A bit of this..a bit of that.. end of June~

My sweet friend Nancy sent me the first issue of Josée di Stasio's new magazine..it is all about Italy.
I love her..Jacques loves her..she is a QC treasure.

I leafed though it..and right away two things caught my eye..the home made ricotta..and her Lemon Cream  Ravioli dish:)

So I made the ricotta..no surprise..Jacques loves it..and honestly..on my no-knead bread w/ seeds that Terry kindly shared the recipe for..initially from Sally's Baking Addiction (I omitted the nuts and cranberries..I added sunflowers and cracked wheat)..topped w/ David L's cherry jam I made..it was delicious.

Jacques looked at the plate..and said..:"It's all home made..the bread..the ricotta..the jam"~
Home made ricotta is a cinch..recipes aabound all over the net.

It's no secret I love trying new things in the kitchen.

All this was so worth it!♥

The dinner was delicious..  Yes I bought the cheese Ravioli..but the rest home made..she said I could:)
Heavy cream..lemon..parm cheese..asparagus..green onions..pepper..oh so good.
I am not a creamy person..but..this worked for me.
I used my lemon verbena from the garden too:)

I love making small bouquets..
That rose..in the middle..I think it's Morden Blush.I can't find my records of my plantings here almost 18 yrs ago!

I have ripped out and moved things though and continue to do so..maybe I did throw the records away.
In a fit of cleaning up:(
See? Now I want them.

Ripped out my pink..bright pink beach roses..they seem to be magnets for the chafers..8 were pulled out..a lot easier planting than ripping out..the roots of these things..they travel..:(and start new bushes..invasive..

Got invited to the yacht club for  a few hrs on the weekend..cloudy day..but OMGEE I love the water!
It's a dream place for me.

Watched 3 of our Littles swim w/ friends..chatted w/ my daughter..what's not to love?

And I received a super excited call from Noah..he had just met Justin Trudeau at a local event and shook his hand..I have a pic..but a girl and her children are in it..so I am refraining..cute girl cute kids,but not mine.

I have gardened gardened and gardened and baked some and took pics some and painted some and made a new watercolor journal..

C'est ma vie.Ma p'tite vie.We're in for a super duper heat wave.

Bon weekend!

Happenings~ And a Y. Ottolenghi delicious recipe.

I find bouquets joyful~

Above Schmincke  watercolors,Strathmore Mixed Media Paper.

Above painted from a lesson in a book I bought in Provence..Peindre La Provence a l"Aquarelle.

Wanted to show you this eraser..battery operated..and it's so nice.I follow a very talented Brazilian  watercolorist living in Mtl on IG

https://www.instagram.com/c_picheco/

She was using one on one of her stories.

I am hooked.

She paints Montreal beautifully.

Had to leave you w/ a prettier pic..my reblooms are still going strong..all at once ..so when they are done..I will get another..because now I need to see one all the time..

Lots and lots in the gardens..

Summer is now upon us..and the roses are starting..I have included a very tame pic of rose chafers..this is when they arrive..about 20 minutes later they are grouped en masse devouring the flower.I can't show you because quite frankly it's gross..And I do kill them.I wear a rubber glove and squish fingers full.Read up on them..they are useless..destructive..have no predator and make gardeners wonders why they garden for those 3 weeks.

My yellow rose of Texas on the front fence..was eaten alive..before I could even take pics like I usually do.

This past weekend was time to gather the garlic scapes..chopped and frozen ..waiting to enhance many meals:)

Poppies..orange and peach..Love the peach ones:)
Feverfew..still some irises.
Beach roses..
Clematis are starting..

I make small bouquets..they last a few days and I feel happier looking at bouquets than not.

Made a few paintings..different papers..paints..

Did I tell you? I had no idea Giuliana was so talented..she drew an eye of  a horse for her art project at school and it's unbelievable.It was put on show.
She starts college in Aug..Interior design.
She has great taste..  make-up..all that artsy stuff:) I love.

I picked up some yarn..;)  You know how long our winters are..
will make another Orla Kiely type blanket..great price..instead of $5.00..  2!!I went in for nothing really and bought all that..had it in my arms..quite a sight;)
That's half of it..picture the other half;)

I do Teacupthursdayk with Linda..and this week ,I picked my Summer cup..Brambly Hedge...see that piece of cake in the back?
It's delish.
Yotam Ottolenghi..fom his book Sweet.I booked it out twice.:)
It's my fave book of his.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Cake.
I made half..in a square springform pan.Small  . 6 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches.
Perfeto.You have to try it once:)And then you will just make it again:)
Something about it..♥
I did not need paper sticking up..and had more crumble..even halved.
It's a keeper.

Funny story about the Camembert clocheS..
I recently bought this Camembert cloche on VS..it reminded me of a home we stayed at in St-Rémy de Provence.
It was very very reasonable..$4.00

I Googled them when I came home..and realized that the white opalescent floral dish I already had..was in fact a Camembert cloche:)
I never knew..I thought a pretty butter dish.
So now we have 2.
A fancy feminine one..
and a more rustic one..
That's ok:)

I think we will use the Provence/rustic on for my daughter's birthday in August~ 43!!

Mentioned the battery operated eraser above..the idea came from here.Have a nice weekend..it is a long one here~

And I LOVED her dress and hat.

P.S. As if I had not talked enough..just read a great piece of news..Carol..Paris Breakfasts..go see..this is her artwork..in the Paris Metro!! 

Photo courtesy of Carol's blog where I borrowed it to show you :)This is THE salon for champagne and French pastries.

Look:):)AMAZING.

Iris and peonies and cookies and pens~

Bouquet of pens..quick tutorial at end~

The prettiest of times in the gardens..and then the ROSECHAFERS arrive and massacre everything ..I kid you not..Google them.
I can't do a thing about them.
I live in a pesticide free community..but then again..pesticides don't work..
so I will be filling my sprayer w/ soap and water ..and running around ..I have to go out and squish them 4 times a day..I should be on guard all day.As soon as you kill them..more fly on..they decimate..roses..irises..peonies..hollyhocks...etc..DECIMATE.

Gardening gardening gardening..lying flat on my back on a hard floor at night watching TV.
I have to love gardening to torture myself this way.

I did bake..made choco cut out cookies..really good..hold an imprint..not sweet..
You can find the recipe here..the cookies soften up the next day..

The ganache recipe..was found here..I bought a swirl mold on EBAY..you have to freeze it..hard ..then pop off and apply on the cookie:)
Jacques gives this duo a French Pastry shop rating:)

I apologize for some of my pics being square..I thought they should be on IG..I don't think it's true;)

IG I love it..a lot..but having dinner with my family and Heather:)..we talked about smoke and mirrors..and IG..
and then I read a great quote ..Bill Murray...

"Social media is training us to compare our lives instead of appreciating everything  we are..no wonder why everyone is always so depressed"

He's got a point.
I don't post my decimated flowers..the rose chafers..the recipes that don't work..my fashion wardrobe malfunctions ..facial features that change ..moods etc..

I only post what's good.

Just so you know;)

And I am never going to talk politics:(:(:(:(:( Such sad times.


And never journalism and the lack of ethics...ok just one thing..did the world need to see a photo of Kate Spade leaving her home after her passing..:( NOOOOOOO.Shame on you.


Back to the gardens..I have several types of peonies..some grown from infanthood from a local peony grower..I mean..just above a seed..almost 10 yrs ago..maybe 6 plants and 5 bloomed this yr..Singles..need no support all pale yellows.

I have pinks and corals and frillies and singles and doubles and triples..my daughter has white..and red..her whites are the most beautiful in the world..:) I took one when we left after dinner.
Everything pale is a rose chafer magnet..so I won't add more tempation for the vultures.

In one of my photos.. last post..w/ the seed packet a particular peony was in the photo..that peony is faux..fake..artificial.

I like finding big blooms and making pens out of them:)

100 yrs ago for one of my daughter's wedding showers..flower pens were part of the take home gifts..
faux was not as pretty back then.. now they are..

that first photo is crockery  w/ faux flower pens..and one real flower:) The white peony is the one in the vase further down...the only real one.

These pens are a cinch to make..

A flower..dollar stores have beauties.

Wire cutters..or scissors you don't care about.
A  Bic pen..you can get 15 in a pack at the dollar store.
And florists' tape.

I am sure you know how already.
I cut the stem..to the length I want..ap the length of the pen..
I add a few of the leaves to the top and start winding the tape..all the way down..tightly..
You can add a few drops of white glue at the top to secure leaves even more..
C'est tout.
I love them:)
The bigger the flower the prettier the pen.

I find they look pretty on a gift package or gift bag:)

Little girls would love this craft..because this big girl does.And maybe some little boys..mine..no..lol..

It feels summery writing with one.Special:)

Have a lovely weekend~

Delicious June~I have way too much to say..save for a rainy day;)

'Tis the season!

Whatever you do..if you love nutmeg and a great muffin..make these.♥

This sweet adorable boy turned 11 yesterday♥

The above..watercolors from a photo his mom took that I loved..Prima  Marketing Decadent Pies watercolors..  added some Payne's Grey..forget which make..painted on a  Strathmore Watercolor Card.I like the decadent pies for skin so much..always have..the 4th color on top doesn't moisten well for me and I never use white..so..that's my honest review.
Love them:)

Footnote ..nothing ..nothing..is under $20.00 here..lol..in art supplies..I have bought my sets while visiting the US..I have 3 I think..like them all..

Awww..June/Juin..

le mois de Marie..is May..

but the prettiest month is perhaps June here.(It was ..lol until 3 days ago..)

From Spring to Winter's edge..you will not find a prettier place;)

Kidding..so many places have their oomph♥

But for us..that's THE time frame;)..here.

June w/ the first Irises..and Catmint..and some Peonies..

Rhubarb..and Chives and Parsley..Mint and Thyme..Miss Kim Lilacs..

Bridal Wreath Spirea,annuals..settling in.. some not..seeds sprouting..

Some rotting..;( Some drying out:( Some not showing up:(

But so much color compared to winter and so much popping joy in the gardens..

" Take this cloak off us and set us free"...said my gardens.

On IG I do teacup Thrsdays w/ Linda @ http://linda-keaveney.blogspot.com/

Just showing a teacup or two from  our homes..some from moms..aunts..tag sales..brocantes..Varage Sale..Kijjijji  ..
Some w/ loads of sentimental value..others just because we like them.
I wish I would have collected Brambly Hedge in the 80's..
Love everything:)

This wedding cup is one of my faves..

It's 44 yrs this year so I bought myself this gift on Varage Sale.
Last year we were at The Cape..meeting Susan Branch..

this year we are home.So..the lobster rolls are local..i.e..my kitchen..
I loved it..the Cape..always have always will..but it takes 8 hours to get there and once you're on the Cape..even early June..well the traffic..it's pretty bad.
It was all so worth it but staying home this year..

C'est la vie..la vraie vie.

Susan is in England now..I bet you are all following her..she's having the time of her life w/ Joe..

Made Ricardo's rhubarb cake for the umpteenth time..here it is..used Tonka as the spice instead of vanilla and cinnamon..Every French from France pastry show uses Tonka..the bean..and grates it.
I finally ordered some from France..just getting a packet..letter etc from France..always a treat!:)

And ohmygosh the cake is was and will always be good..but Marie's nutmeg muffins? I CANNOTRESIST.
I sprinkled a touch of sugar on top after baking..

As in ParisBreakfast 's Letters from Paris:)♥

I am going to try and find a way to display them :) More prettily than I have them;)
They are little treasures.
I think a book should be made by Carol:)
I am sure many of you do too.

Snail mail came  twice♥I am hoping to add pink hollyhocks to my blacks..I read ..and I am sure I did this years ago..that sprouting hollyhocks..works great in paper towel..Fingers crossed♥

I wish you all a nice weekend..

I read this so many times this week and have always loved it..

So let's all do it.

Be kind..many you meet are fighting a hard battle~