lundi 30 juin 2008

Monday's wish...

.
"Love is the answer.
Now, what was the question?"
Author Unknown
.
Outside our front door...
.
I wish I was a bigot...
.
"I wish I was a bigot
A hypocrite that never checks his words.
Never have to stop before I speak… or write.
Never had to consider what other people think or feel.
Because I do.

I wish I was blind.
Blind so I can see no pain.
Never see their faces.
Never see the suffering.
Never see the words I write.
Because I can see.

I wish I had no memory.
No memories of faces and places that suffer.
No memories of the bad times of others.
No memories that remind me why I am on this earth.
Because I have memories.

I wish I never worried.
Never worried about the lives taken in war and hate.
Never worry about the hungry kids.
Never worry about the suffering women.
Because I do worry.

I wish I never cared.
Never cared about the lives of others.
Never caring about the world we are leaving behind for our kids.
Never cared about the workers suffering to make our clothes
and pick our food.

Because I do care.
I do care.
I do worry.
I do have memories.
I do see.
But sometimes. Just sometimes.
It gets too much.
And I need to take a deep breath.
And start again.
Because.
Above all.
There is love."

.
Anyone else feeling like this..?

lundi 23 juin 2008

Trouvailles...

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Quel bonheur cette matinée de chine sous le soleil...
.

J'ai trouvé surtout de vieux tissus anciens comme je les aime,
(des draps en lin brodées, une chemise, du tissus...)
du mobilier de jardin en fer forgé et ces deux livres de Beatrix Potter
qui sont plus vieux que moi..!
(il n'y a pas de date de publication, mais il y a un nom et la date 1952 à l'intérieur)
.

jeudi 12 juin 2008

mercredi 11 juin 2008

So true...

.
I can’t remember where I saw this, but I thought it was worth sharing...
.

Isabella Smith

The most destructive habit -
Worry

The greatest Joy -
Giving

The greatest loss -
loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work -
Helping others

The ugliest personality trait -
Selfishness

The most endangered species -
Dedicated leaders

Our greatest natural resources -
Our youth

The greatest "shot in the arm" -
Encouragement

The greatest problem to overcome -
Fear

The most effective sleeping pill -

Peace of mind

The most crippling failure disease -
Excuses

The most powerful force in life -
Love

The most dangerous pariah -
A gossiper

The world's most incredible computer -
The brain

The worst thing to be without -
Hope

The deadliest weapon -
The tongue

The two most powerful words -
"I Can"

The greatest asset -
Faith

The most worthless emotion -
Self-pity

The most beautiful attire -
Smile

The most prized possession -
Integrity

The most contagious spirit -
Enthusiasm...
.

vendredi 6 juin 2008

If wishes could come true...

.
this is where I'd be going tomorrow morning,
instead of to my local market in the rain..!
.
Markets scenes in Udaipur
.
. I have a real passion for outdoor markets,
wherever they be...
.

dimanche 1 juin 2008

The Flower Market...

.
If my garden was not in the French Alps,
I'd have bought some bougainvillier and some hibiscus for my garden...
.
.
I love the atmosphere of this (semi)permanent flower market
at Place Louis Lepine, on the Île de la Cite.
It's the most famous and, unfortunately, one of the last flower markets of Paris
- there are 2 others : beside the church of La Madeleine (8th)
and Place des Ternes (17th)
The different stalls offer a large choice of rare flowers and orchids
plus trees, aromatic plants and fresh cut flowers
The market is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings.
On Sundays there is a bird market.
.
.

mardi 27 mai 2008

Something old, something new...

.
Je n'attache pas une grande importance aux objets,
Je les aime, je les chine avec passion,
je les utilise, les mets en scène et puis
parfois je les offre...
.
Country Living

Cependant, certains
me suivent au gré de mes déménagements...
ils sont là ,
j'aime les retrouver...
..

lundi 26 mai 2008

The fabric of life...

If you have ever been in West Africa, you know "wax" fabric well.
It's in every market and adorning many women and men,
particularly at special occasions.
"Wax" refers to the manufacturing process,
(not the texture of the fabric)
But, did you know...

The *Akan of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire use cloth
not only for personal adornment ,
but also, metaphorically,
as a powerful expressive medium of communication...
.

.
The Akan cloths include the screen and block-printed *adinkra,
the hand-woven *kente, the appliqued *akunintam and *asafo flags,
and the factory-made Java and *wax prints, shown here
.
.
Among the Akan, the messages one conveys in the print
cloth one wears
are likely to say something about one's identity,
beliefs, or set of values.
The wax and non-wax print cloths are used indexically
for religious themes, renowned individuals, historical occasions,
popular songs and religious hymns, and everyday situations.
They are also used to state proverbs and metaphors...
.
..
Some wax and non-wax prints combine written proverbs with visual
forms to express certain Akan beliefs, values, and social relations.
Sometimes it is simply the visual form on the cloth
that elicits the spoken proverb.
Besides using the surface of the cloth to convey messages,
either through written or representational imagery,
Akan woman's dress designers
also shape the garment itself
to convey some messages.
The manner in which the cloth is worn
can also be used for very expressive communication...
.
*For definitions and more information
checkout my source :
.

mardi 20 mai 2008

M for Mango...

.
Mango Jam
This jam is sweet;
it reminds me of the tropics.
It doesn't taste like any jam eaten here -
one mouthful transports you to warmth and heat,
somewhere exotic...
.

photo : MarketMan

Makes four small jars

1kg/2lb ripe mangoes
250g/8oz caster sugar
1tbsp lemon juice
4 small, sterilised jars

Peel and chop the mangoes, then stir with the sugar
in a large heavy-bottomed, non-reactive saucepan.
Let the mixture stand for at least 30 minutes or overnight,
so that the mangoes release their juices and the sugar dissolves.
Then bring the saucepan of fruit to a vigorous boil over a high heat,
stirring every now and then to make sure the fruit doesn't stick
to the bottom of the pan.
The mixture will bubble up dramatically, rising high up the sides of the pot.
Skim off any light-coloured foam that rises to the surface.
The jam will soon boil down, beginning to form smaller, thicker bubbles.
When this happens, begin to test the jam by putting a teaspoonful
of the hot mixture on to a plate.
This will serve to cool off the jam quickly so you can tell what
the final texture will be like.
When the jam has cooked to the consistency that you like,
stir in the lemon juice.
Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the jam into the sterilised jars
screw the tops on tight and leave to cool.
When the jam is cool, store in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator.
.
Delicious on home-made crunchy and textured bread,
warm from the even..
.
The jam should last for up to a year if properly sealed.

dimanche 18 mai 2008

Light entertainment...

.
Sent to me by a dear friend to share...
(we've all seen it at least a million times since it appeared months ago
as my girls simply can't get enough)
.

.
I had to link to it just in case you haven't seen it yet...
.

vendredi 16 mai 2008

jeudi 15 mai 2008

For love of the great outdoors...

.
I love zinc tubs, I always have
like the one below featured in one of my home decorating magazines
or the big round ones I have in the garden
with my Rhodedendrons and Hydrangeas in...
.
Photos: Toast
. .
I'd never really questionned why
until this old photo was dug out
and we got to thinking...
.
I wonder if this could be some kind of explanation
for what, some think, is a weird passion...
.
.
Some of my happiest moments were spent splashing around
in these tubs in the yard
and judging by the number of photos there of of me at different times
with or without friends/sisters, I obviously loved every second..!

~~~
.
P.S For anyone who just might be wondering...
we did have "proper" bathrooms and we always lived
in beautiful old colonial houses,
it's just that I preferred to spend all my time outdoors...

lundi 5 mai 2008

Je suis née en Afrique...

.
"Je suis née en Afrique.
Une enfance en Afrique, c'est pas commun !
C'est plein de soleil, de chaleur, de couleurs, d'odeurs,
de plaisirs simples..."
(l'auteur d'Abidgan Blues)

XJ'aime particulierement ce blog car je fais partie aussi des nostalgiques
d'une enfance en Afrique...
.
.
abidjan-blues
.
Je suis loin d'être la seule...
comme en témoignent des milliers de commentaires
sur ce magnifique blog
example de Chantal :
.
"ah! afrique quand tu nous tiens...
comme il est bon de lire tout ces détails qui vous renvoient de suite
des années en arrière et qui vous donnent la sensation
d'avoir vécu quelque chose d'assez exceptionnel... "
.
Merci à "Fenêtres sur Cour" pour m'avoir permis de découvrir ce blog...
.

mercredi 30 avril 2008

Behind the Scenes...

.

Here's a great news reel showing how music was recorded

and made into vinyl records...

Great little clip and it's interesting to see the behind

the scenes of a Duke Ellington studio session...
.
ENJOY!

vendredi 11 avril 2008

Fête de fin d'année...

X
décembre 2007*
à l'école SOS Sri Lanka,
Gonagola, Bentota

~~~

Avant la fête...



le public s'impatiente...



Petit aperçu du spectacle...
X
L'heure du goûter...
X


Magnifique journée d'émotions fortes pour fêter la fin de la première année
scolaire de l'école que nous avons construit pour ces
enfants, malheureusement victimes du Tsunami de décembre 2004...
X
* photos prises il y'a 4 mois lors de mon séjour au Sri Lanka,
nous avions perdu la clé USB..!

mercredi 26 mars 2008

"Un Coeur très Nature"...

X
Maison d'Hôte de Charme
in a beautiful part of South of France...


Un Coeur très Nature

I love the month of May in France - all those long holiday weekends..!

It's the best time of year to head off South, South West...
well before all the hordes of holidaymakers...

mardi 18 mars 2008

Life's journey...

X


X "Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
.
Do not set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.
.
Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life,

for without them,
life is meaningless.
.
Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living
in the past nor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all of the days of your life.
.
Do not give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.
.
Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
.
Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
The fastest way to lose love is too hold it too tightly.
In addition, the best way to keep love is to give it wings

XDo not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope.
To be without hope is to be without purpose.
.
Do not run through life so fast that you forget
not only where you have been, but also where you are going.
.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way."
.
From : Expressions From The Heart

lundi 17 mars 2008

Tarte Tatin Recipe...

X
by special request...
(R & N, let me know how you get on...)
x


Ingrédients:
- 100 gr de beurre doux, coupé en dés
- 185 gr de sucre roux
- 4 à 6 pommes selon la variété choisie, pelées et coupées en 8
- 1 pâte brisée
X
Préchauffez le four à 220°C.
Graissez un moule à tarte.
Faites fondre le beurre dans une poêle puis ajoutez le sucre et laissez cuire
4 à 5 minutes à feu moyen jusqu'à ce qu'il fonce.
Ajoutez les pommes et faites les revenir 20 à 25 min à feu doux.
Retournez-les délicatement et laissez-les dorer uniformément de l'autre côté.
Laissez l'eau s'évaporer. Le caramel doit être épais.
Retirez du feu et garnissez le moule à tarte avec les tranches de pomme.
Nappez-les de caramel.
Recouvrez les pommes de pâte en rentrant les bords à l'intérieur du moule
avec une cuillère.
Faites cuire 30 à 35 minutes, puis laissez reposer 15 minutes
à température ambiante avant de retourner la tarte sur un plat de service.
Servez chaud ou tiède
X

samedi 15 mars 2008

Puces du Canal à Lyon...

X
En attendant les premières brocantes...
X


Xheureusement que les Puces du Canal, à Lyon, sont là
pour les chineuses impatientes...



X

dimanche 2 mars 2008

Bienvenue...

.
Welcome...
. lake Annecy

each moment is a place you've never been...