It’s very quiet here… Apart from the birds, a few shots from the hunters and an occasional chuckle from Apache… there is nothing but the sounds of silence. The light is clear… so clear that there is a bluish grey tinge over the farm I look at the fruit trees, pruned and prepped… waiting for … Continued
I am inspired every day by love, by friendship, by beauty… by the small and the big things. I am inspired by my children… their creativity, their lust for life and their desire to forge their way in this increasingly complex world. I am inspired by my husband who is forever understanding and encouraging… and … Continued
Years spent in Provence have meant that my taste has changed… As much as I admire colour… the neutrals have taken over my world. I have come to understand that there is nothing dull or boring about the neutral… tones, textures and patina make the quieter shades just as interesting as the colourful ones. In … Continued
It’s happening… finally I see progress with our little house in the village. We bought Le Petit Bijou two and a half years ago… a small village house in the centre of the most historic part of Saint Remy de Provence to renovate and eventually rent out to fellow Francophiles who would enjoy a taste … Continued
I remember when I was very young how books were oftentimes like best friends… They were my constant companions… sometimes they were more like crushes… I couldn’t leave them alone…and even to this day I am never without a book… by the bed or in my bag… Long tales, short stories… I enjoy them all… … Continued
I never like to miss the truffle market over New Year… not only because truffles are the most delectable treat but also because I love the charged and dramatic atmosphere in the market… Buyers and sellers… demanding the best quality, scrambling for the highest price… It’s old school bartering, clandestine negotiations and delightfully Provencal… The … Continued
There is something about Provence that I can’t quite understand. It has a way of enveloping you, of transporting you from the everyday and it makes you feel as if you are living life in slow motion. The rest of the world disappears when I am in Provence… not an intentional decision, but one that … Continued
The year that was.. Wishing you the best and the brightest in 2013… Have a fabulous New Year… May all your dreams come true…xv If you feel like a little more French Essence in my absence… please click on the links below A Parisian Christmas… Looking Back… Provence, A Lunch… and Finding Beauty Country Life … Continued
The Christmas tree is sparkling The red berry wreath is in place The shadows cast long over the farmhouse… like long protective arms, they hug our home for Christmas … The morning mists envelop the garden and muffle any sounds The Persimmons are ripe and ready for picking And the ruby red amaryllis are in … Continued
Christmas Stockings are the most fun of all… Ours are always heavy with books… Santa… Are you reading? FICTION FABULOUS… A little romance, a dash of suspense, a shiver or two and a dose of the historical Gone Girl… The Witness… Sweet Tooth… Bring Up The bodies ***** KITCHEN CREATIVE… a pinch of savoury and a tablespoon of sweet Bouchon … Continued
Some days are just right… Do you know what I mean? They start out like any old day but they end up being one to remember. Magical days that happen all too infrequently… days, when the rigours of the everyday are replaced by the beauty around you… when all else is forgotten and we find … Continued
Do you know French Vintage Home? If you are mad for all things French, like me… you will love their site… Audrey Freidman and Laura McGuire share our passion for France and have created an online source for beautiful vintage wares that Audrey sources in France… I recently asked them to tell me how they … Continued
It’s nearly olive harvest here on the farm… that time of year when all the hard work pays off. This year the olives aren’t as plentiful as I would like, yet they are beautiful… plump, juicy and clear as a bell… Our old fashioned, organic methods have paid off… no nasty little bites on our … Continued
Small details are what make a home a home… I think we all agree. I found the embroidery in a local flea market… it was unfinished and tatty but that made me like it even more For what was left unsaid… I could use my imagination, speculate on the reasons that the faces were bare … Continued
I haven’t been to the flea markets lately… I am missing them… missing the colour, missing the life… missing the browse What caught my attention… was a touch of blue Blue was everywhere… all around, among and amidst Blue seemed to find my eye Eye spy with my little eye… Something beginning with BLUE… xv … Continued
