Well, Hello August~

You are just about to happen upon us..did you see July fly by?

August..a whole lotta pinks going on and a whole lot of yellows so I'll start w/ the pinks..
Some of these I have shared on Instagram..so those of you who have seen the radishes and the salad can look away :)
I grew my radishes because I could not find watermelon radishes here..
I may try again..later..

The bee balm is prolific here and even moreso in my borrowed wildflower gardens out back.
So I pick bouquets and display them for me.
I have trepidations now..going into wildflowers..ticks have appeared it seems in pets here in QC..and quite frankly they freak me out.

I've been baking and taking pics and gardening and painting..and reading..Lilac Girls was good..almost 800pages and I didn't get bored at all.
I love E-books..but not for art books..to me it is better seeing it in person if you are trying to learn to paint..etc..or keeper art books and you all know my faves..
I have gone on and on about them♥


So... August is busy in our little clan..
Adamo ..July31rst.. Lucas August 6th..Giuliana August 8th and Mylène August 10th..Caroline and Frédérick's anniversary..and a childhood friend's birthday..Really really nice.
And next weekend Lucas and Mylène,,

Which brings me to the subject of cards..

I am an E-booker and an E-mailer..no doubt about it..and an E-shopper too..

 I get the  E-cards idea  at Christmas..well ..because postage is dear and if you have a gang of cards to send..I get it..I used to send out 100 calendars minimum..to sometimes hear.."I get so many calendars"..ok then..and they were almost $2.00 each to send.
That is one thing about my job I do not miss..mailing out calendars:)
And international rates are so high..
..it's just not doable.
Many gave up sending Christmas cards years ago.

So back to the cards..I get the E-cards for Christmas..
But I don't get an E-card for birthdays.
unless you cannot get out:( I so get that..been there done that.:(
When someone is not well..by all means don't go out..and do what you just can't..never.
Never should anything be an obligation..it has to be freeflight~

Or..you forgot:)
And that happens..a lot:)

But if you remember and you can get out..why not send a real card..hard copy..a stamp is still the most affordable gift you can give.
The $ store has cards:)
Just write in it..

It just feels so warm..to send and to receive.
I get excited when I send something:)
I do..
A little nutty I am..

I follow some  calligraphy/mail art  artists on Instagram..and oh my goodness the letters are such a gift!
One I love..you can follow her blog also..Lindsey..


I think one of the things apart from her insane talent at making her maps  and all the art she creates..that makes Carol Gillott's Paris Maps ..so special..is just how special the letters are..the work involved..and the care that goes into them..
and they arrive snail mail..in your mailbox..
with lovely Paris add-ins~ business cards,flyers..such cute stuff..the things I was looking for during our week in Paris~
Treasures to me.

July and les bonbons:)

Les petits trésors de Carol Gillott

I must say..before we left for Paris..I went over so many of Carol's posts..to refresh my memory and to point me in directions..very helpful.

The easiest to please friend I have..  said this past week..

"Always nice to receive a package"~


I had not received these yet~

See what I mean.?.Feel good via snail mail~
♥
Bon Weekend!

It's blueberry season in QC~

My daughter Mylène,Noah and I went on one of our summer outings..it was a different place for me and it was lovely..again..not commercial like the previous place..and so many blueberries..the bushes are literally dripping in bluebs.My new nickname for blueberries..Noah cracked up..sounds like boobs...8 yr olds love words like that.

We had 800 meters of corn fields to drive by..it was beautiful.

My daughter said :"aren't we lucky to live here?""We have fields bursting w/ produce when some starve..we have so much..look how pretty everything is."
I swear that sounded exactly like me when I have been  with our other daughter ,Caroline.
I am always repeating myself..about how beautiful here is..and then I heard myself but the words came from another person.

It's so funny how our children inherit certain traits..here and there..of Jacques or I..all mixed up.The great gene pool.

So we got loads of blueberries..we went early..and by the time we left the heat and humidity were settling in again.

I decided to make 2 little pies..  and some jam..and save some to eat fresh..we may go back they will be open until the end of August.

Very nice ,young,gentle owner.

I told him I preferred his blueberries to another place..and he so nicely said..they have many things they cultivate..not one nasty competitive remark..
I loved his answer.Gracious. I didn't like mine.Lesson learned.
You can say you love his fields,just don't compare.
Not necessary.Less is best.
I made Linda's pie dough again..which is quite similar to the one the TB makes..I have not comapared the quantities..but it was so hot..the dough..for the hearts,did not hold it's shape as well..
the filling was just blueberries,cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon.


I am crazy about some of the pie decorators on Instagram.
I am crazy about some of  the gardeners on Instagram.
I am crazy about  some the photographers on Instagram.
I am crazy about some of the artists on Instagram.

You find people from your urban and country settings..vintage from England..beautiful children..
just another pretty venue apart from Blogging.
If you haven't looked recently..go peek and make a search.
You will be amazed.
One of the pie decorators is called the Topless Baker:) he has you tube videos and his pie decorating one was very good..his attention to detail is sweet.
Just one of hundreds I now follow..

Like the bloggers I love and follow..
It's different..blogging.. my perception is....you get to "know"the person..I am possibly wrong.
on Instagram..it's more ♥ing something..You click on a heart.
it means you like it.
You open your Instagram..and you are seeing gardens in Sweden..vintage finds in the UK..artists from all over the world....Calligraphers..bakers..many photographers I follow are from Mtl and I have gotten to appreciate my city even more.

Saturday I went to my brocante..again..so MUCH stuff..all so different and fun.

The above..all repurposed wood..made like vintage sewing machine drawers w/ alovely pull kno..at the front..at $15.00 I thought what a great price..
cute for bathrooms..kitchen..seed storage,art supplies etc..

This man has great..garden benches/structures in metal w/ a nice old green patina..
if I was 20 yrs younger I might invest:)

we have bouquinistes too:)

Love it.What did I buy? A small wood cigar case again..for paints:)
I have bought a few things from that man..they work so hard,many having to be there by 6 AM..set up..stay all day.And it was HOT.
Kudos.

Edibles and not so edibles:)

It's quite a summer here..shhhh..knock on wood...

The herbs are so happy!
 As the hydrangeas are..
..the first to bloom are always the Annabelles..piles of them..everywhere..so many we will have to remove some..yet again..
they are what summer afternoons are all about~

The hydrangeas you see w/ Maggie the Lilies peeking out ..also harbor an obelisk type structure..where a clematis scampers up and weaves it's way in the hydrangeas..:)

I thought this book..Edible Paradise..a coloring book would be good for me to learn to draw edible shapes..like the other few coloring books I have but don't color in..
It's a sweet book.

When I pick herbs..for our meal..there are always extra..put them in  a vase w/ water..they are like flowers and will stay fresh until the next day..at least.

I made pesto that day..a huge handful of basil,garlic..parm cheese ,s and p..and pine nuts..just a small container full for a pasta dish the next day.Just put it all in a food processor..

We have had a glorious summer so far..  what summer afternoons were made of when I was much younger it seems.

Or maybe I am appreciating them more now..

At one point you realize you have less summers to enjoy..than summers you have lived..
it's true..

I think that makes us appreciate them more..the sunshine:)

The growing of things..even if just pots.

The wearing of  flip flops and baggie summer dresses.
The fresh produce,open markets,big like my brocante on Saturdays..
or small ,on Thursday afternoons..
..blue skies,summer rains.
Fleeting thunderstorms...

..it's a classic this year.
A superb classic knock on wood..

The kind where we sprayed Sun In in our hair and hung out at the pool..(I only did this after 16..prior to that I was a pool pariah,don't ask..)

Nice moments in time.

Debbie's husband Joe grows garlic too..and they posted their harvest on Instagram..and that gave me the go ahead..to go ahead..Thanks Debbie and Joe..
So I harvested it..and cleaned it a bit..and now it's curing in the potting shed until I clean it well snip of the tall leaves..and bring it in to enjoy all year..
garlic is the garden gift that keeps on giving:)ALL year long..
except we have noted we need to double our harvest next year.

I have been asked if our potting shed is cute inside..because outside..I say this humbly..Jacques did a great job of it..Fred helped with the trusses and I helped w/ the siding and shingles..

so here is the answer..no... it does not follow the pretty rule inside..
cement floor..super great..poured concrete..but rough interior..our garlic hangs everywhere right now in my potting section..
Jacques' part is bigger ..at least 3 times mine..for tractor/lawn mower..and LOL if you can believe it ..inside his side double doors..I have shears hanging..for a makeshift summer photo studio while I take online lessons:)
Have a lovely weekend~

Lavender~ Field of Dreams~

I love it~
I love looking at it..brushing my hand against it..smelling it..drying it..baking and cooking with it..photographing it.

I found my parents' cutting shears..I love them..now they will be used often:)

Sharpened or not..maybe only for their pretty composure.

So pleasureable finding something that makes you feel so good..

Take..for example..a brand new Field Of Dreams..not 10 minutes from our home..the grand opening was the day we celebrated Noah's birthday and the morning was quite iffy weather wise..so I decide to wait to go..

I know..God willing..I will go every year..
what this nursery/garden centre  has done..with the land they own..is simply ..to me..extraordinary.
Remember I went to Bleu Lavande years ago?
I can't believe it was that long ago..

I loved it also..but it was really far..really..took forever there was so much construction going on..

This one is so close♥I can get there on my own~

And I love it.

It is less commercial..perhaps w/ time it will become moreso..but right now..it's just perfect for me.

I got there early..yesterday..spur of the moment and someone was there for my ticket and entry.

The day was picture perfect..blue skies with pillowy clouds..no humidity..a gentle breeze..and all this to admire..

They have mosaic cultures..  and sand art..

Sower fairies

some topiaries..are in the beginning stages..like the horse in the background above..the dog is adorable:)

The vison of this person for  all of this is unbelievable.
All the huge animal /mammal sculptures are entirely made of plants..
If I was younger I would ask for a job..of looking after these gardens..it's like a make believe world.
Fairy Tale.

As you arrive a huge whale awaits you with a waterfall tail..
there's a labyrinth of corn..I started and came back..I get lost in a phone booth..

There's a pond w/ willows..and much more..so many plantings..different areas for different types..lilies and hydrangeas were in bloom..the nursery offers landscaping and plants..
I am definitely going back..♥

and there is lavender!Loads and loads and loads..I have a few plants;)

Such a NICE feeling walking the grounds and thinking..

Field Of Dreams..

If you build it..THEY will come:)

So about this cake..this is mostly a food blog:)
I made it twice..the first time..after twice the baking time almost..and dark..it was puddly.
stubborn..
because I wanted to make it..I made it again..I even added an egg..reduced the 1/2 cup of buttermilk by one line..and tossed less that 1/4 cup of blueberries in flour..

still it needed at least 50 minutes..and I half way through switched to convection..
it's rare that this happens..so I can't share the recipe and won't link..it's not the persons fault..but I am just wondering why it was a challenge:)

It's got a bit of honey..lavender..buttermilk..vanilla..and blueberries..the only difference my blueberries were frozen..but so few!  And so many adjustments..
Oh well it was pretty..and good...but drier because of that needed long baking time..
5 inches only..perfecto size wise..for the mini family we are just the 2 of us.

I really do love where we live.I know I complain in March..but that's so little compared to all my gratitude:)