hardy things like weeds just love geo and run rampant and pierce through everywhere.:( To late to rip those big beds up.

The Phlox are huge this year..they need dividing also.

Jobs I am not as motivated by as when I was 50.20 yrs of digging plays havoc on shoulders and elbows etc..

As I go through my Spring and Summer photos..the gardens have whizzed by:(

I've ordered some seeds and really ..if you can save your own..Seeds plus shipping. ..$$$ and you seem to get so few lol.

So it's too early for my zinnias still soooo many to bloom..and age..same with cosmos..but you can start marigolds and definitely dill..

I like doing this:)

I had saved poppies.

I am grateful some of my last Provence 4 o'clock seeds took and are blooming..not many but I will surely save again.

The only thing that has not changed but has..

are these vultures.

They used to be gone end of August.

Taken TODAY

My tomatoes are still happening..lots every single day.Grateful.Ugly plants.Good tomatoes..go figure.

Littles(big) back in school..football season starting very very soon.

They work so hard I wish them a very good injury free season.

Enjoy the rest of August:)

Here,there,and everywhere.Love that song.Those Beatles.

 

 

The days are getting shorter ,the light is definitely different.

We ..J ..Has found a solution for grass..don't grow grass ...grow clover.

The past couple of yrs.. because of water restrictions..our grass has suffered.And that's J's thing..and I like the canvas it makes for the gardens here and there.So most of our non grass:) now..is clover.Requires very little water.. needs less cutting..looks brown early Spring but it catches up.I do attribute the green green grass of home to the immeasurable amount of rain we have had this summer.An extremely dry parchment Spring..a wet summer..Time will tell but so far clover is our answer.

Anyone want quack grass? Goutweed ? I have that too.I HATE IT.

The gardens are waning..these are 3 of my back gardens..

I've bummed my elbow and am not looking forward to putting it all to bed come Oct.:(

Home sweet home though.We love being home.I mean..book me in Provence for Sept by means of a direct flight leaving at 2.PM returning same time and maybe:) But with J.A little car there for us.. a small home away from home there..Perhaps.:):):) Just a little dream..we're going nowhere.So glad we did when we did.

 I had a nice outing with a friend..that cute place you see there..going back soon:)

Made madeleines..GOSH those things I love.

Made J's mom's super sweet ketchup.Been making it for 50 yrs skipping some yrs..bit the bullet.

I love..

Cosmos...seed grown ,a gift from a friend.I'll harvest seeds for next yr.

Marigolds.. seeds from last yr,,started saving

Zinnias..will save ..all last yrs seeds except for Oklahoma Salmon ..I fell in love with and Queen Red Lime..the rest seeds from here.

Next yr..

I've ordered Strawflower seeds..will try next yr.

The series..The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart inspired me.

I will plants gomphrena and may try a few dahlias..although the latter is scary for me lol.Verbena Bonariensis too..next yr:)

Will start Bumblebee cherry tomatoes  indoors I did not find at the nursery..I missed them this year.

Tomatoes were ok..but the leaves etc..all mold..all ugly..all the time.

I planted pumpkins..not one..I sowed swiss chard as soon as it was up..EATEN

Will NOT plant Shiso (perilla) It was a hard start and eaten and I had to cover and baby only to discover I just am not fond of the taste.

 I will give Fred one of my Sorrels..  They are huge and a good perennial although beetle food too.

Made a lot of tomato things and froze..salsa ,sauces..

made all kinds of basil things..pesto..just basil and evoo a neat trick..Nutribullet then put in baggies..flatten and freeze..you don't always want pesto..

We had dinner at one of our daughter's a while ago..

I saw oysters..I said :Oh Im not sure..  my daughter said wait..

These are my son-in-laws Oysters Rockefeller.

A DREAM.

Baked..I won't show you my plate once done..PILED.

He really is a chef extraordinaire..Not his profession..but he could be.

Speaking of which The BEAR..OH my this season from episode 6..FANTASTIC.

This Pierrot was sent to me 100 yrs ago from a creative genius..

You know.. some internet friends stay with you FOREVER and a day.

I still correspond..  but not nearly enough..

Just to say..

I lost a dear blogging friend/ creative genius lately.She had been absent from blogging..IG..

and I worried.

Her darling daughter sent me a DM to tell me the sad news.

As we age..it happens and it is always sad.

We remember all the sharing.. all the kindness..all the keeping company.

xo

Photo courtesy of the web..not mine.

This is the inspo for growing strawflowers next yr.

PS so GREAT to see S Weaver NOT looking like a Kardashian;)

PS..WORST ENDING EVER

Painting..cooking..gardening..:)

 

A fun painting tutorial..

Cindy Briggs..just Google you tube videos..It is there..:) She has a few..I had bought the Aquarelle book to paint in..in Provence..perfect to add this tutorial in it:)

Painted that lovely dad and his wee boy..he is a photographer on Instagram..he has given me permission to paint his subjects.I picked hi this time:)

I love making Fresh sun baked tomato pasta..

Its as easy as easy can be..pick a hot sunny day..Cut tomatoes..garlic..add red pepper fakes.. capers..black olives if you wish..basil..s and p and Evoo..

Once it has baked in the sun all day add your cooked pasta and season to taste..We add garlic bread crumbs..and Parm..J adds mussels .

Fridays are pizza nights here..:)He is the pizza maker..Different or the same every Friday.

We don't eat out or order in..  and honestly Im fine with that:)

I like a little lunch with my girls or our get away dinners..but w/ just J and I..as happy if not more at home.We don't go out at night unless we have to lol.

Love a little coffee chat afternoon with a friend too..

A muffin? A croissant?Special..not drive through or fast food.EVER.

I also love making bouquets inside..Cosmos.. echinacea..zinnias..etc..

Dahlias would be great but I gave up..

Too many earwigs and bugs..

Playing with Profiles in Lightroom is fun too;)

Have a lovely weekend..rain in the forecast here.

Bon weekend..