Because outside sure doesn't look like this..
Our little place in Provence..
One thing I never mentioned yet..as I am looking through pics..St-Rémy is absolutely beautiful and old and charming..but one week in Sept was reserved to a foire of sorts..a carnival..
All amusement park set ups and such take up the town..it is to the shopkeepers chagrin as a lot of shops are hidden by the amusements..and to see these things in St-Rémy is very surprising..If you want to explore the town..I suggest you do not go on these days as it is crazy busy and the charm of St-Rémy is masked.Fun for the Littles and families..but for tourists searching for a nice quiet al fresco lunch ..this is a bit of a busy time:)
Early morning streets are cordoned off for the bulls..
Parking is unfathomable..we walk to St-Rémy so that was not an issue for us.
lots of snow..for 3 days..and today rain..freezing rain.
I have flashbacks of our ice storm and keep my fingers crossed.
Meanwhile we stay busy.
I love these I ce Lanterns..Mine are from Lee Valley but a century ago..they still have them though:)
They are beautiful and easy to do..especially when you can freeze them outside.
You can stuff seashells or greenery or flowers..or snowflakes in the sides before freezing..there is an indent for tea lights.
Very much the same effect as paper bag luminarias..but free..and the molds last for a century as I mentioned:)
I made these delicious blueberry muffins..I know ..it seems like I never make the same recipe twice;)
I did add a touch of cinnamon to the crumble.
I made them because..why not make them.
One life to live.
Muffins taste better in winter~
Have a great weekend~
We loved St. Remy when we were there years ago. Your muffins sound delicious!
ReplyDeleteWe did too! Just so surprised to see the town all partied up in such a commercial way..the yr before we didn't experience it:)
DeleteWas the carnival there for the feria? We were in Saint-Rémy then and it was crazy.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember whether I ever mentioned it here, but not to be missed is the Mas de la Pyramide, just outside of town near the Saint-Paul Asylum. It's in the quarry used to build the Roman ruins. Now a very old (mid-90s) guy, Lolo, runs a table d'hôte in his troglodyte house. Not to be missed. There was an article about him in the decor magazine Dwell: https://www.dwell.com/article/mine-dining-10ba111c
Yes you had mentioned it! We stay a short distance from St-Paul..and usually park there and walk to town.I love the grounds and I loved my visit to the Mausolée..such a feeling..indescrbable. but did not go to le Mas de La Pyramide and yet we stayed one month this past year.Yes it was crazy there those days!
DeleteOh, I love revisiting Provence with you! And those ice lanterns are simply beautiful. I've never done that. Heaven knows it's been cold enough here to do it outside. Yesterday warmed up and froze over so while the trees aren't bad, the roads are terrible. Yes, I'd avoid the carnival too. Especially in a charming town like that.
ReplyDeleteI think today might be a good muffin day. Or a scone day. Something with the oven! (I'm painting today, too! Yay!)
It's a perfect painting day although my onion and lemons..suck:) LOL Very bad..
DeleteIt is a great day for a scone!! Or a muffin..a little dismal today and Jacques has been doing maintenance of all..He keeps his outdoors in winter in tip top shape..I don't contribute much I am afraid..I am a garden girl.;)Enjoy your day Jeanie!
Would love to visit Provence, what a place! Oh my dear, your muffins look scrumptious and when it's cold out, they are the best to warm you up, right? Oh I must agree, those tulips are thrilling! Always a sweet time when I drop in to see you!
DeleteHave a beautiful day~
Nancy
Thank you Nancy!
Deleteabsolutely beautiful Monique! Have a nice weekend! hugs!
ReplyDeleteBon weekend Gloria!
Deletei have to tell you Monique, yesterday I saw a recipe with just two ingredients. I had never heard of such a thing. She used melted (room temp) caramel ice cream and self-rising flour. She tried different types of ice cream and liked most of them. She also baked it in a loaf pan. Your muffins reminded me of it for some reason. I sure wanted to try it. Oh winter. My nose has been cold all day. It is supposed to get down to 17 degrees tonight. I don't like to go out on frigid days. Have a good weekend. Donna@gather
ReplyDeleteI don't either!! I'll Google that..LOL way more ings in these..just had half..early appoint..out the door it's dark and 10F Brr layers..layers..
DeleteWe experienced something very similar when we were staying in a small town in the Austrian Tyrol a few years ago. One night the whole town became a Carnival, with beer tents, music, and all sorts cramming the streets not far from our hotel. It was crazy, the smells, the people, the noise. Amazingly when we got up to go for our early morning walk about 6 am the next day, you would never have known any of it had been there and the streets were immaculately clean. It was very strange. Had the carnival been our imagination? lol Your muffins look delicious! I like to try new recipes all the time as well. Have my favourites but it doesn't hurt to look for something new. I love your ice lantern. Am praying hard for my children today that the roads will be safe as they and their families travel to the Valley for my mother's funeral tomorrow. This is such a bad time of year for travel. Please keep them in your happy thoughts! Love the ice lantern and the tulips. So sweet. xoxo
ReplyDeleteYes Marie as soon as it was over..impeccably clean everywhere..
DeleteOf course I will keep good thoughts..you know:)
Good for you as I said to stay with the media you love.
It's normal to step back..it is medicine to step back in.♥
I had forgotten about Lee Valley, they have wonderful things. Your ice lantern is so pretty. Do you have just the one? We have had crazy weather too. Last weekend was some snow and then ice. We froze on Monday too and the surrounding landscape was like a crystal palace with trees coated in ice. We warmed up to 50 yesterday with rain and the garden had rivers of water and a small pond. I am sure it is very soggy. I’ll have to try the muffins over the weekendand maybe bring some with me when Katherine and I meat on Monday. Have a good weekend and enjoy your quilts you made to keep you warm.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteI have 3 2 large one small..the small one I have no recollection of where I bought it..perhaps a gift shop on the west island..$1.99 see why I did not leave it there?You can see the second large one in back w/ the snowflake too..Mini is to the right and got cropped out;)
The recipe says makes 18 muffins..I made 12:)Just got home..driveways are sheets of ice! Montreal roads were melting yesterday and many clsoed because of floodings..the weather and it's Jekyll and Hyde personalities..no maybe Sybil;)Bon weekend..Noah tomorrow;)
As I watch the weather, I see that storm after storm has headed your way! Winter can be so beautiful and your lanterns reflect that. The worry is loss of power. We were in an ice storm several years ago. The trees, so heavy with ice, brought all the power lines down. We didn’t have heat for days. Our electrical box was ripped from the side of the house. Thank goodness we had a wood burning fireplace! One never forgets that kind of experience! I hope you do not lose power with all the freezing rain and snow!
ReplyDeleteYes Ry we had that too 1998 11 days ..it was awful and the woodburning stove was a Godsend and an aquaintance lending us a generator..none were to be found.
DeleteI love electricity.
I become a different person w/out if more than 24 hrs.I sound so spoiled.
I think I am..
Have a great weekend!
You and your snow ☹️
ReplyDeleteI do feel for you. 30 degrees here feels like Antartica to me.
I would never be able to hack it. On the other hand those vlueberry muffins make it worth the jaunt. Have skeepingbag. Will travel!
I have yet to visit so Super valuable info on St Remy!
Yes dn't go during that week..not sure if it is every yr..but it changes the face of St-Rémy..I hope you do go one day..It's so charming and the people so friendly and of course..St-Paul..
DeleteI like winter way more since I stopped working..
Doing open houses in this weather was the pits..wet socks all day after caravan..In winter when I come home..actually..both Jacques and I actually say Oh my God I love coming home;)♥
Yeah !...i love tulips......💕 and cookies mmmmmmm...happy weekend love Ria 💕
ReplyDeleteMy childhood friend from The Netherlands wrote..she has purple ones..loves them too!!♥Bon weekend Ria!
DeleteI love that ice mold! You are so lucky to have purchased them when you did. I did look at Lee Valley and but they are no longer available when you try to add it to your cart. It's so cold here, I'd better stay inside anyway :) Blue skies and bitter cold. Luckily, our garden has a 10 inch blanket of snow. The carnival looks so cheery and bright! Not sure if you were cheery about it being there during your visit :) No school for our Littles again today so we get Mack this afternoon after he attends a birthday party. He'll be here for dinner and I've made cupcakes ♥ Oh, those blueberry muffins look wonderful! I was just thinking that I need to make some Ricardo muffins to have on hand again...with blueberries :) John is bringing home tulips from the store for our dinner table tonight! PIAP :-)
ReplyDeleteHave fun w/ Mack:)We had Oli for a bit yesterday..tomorrow Noah and maybe at night Oli and Lucas since Max is in Orlando..I am sorry they are not available!! I thought I had found some for you...they are Norwegian..:)
DeleteHave fun!!!xoxoxo Yes to tulips always right?
Looking at snow makes me chilly. Every time I visit, you are always baking. I need to bake something to go with my coffee. I have to be careful, because my mom is diabetic. I have had to change the way I cook, since she moved in with us. Provence is always inviting, would love to visit one day. Stay warm.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great daughter!
DeleteI bake much less and we eat far less..Jacues' appetite has always been on the careful of nutrition side..but portios were good..now we both eat less..
Maybe that's why I paint more:):)
Have a great weekend!
Hi Monique...
ReplyDeleteLove the tulips with your crochet tucked in behind💛
The amusement really takes away from the quaintness...
I spy Elvis, Marilyn and Michael....too funny!😂😂😂
Love your icy lights...gonna look those up!
Enjoy your weekend...
Cheers!
Linda :o)
And you enjoy yours..LOL I know you will..tomorow we will see Noah for dinner and evening and maybe Oli and Lucas too..so.. bright spots in my cristal ball too:):)
DeleteIt totally destroys the old world charm..totally..:(
But thankfully we were there for one month and had walked and walked a rewalked the streets w/ Elvis;)
xo
Beautiful! Now I think I will make some muffins today.... :)
ReplyDeleteOr your delicious lemon loaf☺️
DeleteYes, we stayed in Arles one year during the bullfight festivities...Luckily they didn't take up the whole town, but they sure were evident...complete with honky tonk amusements like in your photo.
ReplyDeleteChilly here too, of course, but the danger level of the ice has been reduced to some rain and higher temps inbetween cold spells...
It is surprising ..I am so certain the local families love it..
ReplyDeleteWe're in for a smorgasbord weather wise..cocktails!!Bon dimanche Rita🙂
ReplyDeleteDear Nana, how do I understand you! These fairs are horrible and completely destroy the soul of a city. Fortunately, I have been tat St Remy several times and have never encountered such horror.
I really enjoyed those Cranberry Muffins and I just don't bake them immediately because I don't have cranberrys at home ...
It's still cold here and it rains a bit, but nothing that can be compared to the weather you are living in.
Hugs
Nina
Hi Nina! You know..it's not so bad..I was out ding errands this AM..the snow crunches under our feet..but today the sun is out and makes this polar vortex easier to handle for the cheerfulness of the light.However tomorrow still frigid,gloomy and snow.
DeleteI have a pot roast simmering..just washed my floors..tulips are opening..it could be so much worse..
Bom Dia!!
delicious cake and beautiful shots.
ReplyDeletehave a great day
Thank you!!
DeleteI'm glad you said it....I don't make the same recipe twice either when it comes to muffins. My next door neighbor Isabelle is 96 and still makes blueberry muffins once a month and leaves us four between the door. Always the same recipe, so I asked her to write it down so I will have it.
ReplyDeleteWe have a wine tasting scheduled at a château near St-Rémy-de-Provence in May. I hope we don't experience large crowds like you did.
P.S. Your grandsons would have a blast at my camp :-)
May will be finr..you're going to St-Rémy LUCKY girl..I remember your neighbor..amazing.I bet the boys would have a ball!!!
DeleteI love winter supermarket tulips. Hey, only 51 days until spring!
ReplyDeleteI would do a lot for a Trader Joe's here..I cannot believe their choice of blooms!And their prices..yes..Spring will be here before we know it..You always see it first;)
DeleteWell, we are in the midst of another snowstorm here in Southern Ontario. I’ll certainly be indoors so Monique those muffins will be on my to do list. My poor husband will be in for a treat after the shoveling. Our snowblower died last week.
ReplyDeleteThose lanterns are so festive and would add even more sparkle to the outdoors.
Stay warm and continue dreaming sweet dreams of beautiful France.
Diana
I heard Diana! Antonio Valente..and Linda mentioned it..that's a lot for you..
DeleteOur husbands are admirable!That's the only really truly deplorable thing re winter..well no ..the first..the homeless by FAR..and then..the maintenance of ALL this snow..
Dearest Monique,
ReplyDeleteLove your Ice Lanterns far more than the crazy carnival in St. Remy. Don't like it al all and it sure looks disturbing in the beautiful ancient setting.
Don't miss this crazy Dutch Carnival either and for having it in the coldest months of the year is even crazier. So many get sick as their costumes are not warm enough for getting outside.
Baking something for winter coziness at home is a bliss!
Stay cozy and safe.
Sending you hugs from our only -4˚C nights, without snow...
Mariette
Eyesores..I agree and it was a huge surprise..I did see a dad manning his huge set up caring for his young son at the same time..and I was touched by te amount of work he had to do..whilst taking care of a very young boy..he also had vending machines for coke and such and a group of local students..in their school uniforms came by and egged each other on to kick the machines for free drinks.I hate that..and that surprised me also..little priviledged teens trying to benefit from the man....finally one stepped up and bought one and the others started to leave..good for them because I was ready to get up and go tell them off..Really.
DeleteI think my husband actually said..Non Monique..LOL I can get fierce;)
Have a great day!