An Adventure to Dordogne, France

This month I am participating in Paris/France in July.

   These are fond memories of past travels to a country I adore.

For some reason this wall with flowers speaks to me of traveling the back

roads of France. As we passed a farm house nearby I saw this stunning wall and fell in love with France all over again.

Following the GPS sometimes led us down country roads/paths

and into out of the way places, including a barn yard.

This day we had a destination along the Dordogne River.

Finally we arrived.

It took my breathe away.

Do you see the village along the river?

Our room looked out on that river.

Thanks, Rick Steves, for this recommendation.

I would return there in a heart beat.

He also recommended the restaurant in the hotel.

We were not disappointed.

It was amazing!

Even to the traditional morning breakfast.

It was amazing to be able to sit here and savor the evenings.

Isn't this just amazing?

I see I have used "amazing" several times, but truly it was!

So picture perfect and perfect for a walk or a boat ride.

When we would walk past this window an elderly woman would be 

watching behind those curtains. I never could catch her with my camera.

Sunset over the river.

We meandered through this valley.

It is a memory I will never forget.

I would highly recommend visiting here if given the chance to travel.

Within a day you could travel along the river to other beautiful villages,

Sarlot's street marketplace was a delight, then caves to visit,

and finally castles and Josephine Baker's home too.

So much to see of beauty all around.

Linking to: https://thyme-for-tea.blogspot.com/2018/06/paris-in-july-week-1.html

Monday's Tea Quote

 Tea on Emma's porch.

"I imagine heaven's like this," I said.

"Perfect surroundings, and angels wafting in with tea."

~Miss Read, Farther Afield

It was like heaven to sit on Emma's porch sipping tea. 

PS: Just to let you know, Emma is from history. Her house is located on the grounds
of the Aurora Colony Museum in Aurora, Oregon. The museum was gracious to allow
me to do this photography shoot some time ago.

Are You the Fairy?

I once heard a little girl ask someone wearing a tutu,

"Are you the fairy?"

Just that has stuck with me ever since.

What is our image of a fairy?

Is it the fairy godmother who waves her wand and makes

wishes come true?

Is it the fairies that dance in the moonlight,

in the forest fairy rings?

Or is it just someone that secretly is there for you,

who has your back even if you don't know it?

Fairies create magic.

They dance!

They laugh or sing softly!

They sing even when our heart is broken!

Do you hear them singing with the waves of a tree branch?

Do you see them dancing with the flicker of your eyes?

Or are they surrounding you, helping you to see the magic?

Notice what you notice!

Capture the imagination and keep the fairies close!

A day early, but wishing you a Happy Weekend, dear friends!

See you back here on Monday!

Sending Love and Fairies to surround you!

Carcassone, France

We lost track of our days as we traveled the south of France a few years ago.

Leaving one place in Provence a day earlier than planned,

we drove to Carcassone.  We weren't expected for another day,

but thankfully the B&B had a special room just for us.

The proprietor said, put your bags in the room and step

through the door into a secret garden for tea.

It was the perfect way to be greeted and to soothe our ruffles.

Tea in the garden.

It was meant to be, an extra day in Carcassone was

just the right thing to happen.

A serendipity occasion.

Being inside the walls of this city at night were just enchanting.

There were not a lot of travelers walking in the street.

It was like our own fairy tale, enchanted village.

Carcassone is a medieval walled city.

Just outside the wall was a merry-go-round.

Back inside the wall there was much to see.

I even found a sweet little tea shop.

And the most colorful sweet shop.

The second night in the B&B we moved upstairs to the room

reserved for us.

This is the view from our window.

I had to visit this church.

The windows were amazing.

On Sunday afternoon we had returned to our room to rest,

but we heard music coming in the window.

Off we went to explore.

There was dancing in the street.

I loved it oh so much.

The exuberance and JOY was there that Sunday in October.

It was an enchanted time and place and I would return in a heartbeat.

Linking to: https://thyme-for-tea.blogspot.com/2018/06/paris-in-july-week-1.html

A Guy Teatime

 Was I ever surprised recently when my "live-in gardener" (husband)

said he wanted to do a tea party for 3 guy friends.

He was pretty sure none of them had been to a tea party,

which was true.

As he prepared I had to smile because I could see he had learned

a thing or two from watching me in the past.

He planned, he made a menu, and he shopped for the food.

He set the table and picked a bouquet from the garden.

 He also wanted to show off his completed gardenhouse,

or should I say most often his "man cave".

The day finally arrived and he began preparing.

 The teapots and cups were set out for his guests.

He served a Tulsi for himself, Baozhong Oolong with the sandwiches,

and Alishan Black with dessert.

None of the guys were tea drinkers,

so the teapots didn't empty as quickly as at some tea parties.

They did enjoy a bit of a taste though.

 This is abit blurry, but his first course was gazpacho.

 He even embellished with a basil leaf, very cute.

 They thoroughly enjoyed the food and conversation.

 There were sausage rolls.

 Egg salad sandwiches on whole grain bread.

He thought to be more manly he would leave the crust on

and serve half sized sandwiches.

Reviewing after the party he said if he did it again

he would cut them in quarters.

 Then there was roast beef with caramelized onions

and a horseradish spread on rye bread.

There was dessert too, but by then I was off to the market

and didn't get pictures.

He made brownies and lemon curd tarts.

The tarts were an extra addition because I happened to have

the tart shells already made and in the freezer.

Never the less, he was thrilled.

His guests were impressed.

And they all enjoyed the day so much they visited out under the

tree for 5 hours.

So there you have it,

even a guy can do a tea party and enjoy it.

Linking to Bernideen at http://blog.bernideens.com/