Some of my favourite things.

I'm sure those of you who are getting to know me
a bit more will know what most of my favourite things are.

 I'm unable to look after my garden at the moment as I've just spent 5 days in the
 clinic again, having treatment for my back problem and now I need to take things easy.

With flowers all around our home I couldn't wish to be resting in a better place.

I can't seem to get back into my painting, so I thought I'd browse through my photo albums and pick out some of my favourite things to cheer me up.
Would you like to see what I've chosen.
Get yourself a cup of coffee or what ever your favourite drink is,
and if you love flowers I'm sure you'll enjoy these photos.

I love the coffee Mr France makes for me mid morning.
better than any Starbucks, not that we have a Starbucks near where we live.
As you can see Mr France has drunk his coffee before I've even tasted mine.

During the past few days we've had some stormy weather
with lots of rain, which was badly needed, but has damaged a lot of the flowers. 

Fortunately Mr France had noticed that the early flowering pink rose

had a few new buds on it. so he cut this one for me.

and now I'm able to enjoy seeing it indoors.

Along with some more pink roses, which I have now hung to dry.

 The first photo selected has to be the Lavender from my own garden.

After my visit to La Provence region.

I had to have a Lavender bed of my own.

and also I had to paint what I'd seen.

A few of the hanging baskets we have every year.
These were from a few years ago when we won First prize in the floral competition.

This year we planted some pendulum  Begonias which have given us
a beautiful splash of colour all summer and it's still looking good.

A totally different basket to the previous one much daintier
flowers, which hangs at our holiday cottage where the guests stay.

Now for a selection of flowers cut from the garden.

With it being so hot and dry this summer, I haven't had many flowers to cut.

Our new Pierre de Mansard rose has certainly bloomed well for the first year. 

Pretty Spring flowers in a dainty cup.

Summer pinks & blues.

A lot of you seem to be wishing for Autumn. not me I hang on to every sunny day
hoping summer will last another month.
Our two eldest grandsons, are moving on in their education next week
 which means they will be leaving home.
So a family get together around our pool is planned for tomorrow.

This was one of many get together meals, during this summer
 when our son was here from Denmark with his family.
We just love having our home full of family and friends.

Boys at work.

Pool waiting for the family, teenage grandsons and girl friends.
What better way to end their summer vacation before College starts on Monday.

Next week I'll be taking a break. revisiting the Atlantic coast region. 

Mr France has rented a tiny fisherman's cottage.

It will be such different scenery for us. I'm really looking forward to it.

 hoping the good weather will hold out and we can just stroll along the beach, 

 enjoy a nice fish restaurant, nothing too energetic.

 and take lots of photos, 

Maybe it'll help to get me back in the right frame of mind to paint.

I hope to see you again soon

 as I'll certainly be sharing my short break away from the countryside.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

A Taste of Denmark

I've just been to Denmark to visit our son and his family.

As you can see it's very flat.

 A few wind-machines among the Rapeseed fields.

We went for a drive up to the North west coast.
Where the landscape is totally different
Look at the trees all bent over due to the wind.

On our walk to see the old lighthouse 

I came across this beautiful wild flower , some type of Anemone'

I propped this one up with a small stick so that you could see inside.

The coast line is eroding

so now this once needed lighthouse is no longer in use.

  This past winter there has been more erosion of the coast,

and now these houses have been boarded up.

There seems to be more hills along the coast than inland.

With my lovely son, on a beautiful sunny but windy day.

A few fisher-mans cottages, probably used as summer houses now.

We took a walk around the nearby small town.

Very popular in the summer months.

Some tasty Danish snacks.

Take a closer look at the chairs outside, the restaurant owners 

leave soft blankets  to put over your legs, when the wind is chilly.

I saw this schooner sailing along the Fjord which is opposite our sons house.

I grabbed my camera and took this photo from the bedroom window. 

As I had only taken my aim and shoot camera I had to zoom in 

for this shot, so it's lost a bit of the clarity.

A mornings visit to the local harbour.

It was too early for the ice-cream shop to be open.

 An evening of culture  at the newly built music theatre.

Three generations aged from 7 to 75 years together.

to listen to the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra

playing Vivaldi 'The Four Seasons '  

Our grandsons gave the thumbs up 

and said 'It was cool '

A day window shopping.

I loved this old building I saw in Aalborg town

which is now divided into small boutique shops.

The original cobble stones in front of the building have been left.

Lots of bicycles everywhere.

Not sure what was happening, but they were doing some filming here. 

Lots of pink flowers.

I Loved these designer watering pots

 We sat here for coffee and people watched. 

and were tempted to buy some freshly ground coffee from this shop.

The end of another wonderful family visit to Denmark.

 Sunset over the Fjord.

 Now it's time for the drive back to the airport.

for our flight back home to France.

Back home to all the plants that have grown so much in such a short time 

 and need to be planted or potted on into bigger pots.

But that's for another time.

So I'll leave you for now and catch up with the garden progress next time.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian