Tuesday, September 8, 2020

~Let's pretend..I am.:)

Pretending I went back this September..




















I have been painting this one..below..:)Next time I will share my trials..









We all know I didn't..and won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
Even the insurance company that covers us..sent a letter saying..there is a stop to insurance for travel.
Our policy covered until Oct 31rst..
We usually renew prior to..
No option.
Finita ..for now.


Provence and the Gulfside of Fl are dear to my heart..
So I am painting little Provence things..
I baked some madeleines too..
And a great new vanilla cake..for a Victoria Sponge I always followed recipes for that..always dry..

This cake is anything BUT so for all future VS cakes this will be the recipe combining the best of Japanese sponges and Western vanilla cakes.
Stays moist for days!



You can find the recipe for this fabulous cake here :) Best Vanilla cake.

So the new Blogger ..is not the end of the world..yet.
So far ..so good..?
Not sure.
Take care take care take care.

44 comments:

  1. I know so sad you cant wnt to Provence, I know how you love it! But really Monique Im sure you will go next season!!
    I miss the sea, I dont go to the beach or sea about 6 months and still we are caring about covid, difficult times, but is these times you know, Hugs and love to you dear Monique!

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  2. I loved traveling with you to these wonderful scenes of Provence. Some day you will go again.

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    1. Thank you..Provence is so pretty you don't even need to "fix" your pics..:)I have hundreds that I look at periodically:)Have a great day.

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  3. Dearest Monique,
    Yes, we all are being forced to make do with virtual 'dream' trips! Nothing we can plan...
    Let's hope this will end sooner than later.
    Oh, we have such fond memories of the wedding of our friends' daughter, on September 9, 2016 at Château de Berne in Lorgues... We stayed at a lovely hotel in a nearby little town. Loved the driving there, even at night. And all the food. Now just a dream; tomorrow three years ago!
    NEVER give up dreaming... and baking, and painting!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  4. I so enjoyed your photos M. I love seeing through your eyes. How sad that we may not travel still for an uncertain period of time. All our bucket list trips are on hold.

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    1. I called the house we stayed in..My house.
      I could live in it easily..so remote:)So darn beautiful inside out♥
      You are a traveler!!!Hope you get to go soon A!

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  5. What a lovely visual journey to Provence! All the best to you and yours!

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    1. Oh I could live in that house.Perfection..and what amazes me..no maintenance.Just natural beauty everywhere.♥

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  6. I don't blame you for wishing you were back there. So beautiful. Hopefully one day again.

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    1. Just what I love now..no maintenance and yet gorgeous.Love that house.I could live in it so very easily:)

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  7. Love seeing your photos from provence. Such a shame, we cannot travel nor would we want to with this covid thing. The paintings are fun. The cake looks divine.
    At least we have memories of travel, so rejoice in that.

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    1. Oh yes indeed..we have no plans of returning..so I'll just step back in time once in a while:)

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  8. Oh, how I needed this view on this rainy morning! The beauty of the south of France conjures up many fine menories for me as well, and your photos are perfection. I smile at the sunny store fronts, the blue doors and shutters, the bakery delights. How I long to return to travel to these places of my heart. Thank you, Monique for sharing your beautiful photos. You capture the best!

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  9. Replies
    1. It's a true affair of the heart for me:) And many others of course..You can't help it:) You just cannot help it.Have a nice day~

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  10. We all need a little mental getaway and yours is a beautiful one! You have so many lovely photos to remember the happy times in Provence. The yellows, blues and oranges are so striking. I know it's your favorite place of all (other than Home Sweet Home). Beautiful pattern you made with your artwork! I keep fingers crossed that maybe we can still get away at the end of February next year. Eyes crossed, legs crossed too - LOL.

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    1. I hope you do!
      I know our getaway is very canceled.
      What a time thief.
      But as I sit and look about so much sadness is going on..on top of Covid.
      The horrific fires.
      Health issues..
      It’s a lot so a getaway is a non issue.
      Could not care less.
      Want Covid gone..fires out..health back.
      That’s it that’s all🤗😘

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  11. I know how much you and Jaques love to travel so my heart feels bad for you and so many who haven't even been able to get to countries to visit family. I enjoyed your pictures and new watercolors, you are so, so artistic and absolutely amazing in your style. Staying busy is key for me to keep weathering these bad times, and of course, appreciating that my family, friends and I have managed to not get ill.

    The vanilla cake looks incredible and I could just imagine how good it is so I not only went to see the recipe, I followed the blog. Thank you!

    Hang in there, Monique. Have faith that we will come out on the good side soon. 😘

    Jane

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    1. We will I know but it's not for just yet.I watched and interview on IG stories w/ Dr Fauci and Jennifer Gardner..looks like going to a theater etc w/out a mask etc is not until late 2021..A vaccine is needed..here we will experience much stricter fines for non compliance and I am happy about that.
      We have no plans for future travel:) We are novices really..started later in life:)I keep busy too..we have to..Thank you Jane:)

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  12. Love the visit to Provence, especially after never having been there. Loved the treatment on the watercolors -- did you do them over and over or manipulate online to make a "sheet" of them. That would be very pretty Spoonflower wrapping paper! You are reminding me I have everything I need to make Madeleines and I might today -- we came home so I have my pans here. Oh, and it's time to make my leafy Happy Cakes, too! Thanks for the Vanilla Cake recipe. I'm saving that one and making it next time I have to do a big cake. What a perfect post. The only bad thing? The travel issue. I feel it too.

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    1. It;s funny..I am fine with no travel.I love remembering..I wish we had started going to Provence earlier..lol like 1974..
      It's just heavenly.
      I did the sheet on Photoshop..I Googled how..when I do something new on PS I Google because even after years of subscribing...I am a novice and use very very few functions.I really should learn.
      I enjoyed doing these watercolors:):)
      I think we both enjoy painting so much.Thank the heavens in these times right?
      Take care!

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  13. Loved your visit to Provence :-) So grateful we have these wonderful memories.

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  14. that's a nice way to have some dream fulfillment, using your talents and creativity! I do daydream often about Quebec City...And we don't have to suffer the harder parts of travel for the moment, like for me, air travel when going to France.

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    1. I know you will get back there Rita:) I should look at my QC pics maybe and try one:)I just ordered a few prints from Provence..I find it easier to paint from photos.You are wonderful at real life.

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    2. PS Rita..the new blogger is totally doable!Totally.:)

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    3. OK, so I may just be brave and try it. Someone has offered to help me...Thank you for your encouragement, Monique.
      I just painted from a photo I recently took, and I do enjoy that too!
      You've inspired me to write a little illustrated piece for our Senior College Corona Newsletter. Next week would be our Common Ground Fair, one of the ultimate high points of my whole year, a tradition, life giving. It is cancelled, to I will look to previous years' sketches and photos. Thank you for the inspiration! PS Would you mind if I sent you a little something in the snail mail?

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    4. Of course not..

      Rita when I first saw the new Blogger I thought..that's it..lol..

      But once I tried I saw it is almost identical.Only for making photos larger you click on the photo once uploaded and then you are given a choice.
      Please do try!

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  15. Let's pretend we are back in Provence! Let´s pretend because we aren't going anywhere! Let's pretend!
    Meanwhile let's be happy!
    Hugs

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  16. Oh isn't the brain a wonderful thing. We need only close our eyes and we can be back wherever our hearts and minds choose to take us. I so wish I could go home. The virus is getting worse again here. I am so angry at the young people who have been so disrespectful and selfish. It is them whose numbers are rising now and they are the ones who so flagrantly flouted the rules. They make it unsafe for us all. I wonder will this ever truly be over. Oh well, its a good thing I am happy at home! Love and hugs, xoxo

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    1. Yes me too..I wonder though in looking at accounts..how many are actually following the rules?
      I think I have seen quite famous people out and about hugging..etc..w/ friends..not teens either..adults..?

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  17. Oh Provence...I would LOVE to go there.....
    I LOVE yr watercolors!
    Did you make them into wrapping paper?
    Stunning. Iwant to order svp 🙏❤️

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    1. :)No I just did a page in Photoshop..but..you can do something very similar w/ a free app..Patternator:)
      I hope you go one day!
      Train..TGV...

      Thank you!! Or a plane Paris -Nice..etc..
      Anywyay you know all this:)

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  18. We were talking about where we would travel - when safe - besides to see family..... PARIS please.

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    1. And us..Paris..no thank you:) But you are part city girl..we are not one decimal city folk.
      I hope you do go back?
      Have you been to the South of France?Enquiring minds want to know;)

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  19. Sorry to hear about the travel insurance. I'm impressed that you made madeleines! I have a baking tin for them but haven't scouted out a good recipe yet.

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