~June~Is tomorrow.

Some days were actually heavenly~

Hollyhocks sous cloche...trying to encourage growth.

We did our first online curbside order and it went well.. so well we did it again.. again..wrong order  the first time..lol..  but we were still there and the young man was so apologetic and handsome..honest mistake..2 Moniques;)

Strawberries were in the pick so I made a custard Creme pat /strawberry/Dorie Greenspan sweet shortbread crust tart.J's and mine lol..it's a small tart and mine is smaller.

Very good..Coming clean here.. the creme pat is pre-made.and bought.The rest home sweet home..my glaze is Bonne Maman strawberry jam melted.I am not fond of glazes in pouches.

And The View From Great Island's Strawberry Buttermilk cake is always a winner!Thanks Sue!
I made my fave treat when we can get lobster..lobster rolls..
and LCBO's sushi pizza made me want to make that too..
Both were really good.


Garden wise..I am not gung ho..I am grasping at straws ..and watching seeds grow and not grow.
My standard Korean Lilac died..it was to me the focal point of my front garden:(

We had a bad heat wave ..humid..it's too dry..things are dying.


I have put hostas in usual annual pots..

Time will tell if I get to a nursery.
My nice neighbour picked me up two ferns for the front porch..


Still not excited about everybody coming out now..
and so many no masks..
Oh well I am no authority by far.

Our Serviceberry bloomed beautifully..and then ..2 days later  ..gone!

All the blooming trees could not stand the heat.
Shortest bloom time ever..
May is not made for 100F temps.

I took advantage a of a favorite tea company's free ship;)

And enjoyed every minute of Chris Petri's latest youtube tutorial~strike that..before last.

My posts used to be cohesive and coordinated and then I lost everything and post less..
So nothing is coordinated..I just post here and there with ideas..
No theme..just sharing what works etc..

Mostly Instagram posts..that I place here in more detail.

It's just such a different time..the blog gone missing..

Covid..

And now all this turmoil  since I started this whole post..That just saddens me inside out.




But ..here I am.

Mid May~Meh~

May's been Meh..but yesterday the sun shone and today it's brilliant and more to come apparently..
I see trees of green..(a bit..)

We're still in this mess..have to focus focus focus elsewhere.

I've been painting and caring for seeds and tubers and tomato seedlings..June 1 I'll plant my tomatoes..I won't rush it this year.

I had pulled out sooo many things..wanting to make way for younger and fresher but that will not happen this year.

The BM painting was inspired by tarts I made ..from none other than the illustrious Marie at The English kitchen:)Thank you!
And you all know I love Bonne Maman:)

I have been painting..here and there and yonder..I do love it..made the little Bonne Maman sheet..looks blurry here for some reason...
and the card..it shouldn't be a card..

For my painterly friends..in your journal on one page..paint..I painted myself waking into a dream.
Then you cut out the door..not all the way..so that what you paint on the next page is partially seen from the door..open the page, and it's all there.

I learned this from.S Dion Baker ..on instagram.

I was spoiled with beautiful flowers ..♥

Both girls gave me bouquets..Jacques' always said:"You're not my mother" ;)
And he's right.
I hope all 4 boys think of their moms later in life..♥
I've only spotted muscari and FMNs here..
Slow start..
Still......
Take care..

May 10th ,2020 Mother's Day~

Look..nothing really happening in my garden and bunnies have eaten beginning of tulips;(

I am..I really am an Anthophile..a lover of flowers~
We're having a slow start here..

I was compelled to order tulips..and I did..and I will again:) Drop off at the door..at my feet..come in you beauties..

It's a slow start here in my neck of the woods.

very slow..

so I was doubly thrilled to receive the bouquet in the pitcher form one of my daughters for Mother's Day..
That bittersweet sweet day for me..
Of being grateful for what I have and still longing for what I don't.
I'm like that thought..a hanger on..to what goes missing..

So I made an apple tart for J a secret recipe lol..yes ..secret..

but I also made focaccias you may like to try..
First is the round one..

I made half..

the second..whole..the whole was better.I had gotten the hang of it.Is there anything better than bread?:)

You can find the recipe here.
Inspiration initially..here  I did not do the butter and garlic after baking.Just kept as is.
Such a keeper recipe..you can top w/ things too..I like rosemary..of course I have none..I like cherry tomatoes..nope..none..
Pantry is getting bare.
I won't get maudlin ok..like I do most years on Mother's Day..I'll leave it at flowers and thoughtfulness..and recipes.

And the gratitude I have for my daughters..their offsprings:)
And their dad:)
♥

~May 2nd ~

I didn't paint the above:)

I did paint below.

There is a feed on IG I love..
Emilie_joly_johnson

Her family ,her life in Provence..

All so genuinely beautiful.
This is her youngest daughter..Romy:)

Meanwhile au Québec things are slow as molasses..and cool weather expected..we've been told to hold back on gardening for a while..
Secret garden scilla path..

My fave herb to grow..ever.

You can start basil plants indoors by rooting tips of grocery store basil plants..
Fred picked up my plant for me..SO grateful..

We're still not leaving the house..
I follow many accounts on IG..
I was craving tulips..can't go to the stores..an account I follow is a florist.. she is delivering a bouquet here next Thursday...while making other deliveries to the shops and such..
What a highlight that will be.♥

Listen..I am in the best possible company..it's  not an ordeal to be with your best friend 24/7..we were doing it already..this stay at home thing ..is not hard for us..although J misses his Costco..and I don't know yet what I will do for a few annuals and baskets..
But does that sound like the end of the world?
NOPE nada not at all. Sheltered..spoiled.

It's everyone else my concerns are for.EVERYONE ELSE.
God bless  everyone else.(ok us too please for a few things..)

I was wondering if any of you have seen this?
My daughter sent it to me.
I love it.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw5KQMXDiM4



Take care...