Bonjour and welcome to all our new readers, it's fabulous to have you join us. Of course, it's also lovely to say 'hi' to all our regulars.
My Weekly Journal from the French countryside
To all our new readers who don't know my story, here's a quick recap. (Full story here A Dream Come True) My family and I are Australian and have always been big travellers. My husband and I started travelling to other countries as soon as we were married, but had never visited France. Fast forward to 2009 and we'd still not been to France, but I knew deep in my heart that I'd love everything about France, and really wanted to have a holiday or second home there. So the idea of buying a property and spending as much time as we could seemed the logical next step.
So it was an easy decision to take one of our three children with us on a French house hunting trip and see what we could find. We left Australia in excitement overload, and to cut the story short, found a home in a week, bought it immediately and then the fun started.
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We've been spending Australian school holidays in France most years since 2009, and now that my children are grown up, I spend more time on my own at our village house. The children work and study back in Australia. We also love our family get togethers when we all travel to France at the same time.
I'm spending this summer in France again, and I'll keep a weekly journal to share with you all. My daily musings, outings and photos from my tiny village deep in the Brittany countryside is for you my lovely new readers, and wonderful regular readers. A true taste of French life! Now, don't laugh at my above photo, but as a kid I never read a 'Bobbsey Twins' book, and at the house we have a diverse collection of books to suit all ages and tastes for our family and guests to read while staying here. The children's book of The Bobbsey Twins has been on my list to read for nostalgic reasons, so I did this week. An entertaining book, but now I don't need to read another one. I did delight in reading in the sun after walking around a nearby lake though.
Lundi - It's Too Hot to Toast or Grill Today
Paris was sizzling in 37 degrees on Monday and it was rather like being back home in Australia. Not to worry, I'd dressed ready for the Parisian heat, but it was so hot, that even boulangeries had signs up advising customers that due to the extreme heat they would not be grilling or toasting any food as a courtesy to their staff. That wouldn't happen in Australia - we'd never get a toasted sandwich! However, I respect the initiative to take care of staff.
Mardi - Remember to Drive on the Right
Needing food on Tuesday, I reminded myself to drive on the right side of the road, and made for the supermarché at Quintin.
Narrow roads, dogs roaming across the road in front of their farmhouse, fast delivery vans taking up more than half of the incredibly narrow road... and I'm back in France alright. And I love every bit of it!
Savouring the experience, I meander down the aisles filling my cart with baking ingredients, pantry essentials and French branded food that I can't buy in Australia. Then I have to fit my mega shop into my smallish car. I am determined, and it fits. Now I can cook anything that takes my fancy, I'm thinking right now of a Quiche Lorraine or maybe some Madeleine Cakes.
Creating little floral bouquets and placing them around the house brings the summer garden inside, and makes me smile - I really am a happy homebody. Another lovely job done.
Mercredi - Tamed and No Longer Wild
For those of you who've been around a while, you may remember the trouble I had trying to get a climbing rose to grow a year or so ago. Anyway, the new plant has superseded all my expectations this last spring with its growth heading quickly up towards the balcony above. A trim of the spent rose heads and energetic branches going in the wrong directions, and my climbing rose (rosier grimpant) 'Domaine de Courson' is now looking tamed, rather than wild.
Up the ladder stretching as high as possible, I also installed some wires for the rose to keep climbing up. It was a bit rickety with the ladder resting on the gravel, but with a pat on my back (not literally or I'd have fallen off the ladder!), I'm proud I did this job.
Jeudi - My Village Church Steeple Disappears
Taking an early walk before the day heated up I headed out of the village onto the farming lanes without a real plan. Memorised by the gentle bird signing and crisp air gently blowing on the maize fields and tall weeds, I just put one foot after the other, after the other. As long as I can see our village church's steeple, I can find my way home, usually, eventually. But after 'our' steeple disappeared and I could not see the church of our neighbouring village either, I did what I promised myself I wouldn't... I got out my phone and opened Google maps. I could see where I was, how far to home and what directions to take. With the job done, phone back in pocket, I continued in silence enveloped by nature. Now I know where to go, I think that walk may now just be my new morning favourite!
A few hours doing paperwork and online banking brought an appetite so I headed out for the classic French lunch, le plat du jour. Cafés and small local restaurants will often only have a set menu on offer for lunch. Entree, main and dessert with two or maybe three options per course. Usually at a fair price, this can be a great way to sample regional and seasonal produce.
I stumbled upon the sweetest Tea Salon, tea de salon, near the restaurant. Overflowing with summer hydrangeas (hortense), roses and hollyhocks, and seats with plump floral cushions arranged like a fairy tea party garden, it was magical. Not long had I sat down with my Perrier water and book, did the resident cat cautiously jump up next to me, step onto my lap and gently curl up, close its eyes and begin purring.
Vendredi - Je vais au Marché (To Market I Go)
The Friday market at Guingamp is large, bustling and filled with seafood, cheese, bread, fruit and vegetables, flowers and clothings stalls. Taking my market basket and tote bag - essentials for any market day - I revelled in the warm morning sun as I wandered through the stalls. Artisan bread loaf with nuts, apricots and figs, Roquefort and goats cheese, cucumber, strawberries, tomatoes and saucisse (sausage), it was a productive morning. It was extra fun using my original designed tote bag too. Get your own unique A French Collection tote bags here, including the one I used at le marché (the market).
An afternoon reading in the sun on my deckchair and a little more gardening, wrapped up vendredi.
Samedi - Festivals Everywhere
Some household chores and then a trip to the hardware store, and then on the way back heavy traffic exiting from the shopping complex. Further on my way home from Saint-Brueic I passed two popular festivals, one at Landedoc which had traffic crawling for more than 55 minutes (this part of the drive usually takes 3 minutes) leading to the entrance of the community fields, and another at Saint Fiacre. The DOSIS Festival at Saint Fiacre boasts music, pétanque, dancing, food and games. With yellow the theme colour there was random yellow doors standing in odd places, yellow boxes and yellow decorations. It’s an annual festival, and one that I still have no clue what the name means!
Dimanche - Church and a local Vide-Grenier
Before I attended Church on Sunday, I went to a local vide-grenier (garage sale) and it was loads of fun. I bought some little paintings, a handmade soap, an old table, a small decorative stand, jar, vase, notebooks and potatoes. Photos of my fabulous haul and how I've styled them are above, and there's more over on Instagram.
The table is just what I've been wanting for around two years, and at long last I found it - and for only 10€. The stand is already in the bathroom and the story is the same. I'd been looking for a couple of years at antique stores, brocantes and online for just the right piece of furniture but hadn't found it until Sunday - and this was only 5€. Sometimes hanging out for what you really want pays off. And the saying of one man's trash being another's treasure is once again true!
So I hope you've enjoyed this weekly journal,
Au revoir
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