Sunday, May 10, 2020

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:)


37 comments:

  1. God bless you- I think Mother's Day is bittersweet for many. We lost a grandchild and mourn not only her death but the death of my daughter's hopes for that baby's future...and it is a pain in her heart every Mother's Day.
    I, too, am a lover of flowers..any and all. I hope to plant some tulips for next year here. xo Diana

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    Replies
    1. Oh my..it must be..How sad..
      You are right..bittersweet and for each their own reasons.
      Take care...

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  2. Your apple tart looks beautiful, and yes bread is the best! Hang in there..xo

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  3. Dearest Monique,
    Wishing you the remainder of a Happy Mother's Day!
    WOW, the plate you serve your apple tart on is like a dream... Where did you find that?!
    Love the French doilies for using with pâtisserie and this looks like one.
    Sending you hugs,
    Mariette

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    Replies
    1. Bonjour Mariette..the plate was from Ikea but perhaps 8 yrs ago..a long long time ago..:)
      Some things last forever:)
      Have a good week..a lot of déconfinements going on around the world.
      Montreal is still doing very poorly:(

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  4. It looks like something is happening in your garden to me! Anything growing is a beautiful miracle.

    Do you know who said the garden quote? 'I go into the garden to lose my mind.......'?

    And I've learned a new word. "Anthophile'. Yes, I am definitely that too. We're dripping in peonies right now. Peony season is my favorite. There is nothing more beautiful to me. I have a new deep red peony that is really doing well this year. A soft, lovely scent & it stands up tall even in all the heavy rains....unlike my creampuff pink peonies, though I still love them.

    I'm glad you got tulips for your special day.

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    Replies
    1. Yes but the actual quote was..:I go into the forest...John Muir..
      I love peonies also..they are the folies bergères of th e garden..the showgirls.
      And yes..everything growing is a miracle.
      I was grateful to receive flowers♥
      Have a good week:)
      We still don't have leaves ..and it's brisk and chilly.Some warmth of our faces would be welcome:)

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  5. Dear Monique, Happy Mother's Day. What beautiful tulip photos! I love Springtime and seeing new buds opening. It is Autumn here in New Zealand, so I will keep looking at your blog for Spring photos. Thank you :)

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    Replies
    1. I hope your day was good..I wish you a good week also.New Zealand looks quite idyllic:)

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  6. Monique, you and I, Anthophiles! Those tulip petals are like sweet treats. I can't get enough. Hardest part of getting fresh flowers is letting go when they are spent. With tulips, I often stretch their time by bunching together and tying off in a tight bouquet. They help each other stay close. Have you done that? I currently have my favorite orange and yellow tulips in the living room. Soon the season will be past. I'm not one for faux plants and flowers, but a local hardware store had all their Easter 70% off when I picked up a lightbulb order. Four small pots of darling pink blooms came home with me. $3 a pot. They look lifelike and will brighten our side entry table. Who knew?
    Glad you had these treats from your precious daughters, but sad you three had to miss your get away weekend.

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    Replies
    1. I love when tulips flop..but I will take your advice in heed:) As I want them to last longer..I changed their water this AM..always a shock..I do have a few faux pretties..and like them A LOT.
      Caroline has yellow tulips and they are so REAL looking!
      Have a great week:)♥

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  7. May flowers are later this month here also compared to recent years. Our late April was warmer than it is now. Yesterday was so cold and we had snow again. It didn't stick to the ground, thankfully. Had a special social distancing Mothers' Day visit with Lauren and Lindsay yesterday afternoon. ♥ Not in the house but in the garage with the doors open. Sat 8 feet apart. We all froze :) I wanted to hug them so much! It was just wonderful to see their faces in person again. Made my day, my week, my month and a half. This has been so hard on us all and everyone is growing weary, especially with 3 boys under 10 at home constantly. I don't like to dwell on it either but it doesn't help a thing. Stuck we are. Mmmm, secret apple tart and foccacia look delicious! It is the joy we bring into our homes these days ♥.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here everyone came..back yard.. feetS apart.
      Me too wanting to hug..

      Unimaginable how this is a time thief.It's not like I am 40.
      Montreal is bad..really bad..

      Heaviness is weighing even on my friend Nancy.

      I give credit to all 4 boys..they were in fine spirits yesterday.
      It could be different.. soon 15 13..etc..they do not seem like this is catastrophic..
      I am very glad about that.
      As you are.
      Not easy Caro and Fred don't have enough bandwith for their work online and 3 boys online for school!!They have the top program..oh lala.
      Take care Pea..
      So much intertwined with so much and so much and so much..

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  8. Monique, hope your Mother's day was special. The flowers your daughter sent are lovely. sorry your garden is off to a slow start. Tulips are so beautiful the way they seem like they are dancing. Yoursecret apple tart is gorgeous, almost too pretty to eat and the bread is heavenly.

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    Replies
    1. :) My girls were very sweet to offer their mom beautiful flowers♥
      It's just not getting better here:(
      I wish we could see a light.
      Mtl is pitiful.
      Spring break one week before everyone..virus brought home.
      Quebec has the most number of people in extended care services..
      Says a lot.

      Not good right now.
      Workers were not paid enough..the list goes on..

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  9. How inspiring! As always your photos are fabulous and I feel a great urge to run into the kitchen and start backing your recipes.

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    1. That's what happened when I saw the focaccia being made by a little girl on IG:)♥
      Right away..I made some;)
      Take care Nina..;)

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  10. Your apple tart looks divine. I love bread but I have a hiatus hernia so I can't eat as much as I would like :-(

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    Replies
    1. Well I must tell you we watch our intake of pretty much everything..Tout en modération☺️Take care!

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  11. Such a prtty tarte!
    I havn't seen a single tulip here...
    Maybe tomorrow I will pass an open flower shop.
    Lockdown is over 🤞🏼🙏🏻

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  12. What a wonderful mother you are, and baker, on any day. It is a late start here too, but there are daffodils around the neighborhoods of my small town.

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    1. I am wondering if lockdown is better in warmer climates? people out on bikes..picking flowers..gardening..
      Not the case here..and Mtl is doing very poorly:(

      My mother was a wonderful mother..that's my scale..I am not even close♥But thank you!

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  13. It was a different Mother's Day for sure. I have put that Foccaccia on my to do list. It looks fabulous! Your tulips are beautiful. Bad bunnies for eating the tulips in your garden. We have no bunnies in our garden, just plenty of slugs and cats, which are annoying for different reasons. Love your cool greens, what a beautiful montage. Todd would love that apple tart. He loves apple anything and I have apples to use. We shall see. I am running low also. I have so many ideas but no way to use them at the moment. Oh well, this too shall pass! Stay safe sweet friend. Love and hugs, xoxo

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    1. I skipped the melted butter and garlic after baking..just left it..You have had such great weather..lol..not US..

      The recipe she gave me..has to be modified every time as I go along..I should really write down my measurements then it becomes mine..:)
      Have a good week Marie!

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  14. Morning Monique...
    Lovely post...
    I especially love your last words...
    Says it all...💙
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    Replies
    1. Well you were right..one of my basil..does have roots..time will tell..Today should be GRAND for you;)xox

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  15. I suspect this was a hard Mother's Day for a lot of women who were separated from their children and their grands, as well as those who are dealing with recent losses of mothers. I'm sorry it was a tough one for you. The weather certainly didn't help, did it? At least, here it was terribly gloomy. I'm glad you got that beautiful bunch of blooms from your daughter. They're lovely!

    And your tart (secret!) and the foccacia look so delicious. I have to say that your food always looks the best because you stage it so well. The photos are simply perfection, so beautifully designed. I'm lucky to remember to take a photo of something I've baked!

    I don't have tulips anymore, thanks to previous raids by deer and probably bunnies, too. They don't seem to like the daffodils. I have some nice and very realistic faux tulips but it's not quite the same. I long for the day when I can go to the store or the nursery and buy really fresh, beautiful flowers. Or till the seedlings grow. I'm not sure which will come first! I am seeing things come up in the garden, so that's a plus, even though it will be a long while before they bloom. We shall see.

    I hope this day is sunny for you (it is here) and that it finds you smiling.

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    1. Mother's Day was good..horrid weather but everyone showed up in the back yard..feets away..yards....way more than 2 ft..

      for about an hour.No hugs no touching.

      Honestly I feel worse for everyone else that me.I learned lockdown 10 yrs ago..so this is not huge for me.
      And we have a family across the street that does grocery shopping for us.My other daughter did tell me of a curbside place..so next time I will offer my daughter..You order online..drive up and they put in your trunk..maybe next week..
      Gardening will be different too..I think my multiple baskets..etc days are not to be this yr..however my fave ..one of my fave nurseries does have curbside pick up so I will get a few annuals etc..
      It's sunny and should be a bit warmer..Yippee..
      I wish you a beautiful day too!

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  16. I like the word anthophile. :) Hope you had a nice Mother's day. The focaccia looks delicious!!! :)

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    1. I like it too:) It was nice.. freezing standing up..back yard..more than social distancing..so different..The hostess with the leastest...

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  17. Your bunnies have posh tastes - why eat weeds when you can go straight for the tulips?
    Amalia
    xo

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