More Memories - South of France 2006

Just back from the coast and will soon have pics to show of that peaceful, beautiful island. Meanwhile, have been thinking about France again after chatting with my family there - here are a few more pics from last year's visit with Granddaughter Jasmin.

Beautiful fields of sunflowers, faces always pointing toward the sun, stretching for miles across the Summer countryside of Provence.

Family gathering on the Canal du Midi on a perfect June day - granddaughter, niece, sister-in-law, DH and moi - brother taking the picture! Daytrippers and canal boat vacationers enjoy a cool breeze, stopping to pick up fresh provisions and local wines along the waterway.

Visiting the stunning ancient hilltop "village perche" Les Baux de Provence.

Decisions, decisions, what shall I buy for my "souvenir de Provence"

Later, passing through the small villages it was obviously a brilliant day for drying - let's wash "les jeans".

The national music fair of France - Fete de la Musique held in every village, town and city throughout France on June 17 - so much fun. We listened to cabaret style singing here in Bize in the afternoon - more singing and African drumming by the light of a huge bonfire late into the night in Peyriac.
A tiny bakery just beyond the walls of the old city of Carcassonne -the best "straight out of the oven" baguettes for lunch.

Then a quick stop at the olive mill where the choice was amazing!
Wonderful memories of a beautiful place................must return soon.

Inspiration Friday - The Letter

There it was, tucked in between a few bills, some junk mail, and the latest LL Bean catalog - the awaited with anticipation notecard from our ten year old granddaughter. She left for Summer camp the week before saying we were on her list and that she'd write and tell us all about the experience. Of course she came home before the note - explanation being they were so busy and having so much fun she didn't mail her cards until the very last day. That's fine, just glad camp was fun. Teaching children to hand write Birthday cards, "thank you" and "thinking of you" notes is still so important in this day of e-mail and text messaging. Nothing beats opening the mailbox and seeing a handwritten envelope knowing something special is inside - my heart gets all a flutter!!

Of course it was Grandma, who sat her down and had her address her envelopes before leaving for camp................after all that's just another little extra special thing Grandmas do!!

........................hope you are inspired to hand write a card, a note or a letter to someone special this weekend. I'll be writing mine from the coast - have packed my little art box and will embellish my page with some tiny sketches of the ocean, seabirds, and shells perhaps.

Enjoy your Summer weekend.

Island Hopping

Bald Head Island is a somewhat small, remote village located on the east side of Cape Fear in Brunswick County, North Carolina on an island of the same name. Only accessible by ferry from the town of Southport - cars are not allowed, instead residents drive modified golf carts - max. speed limit 18 mph - how refreshing. There are 14 miles of pristine ocean beaches, 10,000 acres of protected salt marsh and tidal creeks, and a vast maritime forest preserve.
Generous friends who own a beautiful condo on the island surprised us with the offer of spending next week there! Come Sat. morning DH and I will be heading to the coast - laden with books & mags. to read on the screened porch. Flip flops, shorts and sun hats packed - some food and our favorite wines ready to go. North Carolina seashore, we'll soon be on our way.

This is Old Baldy lighthouse on the island. Built in 1817 it's the oldest lighthouse still standing in North Carolina but is non-working now. We have visited before and climbed to the top for the great island and ocean views. A small museum at the base supplies an audio tour of the island - that will be something DH will enjoy................he loves history. However.........he dislikes being in one place for long and I will be holding him captive on a tiny island for an entire week - will let you know how that goes!!

The more modern development on the island consists of mostly very expensive retirement and vacation homes - a recent sale recorded a selling price of just under $4M - wow, will have to check out that one! As the village has a total area of just 5.8 square miles you can imagine the price of a lot.

One grocery store, two restaurants - that's about all folks...........................so it will be a week of relaxation, listening to music, reading, some art projects and letter writing, walking the beaches and soaking my feet in the surf, taking photographs, and of course drinking good that wine while viewing the ocean sunsets. I think I can manage all that.

Hope each of you get to paddle in the ocean, Atlantic or Pacific, this Summer!

Cornish Cottages

My new blog friend, Anne (do visit her at Not Entirely British )
grew up, like me, loving the Southwest of England, especially Devon and Cornwall. This post is for you Anne, and anyone who knows Cornwall perhaps from Daphne du Maurier's wonderful and famous novels, Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, Frenchman's Creek and My Cousin Rachel.

Typical Cornish villages and fishing scenes.

Although there are many lovely fishing villages along the Cornish coast, Polperro is one of my favorites and I last visited there in 2005. This is everyone's idea of a picturesque Cornish fishing village - narrow winding streets and alleys, a jumble of charming white cottages perched on steep slopes overlooking the tiny harbour. Polperro was once a thriving center for smuggling. Generations of seafarers brought contraband goods ashore from France via the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey. High taxes on a wide range of luxury goods, basic commodities and even salt, imposed to finance the wars with America and France between 1775 and 1815, encouraged the fishermen to supplement their meagre livelihood by engaging in the "trade" as smuggling brandy, gin, tea and tobacco was known.

Exquisite seashell decorative work on a fisherman's cottage.

The traffic-free village requires a winding downhill walk to the harbour............or taking the "Horse Bus" from the main car park.

With its protected inner harbour full of colorful boats, Polperro is still a working fishing village.Away from Polperro and other nearby villages are scenic walks along the cliff tops. Although Cornwall is known as one of the less wealthy areas in the UK with the lowest per capita contribution to the national economy, it certainly is one of the most beautiful and has a thriving tourist industry. Be sure to visit this lovely part of Britain if you have the chance.........and of course you have to pass through Devon (my home county) to reach it so you get to see two great counties on the same trip!

Sleepless in Seattle

Before heading back to Seattle, I spent two wonderful days in Bellingham, Washington visiting my dear "art pen pal" Patti - our first meeting!!! We were introduced by a mutual friend over a year ago and have corresponded via snail mail and e-mail, sharing our love of art, music, needlework, the written word, and many other creative interests.

Patti had this fantastic gift awaiting in her studio - a magnificent kimono style jacket she had made for me. The fabric is an elegant paisley lined with black raw silk (both recycled vintage), with decorative tassels and beaded cords at the closure. One of her great tags was hanging from the jacket - wow, I was so thrilled with such a beautiful gift and couldn't resist wearing it out to dinner immediately.

Seattle was the last leg of this great Northwest trip.

Known as one of the most walkable cities in the country (warning - lots of steep hills, but you'll find many wonderful restaurants to enjoy after working off all those calories!) Seattle is a fun place.
It would be easy to go without sleep as there's so much to see and do. Guess this would be the best hotel buy - wish we'd seen it prior to checking in at the waterfront Marriott which cost a few dollars more!!!!!!

Just a stone's throw from what was actually our great hotel, was the famous Pike Place Market, the jewel in the city. Anyone who's visited here will be familiar with slightly fishy "theatre" performed each day at the largest fish market - throwing the huge fish, with accompanying hollers and yells, to fill customers' orders. Tourists line up ten deep to view this ongoing entertainment - kids, young and old, stifle silly giggles while watching huge salmon and grouper being tossed about in the air.
Constructed for Seattle's 1962 World's Fair, the Space Needle has become the city's international icon. A 41-second elevator ride takes you 520 feet to the observation deck. The SkyCity restaurant at the top revolves 360 degrees while you dine. The day we ascended the Space Needle the weather was perfect for viewing Mt. Ranier to the South (my photo) and to the North, Mt. Baker was also clearly visible to the eye - this only occurs about 50 days of the year according to the guide. She told us we had picked a perfect day for these amazing views.

..............................goodbye fabulous Northwest USA and British Columbia, you certainly make one's heart sing with your wonderful scenery and nice people. I hope to return very soon.

Inspiration Friday ~ Eat Your Veggies!

Back at the fabulous Granville Market in Vancouver, the healthy foods were so beautiful one could almost bypass the sugar and fat loaded baked goodies.........almost but not quite!!!!

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With no means to cook up a truly gorgeous "vegetable plate" in a hotel room, I, your true vegetarian friend, had to be satisfied just to......................................................................................pause over the perfect peppers,

...........................not squeeze the squash,

..........................................long for the lettuce

.........................control myself from commandeering the corn,
..........................actually forego aspirations to snap the asparagus,

.................cry misery over lack of morels in my neck of the woods

.............................whine for white eggplants

............................but of course I could caress an apple, mango, pear,

.......................flip over the fine figs,

................................chuckle over cherries, beam over blueberries, and die for my favorites, the luscious raspberries.

Fresh veggies and fruits, such bounty from the earth. Thank you to all the farmers across America and Canada who toil so hard, 365 days a year, to supply us with such healthy, beautiful food.
So remember what Mother always told you ~ "eat your vegetables."