French Lavender

We loved taking the TGV (fast train) from Paris to Avignon for a day excursion to see the lavender fields in Provence.

The sunflower fields were still in bloom also so that was an added bonus.

As soon as the door to our tour van opened we could smell the lovely fresh Lavender...............We could hear the bees buzzing too.......................such happy bees I'm sure!A natural French quilt of lavender and green.

France has been experiencing the cooler temps this summer just as we have here in Indiana so that has extended their growing season a little. Lucky for us to see the sunflowers too!

This Lavender field has just been harvested the day before we arrived. They leave the bundles in the field to dry. Would have loved to see the harvesters in action.

The Lavender fields in France are a must see. I'm so happy to have experienced the sight and being surrounded by the frangrance of my favorite herb.

Next see the amazing Paris Flea Markets.

I survived.......PARIS

We all survived Paris and our heads are spinning with wonderful memories! I must admit I'm proud that I planned it myself (except for the surprising side adventures.....) and we made it everywhere on our itinerary except Giverny. Very disappointing for me to not see Monet's gardens but it wasn't meant to be. The extremely confusing train system would not cooperate for us. Even a nice local French gentleman could not figure out why the 'billet' machines would not spit out the right tickets for us.

Oh well............now on to one of the highlights in Paris.......SACRE COEUR. If you ever go to Paris, this basilica is a must see.

The views down on Paris are amazing from the Monmartre hill it sits on.

The activities going on around Sacre Coeur were abundant.

From singing sideshows..................

to a Mime.......................

to a whole square full of artists and their awesome paintings.

Here are the two paintings I bought there...

.....a simple Eiffel Tower

{my silhouette was hand cut}and a gorgeous lavender field.

Stay tuned for more Paris/France postings to come.

Next will be about the lavender and sunflower fields in Provence.

Happiness Is...............

"Happiness is something that comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open."

Rose Wilder Lane

Four more days and I'm off to France with two girlfriends. It is the first trip there for each of us so what an adventure lies ahead!.I started planning and saving money in 2008 and it is finally here!

My stomach is doing somersaults with excitement. We are staying for 12 days in an apartment in the 7th arrondisement just 5 minutes from the Eiffel Tower.

We have day trips planned to Versailles, Giverny, Avignon, and Amsterdam. I'm so excited to see the Provence lavender fields in bloom and be surrounded by the fragrant blooms.

Flicker.com

We will also be shopping the Paris flea markets and I am taking an extra suitcase to fill with treasures!I can't wait to share stories with you when I get back.

Bon Voyage!

A Bear of a Wedding Weekend

This past weekend hubby and I went to Gatlinburg TN for his nephews wedding. We stayed in a really nice Chalet up in the mountains. There were three chalets all together as the wedding party stayed in one, the bride's family in one, and the groom's family (us) in another. We had a super fun time. Here is one of the living rooms in the chalet

It was way too hot for a fire in the fireplace as it got up to 97 degrees!

Something always goes wrong when there is a wedding...right? The groom is in this vehicle that ended up with a tire off the roadside. There's hubby and some other guys trying to get the tires back on the road. They finally managed and the other front tire was smoking as the driver put the pedal to the metal!

The groom made it in time and the wedding was super pretty in a mountainside chapel.

The excitement of the weekend was when this black bear came right up in the yard of our chalet..........

We could not believe how close it came.

Lucky for us, we were on the second level deck instead of the first level one or we could have been eaten alive!

It was a bear of a wedding weekend!

Pink FireWorks

I've been watching the tiny buds as they develop on my climbing rose growing along the fence. All the recent rains kept me from photographing the buds and that's OK as they were nothing compared to this.............

PINK FIREWORKS

I have no idea what variety of climbing rose this is as I bought a tiny start at a yard sale a few years ago.

Last year I whacked the rose canes way back and cleaned out all the dead ones and this year it is thanking me with this beauteous show.

I must admit though that every year I get really upset with this climbing rose...............upset that the blooms don't last nearly long enough!!!!

Yummo....

I've so enjoyed the fresh asparagus this year and never tire of those delicious green stalks. I don't have a favorite asparagus cooking method...........................any way is OK with me.

YUMMO

Creative Garden Ideas PARTY!!!!

I'm really excited to see all the creative gardening ideas. Mine involves decorating with plates and shells. Both are super cheap to find at yard sales, flea markets, and of course, Goodwill.

I go straight to the 'dishes' isle when I 'm at Goodwill as I have found all sorts of cute plates. The plates have to have a floral design to go in the garden. I've also decorated potted plants with broken plate pieces. As for seashells, they are a super way to fill space in a garden. This year I filled my birdbath with shells as I never seem to be able to keep the water clean for the birds.

Now I'm outta here to check everyone else's party post.

HAPPY GARDENING!!!!