Sunday night supper for two.

Last weekend the weather turned cold and blustery with gale force winds at times.

What could be better on a dark November evening than to set the small table in front of the dining room fireplace, for an intimate supper for two?

Today I'm joining Susan @Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday. If you haven't yet visited BNOTP click here or on the TT button on my sidebar. You will be truly amazed at the wonderful tablescapes featured there.

Ivory Church candle in a plain glass vase and pretty opaque glass tea lights with gold decor add a glow to the table.

The rust and gold patterned tablemats were a TJ find, the woven place mats a recent purchase at Cora Hypermarket, Caen.

A pair of beautifully handpainted Quimper assiettes add colour and vibrancy to the setting.


A 1989 Cabernet Sauvignon: Alexander Valley, Simi will go very well with the slow cooked Hungarian Goulash which is on the menu tonight.

Pretty tealights and pumpkins add ambience.

A vintage French pewter charger sits beneath the large candle holder, fall decorations from Michaels, Bluffton SC. Napkins and napkin rings from World Market also in Bluffton.
The white bowls and side plates are from my everyday Cortina by Villeroy & Boch service.

A fork and spoon are all the cutlery we'll need for this meal, they rest on vintage French pressed glass kniferests, a Bayeux auction house find.

Artisan bread rolls containing noix, lardons and gruyere have been gently warmed to bring out the flavour.

Suppers ready!

Bon appétit

It's Tuesday so it must be time for Tam & Diane.

It’s 3 or more Tuesday over at Tam’s The Gypsy’s Corner and so today I’m going to share with you some of the books that I have read this year and the novel (pardon the pun) way that I acquired some of them.

Because you see, apart from one, I didn’t actually buy these books, so I’m also linking into Diane’s 2nd Time Around meme too.

These ladies do an excellent job gathering us all together to share stories from our daily lives, please do go and visit them and the other participants and say “bonjour”.

Like many of you, I am an avid book reader and it’s quite difficult and also expensive to find English language books here in France.

My practice for many years was to stock up on reading materials when visiting family back in the UK and when on vacation in the States.

My sister K.E. also feeds my habit by bringing me books when she visits me here in Normandy. This year she brought me the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. At first I didn’t expect to enjoy them but by the end of book one I was hooked, just as she said I would be.
One of my favourite pastimes is to spend time browsing the shelves of a book store, especially if it’s a quaint second hand bookstore in the village of Uppermill, which is located either in Lancashire or Yorkshire, UK. (It all depends on whether you are a Lancashire or a Yorkshire lass).

However, about 18 months ago I discovered the world of “bookmooch”. This is a place where people swap books. You simply list the books you wish to swop and receive points to “spend” when “mooching” a book from someone else. It is a simple idea and a godsend for someone like me.
So far I have received 84 books and mailed out 76!!
This is a list of mooched books that I have enjoyed so far this year.
The Wedding Officer - Anthony Capella.
The Weight of Water – Anita Shreve.
Stone Creek – Victoria Lustbader
Where the Heart is – Billie Letts.
Until the Real Thing Comes Along - Elizabeth Berg.
The Other Queen – Phillipa Gregory.

One book that I tried to mooch, but couldn’t as there were no copies listed, had been recommended by a friend. “American Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld, so I bought it on Amazon.

I just finished reading this book yesterday, Joanne Harris’ “Gentlemen & Players”.

Mary @ Across the Pond wrote about this book in a blog last month and mentioned that she thought it would appeal more to British tastes than American, set as it is in an English Boys Grammar School, St. Oswalds.
When I commented on the post that I would try and mooch the book Mary very graciously offered me her copy and lovely lady that she is mailed it straightaway so that it was waiting for me here when I returned from my vacation.

I really enjoyed Gentlemen & Players, it has a cracking story which I think most people would enjoy but the “Englishness” of it made it a pleasure to read. The twist towards the end took me by complete surprise, although in retrospect the clues were there and I felt slightly foolish for not having spotted them throughout!

So, although she probably was unaware of it at the time, Mary started a “Pay It Forward” meme, but with a twist.

If you would like to “mooch” Gentlemen & Players from me, go ahead.

I’ll mail it to the first person who asks and then let’s watch and see where the book goes next.

à bien tôt
Maggie

Sunday walk in Normandy by Mr Ben (the dog).

Sunday walks are more leisurely than our weekday walks, we try and take a different route just to make it more interesting.

Trouble was, today, Maggie insisted on stopping every few metres to photograph what she called magic mushrooms for her contribution to Mary's Mosaic Monday @ the little red house, so Mr B & I took ourselves off and left her to it.

Then she made me pose so that she could photograph me!

I'd had enough and headed back to the car, she's really into this new camera. I blame Mary!

She gathers quite a group together over there every Monday and they're all great. Check it out.

Mr Ben

A "TJ Maxx" kinda Mosaic Monday

It's almost time for Mosaic Monday hosted by the very talented Mary @ the little red house, please do go over and say "bonjour"to Mary and see all the great mosaics gathered there.

I created my top mosaic today using Picasa and the end mosaic using Photoscape which I think I prefer.

They are a tribute to Jackie @ "Jackie's Life in Surrey" who seems to have temporarily (I hope) left the blogger world due to a computer gremlin. Recently Jackie blogged about some things she had found at the U.K. equivalent of TJ Maxx - TK Maxx.

Those of us who live in mainland Europe don't even have TJ Maxx.

But! When I visit SC I always head to TJ's and other stores to buy the products that are either not available over here (you have such a great choice of "stuff" in the US) or which are available here but are a little pricey.
Call it my annual fix of "retail therapy"
Last month I bought so much "stuff", not just at TJ's (handbags, Christmas handtowels, Claire Burke candles, Portmeiron votives, Fall & Christmas items) but also Michaels, (Fall decorating items, scrapbooks & supplies) World Market, (napkins & napkin rings) Belk's, (Estee Lauder & clothing) Fresh Market (coffee) & Piggly Wiggly (Zatarans, Hefty bags, etc) and at the first yard sale I ever went to, (tablecloth, Easter decor s&p & more napkin rings) that Mr B insisted on shipping a large box of it home before we left.
Well, dear readers as you can see the box has landed!
O.K. so what if it cost $75 to ship it to France? It was still worth it!

Maggie

and the Award goes to............................

How thrilled am I that the extremely talented Jane @ Mamie Jane's thinks that I deserve the Kreativ Blogger Award? Thank you, Jane, for awarding me this honour.

Thanks also to Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen who recently bestowed on me the Honest Scrap award.

Jane creates some of the most interesting projects, for her home and for sale using flea market & thrift store finds, that you could ever wish to come across. She certainly has an "eye" for decorating and I love to visit her blog to see her new ideas.

Sam is a talented writer and food columnist, she is a member of North Carolina Writers Network and her chicken recipes are award winners. Thank you Sam for including me in your list.

I began my blog in April 2008 just after my dear Dad passed away. When we first bought this beautiful old house, deep in the Normandy countryside and began to restore it to it's former glory, my Dad often said that I should write a book about our experiences, a la Peter Mayle. I never did write the book but maybe by blogging about Normandy Life, I'm fulfilling his wish in some small way?

It wasn't until quite recently however that I discovered "bloggerland" thanks to my dear friend Sarah @ HyacinthsForThe Soul.

I've so enjoyed visiting the blog parties, Mosaic Monday, Tablescape Thursday, Foodie Friday & Blue Monday just to name a few and who can forget Barb's Rooster Party?

I love welcoming visitors to NL & amazingingly 40 of you have decided I'm worth following. Knowing that you'll be stopping by has spurred me on to learn about so many new things.

Mosaics in particular have become a wonderful creative outlet for me and I've invested in a new Lumix camera because of that.

The rules of the Kreativ Blogger Award ask that I name 7 things about me that you may not know. Honest Scrap calls for me to share 10 but some things need to remain private!!

So, what else can I tell you about myself?

1. My first name is Julie.

My paternal Grandmother had four daughters and she named them Joan, Jean, June & Jessie. I was the first grandchild and a girl so Nana S wanted me to be a J, too. My Mother wasn't too keen she wanted Margaret, so a compromise was reached and I was baptised Julie Margaret but was to be known as Margaret.

I can't tell you how many problems that has caused when filling out official forms & applications over the years! When I was 21 I changed my name to Maggie & now only family members call me Margaret.

2. I can speak German, fluently.

3. When I was 15 I sat on the stage at a Tom Jones concert and he sang "What's New Pussycat" to me whilst holding my hand.

4. In 1970, early one morning as I walked to work along an empty stretch of road, a limousine drove by and the lady inside waved to me. It was Queen Elizabeth II who was visiting the City of Manchester that day.

5. I have 2 sisters and one brother. Rhonda and Jonathon who both live in Australia and K.E. who lives in the UK.

6. I cannot swim and have a pathological fear of deep water.

7. Since we married 30 years ago, Mr B and I have shared our lives with 3 German Shepherds and 3 Cocker Spaniels. Bosun & George. Bella & Blue. Bess & Ben.

These are the 7 people that I would like to nominate for both the Kreativ Blogger Award and the Honest Scrap Award:

1. Barb @ the french elements

2. Cindy @ cottage instincts

3. Jacque @Campagne Maison

4. Mary @ Across the Pond.

5. Judy @ jdbeads

6. Joyce @ Flour Power

7. Mary @ little red house

Please do go and visit some of my favourite blogs, now the "clerical"bit..... the "official" rules of the Awards should you choose to accept:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo (s) and place them on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.
5. Nominate 7 other blogs

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each.

and finally thanks once again to Jane & Sam for being so thoughtful.

Passez une bonne fin de semaine ;o)

Maggie

3 or more Hilton Head restaurants!!

I know, I know............. it's almost winter and here I am still banging on about Hilton Head!

But you see I won't be going back there until next October when we'll be co-organising the QCI 11th Annual meeting in Savannah.

Some of you lucky people might get there before I do so I wanted to share with you and Tam's 50th Three Or More Tuesday @ The Gypys Corner,our favourite HHI restaurants just in case you'd like to try them too.

There's only one place we head to for breakfast or an early lunch and that's "Gruby's New York Deli". Split the NY Reuben you won't be sorry.

Since I wrote this blog earlier today NM has come visiting and asked what is a Reuben, guess they don't have them in OZ?

This is Gruby's NEW YORK REUBEN
Corned Beef, Pastrami & Swiss with Sauer Kraut & Russian Dressing
Triple Decker…

A casual relaxed place for lunch? Then you won't go far wrong with "Hudson's on the Docks" or the "Grumpy Grouper".

Want something quirky off island? You have to head to Bluffton and experience the "Squat & Gobble" restaurant. The food is excellent and it was packed when we went.

I'm not saying another word, go see for yourself.

For casual fine dining we always like "Bonefish".

And maybe I'll regret telling you about this "find" but a new place to us this last trip was "Charlie's L'Etoile Verte", a Hilton Head insider secret for over 25 years, I have no idea how we missed it all these years but it's a keeper now. They have Quimper faience hanging on the walls!

Please visit Tam @ The Gypsys Corner and all the great blogs gathered there today.

Bon appetit y'all!

Maggie.

Halloween costumes and cookies......oh my!

We are back on French shores at last, just couldn't delay our departure from Hilton Head any longer, although we gave it our best shot.
Once we had said farewell to the house sitter I sat down with a cuppa (tea, milk no sugar) to sift through the post (mail) that had accumulated whilst we were gone and discovered a note from the local maire telling me that the children of the village would be arriving in 3 hours for the annual Trick or Treat bonanza.
This usually happens on the Wednesday before Halloween as this is not a school day.
Because we are a tiny hamlet, 94 residents living in 47 houses but quite spread out, the parents accompany the children driving them from house to house.
Quelle horreur!! There was not a stick of candy in the house so we jumped in the car and headed to the local epicerie to raid the shelves.
We made quite a haul but when it came to pay I discovered that I had brought the wrong wallet and had only $$$$ with me. Not a problem, Madame said it was quite alright and that I could settle the bill in a couple of days when I was over my jet lag.

Back home again I quickly prepared a basket with a Halloween theme, donned my witches hat Mr B placed his red devil's horns on his head, I tied Mr Ben's pumpkin ears (deeley boppers) around his chin and we were all set.

These are the witches & ghouls who came calling that night.............................

See Mr B on the end with the basket?

If only I had had a bit more notice I would have made these fabulous Orange Pumpkin Face Cookies or these Spider web chocolate fudge muffins for our visitors.

Head over to Designs by Gollum for more Foodie Friday treats and eats.

Whilst still in HH we went one evening to an event called the Pumpkin Patch which was held at the Community Park at Shelter Cove.

Shannon Tanner is a Hilton Head legend and has been performing his Harbourfest Show every summer for the past 22 years at Shelter Cove Harbour.

We first saw him there about 17 years ago and it was great to see him again on stage at the Pumpkin Patch, doing what he does best, entertaining families and also judging the childrens Halloween Fancy Dress Competition.

Check out the baby Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz

and this little Hershey's Kiss won first prize.

One last thing...........don't miss the great 100th post giveaway happening tomorrow on my other blog Quimper Club International.

Click here to read about the prizes and here to leave a comment on the 100th post to participate in the draw.

Or simply click on the giveaway button at the top of the sidebar to go to the QCI Blog and read all about the fabulous 10th Annual meeting that took place in Dallas, TX last week.

Happy Halloween wherever you are!
Maggie