Some Baking And Painting..because it rained and will snow:(EGADS.

Today should be ok to finish up a few outdoor things..
And yesterday we did have some sun..

(note re the gloves..because of our rotten weather..I only tried them once and I give them a green thumbs up for my roses)

Marie's refrigerator muffins are delicious..you can find the recipe here:)
Thank you Marie!

Twigg Studios Anzac Cookies are simply addictive..printed..and in my forever book.

Diane Morrisey's Strawberry Balsamic vinaigrette  is fresh and delicious.She's on IG..worth following for sure.
Here you go:)


The only blooms here..  scillas..oh lala..what a Spring..had a good garden clean up day yesterday but it was cold.

Poor flood victims..I won't complain about garden clean up..c'est tragique pour eux.
Life goes on for the unaffected and I applaud the volunteers.
But we sip our coffees in our warm homes while others froze with flooded homes in the rain.
One of my daughters and  her son went to fill sandbags..which is unfortunately something we can't do.
The outpouring of volunteers was heartwarming to see..

Kids on bikes going around the neighbourhoods asking if people needed help.


Unfortunately this isn't a once in a lifetime thing anymore.
Flood season..and scilla season.

Sometimes I wonder where I would learn things without the internet..blogging..Pinterest and IG:)

All the recipes..books..stitchery..gardening..painting..
Not to mention photography.
Thank you everyone:)

(that's Oli's blanket for his 10th bday in Sept..I was concerned I would not finish it by Sept..but once you start..YOU CAN'T STOP:)..out of the blue and I am sure he won't remember and will hope that's not his real gift on his bday..he said..Oh can I have one?..Your wish is my command thought nana;))

I also wanted to share something with you..who also like to paint..
I had painted these girls..  omitting the eyes because I hate painting faces..
when I showed Jacques the cards he admired them..in his own way:) So it's not admiration..it's encouragement really..but he said:"There are no faces" ..LOL I said I hate adding eyes etc..I ruin them..
He suggested I make a copy and practice..it's amazing how confident you are when you can erase:)First try..:)

Just thought IN case you have the same fears..my engineer found a quick solution..never even thought about it..just said it:)
Just black and white draft quality..and They actually looked kind of ok in black and white..but that defeats the purpose of watercolor;)
I also like an hour or two of TV at night..

Last night's Game Of Thrones..was dark and way too violent.
Is it necessary?
Not in my mind.

Did I mention dark?Could not see a thing.
And he looks like my vision of what the devil has looked like all my life.

Maybe I am just not into fantasy and violence.
Give me Call The Midwife.

Have a good week!



PS I received a very sweet email from a  girl../blog I followed and she followed me.
I rarely get new posts from many of the blogs I used to follow.
This email ..well she mentioned WordPress was not that friendly to posting comments and that's why I have not heard from her and vice versa .
Hmmm..that's realy too bad.

~Mid October~

Enjoying teas and ephemera:)

Thinking of cute shops I saw in Provence..

Started to gather a few seeds ..

I cannot believe this..still  on this 12th day of October..it still looks like this..

I must say..even now I love looking back on paintings done in Provence as souvenirs..

Can you believe we bought 3 in Provence from an artist?:) We did..  
Already hung on a wall..
Mine stay in my journal/book.

The peppers are roasted and frozen..

My neighbourhood is looking spooky:)

And I have baked a few things in our kitchen:)

I'm having tea with Marie up above:)

A bundle of October goodness arrived in my postal box..all dressed up a la Marie..So many cute October Ephemera things and a new kind of tea I had spotted on Marie's blog but never here..Bistrotea..so easy..no mess..portable..small..and very very good..Thank you Marie:)

Our leaves are starting to turn..quite prettily as usual..and an adjacent town is having their fall festival of colors.They have fun montages out of straw people doing various activities..really cute..
The Hallowen decorations are popping up..
It's all looking quite festive.


Jacques and I did our roasted peppers..will have enough for well over 1 yr..
It's a process..about 3 hrs start to finish.

Split your peppers in half and de~seed.
Char  them on the BBQ.
Place in paper bags(a receptionist ..in a dental office   100 yrs ago told me this trick).
Skin the peppers and place them in a very large bowl that you have filled w/ EVOO,garlic and basil..at every warm batch..stir to mix perfectly..keep going until you are done.
The smell is divine..
Bag them up..and freeze..

Reserve of deliciousness to top pizzas put in sauces..salads.
I cannot stomach brined jarred ones.
You can't even compare.
Would be hard to get such a quantity done alone..Love that Jacques is into doing these..

One day in Provence I took my archaic Ipad(mini) out instead of my camera and took a few photos.I loved having them on the Ipad to try painting.

Unfortunately my Ipad is a black Friday 4 yrs ago at least Ipad w/ only 16 gb..and is full.

I read that they have not released newer versions of the mini in a few yrs and probably won't.
So I bit the bullet on a new mini w/ 128 gb..
the very next morning I found out my brakes were shot after only 3 yrs.

Ohlala Chaching.

Back to the mini..Apple released an Update..12 IOS and IG isn't full screen anymore..:( On my spanking new Ipad..on the 9.0 version..my dinosaur..it's fine.
I am not thrilled:(
It's a known fact..I Googled..It's IG's problem and they ain't fixed it.
Hope they do:)


The cake is a coconut cake..I found a new Instagrammer..who has a blog! And you can translate the recipes.
I have made 2.
This latest..the coconut cake ..the flavor is delish..I made it as she said but I also added a few drops of coconut flavoring.
I would have liked it to be a bit moister..not sure what I would change to accomplish that.Pehaps butter instead of oil..?Not sure.

Today.. one more garden has been put to bed.3 down..too many to go.
It's just so freaking cold here..or raining..I have not had much opportuni~tea:)♥

Have a lovely weekend!

Roses and muffins and painting and beetles:)

Always gleaning~
Recipes~
Ideas~

Always~

How else can one learn when at home..

I love getting recipes from blogs and IG..and Pinterest.

Thank God that old adage about not sharing recipes is a thing of the past.
Blogs and IG..and Pinterest ..all about sharing.
Ideas
Expertise
Talent
Knowledge.
Thank YOU!

I love when my roses second flush..
No chafers.
Yes the Japanese Beetles but there is no comparison between the two.
Rose chafers are chafer clouds that swarm all day long.
You cannot get rid of them.At all.
A JB..doesn't  swarm.
Neither are my Bffs.

The reason why..

Eating Henry Hudson.
They love tomato plants too.

Just saying.
Pick your enemies;)


I love seeds..zinnias and calendulas..etc etc..but heck you have to be patient.. and not all take..but when they do..They're  lovely.

I am enamoured w/ petunias again thanks to an Instagrammer that recoomended Jack's Petunia fertilizer:) I can't get it here..but found some in Plattsburgh.
It was Cindy..Luluinparis 17 that told me about it:)

Some of you may remember I won an original Vivian Swift watercolor..It's on my windowsill..since;)

I asked Vivian THIS year where she had bought her 4x4 frames..and she told me.And she offered to send me some if I could not find..
I hate imposing..so said..Oh no..and meant it..But that was super nice.

And..I  am like a relentless dog gnawing on the bottom of someone's jeans or a bone..when I get an idea in my head..

I looked here there and everywhere..even Hobby Lobby in Plattsburgh..Michaels..etc..
To no avail.

Lo and behold..

In a wonderful QC shop I frequent fervently..there they were..Have been playing w/ them..
and have been funny painting scenes from last year's trip..this scene..Oppède -Le-Vieux~
I think I have the painting bug..not in a serious manner but in a hobbyist's manner for certain;)
All of it..the whole shebang..
Paper ..paints..♥

If you want to bake something decadent..

Try these:)
I had fresh blueberries so did not use frozen raspberries..but just imagine w/ the raspberries too:)
Moist to the max.
You can find the recipe ..right here..Baked By An Introvert~
Keeper.

I am making pesto ..pesto..pesto..pesto..because of that basil..already jars of basil vinaigrette and containers of pesto..all because of those plants..that pic was taken after I had stripped cupfuls for a second batch of pesto to freeze on Monday..
It is stunning this year.That's where my garlic was:)
In closing..

wish we could all have the nature of a soon to be 9 year old..

So all 4 of our Littles play football..
Football to me..is..hard.
I hate watching them get hurt..
I have no interest in the sport when one of ours is not on the field..
The sport makes me covet   a superzoom.
I only had brothers..they were into it:(
And it on TV.

So back to the boys..
Max and Noah are on a WINNING team..it was 44-0 this weekend.
I see the championships in their future..  kids 10-11  ..

Oli..who was on the Provincial championship team last yr..is 8..soon soon 9..but had to stay in this younger team..
Poor Littles..Oli is the star I must say.In that team..and I feel funny even saying that..it's like bumping into someone and you ask how their kids are..and you hear..oh he's a doctor!  And my other one has an amazing job..head of finance..

No one ever says..they are happy.Why.
Is it the accomplishments that count?

Or being happy and kind..ok smart helps etc..but let go of the accomplishments..always someone better prettier wiser.


That scoreboard? Oli did the 6 points..this after having almost scored a TD but a Little on his team did something wrong..that Oli didn't see running full throttle w/ the ball..and a red flag was dropped..who knew Oli would have to try again after having just run the field in excruciating heat w/ a 500 lb uniform and helmet on?

But he did..started all over..and scored a TD..the child knows football like an adult..even his "bros" say he is good..

This child doesn't whoop it up.. you know..like when athletes do well and swing their fists or hands in the I am Proud and great way.. be he ever so humble.
I asked Jacques if he knew any golfers that were that humble..

He said:"It's Oli's age.."he doesn't know pride or show offship.

All I can say is God bless Oli..hope he never changes.

To see someone do so well and not show off.
Is so so lovely.

There are a few things I like about this sport..like watching parents be nice encouraging parents and not the bullies we see on TV lol..  I love seeing brothers congratulating each other.
I love seeing children active.Problem solving..thinking..camaraderie..
I also like the respectful way they act..w/ coaches etc.

One parent..I loved this..after the game...the coach..coaches..talk to their teams..the boys are hot..gather in a circle for post pep talk..a few boys started taking their equipment tops off..and one dad looked and his son and said:"  ... Don't take it off"..It meant" respect the coaches and the end of the game and the talk"..3 minutes  more wearing it will not make a difference.
I liked that.

I find being disrespectful..about anything..  quite disrespectful:)

I can be very set in my old fashioned ways..
Like manners and thank you notes..and opening doors..and giving up seats..

And punctuality;)
♥

Next year?

More ZINNIAS♥

Bye Bye Christmas 2017~

Ahhh..Memories In The Baking..I "met" Sol at Gardenweb...soo many years ago..maybe 16..and then I followed her on her blog and then I found her on Instagram♥

This girl has such a touch for everything she touches..

The Midas Touch~

When I saw her cheese plate;) And read her description..I just had to..

Savoury Shortbreads..

We love cheese crisps etc..

so why not try Sol's?

Absolutely Perfectamundo..

look how cute.. cut like cheese:) She told us how..see the layers of crispy? She gave us the recipe.

If you go to my link it will take you to Sol's IG..from there click on the photo of this dish..

You will find the recipe there.

A few minutes out of the oven..OMGEE..

But even the next day..and the next.

W/ a glass of wine you are in heaven..

I am sure w/out also;)

Anyway had to share..she's a sharer..always was always will be..  and funny:)

I slit my finger on the blades of my FP..I used a small one..and it was too small..had to transfer to a touch bigger one..long story short I had to wash 2..

stick my hand in the warm sudsy water and the sting was immediate and you would have though I slit an artery.

I still have a bandaid.

Anyway..it's NOTHING.

Just saying..

it's true what the warning says on the FP..;)

Did you notice that pretty plate?

I had spotted it on VS..$5.00

But she lived  a bit far because of my time constraints at the time..my daughter teaches in that area..but blocks and blocks and blocks away..and w/ Christmas etc..it just wasn't the right timing to impose all those blocks away.

She offered it to me for Christmas..♥

Sweet and thoughtful surprise.

Looks so old..I love old.

I've been doing some other baking..a delicious little coffee cake from Linda..I used frozen raspberries..what I love about it..well the lemon..the sugar top..and it tastes like a muffin.you know not a big heavy cake..just a treat..♥

You can find the recipe here..

Other than that..drinking Vanilla Hazelnut Coffee..tea..
and painting...hate the sunflower..my little girl..I grew fond of her..from my online Fancy Lassies class..

beacause it is so CCCCCOOOOOLLLD here. So cold..You have no idea!

My Little Life...parts of it below..

I said Goodby to Christmas 2017 today..Felts and glass are in that special big cardboard Italian box.

Words and fairies in the big green bin..FYI for me..Misc in there too and baby Jesus and crèche.

PS..these are years of receiving..making..keeping..the misc..range from Strawberry shortcake to Mod Podge balls..huge pine cones..pearls..etc..when you get to be 64..the newest newest one is Falalala from Heather♥ 

Until next Christmas~

Still practicing..

           

So cute..one day Marie posted about how her husband sends her texts about how grateful he is for everything she does♥when he is out and about w/out her..

I commented that Jacques doesn't even have a phone.:)

But I had saved this Gif..to put in my post..because this he does..he will come by my easel..or wherever I am playing w/ paints and tell me:"J'aime quand je te vois peindre"~ 
He'll come and see the work and it's either..: "C'est bien".."non non..vraiment c'est bien..":) ..very encouragingly.. And I can almost swell with pride and LOL there is no reason to..or he will look and say ..nothing..kind of..and I will say..:"Lucas looks too small "..and he will say" "yes..you are right..but I think it's the hat..the hat should be smaller and Lucas bigger because the height is ok it seems.."
so then I think to myself ..this painting is finished.I can't change a hat and Lucas' size in oil..:)
And when my shadows are way off in watercolor ..c'est la vie too..
start over.
And I am not painting plein air..and I am not dressed like that..:)
I have been and will be..but when I am in the house..it's leggings and long sweaters in the winter..and wool socks;)

It's a learning experience..all of it..I am curious and interested into how it all works so individually for everyone..
And I love having tea..while painting..Spotify..in the background..sun shining in..

he likes when I make it..I can't make coffee for beans..he can..so we each have our times.

We have tea many afternoons..and to me a small home baked treat is just right w/ tea.
A linzer cookie..a shortbread..a slice of this..a bite of that.

I did 3 little oils..of some scenes of the boys from November..while they were at the beach..I had these photos printed and tried to recreate them.

Same w/ the Noah/nana ones..the strawberry picking day..one watercolor one oil..obviously not only faces are hard for me..but limbs too..apart from other things.
The Italy ones are from photos I took  in Italy♥and then trying to use Shari's online classes to do them..

and the last..is from a sketch I took from one of my  Zoe De Las Cases books..I try and sketch it..proportions are all off..and then paint.
I adore painting in the sunlight w/ music playing softly:)

Some are in the window of my workshop/craft room...others taped to a journal..others in journals..
That craft room gets such beautiful sunlight in the afternnon...

I don't know how my friend Nancy does her huge toiles..I am so in love w/ the one I have in our guest bedroom..I just love it so much..I have caught myself touching the reliefs..
It's my size I am sure..height..wise..and it's wide..almost dormer depth width wise.
It is one of my prized posessions:)

I have  2 new new prized posessions..

I won  one of Vivian Swift's Triscuits..it is beautiful and it is here..her new book should be in our home by March 31rst..so I will share it all the same day.I had pre-ordered it from Amazon Canada.
It will be my 3rd book of hers.
I hope one of my daughters or grandsons keeps my favorite books.
One day..
I also have a new Avatar..Carol from Paris Breakfasts did it..:)
Carol introduced me to Vivian's blog quite a while ago..
Jacques had commented on Carol's Avatar..because he reads my blog..not every day..but he plays catch up..and so he has read them all:)Anyway he had commented..and now I find myself with such a cute youthful happy face:)
I have a new art card I will frame.. some new books..a mystery and a Fairy Tale book:)..
by the way..if you have not visited Gail..in The Hamptons..go visit..she and her husband plein air paint..and take us through the Hamptons..art galleries..beaches..quaint shops..nurseries..
Such a week..  some sweet surprises..some surprising news..and tonight a little guest for a sleepover..Noah:)
I took out the Heart Waffle Iron for tomorrow..and a Stonewall Kitchen Waffle Mix:) Fresh berries..well  Costco fresh..and do it yourself pizza tonight.
He was supposed to come w/ Max..but Max and his family went to "The Cottage"  LOL..seems they aquired a cottage;)
Oh to be a child..for one day.
Bon Weekend~