♥Serendipitea~

Below a little one I made like the turquoise one:)I only persevered because Kathleen suggested I do:)

It's right around the corner..
I think my favorite years for Valentines were my primary school years..
I loved giving out Valentine's..they are so cute..

Julia Child and her husband sent some out every year..

I also loved giving my Littles cute furry friends..but last year Jacques said..:"They are getting too old for this..:("  
So cards this year..sending cards..to my beaux..my Little beaux♥

We get together as a family on or about that time..because we celebrate some birthdays..
Caroline..our bébé..turns 41..I already know what I am bringing for desserts etc..
I'll have to share after the date if they turn out..

I am loving crocheting as you know and made another cozy in wool..Kathleen told me to :"Not give up":) So I unstitched the awful one and tried again..

However..that first photo..and below ..is a cozy Kathleen made for me..

I don't collect MC..but I follow fervent collectors of MC..and when I saw the first tea cozy Kathleen knit like this ..I thought..:"wait...Stop the car....I love this! It's MC..and Mary Engelbreight!"All knit up into one..

so I asked is she could knit me one aslo..♥
A treasure.
You may remember the Beige and pink one she made for me.

She is an expert knitter.
And such a very nice person!
She was offering some of her beautifl knit facecloths for sale..they just happened to match 3 of the soaps I brought home for myself from Provence:)

I see all the errors  in mine..crochet..and how hard is red to photograph?

Just look at Susan Branch's beautiful book..Love..a gift to me that I cherish..and the vintage Valentine..also a gift..


I think I keep everything..
No not true..
I tossed all my Oolong teas.
And made donation bags....

I made some of Maries' raspberry jam bars..and cut out one in a heart for this post.

Hands down Jacques gives these 10 stars.And yes I have been making them since 2010♥

You know Marie..

She has this blog..and this blog..and this book:)♥
Who writes a book this voluminous and packed with real recipes that work?
This is not just another pretty face:)


I tried a little garland too..Oh if I had a little girl..here there and everywhere in her room. You can find the tutorial for the heart garland here~

But who knows maybe she would not like them.
I went to a store I love ..April Cornell...the girls clothes/dresses are out of this world..I mentioned that if I had a little girl..this would be the shop..and the salesclerk said..little girls and their moms are not into these these days..what a shame.
I think Britney changed the dress code years ago.
Althought I bet Amelia..Alicia Paulson's little girl would like them.




Any of you watch This Is Us?
I am happy my grandchildren are watching this show.
I am not looking forward to the Super Bowl episode..

but how I have loved this show since day one.
♥
My husband loves it too.

The acting is top notch..the feelings take hold of us..and we can get lost in quality tv..for a while~
It's been a funny weekend..cloudy..sunny..A little off..

Still organizing here;)
Have a nice afternoon~ And beginning of week..

Roussillon~

Another little post about Provence..Roussillon:)

I bought some ochres in Apt..but in Roussillon I bought a couple more..and 3 brushes..

to me ..bringing home small art supplies are so much part of my flutters.

Nothing extravagant..small tuckables..

Roussillon is magnificent..everything there is ochre color..hues..depths..

It is the setting for S Vreeland's book..Lisette's List..which I have Jeanie to thank for having told me about it..Jacques also read it.

It's a wonder of the world to me.

We went in 2009..and back again this time.The views are outstanding from these medieval towns.. perfect patchwork quilts of vegetation..nature..

It looks like someone must have designed these from above..because how else could such vistas be so ethereal.

We ate..in a resto..the one that states w/ panoramic views..and we were lucky enough to eat outdoors..Jacques had Aioli..look how Roussillon plates:)

Almost w/ ochres.

The views were super.

I must say though..that a group walked in and I have noticed this ..quite a few times..a young group..so pleasant..English speaking..etc..and another group..English speaking also..I gather 2 groups of friends..being tourists..2 different tables..strangers to each other.

I have found that how you treat your waiter/waitress is probably how you treat many people.

The younger 30'ish group..so pleasant..grateful..

the older group..my age..

UGH.

I actually wanted to go and tell them to be more gracious.

But sometimes Jacques doesn't like when I do that;)

I am sure you can tell that if Provence is on your wish list..

I approve.:)

As Time Goes By~

How did below happen? Remember when he was born and I put him in a Water Lettuce ?Like Ann Geddes?He's 12..  came over on Sunday..and watched Football w/ grandad..Miss crafting w/ him lol..now he organizes our Mini Ipads and phones;)Let me tell you that twelve is as sweet as sweet can be.This boy♥

The days of  Beatrix are long gone w/ them~

I had the perfect excuse to make a pie..Lucas was popping by..
I used Karin's pie dough recipe..you can find it in her recipes here..Just a little note..her recipe says 5 tbsps of water or 80 ml..I use Jacques chem burettes lol..and when I put 5 tbsps it's around 50 ml ..I think 80 ml is too much..in the long run you will know.Start w/ 50..
this dough holds shapes etc..and is still flaky.

I found her on Instagram..which is sooo lovely!  I used this Nordic Ware cutter..

The weather has waffled between frightfully cold w/ artic air..and mellower..on a mellower day I took a walk to one of my fave spots..well..let me rephrase that..I drove to my fave spot ..then got out of the car and walked..  even on mellower days..fingers tend to freeze taking pics..mellower meant above 0 F:) I hink it was 22F.

We have an area up shore road that looks like an ice fishing village..but where I went..this little one sat alone..my dad was an avid ice fisherman....:) The fish as I remember were delish.I remember going once..  sooo cccold..I think it was in QC city though..at my uncle Rolland's with my dad.

As I took my walk..one man walked 2 of his dogs against the stark landscape and a couple.. later on..  we were hardly any out..  the man walked further onto the ice to take photos and I snapped the Lady In Red~ ♥



I've been thinking of Valentine's Day because it's around my daughter's Birthday..  and Easter..
I purchased this video set months ago second hand and have just gotten around to watching..so dear and old fashioned..
Days gone by.

I just keep very busy in this weather..I have fabric to recover the wicker settee cushions..I have paintings to do..cakes to bake..cookies to frost..books to read..tea cosies to stitch..

I organize in January..lol..I am so weird..I think.. well..if I died tomorrow..  they would think I was organized at least..;)
Way too much "stuff" ..but organized.;)

However I know none of these things went through my mind or mattered  as I went through my mom's personal belongings..all I remember is the fresh clean scent of everything..her slips..her bras..nylons..girdles w/ hook type things to attach your nylons..she did not need a girdle..at all..

..I remember wearing  some of her clothes for months..after..maybe years..finding my last birthday card..the one I would have gotten in February..signed.

Looking at her Revlon Red lipstick..cotton batten wool in a roll covered in indigo colored paper.I sucked my thumb w/ that till I was 10.
A new cream she had bought..a skin cream..I just remember a gold jar..she wasn't one to have drawers full  of cosmetics.
A natural .
Her Jergen's cream that smelled like almond.
L'Air Du temps by Nina Ricci..
Muguet Des Bois.
Her crystal and silver on her toiletry table..

I LOVED that table..there was a stool..a rectangle..I have it.. a big round mirror.. a middle thin long  drawer under the top..and 3 drawers on each side.
I LOVED sitting there.Oh I can feel the feeling now♥

Truly a Mrs Maisel toiletry table.♥



Bon Weekend:)

Wuthering Heights ,Provence..etc...looong.

~Today~

~Time for tea and melting snowmen~

~Chicken Soup For The Soul~

~Cute Books~

~Great New No-Knead Bread..thanks TERRY!~

Bought new seed starter trays..not starting till April though:(She looks keen below;)

Wow..how can we go from minus 20 F to almost 50?
And tonight back to snow..
The weirdest winter evah!

A scene out of Wuthering Heights all around..in the valleys..achingly haunting..but no camera..
In my borrowed landscape..knee deep in snow..I ventured out..who can resist wne nature puts on  such a show?

Lots of tea..hazelnut coffee..some hot chocolate and red wine..the latter not during the day..

Chicken soup..you know what? I added a large tsp of butter..like w/ jam ..the foam almost instantly disappears..

The stock simmered for hours..I just love that..that's my mom..

A new LITTLE book..which I have only perused and quite love already..I bought it from The Book Depository and I love that place.

The book was recommended on Parka Blogs ..December round up.It's a my kinda tea book..and part journal..have not started yet..I had a busy week...nothing fun..just things.

This was fun though..I have mentioned Terry from GW and she visits and send recipes she loves..she send me this easy no-knead bread and said..it's like Ricardo but easier and so good you will like it.

I love when she send me recipes..
I was late in making this..she sent it while I was away..then December happened with all that lovely Christmas preparation..so I just just made it..
With cranberries and Walnuts..OMGee..and toasted?
ANYONE Can make this anyone..
you do need a cast iron enamled pot w/ lid..I have done them in Pyrex ..but no..get a pot..so worth it..

The recipe is from Sally's Baking Addition..you can find it here..
I am not a great sourdough starter baker..these do work for me..so well!!
Honestly if you can measure things..and stir..you have this bread covered.

Have a good weekend..I will be painting in that little book I think:)

I am getting back into my Provence photos because I want a Shutterfly book before we go back:);)
Next time I am NOT taking 3000 pics.
It's taking me days to keep and discard..

A few places you won't see a lot of out of the more than 40 places we set foot in..either just too small with really not that much to see..or..like Grasse..big..busy..and where we parked..(omgee how he got in and out of that underground parking God only knows..)..the exit led us to a part of town where we were told to leave..that it was not for us..  well we kept walking..and became more and more uncomfortable.. and left:(
I am sure we missed a lot..

but the gentleman frightened us and we have not forgotten our Paris episodes..so we left..

One place..we were there for just a short short time..we had gone somewhere else first..charming Valbonne~had lunch in the square..and then still had enough time to drive onto Cannes before heading home

beautiful Cannes..

Where we spent less than 2 hrs..  just basking in the sun walking up and down Long Beach..where the stars come out to shine for the Cannes Film Festival.

Cannes..the Cannes we saw last time in 2008 and this time..

La Croisette..
..is luxury.

Wealth.Water.Yachts.Umbrellas. Vistas.Fashion.Cars.
Sunbathers.Cardplayers.
The Ritz.
Gucci.
Chanel.
Dior.
Le Majestic.
Le Grand.
Topless bathers..
Card players.
Palm trees and more..

Simply vista gazing and people watching is a trip.

Little dogs..high heels..white white white..

Lots of clothes..very little clothes..
Purses and gold..

I bought shoes just like hers:)  No I didn't :)

That's me on the left:)  No it's not:)

I loved seeing these men:)

Cannes IS SO MUCH MORE than these photos.. this was just a walk we took while there for under 2 hours.~