les mûres

Blackberries are my favourite august fruit.
A weekend in France, getting up at seven, la cueillette in the vineyards, and then cooking the jam that I bring home with me.
My grandmother always made gelée, but I like the crunchy seeds in the jam, and the little berries that fall off of my tartine.

I'm leaving for Sicily today! I can't wait.
See you in two weeks!

summer food

Although these days it's so hot I only want watermelon and horchata.

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Easter in France

at least some photos

I'm terrrible at blogging, i know. Nothing but silence around here.

Today I wanted to show you some photos, at least. And a great movie, and a song.

The photos are from a calm easter weekend spent in France.

Happy May, and see you soon!

still summer

This year, summer lasts and lasts. It's nice but mosquitos keep biting, and I wouldn't mind some chilly october mornings to wear a pair of socks.
Luckily, apple and pear season has started anyway. This is a great cake. And I would like to make apple jelly too. Or apple butter? Do you have any experience or recipe to share?

· A sweet calendar.
· Watching this movie, and a lot (too much) of "Breaking Bad".
· I'm curious about this book.

And I'm happy it's Friday.

(photos from France in August)

brocante

Photos from France in August. This summer, with the move and everything, we only got to spend one weekend there.

It was a very good weekend that included blackberry picking, jam making, melon eating, sleeping in absolute silence, and a visit to the brocante in Sommières.
So many treasures in the shadow of the plane trees by the river. I loved it and went home with a chair, two stools, a set of plates with a pretty pattern, a big old jam jar and a b/w agfa film expired in '92 (which I hope to use soon).

I wish you a quiet Saturday. I'm drinking tea, eating cake and cooking apples. Perfect, if it wasn't for my back pain. But it slows me down, and that's good sometimes.

cake and dispersion

Do you know that feeling? When you have some free time and you want to do so many things and you don't know where to start and in the end you do nothing?
I'm trying to get better at organizing and enjoying my free time.


And I have finally been baking a lot again these days:

· Molly's ginger muffins. I used Kefir instead of buttermilk. They're fantastic and we finished them in one day.

· Alice Medrich's brownies from "Pure Dessert" (my favourite brownie/chocolate cake recipe. easy to make and not too heavy on butter and eggs).

· Malin's Lussekatter. I didn't want to wait until next Christmas. And I'm glad I haven't. I loved the saffron taste and colour.

. this poppy seed lemon cake. it's quick to make and easy and sooo good. I used coconut oil for the first time (instead of half of the butter) and it gives the cake a very subtle coconut flavour which I loved.

Any baking favourites of yours I should try??


And another question: I would like to put my negatives in order, I'm starting to lose control over them. I would love to hear your method or suggestions.

Thank you dears!!

Montpellier

La Promenade du Peyrou, in early december. Silent, grey and empty.

Today all the children in Spain receive presents from the "three Kings" (Magi?). If they have behaved badly, they get coal made of sugar.
My present was that my alarm clock didn't ring this morning and I accidentally overslept a little bit.
Less hours to work but much better mood.

I hope the new year has been treating you well so far.
Thank you for your comments on the last post! I love to read them and then to click to your blogs and discover new beautiful things.

* * *

I hope your holidays have been (or are being) great.

I am really tired today, from eating and going to bed late with a full belly three days in a row.

But we had a nice sunny weekend, with bike rides around the deserted town (everybody was at home eating) in the afternoon, golden light and the Pentax around my neck. Pure happiness.

These photos are from our weekend in France a few weeks ago (the last photo is a reminder that I still have to get that poor camera fixed...).

more blur

Here are some more Leica shots. These are from France.
Today's a beautiful day; the air feels like September's arriving. Such a nice breeze.
Happy Monday everybody!

MELTING

It's so hot and I'm full of huge mosquito bites and overcome with self-pity.

Yesterday on a walk with my sister I discovered two great shops:
At Snö they sell Swedish clothes (I found two great pairs of shorts on super sale. I've been looking for one decent pair since June. Now I've got two, so I suppose summer will have to last a bit longer...?!).
Nobodinoz is full of sweet stuff for kids; books, toys, clothes and even furniture.

I'd like to go to sleep now, if only the temperatures could drop a bit...please?!

Also: That's a dead cicada in the last photo, all dry and empty. And huge! Fascinating and somehow beautiful.

Goodnight!