Some Baking And Painting..because it rained and will snow:(EGADS.

Today should be ok to finish up a few outdoor things..
And yesterday we did have some sun..

(note re the gloves..because of our rotten weather..I only tried them once and I give them a green thumbs up for my roses)

Marie's refrigerator muffins are delicious..you can find the recipe here:)
Thank you Marie!

Twigg Studios Anzac Cookies are simply addictive..printed..and in my forever book.

Diane Morrisey's Strawberry Balsamic vinaigrette  is fresh and delicious.She's on IG..worth following for sure.
Here you go:)


The only blooms here..  scillas..oh lala..what a Spring..had a good garden clean up day yesterday but it was cold.

Poor flood victims..I won't complain about garden clean up..c'est tragique pour eux.
Life goes on for the unaffected and I applaud the volunteers.
But we sip our coffees in our warm homes while others froze with flooded homes in the rain.
One of my daughters and  her son went to fill sandbags..which is unfortunately something we can't do.
The outpouring of volunteers was heartwarming to see..

Kids on bikes going around the neighbourhoods asking if people needed help.


Unfortunately this isn't a once in a lifetime thing anymore.
Flood season..and scilla season.

Sometimes I wonder where I would learn things without the internet..blogging..Pinterest and IG:)

All the recipes..books..stitchery..gardening..painting..
Not to mention photography.
Thank you everyone:)

(that's Oli's blanket for his 10th bday in Sept..I was concerned I would not finish it by Sept..but once you start..YOU CAN'T STOP:)..out of the blue and I am sure he won't remember and will hope that's not his real gift on his bday..he said..Oh can I have one?..Your wish is my command thought nana;))

I also wanted to share something with you..who also like to paint..
I had painted these girls..  omitting the eyes because I hate painting faces..
when I showed Jacques the cards he admired them..in his own way:) So it's not admiration..it's encouragement really..but he said:"There are no faces" ..LOL I said I hate adding eyes etc..I ruin them..
He suggested I make a copy and practice..it's amazing how confident you are when you can erase:)First try..:)

Just thought IN case you have the same fears..my engineer found a quick solution..never even thought about it..just said it:)
Just black and white draft quality..and They actually looked kind of ok in black and white..but that defeats the purpose of watercolor;)
I also like an hour or two of TV at night..

Last night's Game Of Thrones..was dark and way too violent.
Is it necessary?
Not in my mind.

Did I mention dark?Could not see a thing.
And he looks like my vision of what the devil has looked like all my life.

Maybe I am just not into fantasy and violence.
Give me Call The Midwife.

Have a good week!



PS I received a very sweet email from a  girl../blog I followed and she followed me.
I rarely get new posts from many of the blogs I used to follow.
This email ..well she mentioned WordPress was not that friendly to posting comments and that's why I have not heard from her and vice versa .
Hmmm..that's realy too bad.

Spring has finally sprung.

Enfin!

Can you believe I was raking and blowing and gathering last years wet hostas..with some snow?

Believe it..

My daughter popped by Monday ..today..and said :"I can't believe you still have snow".

I can't either.

Just piles here and there from the roof..but still..

My fave new Easter baking accoutrement is that Nordic Ware Bunny Cakelets Pan.

Look how cute.

My first bouquet is paltry Pachysandra..but I do like my head vase.

Flashback♥

Pachysandra is taking over a whole bed here.

Vinca too.

This is the debut of my garden journal for 2019.

I have a question for gardeners..

Today ..by the time I felt so done with gardening..around 3..

I hopped in a bath for the screaming back..

What do my fellow gardeners put on late afternoon after a bath.

?

I put leggings and a sweater but..geesh in  3 hrs in pjs..

What do you wear in between?

Not about to get in a linen dress..

Or tight jeans and a cute top.

My day is done.

What do you put on at the end of the day?

A day of HEAVY garden cleanup 10 AM-3 PM.?

Pray tell:)

Easter ..the Saturday..the eve ..was at one of our daughter's for her husband's 50th.

It was lovely..

all the kids..neighbours..family.

Fitting for Fifty.

But when Noah came over Monday..his mom said that Noah missed Easter at Nana's with the hunt..

LOL Jacques said..we skipped a year we skip all years.

By then he had logged in ap 17,000 steps.

And we weren't sightseeing Provence on foot.

The only things growing here..

Forgive the pics.. lights above the plants in a now dark room.

And Coach Taylor;)

Truth be told..he just popped in to pick something up after 5 hrs of basketball and football and I said..just stand by the dining room window for one minute and look out:)
I could take pics of all 4 all day.

Have a great week.
Two of our Littles are taller than me now.
♥
Many of you must remember Arlene from Gardenbuddies..
She's on IG and her flower pics are amazing..
The weekend's inspo.
Thanks A!

Have a good week~
Monique.

~The Bunny Trail~

Come down the bunny trail with me for April♥

All the pics tell a story..

About how I do love to bake for Easter..

This year..I am not hosting..we have a 50th..how could a son-in-law of mine be 50?Egads.

Anyways..I loved making all of the above..
the latest...the madeleines..
I love making madeleines and I love eating them..yes.. a dessert..me!
More than macarons..
Expect moist ..immediately..then they become drier..but perfectly drier if you get what I mean..

Not quite as beautiful as macarons..but look..dress them up and you're almost there:)

In Provence even the packaged ones are wonderful.

What you want when you bake is a bump:)

I am still using a very pliable soft silicone mold ..9 cavities..I bought 100 yrs ago at a Christmas Tree Shop..it sits on it's own rack to stay put.
Naysayers say..nay to silicone..look for yourselves.
Beaux et Bons. Point final.

The lamb is a Susan Branch recipe ..my mold is a vintage EBAY purchase another 100 yrs ago;)

Cupcakes w/ Peter Rabbit cases and toppers..Meri Meri .

Little bunnies sitting on cookies:)

Sugar cookies w/ edible Peter Rabbit wafer paper..an Ebay UK purchase.

A WS huge egg sugar cookie cutter:)
Some watercolors..
Part of my PR collection:)
I have a few more..:)

My favorite tea cozy comes out:) Repeat performance♥
I did not make it..Kathleen made me this one..2 McKenzie Childs look alikes and a floral one.She's amazing.

Lots of other Easter treats here in there through the years..

I can't believe I brought a few larger Easter decorations to Nova..

not because I do not love the cause..but because our Littles..are Bigs now :(

I was very happy that one of our daughter's..Mylène..took my 3 big plush bunnieson stands for her Kindergarten class..turns out..  there are 3 K classes so each class has a bunny.:)

I caved in..and bought..soon to be here.. a Nordic Ware Bunny Cakelet pan..I was assured it would be here before Easter so all 6 will get at least one bunny cake.
:)♥
I'll post after!

I believe..that all one can want for your children and grandchildren..is for them to be caring..happy people.Above all else..healthy.I would hate to see any of them suffer.

I think it's great to be proud..
and I have always been..
but once in a while..pride aside..

as A.Warhol said.."you get 15 minutes of fame".

I do remember mine..the one that came later in life ..
and it was just ok.

I really thought..:"Is that all there is my friend"?

My girls were teens..had no idea..my husband is not into accolades and pride..and that is a virtue..
well..I had it.. and it's nothing. To me.

I was more excited when I won a radio contest w/ an essay I wrote about why I had the best mom..for Mother's day.
She won an all inclusive weekend in a swank Montréal hotel..and took her sister:)
Pampered..She was never pampered.
I think it was CFOX radio station;)Not the current one..the one when I was a teen.

So..oh lala all this to say..I never had anyone be super excited about things that I surprisingly did well at one point..
All my Littles are loving..happy lovely ones..even our 2 special additions..

But Max..LOL Max..we looked ..at all and had our thoughts..
Max was the least adroit growing up..
I thought he would be an intellectual..an artist..and loved him for that..
and the sports entered all their worlds..
and this happened..

Max is  Latendresse..
#84

Here is a link to a Youtube video the Montreal Alouettes posted.

I love it.

Just this past week.
You have no idea ..the practices..  the leaving Florida to fly to Edmonton..for the Canadian eliminations..
Both his dad and he..

The hard work.
Just had to share because he is happy..about all this and will have wonderful mamories..more than my visit to Magic Tom Auburn on TV;)

Have a wonderful Easter.

I have had my fill of looking at past Easters on my humble blog since 2009.
Tears..just looking back..
So tiny..growing up so fast.
These children ♥♥

A quickie.

The first photo ..is a treat..I have 2 wood boxes that have compartments inside and a mirror..on the lid inside..one I have had for at least 25 yrs..it has a vintage botanical print on it..and this one..that features La Mode Illustrée  (1860-1937) .. It was the magazine most people looked to.The artists works are superb..
I have no idea if this is an original..but it's old and I love it.

You can see a vintage brooch and clip on earrings as well as a box..I love these delicate porcelain costume jewelry pieces..being a gardener ..lover of flowers and the colors..it is not really surprising.
I wear stud pearls every day of my life so don't ask me why I am a sucker for costume jewelry earrings and such.

THis set..  when I picked them up..the lady handed me this box..
in which she had the set in..

I have not seen a Morgan's box in years..Morgans is now La Baie..
I was  so grateful..as my  maternal grandfather was a window dresser for Morgans..in the days of Selfridge's etc..like Grégory Fitoussi:)

In my mind I picture him that way yet the only photo I remember seeing of him..was a country photo..he had suspenders and was with his first wife..my mom's mom.
Never new any of my grandparents..sweet how something can pop up.
That box♥

Now for the dish..I follow Diane Morissey  on Instagram.
If that girl doesn't get a book soon I'll be shocked.
So many people are inspired by her stories on IG..
and I have made more than one thing that is delicious.
Go find her if you want delicious simple meals..desserts.
She is a pescatarian but has a large family..6 children.. and they also eat meat..
Lots of good chicken dishes..shrimp dishes..

building flavor upon flavor..
That dish above ..you can wing it..but I love that you roast the broccoli first..lots of lemon and zest..garlic..and look at the lemon..this is how I like to serve them now:)
I added shrimp because Jacques needs something other than veggies and noodles:)
It should have been Fusilli Lunghi..I didn't have any.

And yes you see a touch of bacon;)I have French shallots in there..parm cheese..yes even w/ shrimp.

Anyway..
her meals are beautifully presented and fab.
Honest.

I still have snow!In some areas FEET where the snow slides off the roof.
Started the tomatoes..
Found a mailbox for the Sheshed:)
And it is still so cold here.

Cascade Green is a new fave color of mine..Daniel Smith watercolors.
So I am not trying to get you on Instagram..you will spend too much time there..but you will be inspired:)Nudge nudge nudge..:)
I know I am..
You can make a collage at the end of the month to see what you have been up to:)

Have a good week..

This happened here..

Falalalala...not.