A Very UN Seasonal Sunday

White Clematis - Orange & Yellow Nasturtiums
Pink Fuschia - Blue Hibiscus

Joining the Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

 and

Mary @the little red house for Mosaic Monday

this week

with these photographs taken around the garden yesterday.

Red geraniums - Yellow Marigolds - White Marguerite (self seeded!)
Red poppy

The thermometer on the patio climbed to 30C/86F

on the hottest day of 2011

 here at Le Presbytère.

Seasonal, Scenic Sunday & Mosaic Monday

Instead of following the path that we usually take for our Sunday walk through the Normandy countryside this morning we headed in a different direction.

We crossed a low bridge in the village of Ecrammeville and walked along the bank of a tributary of the River Aure.

I was pleased that I had my camera with me so that I could capture the scene to share with the Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

Scenic Sundays

and Mary @ the little red house for Mosaic Monday.

I think that this house that I glimpsed across the fields looks a lot like ours!

Click on the links or on the sidebar buttons to visit the other particpants joining us today.

Debbiedoos "Magazine Copycat Challenge"

Today Debbidoo is hosting a Magazine Copycat Challenge party.
I read about it on Ricki Jill's blog Art@Home  this morning and it sounded like fun.

As chance would have it the July issue of one of my favourite decorating journals, Campagne Decoration, had just arrived and as I leafed through the pages I found my inspiration for the challenge.

I took a vintage French enamelware utensil rack, threaded it with garden twine (supplied by Sean The Gardener) and hung it on a sunny wall in the garden.
I found three small plant pots sitting beneath my potting table, took three marigold plants from an urn at the front of the house and voila!

My Campagne Decoration Magazine Copycat shot.

Click here to see more copycats and maybe join in the fun.

Linking this post also to

Inspiration Friday with Heather and Vanessa @ At The Picket Fence
Seasonal Sundays with The Tablescaper
and
Mary's Mosaic Monday @the little red house.

Pink Hydrangeas

This week the hydrangeas in the front garden have absolutely "popped", thanks no doubt to all the wonderful rain we've been having!
So, I decided to show them off and join Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound for my first Pink Saturday.
Before linking up I visited Beverly's blog to check out "the rules" and discovered a delightful way to get to know bloggers I've never met before.

This is Beverly's challenge:
We have a weekly challenge for you to visit the blog of at least one participant that you have never visited before. Then next Saturday include that blog and a link in your post. Quite a few of you have been done this challenge, and have met some of the great Pink Saturday participants. Thank you for sharing with us.

As I browsed the thumbnail pix, from last weeks particpants, a jug of gorgeous white hydrangeas caught my eye and with just one click I had "met" a new blogger friend.
Pam @ White Ironstone Cottage who is hosting a new weekly gathering which she is calling "Treasure Chest Friday".

Don't you love living in blogland!

Where else can you meet so many interesting people whilst sitting in a comfortable chair, tea cup to hand, dog lying by your feet, looking out at a lovely garden and all without getting dressed up and putting on make up?

I'll be sharing these beautiful flowers also with

Harriet @ Hey Harriet for Shadow Shot Sunday,

The Tablescaper and Seasonal Sunday

and

Mary @the little redhouse for Mosaic Monday.

Bon weekend a tout!

Back on line, did you miss me?

For about a week now our ISP has been playing fast and loose with our internet connection.
For many hours each day, and during the night too for all I know, we have been incommunicado.
You never know what you've got 'till it's gone!

The cows came home to the field next door.

So, whilst the internet gods are smiling down on me here are some of the things that have been happening around the Presbytère this week.

Fleurs first trip to the beach.

Flowers and trees blossomed.

Retail therapy at the garden centre

I've already begun to plant out some of the above seedlings in the kitchen garden at the back of the house.

This year I'm trying my hand at brassicas, (cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli) for the first time, also shallots, chinese leaf and kale.

Watch this space for updates on how they all work out.

Joining the following gracious hostesses this weekend

 Laurie @ Bargain Hunting (and chatting) for

A Few Of My Favourite Things Saturday

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

and

Mary @ the little red house for Mosaic Monday.

Click on the above links or the buttons on my sidebar to join these great gatherings too.

Bon weekend à tous......

Tea Time with my Valentine.



 So glad you came to tea today, sweetheart.

I've been looking forward to seeing you all week long.

I've taken Grandma B's wedding china out of the cabinet, and polished the silver.

I baked Red Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream frosting.

One for you and one for me,
 and one to share?

A decadent roulade.
Light as a feather sponge cake

 wrapped around fresh cream and strawberries soaked in Marsala wine
and
 dusted with the finest of sugars.

Won't you be my Valentine?

(Image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy) 

Click on the links below to join the celebration

Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday,
Valentines Party @ Bargain Hunting with Laurie

Courtney for Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Show and Tell Friday with Cindy @ My Romantic Home
Sherry @ The Charm of Home for her brand new Home Sweet Home Party
and
The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

The Hairy Bikers Old Fashioned Mincemeat.

I'm joining The Tablescaper once again this week for Seasonal Sunday, with a new recipe of a traditional English favourite: the Hairy Bikers Old Fashioned Mincemeat.
Also sharing this post with Mary @ The Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas for us if mince pies weren't involved and although we haven't actually lived in the UK for over 25 years I always bake lots of these small delicacies for us to enjoy during the festive season.
For many years I've always used a tried and tested Delia Smith recipe when making mincemeat.
However, I recently received a copy of the Hairy Bikers "12 Days of Christmas" cook book, (a lovely thank you gift from a thoughtful English friend) and was intrigued by their recipe for Old Fashioned Mince Pies with an Orange Crust.
Click here to get the recipe.

Traditionally I make my mincemeat around the middle of November just to get ahead with my Christmas preparations, but if time is short, the HB recipe can be made the day before you need it.

Some Brits believe that it is good luck to eat a mince pie every day during December and my DH would be one of those, if I didn't watch his waist line!

These jars will be going into the pantry, for a couple of weeks, to allow the boozy flavours to develop. Then my pies, according to the Hairy Bikers, will be "guaranteed to bring a smile even to Ebeneer Scrooge".....

Come back in a couple of weeks to find out how they tasted but in the meantime do pop over to The Tablescaper and to the Little Red House to see who else is participating this week.