Bonjour! I have been away♥

Below.. a sign that St-Rémy is so close..the plane trees make allées..these are simply magnificent..what they do to a landscape is so charming!

I know I have been remiss here and at your blogs.. my favorite reading places..but we were away.

Jacques and I went back to Provence..

We were there for a few days before visiting Italy in 2008 and had hoped to go back..the next year..

so many things have happened in the last 9 yrs..that getting away for  a longer period overseas..was out of the question.

Sept 2017..happened.

We left Sept 6th and returned Oct 1rst.
24 days.

24 wonderful days.

Provence spells ..Jacques et Monique..

AND..so many other people lol.

We are more country than city..

In 24 days we visited..over 30 towns.
30 lovely towns.

We rented a car..and Jacques drove and drove and drove..

and we LOVED everything we saw..

so the next few blog posts will surely be ..about our trip.

Sometimes..we felt we had to pinch ourselves.

We would leave in the morning..many days w/ a town, w/ a market on the itinerary..

Tour the market..have a terrasse lunch..and then visit the town more..

me clicking away..

looking up down..left to right..

so many charming views..

Heartbreakingly (I stole this adjective) beautiful..♥

I borrowed my daughter's pocket Olympus point and shoot..
her purse..lol..
and her Lululemon pants♥
Alain drove us to the airport..afternoon flight..

and Frédérick picked us afternoon..

We first stayed in St-Rémy de Provence..  which we loved and hope to return..to.

I packed a Holbein watercolor dot card that Articulations sent me w/ my Whiskey Painter's travel box..♥  a small non watercolor paper travel booklet  and a waterbrush..for what ..I didn't know..but it worked out well..
a small St-Armand's papery watercolor pad..
my Articulations kit filled..a watercolor pencil,eraser..and date stamp.

Clothes..
linen linen and more linen.
Dresses..all linen..pants linen.. and a top  all linen..and my grandmother's tablecloth linen apron.
A pair of jeans..wore them once.
A pair of caramel straight cut ankle length pants w/ black small polka dots..wore them once..
Black tees..white tees..a black tailored shirt..long..for over the jeans and pants..
Caro's Lululemon as she calls them life changing pants:) they are fun and now I have a pair of navy ones..
She found them for me second hand..she is quite the shopper:)

one PJ..all places had washing machines..
undies..

Espadrilles..

Keen's..walking  shoes..cutish..Mary Janey kind of..

and my Converses.

Croc flip flops(I only wore at home).
And a black all weather short coat/jacket as light as can be.

My blow dryer..yes most places have them..but I have had this one..many ..different versions  for over 35 yrs..I cannot live w/out it..I am the girl that leaves her hairdresser's with wet hair after she gets her streaks..I need to blow dry w/ that hairbrush attachment..it takes the frizz out..no blow drying w/ a round brush..I can't!

a straightener..

a power adapter..for Europe.

in 24 days I washed my hair 3 times.

I don't have greasy hair..it's dry and old.

So if anyone was to ask me what do people wear in Provence?

ANYTHING.

Anything goes..

There are so many tourists..

most European.

Many French..German..English..Nordic..Belgians..Americans...Canadians...

So you have people that are just people..wearing what they want to wear.
Whatever I wore..I felt on the feminine side of things because of my dresses.
I love loose linen dresses.
I know there is one pic of me somewhere and I'll get to it and post when I find it..
Shows you what I am comfortable wearing.

But you will find many backpack, short wearing ,pant wearing people.
And you will find..every other type too..

so just be yourself..
unless you blog about fashion and what's important to be wearing..what to be seen in.And that you will be showing pics of yourself in the best fashion.
Blogs like that are fun and beautiful!
It's just not what I blog about.
But I do love suggesting to you..what I perceived.

So apologies for not being present..

I was visiting a part of the world that takes our breath away..

where people welcomed us and complimented us..
Where people were friendly..helpful..funny..charming..adorable and warm.
Hospitable and generous.

Where going into a restaurant ..a second day in a row in a very busy resto.. Cour Mirabeau..on a busy Saturday market day.. in Aix -En-Provence where the hostess remembered us..the waiter smiled..and said..:"Salade César Madame?"♥It was what I had ordered and loved the day before..
And this was not the only time..

time and time again..the friendliest sweetest staff.♥
Merci Provence..Merci..

to be continued..of course;)



PS it took 6 hours to get there..  3 movies..

one of them..♥ Maudie..it might not be for everyone..but it was for me.

the other two..Paris Can Wait..  ..soso..but pretty scenery and Diane Lane is always lovely..

A Bag of Marbles..so good.So good.♥
And I love Patrick Bruel.

Coming home over 8 hrs..winds and things..  20 min late departure..

and OMGEE PET Airport..first time I have seen this..  2 hrs to clear customs and get baggage..It was absolutely chaotic with thousands of people en masse there.THOUSANDS..upon THOUSANDS..

Unbelievable.
And I am Miss Patience .

4 movies..none to write home about except a sweet one..

 Gifted...little Mary reminded me of Oli.

And looking at Rachel Weisz's face and costumes of the era in My Cousin Rachel..and Sam Claflin's face too..

So..I am catching my breath..catching up..gardens need to be put to sleep..we need groceries ;)I don't need tomatoes though..

and look..in my garlic bed..I had planted one of my dead seedlings of Dancing w/ Smurfs..it's now 6 ft by 6 ft and here it is after I picked the tomatoes..
sunflowers grew there that I never planted and cosmos and calendula..nice surprise..

Amazing:)