Sunday, May 25, 2014

Muguet..Mai..~ Chez nous..Still~


Un bouquet ou deux pour vous~











Ou trois ou quatre!












Still..
Still ..I am overwhelmed by the fun of having color and beauty right outside our door.
I am outside..all day.
In for lunch and often standing up..
then in to start dinner preps around 4..
And sometimes..even after dinner..

out and about  I go and.. yes ...and click click.

Remember that song Still by Lionel Ritchie?
Someone once told me when they heard that song they thought of me..

Well I feel that way about my garden..all winter..Never far from my thoughts..
And more loyal:)

It is high season Lily Of The Valley time here..
And I have been intoxicating over my bouquets..
Luckily..The Diva herself..Miss Giuliana  was spotted for a few minutes the day I picked this bouquet and I said:"Could you just hold this for a few minutes?"So obliging as always~
That darling girl is lucky she does not live next door.:)
I think we would be baking up a storm:)
And  I would be clicking away at her.
She is a natural.

I save a few things..as you can see..

The Laura Ashley ribbon is from a beloved PJ  I bought at  a Ross in Florida:)
I loved the ribbon as much as the PJ:)

It just suited my bouquet so much..I tied it around this oh so fragrant beautiful bouquet♥
I made little fondant LOTV thanks to a post from Carol G.. but had no occasion for a cakes..so again..one day soon after an occasion I will post.

As far as annuals go..My fuschias are knocking my socks off right now..
Bellissima!

And all the little herbs here and there:)

Along with edible blooms..
GROW..

In the food dept..
I tried a fast ..easy and delicious little appy..
I used brick sheets as she did but Phyllo would be perfectamundo too!
I found it on a charming blog I follow..
You can find the recipe here.
Samosas..black olive..chèvre and red pepper~

Go see hers..they are more transparent..I doubled my silly little sheets and they became opaque..still the taste was as they say :"nom nom"::)
Buy brick sheets..(I had some from Adonis..)  or use phyllo..

Make a mixture of black olives(Kalamata for me) diced red pepper..and chèvre ..I had feta..)..add Herbes De Provence and make your samosas with this filling..  brush with EVOO..Bake at 350 F for ap..20 mins  flipping half way..

Mine took a tad longer..
So good..I had filling leftover and ate it by the spoonful.
Merçi Rose Noisette!

Another something I made that was a huge hit..
Will post a pic soon..were  these..
I happened to read Marie's post this morning at 6 AM.. and I knew I would be having boys over today..
Will  I make these again?
Absolutely!!
The nutmeg is the clincher..
Apart from the all over taste.
They were gobbled up here.
Also I received my first 6 pack of Alain's eggs..
I am over the moon..
Will try and make something special soon..
Thinking cap on.
Have a lovely week..~





27 comments:

  1. With beautiful blooms such as these I can see why you spend your day outside in your garden. Your lily of the valleys are tres belle. And for appetizers what's not to love about chevre, kalamata olives and red peppers wrapped in phyllo. I hope you have a lovely week as well Monique.
    Sam

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  2. Hubby and I are in limbo right now. I can't cook, bake or plant any flowers and I'm so sad BUT that will soon change. We move to Michigan this coming Wednesday and I pray that I will be able to have a beautiful flower garden like yours. I CAN'T WAIT TO COOK TOO!! Have a great week. -Bev

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  3. All the very best to you ..
    Soon you will be in your comfort zone..
    Your zone ..garden zone:-) ..will be like mine maybe..you will grow many many things and cook many things!
    In that lovely house in that nice town.

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  4. Your garden is as beautiful as they come, Monique. I know you give it loving care. Enjoy your week of outdoor pleasure.

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  5. What lovely photos of your garden, the best place to be especially with all that lily of the valley it must smell like heaven.
    I think I'd like to try your method for the samosas, sounds tasty, for a quick & easy. lunch snack. have a nice week & enjoy your lovely plants.

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  6. Awesome photos Monique. Your Lily of the valley is a show stopper!
    That samoosa looks delicious..the garden is putting on quite a handsome display for you.
    Have a happy week.
    Shel

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  7. Tant de muguets ! Votre jardin doit être si aromatique et enivrant ....
    Quel dommage que les saisons soient décalées tout de même.

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  8. It really is feast or famine !
    Hope i am not being a photobombarder with the blooms..It's my journal too..
    making believe I am serving tea to you :)

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  9. Love your beautiful blossoms. I have lily of the valley and violets growing wild in my orchard. I've been mowing and just couldn't mow them down so I know have patches of tall grass mingled with wildflowers.

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  10. So beautiful. I just want to frame your lovely photos and hang them all over my walls.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  11. Love lili of the valley...enjoy the week darling love from me Ria...x !

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  12. I have never seen so many Lily of the valley!
    Utterly divine ALL of this.
    Just heaven!

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    Replies
    1. Here..it is invasive..but I let it be..let it be..love it so much!
      I am thinking about you today everywhere I look..:)

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  13. Seeing all of your lily of the valley encourages me to plant some too... Love the huge bouquet held by your "Diva". Always such good recipes here. Yum.

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    1. She's a very special diva.. I know a few..G..Viola..I love preteens..who are not the usual ones..
      These girls have so much..inside too:)

      Gail...it should work in the beautiful Hamptons....read up..because our zones are so different~
      I wish you BOUQUETS full.

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  14. we are both in lily of the valley mode :-) it is taking over our back garden ... so lovely. I put in ONE plant years ago, knowing that I wanted to make my son's high school graduation boutonniere and since then it has multiplied many times over.
    lovely photos ~ thank you for sharing all the beauty in your little corner of the world ♥

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  15. I just picked a bouquet of Lily of the Valley too. The scent is one of the very best spring has to offer. Just glorious. What a lovely LOTV model you have :) Wouldn't they make a wonderful May wedding bridal bouquet? Beautiful, plump fuchsias! I've been working in the garden non stop the past two days to get all of the annuals and tubers in the ground before the rain starts this afternoon. I come inside at the end of the afternoon dirty and sweating and using your nail brush. It feels great, though, now that it is done.

    The appetizer sounds so good! I'd love to try it. I wish I could find brick sheets here :( I've read they are much easier to work with than phyllo dough.

    How wonderful to have Grand-Hens that are producing for their Nana :)

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    Replies
    1. I said to Giuliana..if you get married in May..This should be your bouquet!
      I am so happy those children and us fit in so perfectly..
      But then again..they are so nice they would have accepted us no matter how we were.
      I am very happy you use the nail brush..
      My friend gave me a manicure..a brush pales in comparison:)

      I think I can send you brick sheets..they have a long shelf life..refrigerated..let me work on that.

      PS we went to Vermont.. a one day trip..for a new Trader Joe's..we are going back as soon as we want to.
      :)
      Brought back goodies we cannot find here..
      Let me work on the brick:)

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  16. I think YOU are like the flowers your garden! So colorful, so diverse! You are in blossom! I love the muguets...I left mine behind at my old home...I don't think they are blossoming here yet, but I will go on a search...

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  17. OMG, Are you IN Quebec City?? I love Paillard! I love so much there! So many of those beautiful signs, maybe I'll do a composite...If you are in Québec, bon séjour!!

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    1. OUI:)

      And I have thought of you SO often!!
      We will even bring home some "Paillard " stamped:) miches..

      So busy that place though..Oh my goodness so busy!
      Have napkins etc a la Carol:)
      And painted my coffee!:)

      C'est plaisant..c'est beau..
      And thank goodness the sun SHONE today!!

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  18. It's beautiful your flower gardens and I like looking at your pictures. So nice of you to share with us.

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  19. Monique, The Lily of the Valley flowers look gorgeous! We have some Leucojum ,Summer Snowflake variety. They look similar and we love them every year they bloom. All the flowers in your garden are beautiful. Always love stopping by to be inspired by your awesome photos.
    Hugs,
    Jody

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  20. Monique, I have always loved the photographs of your garden. You have such a beautiful eye with your camera. Your pictures are exquisite! I want to plant lily of the valley in our garden. I think they would do well in the shaded areas. I love the violets as well. So beautiful. The samosas look fabulous. I must try them myself. OH, and I am beyond the moon you enjoyed the muffins. I baked some more yesterday for my elderly friend. I had taken some to her last week and she enjoyed them so much, so I baked another dozen just for her. She can keep them in the freezer and take one out to enjoy now and again. She was pleased. Have a great Thursday. Love YOU! xxoo

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  21. What gorgeous flowers! I can see why you want to be outdoors...so lovely. I can see appetizers and a glass of wine among the beautiful flowers!

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  22. You are truly the "amazing Miss M", Monique. I swooned when I saw your beautiful bouquets of Lily of the Valley. And your fuchsias remind me of the gorgeous baskets that my grandmother would always hangon her front porch. What a treat to come visit today. I finally found the brick you told me about several years ago and have a package of it in my freezer waiting for me to figure out what to do with it. Well, now I know. I think I will be trying the little cakes someday very soon. Lovely post.

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  23. Monique how lovely flowers and the shots are georgeous, really besutiful!

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