Hello, spring is definitely here and this dwarf eucalyptus tree on the boundary of our neighbour's property is flowering beautifully.  The bees love it.

 

More work has been done on the canopy for the studio.  A little more to do and then it will be finished.  A balustrade is being built too.

And just because I've been thinking about our Europe holiday from 2012 a lot recently, here are two photos taken in Provence.  Such wonderful memories.

We've enjoyed a wonderful day of sunshine and warmth today.  I hope the weather is treating you well wherever you are.

Anne xx

Highlights and plans

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

 I hope everyone has had a lovely festive period and enjoyable New Year celebrations.

As I've been looking around blog land the past few days, I've noticed that many people in 2013 are focusing on being grateful and what is making them happy.  Some are posting once a week about four things that have/are making them happy.  Others are writing little notes about good things that happen and putting them in a jar to read at the end of the year.  Both of these ideas are lovely and my aim is to incorporate both of them into my life this year.

I suppose the end of the year and the beginning of a new one is a good time to look back and reflect, to look forward and plan.  There were three highlights in 2012 for me.  Our two month trip to Europe, turning 50 (yes it was a highlight) and our 25th wedding anniversary.

Traveling to Europe was fantastic...something I've always wanted to do and it didn't disappoint.  People ask me where was my favourite place or what was my favourite thing about our trip and I can honestly say that it was all good.  There were frustrating moments like when we received a parking fine in La Colle-sur-Loup and I had to wade my way through French bureaucracy, me with no French, them with no English.

 
There were scary moments, our first time driving in Paris,

finding ourselves on roads that were more like goat tracks than roads thanks to our GPS,

and some days when hubby and I were unwell,

Full of a head cold in Venice

  but we managed to get through those days without too much disruption to our plans.  I loved France, I loved Italy, although I found Rome overwhelming.  And I certainly loved Cornwall and Staffordshire.  A huge part of our experience was enjoying meeting people whether they were hosts at our accommodation or interacting with people in shops and restaurants.  But best of all was meeting Louise and Dave in Staffordshire, what a weekend we had with them!  We also were able to stay with relatives in Shrewsbury which was awesome.  Our favourite French person was Sami who was a night man at our accommodation in Paris.  We sat up at night for hours talking to him about language, politics and culture.

Turning 50, I guess that's a bit of a milestone and it's the best.  At 50 I know where I belong in the world, I'm  not the slightest bit bothered what other people think of me and I'm still young enough to have FUN!!  My kids think I'm crazy.

A 25th Wedding Anniversary...WOW!  Where have those years gone, the good, the stressful when I was sick with post natal depression and other bouts of depression, the raising of two beautiful girls who are now gorgeous young women.  I wouldn't change it for the world, perhaps I would give the depression a miss, but that in itself has shaped me to become (hopefully) a more compassionate and understanding person.

So what's ahead in 2013?  I wish for love, peace, happiness and good health.  I wish for the strength to cope with and support my family in what will possibly be a difficult year with my elderly Father's ailing health.

I plan for 2013 to be the year of walking the talk, to complete unfinished projects.   The hand pieced 20 year old quilt would be a good start.  Add to that the granny square rug for my bed,

and this painting.

This year I'd like to start hiking, become a better swimmer, improve my garden, learn more crochet skills, make all my own cards, sew something that actually fits me and paint, paint, paint.

I hope the year 2013 is a good one for you.  Let's all have a fabulous year together and last but not least, welcome to my new followers.  Thank you for taking an interest in my world.

Have a fabulous weekend,

Anne  xx

My Sephora experience in Aix-en-Provence

One of the things we did to sweeten the girls during our time away in Europe, was the promise of French perfume for their birthdays.  I decided to look for perfume in a French chain store called Sephora which sells cosmetics and skincare in addition to the most delicious French perfumes you've ever heard of and more.  For those who live in Australia, think of about when you walk into the fragrance/skincare/cosmetics department in either David Jones or Myer and try to imagine the smell being 100 times better.  This was just a small part of my Sephora experience.

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It's glitzy and glamorous, with assistants waiting to help you and kindly give you a basket in which to place your intended purchases.  Not a bad idea really as you are inclined to buy more if you have somewhere to put them as you stroll about.

I was  buying perfume for myself as well so the first thing in my hand was a bottle of Chanel No. 5, my signature perfume.  I was first introduced to Chanel No. 5 when I was 18, my parents bought me a bottle while visiting Europe.  They and they alone are responsible for getting me hooked on this fragrance and I'm very grateful.  (Hubby found out it was my favourite perfume when we were first going out and bought me a bottle.  I knew by then he was a keeper.)

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Next  on my list was Chanel Mademoiselle, Genevieve's perfume of choice.  She had taken herself of to do some smell tests before we went away.

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Then it was choosing a perfume for Charlotte who had not a clue what she wanted.  There after followed one of the most interesting experiences I had in France and a first hand experience of the language barrier between an English speaking and a French speaking woman.

I had a couple of fragrances in mind for Charlotte, I'd done smell tests in Sephora and tried to match a perfume to her personality.  It was at this point the most delightful mature French lady came to my assistance with a basket.  I asked in my very poor French did she speak English which of course she did not so I proceeded to use the best sign language to explain what I wanted.  I showed her a photo of the girls, pointed to Genevieve and then pointed to the bottle of Chanel Mademoiselle.  I pointed to me then to the bottle of Chanel No. 5. and lastly pointed to Charlotte in the photo and shrugged my shoulders, palms facing up.  The French understood this gesture I was sure, I'd seen them do it often enough.

So then the real fun began.  My lovely French assistant had me sniffing all the perfumes she though would suit Charlotte and my poor nose in the end could hardly decipher one perfume from the next.  Everything she had me smell was heavy, sexy, sensual and earthy and was accompanied with hand gestures and body movements to suggest the same.  Earthy and heavy was not what I had in mind for Charlotte, but something more flirty, light and airy with a touch of floral perhaps.  Can you imagine two ladies using hand gestures, one lady doing sensual, the other light and airy.  My shopping experience was nothing at all like the photo below which suggests sensible, mature, elegant women going about the business of buying perfume.  By this stage we were both in fits of laughter with the assistant pretending to wipe her brow with exhaustion.  She was determined to help me at all costs, language barrier or not.

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 After about 10 minutes, I finally asked hubby to venture inside to translate for me in his more than passable French.  The perfume I thought would suit Charlotte was Miss Dior.

 My French lady was having none of this.   It was too light, it would fade away into nothing, it was too inconsequential for my daughter.  She was absolutely delightful in her descriptions, accompanied with yet more hand gestures and body movements.  Hubby was able to tell her that I wanted a perfume to suit my daughter's personality and finally she understood.  We finally decided to purchase the parfum rather then the eu de toilette I had picked up and she was all smiles.  Everything was good.  She even put a few little product and perfume samples in my basket.  I was delighted.  We went off to the register to pay and the young man made a show of wrapping each bottle of perfume beautifully in paper and ribbon, giving me more samples and the most delightful Sephora bag (a very usable tote like bag) in which to place them.  What an experience.  Would I do it again tomorrow?  YES, a thousand time yes. The sheer joy that was derived from such an experience on so many levels is not one I will forget for a long time.

As always, thank you for taking an interest and visiting.

Have a wonderful week,

Anne  xx

French treasures

Good morning, how are you?  Thank you for taking the time to pop over and visit me and welcome to my new follower.  I now have 100 followers, something I never dreamed possible when I started blogging nearly two years ago.  Thank you to each and everyone of you for taking an interest in my world and spending some of your precious time with me.

One of the joys of travel is finding a few bits and pieces to take home as mementos of your time away.  I saw many lovely things travelling Europe I would loved to have brought home with me but as space was limited, purchases had to be limited too.  While in Normandy staying at the guest cottage of Sharon from My French Country Home we had the opportunity of visiting a village fair close to the village where Sharon lives.  The fair was something like a 'Trash and Treasure" market in Australia, many things not worth purchasing and a few treasures to be found.  When I spied this rusted and chipped enamel jug in one of my favourite colours, I fell in love.

 The jug stands about 34cm (13 1/2inches) high and I wondered if we could possibly manage to take it home in a suitcase if we packed it full of things like socks and underwear.  All the while I was thinking this beautiful jug would be out of my price range.  I sent hubby (whose French is understandable) to enquire after the price.  When we were told 8 Euro, it was mine.

 Another lovely purchase was made in La Colle-sur-Loup at a little Brocante store.  There were many things I could have bought but luggage constraints had me looking for something small.  This ladle was perfect and priced at 5 Euro was affordable.

 

There is an engraving on the back of the handle.

 I love these purchases, a little piece of France that came home with me.  I bought a few other things at the fair too but will leave them for another post.  Thank you for indulging me as I share some lovely memories and mementos of our holiday.

Anne  xx

 P.S.  I apologise to the poor quality photos that I have been posting.  Something happened to our camera in transit and most of our photos in Europe and these ones are blurred around the edges.  We are not sure what the problem is, but until we are able to have it looked at and hopefully repaired, thank you for your patience with less than perfect photos.