Early morning shadows in quiet rooms.

Early morning sun streaming into the house earlier this week created some wonderful shadows in quiet downstairs rooms.
I quickly grabbed my Lumix to try and capture as many as I could.

A shadowy vignette atop the wood burning stove
 in the sitting room inglenook fireplace.

An antique pewter jug casts a mirror image shadow
 on the fireplace wall behind the stove

A double wall sconce in the dining room
 transformed into a quadruple wall sconce.

Light shining through the multipaned door and
 metal chain screen creates an intricate effect
 on the Breton repeater clock
 and wall cupboard in the kitchen.

Sharing these shadowy images with all the shadow shot fans gathered over at Hey Harriet's blog for Shadow Shot Sunday # 126 today.

Door push plates for Alphabe-Thursday

Every week I receive a lovely email newsletter from my friend Judy aka Brittany Byways.
She always has lots of lovely Quimper items for sale, antique, vintage and new pieces.

Recently she offered a pair of blue and white door push plates which I knew immediately were destined to be mine.
Luckily I was the first of her clients to email back about them and within days they arrived here in Normandy.
Here they are enhancing our pristine white bedroom door, don't they look the bees knees?
Knew they would!

FYI it's the door that isn't straight not Mr B's handiwork.

Close up of shell motif

Joining Jenny for Alphabe-Thursday this week where the letter D is in the spotlight, be sure to go over and see who else is participating today.

Fall in Savannah, GA.

I'm joining in with Hey Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday #125 with shadow shots taken last autumn whilst walking through the Historic District of Savannah, GA.
A simple wreath adorned with faux flowers and a pretty ribbon.
The way the foliage shadows stand out against the grey/black door fascinated me.

The house next door was unadorned but still very interesting to me with dappled shadows on the old bricks of the pavement and walls.

This home is very close to Mrs Wilkes Dining Room where I shall be joining 87 other members of the Quimper Club International for dinner on Monday evening 25th October.

Fall Reading Challenge 2010 with a Southern Daydreamer.



My selection for the Fall Reading Challenge 2010 and the couch where I shall sit whilst reading them.

 You all know Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer gracious hostess of Outdoor Wednesday, right?
Well, did you also know that she has another great blog A Southern Daydreamer Reads, which she describes thus:
"my reading-friendly environment hoping to encourage and motivate people to read more".
On the 22nd September Susan launched the Fall Reading Challenge 2010 and it will run until 20th December.

Here are the rules:
1.Make a list of books you want to read this Fall.
2.Write a post with your list on your blog. (You can add to or change this list at any time during the challenge)
3.Please post the direct link to your Fall Reading Challenge 2010 post. (so that other participants can visit and see what you are reading)
4.You can write another post in December to let everyone know how you did.

Here's my list:

Historical Fiction

Tales Of Passion, Tales Of Woe - Sandra Gulland. (Book 2 in the Josephine Trilogy).
The White Queen - Phillipa Gregory. (Elizabeth Woodville -17th century Queen of England).


Holiday Reading

Some of these will be coming with me when we head to Hilton Head Island soon, for our annual two weeks of R&R.
Perfect holiday reads.
Getting Out of The House - Isla Dewar.
breaking her fall - Stephen Goodwin.
Mercy - Jodi Picoult.
Just Between Us - Cathy Kelly.
the Return - Victoria Hislop.
There's a copy of The Help - Katheryn Stockett waiting in HH for me. After hearing such good reviews it's a book I've been wanting to read for a long time.
also coming along..........Mr Jack Reacher of course!

Mr B will enjoy reading these too.

Reading either of these two books will be a pleasant way to spend an afternoon -sitting before a log fire with a hot cup of Yorkshire Tea and a scone.

Wild Comfort - Kathleen Dean Moore.

A Taste of My Life - Raymond Blanc.

These two come highly recommended by friends.

I can hardly wait to get started, how about you, are you going to sign up for the challenge?

Click here to take part.

Meandering through the churchyard.

The mornings here in Normandy are chilly now, with low lying mist hovering over the tree tops making the view from our bedroom windows seem mysterious and more interesting somehow.
After a while the sun comes out and the mist tends to fade away.

One morning recently I wandered down to the churchyard to try and capture some shadow shots in the same way that I was able to in January.
Click here to see those.

However, on this occasion there were no crisp shadow lines to be had, just soft and mellow ones draped across the grassy banks and footpath leading to the church itself.

Instead I turned my attention to the fascinating crumbling, lichen covered, headstones, tumbled down upon one another in places, and the now rusty, elaborate wrought iron work, posts and chains surrounding them.

Later, walking back up the drive to the house, I suddenly had the feeling I was being watched..........

by these guys

well you should know by now that here in Normandy there are cows wherever you go!

Linking to Outdoor Wednesday, graciously hosted as always by Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer.
Do stop by her great blog and see who else is going walkabout this week and be sure to check out her Fall Reading Challenge, I'm certainly signing up for that!

Alphabe-Thursday is Back!! A is for Asparagus & Artichoke.

Sarreguemines Asparagus & Artichoke Plate

Sarreguemines Aspargus & Artichoke Plate

I just discovered that one of my favourite meme's is back this week, Alphabe-Thursday @ Jenny Matlock's blog Off On My Tangent.

Sarreguemines Asparagus & Artichoke Plate

It seems that the last class of students may have worn down poor old Mrs Matlock because this term our teacher is Mrs M's much nicer, and better looking younger sister.

Sarreguemines Asparagus plate

Today, I'm sharing with you picures of French faience asparagus and artichoke plates, which I used to collect before falling head over heels for Quimper pottery.

Sarreguemines Asparagus Plate with 2 shell shaped segments to hold butter or sauce

There's only so much faience a girl can have, something had to go!

Limoges Asparagus plate

All I have now is a set of 10 gold rimmed, 19th century Limoges plates, finely decorated with delicate flowers and leaves, which I just can't part with.

Guess the nephews (or their wives) will have to fight over these when I'm gone.

Sarreguemines Asparagus & Artichoke Plate

Linking also to Claudia's Friday Finding Beauty and Laurie's A Few Of My Favourite Things Saturday.

Be sure to click on the links to see who else in participating this week.

A Fall Cloche Party.

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  the Queen of Cloches is throwing A Fall Cloche Party for everyone to enjoy.

I'm also joining

 Claudia for Finding Beauty Friday,

 Laurie for A Few of My Favourite Things Saturday

I have to confess that I do not own a single cloche, which is ridiculous especially since cloche is a French word after all.

Still, Marty wants to include everyone, even if we're cloche challenged, and has some fabulous fall decorating ideas to inspire on her blog.

Click here to be inspired by Marty.

This comment had me considering my options:

Don't have a cloche, not to worry, just grab a hurricane or apothecary jar and fill it full of fall fun. They work perfectly too.

So, that's just what I did.

Gathered some bits and bobs together that I picked up last year at TJ Maxx, Michaels and other great stores in the Hilton Head SC. area, (click here to read about Halloween in HH) and a plain glass hurricane, then got busy.

I have to say I'm quite pleased with the results and ready to join in the fun at my very first Cloche Party.

A big thank you to Marty, Claudia and Laurie for being such gracious hosts and don't forget to click on the links above to see who else is partcipating this time.