Riting lessons for rabbit

I wonder if Rabbit ever had riting lessons? Rabbit is the author of the well known quote, 'Bisy Backson' , a note left on his front door for Pooh and Piglet when he was otherwise occupied.

Rabbit was a BUSY person, an IMPORTANT person, who was always dashing off to be 'bisy' somewhere. His mind was on higher things than the use of language. In fact he would probably have been quite au fait with txt messages, or even the ghastly Twitter.

'Backson' is what I'm going to be for a while. Like Rabbit, I have important things to do, time to spend with family, time to catch up with friends, to celebrate a birthday together.

I shall probably not be very 'bisy', in fact I plan to be extremely lazy.

I may well just lean over a bridge and play Poohsticks for a while.

Backson!

Today I drew the winner of my little giveaway. All the names were put in a deep bowl and my husband was required to pick one out, without looking, of course. I wish it could have been all my friends!

The winner is Scrappy Quilter, who has a lovely stitching blog with always something interesting to read. Will you e mail me please with your address, so that I may send your parcel off.

Just a reminder.

Just a reminder that I will be drawing my stitchers giveaway , see July 12th post, on Monday 20th July. TODAY!

I'd love to send giveaways to so many of you, but that's not possible. Thank you to all of you who have commented.

Betty Macdonald

Four of my most loved books are here. They are by an American author, called Betty Macdonald, who lived from 1908 - 1958. I am always so delighted when I find someone else who has read her books, as they don't seem to be very well known now.

The first book she wrote was called 'The Egg and I' and depicted her desperate life on a poultry farm in the wilderness mountains of Washington, with her first husband and with no comforts. It's very amusing, and introduces the characters of Ma and Pa Kettle, a pair who are always 'needing a little help/money/food' but not prepared to work for anything. I believe it was later made into a film.

When she left her husband, being as you might imagine, totally fed up with the very rural life on the chicken farm, she found odd jobs to keep herself and the children. This next book was written about those experiences, 'Anyone can do anything'. With a chicken farm and a failed marriage behind her she had to make a living , not an easy task during the Depression .

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Her third book, 'The Plague and I' was written after a year in a Sanitorium for treatment for Tuberculosis. Her children were left with her family and it must have been a very worrying time. Nevertheless she makes a comedy from what could have been a tragedy.

This is the house, on Vashon Island where her books were written. How I would love to visit it and see for myself the beautiful place described in her last book 'Onions in the stew.' She tells us tales of raising her family on the island in the Puget Sound.

Betty Macdonald also wrote childrens books , one character , Mrs Piggle Wiggle, becoming very popular. Mrs Piggle Wiggle is an amazing person who lives in an upside down house. She can apparently cure any child of a bad habit! Several more engaging books were written about Mrs PW's adventures.
One of the quotes I remember so vividly comes from The Plague and I. While she was in the Sanatorium she was encouraged to join in the many Occupational therapy classes. Her disgust with the useless objects made was reflected in her naming them 'toecovers'. It's always been a word in our family for things without any real use!

A day at the seaside??

A day at the seaside......where?

In the city of Paris, of course!

From July 20th until August 20th, Paris will be transformed into a seaside resort.

2000 tons of sand will be brought in by boat. Trees will be planted. Beach huts will appear. Over a thousand deckchairs will be available for people to lounge in the sun, and sail boats will be provided. There will be outdoor games, Boules and Petanque, Table tennis and a climbing wall. Parasols will shade folk from the sun, should there actually be any.

Naturally there will be places to eat and drink..what would Paris be without that?

Paris Plages began in 2002 and was the creation of the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe. His idea was to make Paris an ideal summer place for those who could not afford to go away on holiday, and also to bring in tourists. Over the years it has become more and more popular, and this year is bigger and better than ever. Apparently it is now being copied by other European cities.......but Paris thought of it first!

An outdoor concert of classical music will signal the opening of this year's Paris Plages, followed by a massive picnic, with a 3 kilometre long tablecloth. One of France's biggest supermarket chains will provide picnic baskets containing plate, cup, cutlery and even a napkin.

Advertising has been stepped up amongst hotels and other providers of accommodation. Even though Paris is only 3 hours by train, we won't be joining the beach crowds!

What fun it must be to be part of it all! Only in Paris..........!

Apricot Jam.

I love the Apricot season. They arrive in the shops, blushing pinkly, round and ripe. At first they are far too expensive to think about buying, but gradually the price goes down and ladies scurry to the checkout bearing immense boxes of fruit for jam making and freezing.

When we lived in the Gironde region, much hotter than Britany, we had a beautiful Apricot tree in the garden, from which I made our jam. There was nothing quite like picking the warm fruit off the tree, making the jam and potting it....all my own!

Now I've begun to make our annual quota, just a few jars at a time. It is delicious, and of course, there is a tiny 'try-out' pot waiting for tea!

(Just a reminder of the giveaway to be drawn next Monday. Look back 2 posts)

14th July. Fete Nationale.

14th July in France. It's the Fete Nationale, sometimes known as Bastille Day. It symbolises the freedom from monarchy, commemorating the 1789 storming of the Bastille prison. The Bastille was a symbol of the absolute power of the 'Ancien regime' of King Louis XVI . By capturing the prison the people showed that power should be based on the Nation and not on a monarchy.

Louis XVI was deposed, and France became a 'modern nation'. It was seen as a victory against the 'Ancien Regime'. This was the beginning of the French Revolution. The first Republic was formed in 1792.

As in the United States the Declaration of Independance signalled the American revolution, so the French revolution began with their independance from a monarchy.

Today the day is a national holiday and is celebrated with parades, fireworks and parties. The shops should be closed , but I've already seen notices to the effect that opening times will be for two hours in the morning. It seems that the shopping habit has taken hold.

300...and a stitcher's giveaway.

300 posts!

How did I find all those words to write , all those thoughts to share? I dont post every day, like some amazing people, so to get this far is very pleasing.

Through the months I have 'met' so many lovely people, so many connected through shared interests.

I'm offering what I call a 'stitcher's giveaway' to mark the 300th post.

There are 3 fat quarters, a French Cross stitch kit with threads, a Cross stitch pattern book, another Cross stitch pattern (Told in a Garden) for a baby's christening, so pretty, and a Breton cotton tea towel to go with it all!

Click to enlarge, and take a closer look.

I will draw the winner on Monday 19th July. All you need to do is to leave a comment.

Initials and things........

I love searching for linen with initials embroidered. It's becoming harder and harder to find now. I think the French dealers have realised that we English love to buy them. I used to be able to go to the market and root through a couple of stalls to find what I wanted. Some even sold the intials cut off the original cloth, and these were so good to use for individual lavender bags as presents. The one above in red is particularly striking I think, and I found that in a small Brocante (semi-antiques) shop.

Over the years I have made quite a collection, much of which sits in my cupboard. Not sure what I'm going to do with it, any ideas Floss???

I often stop to think about the unknown ladies who stitched these beautiful monograms. Were they their own initials? Were they designed as part of a trousseau for a member of the family, a daughter or a niece?

This one above, was embroidered by my Grandmother on a handtowel. It was her married initial. The towel is as good as new, though it must be nearly a century old.

This one is embroidered on a very heavy old linen pillowcase, and is perfect. It's also my initials!

My calendar.

My Calendars are very special to me, and I keep them from year to year. The photographs of quilts are beautiful. They are published by 'The Piecemakers', and I found the first one many years ago in a shop in a small town in Northern British Columbia, where my daughter lives. Each page builds up a complete quilt pattern. Some years they are very traditional, some , like 2009, rather different.

The Piecemakers, so the calendar tells me, are a group of people who in 1978 decided to leave their jobs and their previous lives, to follow the teachings of Jesus. They used their talents to teach and create, and began with a small shop in Orange County. They now have a location in Costa Mesa California, where they work together creating beautiful quilts, cabinet making, and using many other skills.

They say; 'Where we go from here, God only knows. There are many things to do on the horizon. However unless God brings them forth, we of ourselves cannot do it. So we live in today and look forward to new adventures in tomorrow'.
Check out their website for further information. www.piecemakers.com

Soon................

Quite soon, when I've got myself together, there will be a giveaway.

I've just realised that I'm coming up to 300 posts, so should do something to celebrate!

I'll let you know.

How things change.

Changes in France happen, but they happen slowly. The French have a huge regard for family life, for time spent over meals, for getting the most out of life. They see no real need for the rush and bustle, rather preferring to take things a step at a time..........slowly.

Fifteen years ago when we first bought a house here, nothing, but nothing, was open on a Monday. It was a day of rest like a Sunday. Shops in France tend to stay open until 7.30 pm so the workers need time off.

Lunch times were sacred too, closed from 12 till 2pm. One must have time to enjoy the three or four course lunch that is prepared for one.

Now, we have Supermarkets that are open all day straight through. We haven't got as far as 24 hour opening...yet. We have many shops that open on a Monday, such is the competition that when one supermarket does it they all fall in.

Our little village shops retains the right to close from 1.30 till 3pm, but opens for two hours on a Sunday morning!

I'm not sure how I feel about all this. Yes, it's convenient to have shops open when you want (not need) to shop. But I feel that France, with its lovely slow ways is becoming a bit like so many other commercial countries. Is it going to lose its charm, do you think?

Happy Sunday!

4th July

May I wish all my American friends a happy 4th July, today on their national holiday.

Signed in 1776, the Declaration of Independence declared that the United States was independent from Great Britain.

The day is associated with ceremonies, public events celebrating the history and traditions of the USA, and with parades, fireworks and carnivals.

Have a wonderful day!

What's on my Terrace?

This is a photo of the terrace taken two summers ago. Since then plants have grown, been added to, replaced. Every year I fill terrace pots with Geraniums, with Nicotiana, with Night Scented Stock. We love to sit out in the evening and enjoy the scents drifitng through the warm air. Below are the plants on and around the terrace this Summer.

Nicotiana Suavolens, a dainty version of the usual Tobacco plant. The perfume is strong and wafts across the terrace in the evening.

Rosa Mundi, next to Gertrude Jekyll, planted along the edge of the terrace. Again, beautifully perfumed plants. Next to them is Jude the Obscure which has an almost pineapply scent.

My fun hanger of Petunia Surfinia. They love the sun and really brighten up this corner.

Geraniums, Rosemary and an Olive tree which isnt really visible on the photo. We have two of these, one of which is in full flower, sadly the olives will only be tiny as our climate isnt hot enough for them to come to full fruition. I buy these pots from a little place which specialises in finding unusual things from in and around Europe.

And this wonderful Lily, given to me for a birthday present a few years ago. It's in the same bed as the roses, and they all seem to be happy together. There is a tiny creeping pansy which is trying to take over, so I have reluctantly to pull out armfuls of it.