Sunday, August 21, 2016

La Saison Des Tournesols~Sunflower days~






Look at me!
Don't you find she seems to be saying that?:)








The weekend marked my worst pie ever.

I knew when I was putting things together..it is healthier ..but not better.
Anyway..not going to put a link nor the recipe..
that's how much I was disappointed.
Loads of apples..etc..etc..
Oh well,c'est la vie.

I also went to our market stand for corn..the apples..and brussel sprouts.

Saturday I went to our brocante..and came home with sunflowers which I love..

remember when I went shooting w/ my friend?

and then the field we found?

These were all ready and in a bouquet.Ideal.

Then I spotted heirloom tomatoes♥
Locally grown..I have cherry ones and a bit bigger coming out of my eyes..but no heirlooms look how beautiful:)

In the afternoon..we went to catch half a football game of Lucas' and half of Max's.
I have to commend the girls..great moms..Jacques said it is like all 4 boys have been away on holidays all summer..with activities and sports etc..
I never had a life like that..
In summer we got up and went outside.Often we came in..our moms would make us a sandwich and we would eat it at our fort..later  as teens..we hung around the pool.
I never went to camp..I did take swimming but I already told you that fun story.."Tidal Wave".:(
I never had classes or outings..
I played Barbies and read Nancy Drews and La Comtesse de Ségur..day in day out.
I had a very good life..don't get me wrong.I was loved and cared for.
But the buck stopped there.LOL.
We were left to our own devices..and they were not tech.

Ok back to football..so Caroline had been to Oli's Soccer game at 9..then onto a football field for 11 to watch Lucsa play..while Frédérick coached them..till 1..then at 1.30 Max plays while F coaches..
I can't tell you how hot it was.. we went 1-3..we had umbrellas to protect from the sun..I don't know how those kids play with all that equipment..
Anyway we left w/ Oli ..what a trooper he is to be in his soccer outfit..staying at the field all that time..NEVER complains...
As soon as we left..Max scored a touchdown:(

I took a few pics..hard holding an umbrella..had my point and shoot..we are so far away!!

Anyway I was able to get a shot of each..in a pose I tried to draw.
I love painting our boys,no matter how amateurish they are..I know I have THEM in those paintings.
:)♥

Noah was busy..w/ swimming and soccer..and was swimmer of the week..next year ..baseball we think.

It is Sunday as I type..and we are having a deluge..feast or famine this summer~
Some things are gorgeous like the sage and rosemary and parsley and lavender and cherry tomatoes..
the basil drowned I think:(
As well as my trailing petunias.
Even the wildflowers are starting to turn to seed.
I won't rush it all along..but I feel it.

Still ..it has been a very very lovely one.♥

PS..The following is my personal opinion only.
When I see IGmers..or bloggers..writing about stolen pics..stolen recipes..
I beg to differ.
If you are sharing ideas on IG or blogs..you are sharing.
Copyright your photos etc..put a padlock on them..

I find it would be reprehensible if you were pulling them off as your own..but if you are sharing something pretty you found on Pinterest..or on a blog and Pinning...
I think..that is fine.
I think credit should be given to the author /artist..
and you should never make it look like it's yours..and you should always refer to the artist.
But apart from that..if it's on the web..you wanted to share.
Ohmygosh..stop w/ the Stealing part.
Some don't even know that they are sharing something you don't want shared..
It's a compliment.

I have seen The Mona Lisa and the Statue of David..everywhere..
I have not heard any complaints.
Get something important to worry about.
I can't believe I said that:)

Stealing my daughter's cute cupcakes for a closing party for end of summer swim club..she got the idea on pinterest..19 swimmers will be happy.




If not for Pinterest..?Come on...


43 comments:

  1. I was last on the last post....and first here!
    Your painting is so good! I especially like the curve of their legs!
    You are very good Monique...step out of the shadows and take a bow!
    Someone complaining about stealing? Oh well.....la tee dah!
    You are absolutely right...that is why I put my initials on mine...
    You want it? Take it with my initials! I did not think you could steal from Instagram...
    We only got a few drops of rain around 4:30...
    Your gardens must look fantastic!
    Those cupcakes are adorable...you have great kids...
    Enjoy your evening..
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Exactly! Watermark..copyright..and then you have nothing to be alarmed about.The point of Pinterest is to PIN what one enjoys..sharing..:)Cute idea the cuppies:)

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    2. Have you found an easy way to watermark your photos? I have not.... I hope if someone shares they link back or credit, but I guess I can't count on it.

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    3. I can do it on Photoshop..let me see if there is a way that would be easier..like PicMonkey..I will look for you.

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  2. I love sunflowers and tomatoes! I grew up on a lake in Michigan with forest all around us. We spend every weekend in the winter and year round in the summer either hiking, skating tobogganing, fishing row boating, climbing trees etc. I love the life I had and can not even image structured events as a child.

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    1. :)

      They are so used to having a lot of activities:) I get it though..I had 2 little girls..and I was almost an only child;)
      3 boys..need to be busy..and an only boy..needs activisties too..things are so different today! I imagine..our grandchildren will be saying the same thing:)
      We're The Jetsons..they will be?

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  3. Love looking at your pictures and hearing about your weekend. What could have gone wrong with your pie unless you used salt instead of sugar? I can't believe it. You must have burned it up. I never used to be inside during summer either. Always outdoors. I love your paintings and your style. I taught myself. I figured if I drew/painted exactly what I saw it should come out like it. Add a few years and voila. Those tomatoes look so good. I haven't had a homegrown one all summer. The deer ate them all.

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    1. Thank you for your encouragement!
      The pie..oh Donna whole wheat crust..just not for us..he ate the filling lol..and usually he will eat any dessert!
      It just does not work for us!
      A pie should not be healthy😉Sorry about your tomatoes!

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  4. Oh, I agree, Monique. I do think credit needs to be given and Pinterest should be pinned from the original. Sharing is a good thing! ;-)
    Darling idea for the cupcakes.

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    1. I was just so surprised at a girls negativity at finding a corner of her kitchen on Pinterest.
      If you're showing ..you're sharing it..
      It's funny because just last week..a friend sent me a photo of our potting shed..she found it on FB.
      The only thing that instilled in me s curiosity.
      I have posted it on my blog in my opinion..I shared it.

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  5. Love your painting of the boys, Monique! And I agree, if you share it on the web....then, no complaints unless you take measures to protect them, i.e. Copyrights.

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  6. I am with you Monique, sharing things and trying to pass them off as your own is reprehensible, but sharing someone elses talents and giving them credit, that is the highest of compliments. Really if it is on the net anyone can see. I have found a few pieces of my art that had been literally stolen and passed off as someone elses, they literally had erased my copyright, which made me angry, but alas, it happens. So sorry about your pie! Hope it was not one of my recipes! Yikes! My tomatoes are starting to turn red, well a few of them anyways. LOVE LOVE LOVE your paintings of your boys. You are so good at that. Really. You need to give yourself more credit. What a treasure these little paintings will be for your grandchildren some day. LOVE sunflowers. They are my favourites. (I know I say that about all flowers, lol) Your daughter's cupcakes are sooooo sweet! Clearly they have inherited your artistic flair. Things are starting to look a bit sad and tired in the garden here now as well! I wish for you a very wonderful week. xoxo

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    1. Art is something which should never be taken and used as one's own..and credit must always be given.I can't believe someone removed your copyright..oh boy.
      Many flowers are my absolute faves too!

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    2. Marie, they erased your copywrite and claimed something as theres?! Slime will slither.

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    3. Yes, and they were making money from it. I reported it to my agent who is supposed to do something about it, but a lot of these companies are Chinese and they simply shut down and open a new company. One of my artist friends found a Chinese company selling her images on ribbons! Hard to deal with internationally!

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  7. Sunflowers are cover girls :) So beautiful, and those tomatoes - Wowsers! The Boys helped me pick tomatoes yesterday :) There is a high school about a mile away from us and we hear the football practice and games on Friday nights. Fun times for your Littles (getting not so little anymore)♥ Sad about the stealing. I had an entire recipe and my photos stolen by someone once who put it on her blog without any credit. I kept making comments in the comment section about how she should at least link to my blog, but nothing. She would just remove my comments. I figured if that's all she has in life to do then have a ball. Otherwise, it's the highest compliment when someone shares and gives credit. We had those downpours Friday night and Saturday!

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    1. I can't believe she removed your comments..that's nerve:)
      I wonder if I know who it is;)

      You hear Friday Night Lights:)♥
      I miss that show so much.
      Sunflowers are indeed cover girls..these are huge..you can't miss them in the kitchen:)

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  8. Great Post!
    I love sunflowers!
    Hugs from Portugal
    Nina

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  9. Lovely picture of the boys. And of course, your photos are gorgeous. Sun flowers make everyone happy.
    I once had a blogger who stole many of my posts. I did manage to shut him down.

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  10. Love those sunflowers and how exquisite your paintings are of those gorgeous boys.
    I agree..if it's out there why can we not share..I think its such a compliment to the author.
    Those little cupcakes are adorable.
    Blessings!
    Shel

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  11. Love those cupcakes! I did go to camp for 4 weeks but then was left to my own devices after that. Barbies and Nancy Drew for me too. My mother didn't believe she should have to drive us anywhere and that was that. Love your colors!

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  12. M: I also think your watercolor of the boys is fantastic! You are perfecting your art with your practice. I take a bow to you with all that you do! Beautiful photo of the heirloom tomatoes, that red! Now I am not sure what is worse, having someone blatantly steal an image without crediting the source or having someone "heart" your photo that happens to be a porn site! (BLOCK!!) Sigh Did you read the new Julian Fellows book yet? Belgravia == good one, not Downton, but has some of that same goodness...

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    1. Thanks for the recommendation:) Will look for it!
      A porn site? Oy..sometimes I type in Hot for hotmail..and it is not fun..I don't go..but what comes up..LOL
      You did make me smile..and Gail..thank you for your encouragement.It means a lot:)

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  13. Wow!! Your painting is awesome!, lots of action there, and the colors! And your photos, yes, those sunflowers, I always thought of them as girls and that IS what they are saying!! I love the one that I think is a morning glory? Trumpeting joy to the world. And the danelions, they look like graceful dancers, the way you captured them. I have heard of people stealing or copying and saying the work was their own. Sharing and giving credit, that is nice I think...

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    1. Complètement d'accord Rita..et meci de ton encouragement pour mes essais..Hier j'ai acheté un pinceau Raphael Petit Gris..il est tellement souple..j'espère m'y habituer:)
      Yes..a morning glory..and they only bloom till noonish-1 ish..Bonne journée!

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  14. I enjoyed your painting and photos and your stories. Sorry the pie didn't turn out. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. Oh I know you love to paint too:)The pie..it was the crust..whole wheat just doesn't work for us..:(I have learned my lesson:)

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  15. First of all, I love the painting. And I'm so impressed you can whip out marmalade so quickly! It sounds delicious! And so does the nonnette recipe. I do have to get her books.

    Yes, I'm with you on sharing (giving credit, linking, etc.) It's a community platform and sharing is what we do. I do have a problem and have heard horror stories about images being used without permission, especially for profit. It's a tough fight. If that happened to me, I don't know if I would want to know.

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    1. Jeanie you sound like me..I have always maintained..my images..recipes can be used.I had a career..now I am simply sharing..but it is so nice if a link is incorporated..
      for artists..I think they should be compensated..if their art is used..in magazines ..etc..

      but Pinterest w/ a link?

      I think..the reason this got to me..is IG..I started following someone..and she showed lovely things she bought at brocantes..and her house..kitchen..little areas..she was indignant when she saw a pic on Pinterest ..a corner of her kitchen....come on..indignation over someone demonstrating they liked the new cabinet you bought and IG about more than twice?
      OHMYgosh.

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  16. I love your paintings - and you did a wonderful job capturing them in their uniforms! Football already - oh my. The sunflowers are gorgeous and these cupcakes are adorable. Have a lovely week Monique!

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  17. Sorry about your pie! It happens. On the other hand, sometimes things taste good, look terrible. I made a pork roast the other night...it was delicious but the photos were ghastly! Don't know what I was thinking when I took them. Will end up posting on my side blog.
    Such cute cupcakes, Monique. No surprise you have an artistic daughter.
    Agree completely re photos. Wouldn't bother me if any I post on my blog appeared elsewhere. No secrets online, as we see every day. Actually, no secrets anywhere, which actually IS scary.

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    1. So true.. !
      Barbara I guess we're just in a place where all we want is to share:)
      I love blogging..everything I learn is wonderful for me..and the connections are so nice.
      Maybe if I had entered the blogging world as a career I would feel differently..
      How far blogging has come since I started..Blogs are glossy mags now and the mags don't hold a candle to some of the blogs I visit.
      It's been so much fun..
      I garee too about delish being unattractive:) And bad..looking good:)
      Have a great weekend,

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  18. Love the football watercolor, I'm in awe!! I need to practice everyday too, mine would be nothing like yours. I remember taking drawing in college and the teacher telling us to draw everyday, anything. You'll get better at it.
    I've got a lot of drawing to catch up on (35 years ago. :)
    Hugs, Jody ♥

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  19. Que bonitos y divertidos cupcakes. Este verano he estado un poco desconectada del blog, así que a ver si empiezo en serio este otoño.
    Besos

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  20. C'est vrai que les jeunes gens sont très occupés, maintenant ! ;-) Cela dit, j'ai de très bons souvenirs des moments passés à ne rien faire, pendant nos vacances d'été à nous. Et finalement, on savait s'occuper avec trois fois rien ... je pense que cela nous a rendu créatifs, à la fin. On verra ce que ferons nos jeunes gens plus tard ... Bah, de toute façon, comme disent mes enfants, un bon ordinateur, un Ipad ou un Iphone et impossible de s'ennuyer ! ;-)

    Sinon, bien d'accord avec toi. Si l'on ne veut pas que les gens puissent utiliser ce que l'on montre sur Internet, alors on ne le montre pas ... ;-)

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