Cheese

No matter how long one lives here there is always something new to discover.  A couple of weeks
ago my husband and I tried a new restaurant in our village.  A new owner has taken over a very chic
restaurant and turned it into something more homey.  In France they call these restaurants Bistros.
They guard these address with thier life and are not at all willing to direct you to these places because
then of course, they become harder to get first dibs on reservations!  We discovered that there is
our very own regional cheese called "Rollot"  its origins start out as cows milk and them of course
the cheese starter bacteria is added and voila you have rollot.  My huband and I were ooooowing
and aaaaing at the table like the scene in When Harry met Sally, you remember?  These fromage
came directly from the farm to the restaurant and the results were simply delicious!!!! Can't wait
to go back there.

French Breakfast

This is my french breakfast before I go on a adventure it's soooo comforting to take time, sit and smell all the flowers in life.  Who could eat and drink this breakfast fast?

Easter

Easter Weekend was cold and rainy, which is not unusual for this region.  In between the raindrops I still went out to search for treasures and boy did I come home with a few.  My favorite was an oil painting of a young girl, it is damaged on the corner, but no matter I still love her.  Her solace in her reading and being nude was fascinating.  The painters name is not easy to read but the women who sold it to me told me it was her mother in laws so I can probably date this to 1950-1960.

Forgotten Feathers

Went to a  beautiful village with a chateau.  It's always nice to see a variety of villages

in your region when one goes out, but It's the stories behind the merchandise is what fascinates me.  I purchased a box today of Max factor soaps the box looked older,I believe this is a make up company from the 30's, I opened the box and found a plethora of

pheasant feathers, have you ever studied the colors of a birds feathers?  take a close

look  They are amazing!!  The lady told me it was from a aunt who was recently 

passed  She was keeping them for a rainy day.  So this is how I conserved her feathers,

now they are out of the box for everyone to see.

Brocante season is starting......

It's march and the brocante season is starting again.  Tomorrow morning I will be up
at 6:00 to get an early start on the road.  I am going to a village 45 minutes away from
here (Senlis) and I hear there is a chateau that is from the renaissance (hope I spelled
that right)  should be interesting to see like all the old stone in the Oise.  Interestingly
enough my 14 year old daughter, Isabella is going with me, she said Mommy find me
some rings, so I told her come with me on this adventure and find them yourself!  Who
know's maybe she will follow in my vintage footsteps.....

Candle Inserts

I bought these mini-candle lights I guess they were for Christmas trees and decided to use them in my candles since I hate the look of candles when they have been used.  I hollowed
down by the wick and inserted the disk turned them on and NO ONE noticed the difference at my New Years Eve party, no more ugly looking candles!

LOVE this

Helpful Tips

Entertaining is always stressful.  But after years of experience one develops
organizing so that the "fete" flows and you can be involved in the fun and not
just the work.  I love to use porcelain and silver for the holidays but I hate
all that polishing that goes with it.  I picked up a tip from a friend of mine
who was setting her table and I happen to be there.  She was taking her silver
-ware out of plastic zip-lock bags and the knives, forks, spoons and serving 
pieces were shiny and sparkling!  This is a habit anyone can adapt easily.
The plastic keeps the silver from oxidizing and the work load becomes minimal


Don't you LOVE IT!