not from the hill, but all so lovely

i had hoped to leave you with a hill post before i departed for france but time did not allow for that, so instead i write to you from the medieval village of Beynac in Dordogne. it is early morning here, still dark and i can hear the rain from my open window. Days have been filled with work, meeting new people, making new friends and all things french. I have eaten my weight in baguette and figs. the above photographs are  just a quick few as we shot and picnicked in a walnut grove. chickens and geese made me think of the hill and the animals, i am told all is well with them, (thank you sarah).

i hope you are all doing well and that the early autumn is good to you, a bientot! 

Our home Featured on Stephmodo!

Dearest Friends, the lovely Stephanie from Stephmodo wrote about and featured my home on her blog. if you have never before visited Stephanie's blog you  are in for a real treat!.  Stephanie is the owner of the stunning  La Maisonnette  a five hundred year old stone cottage  her and her husband renovated. i was  lucky to have stayed in when i was in Dordogne, France last year and happy to say will be staying there again this fall! so please have a look! 

1.16.2012

REAL LIFE HOME NO.14 - A CONVERTED BARN IN VERMONT

What would you give to call this lane your driveway?  And how would your life change if you enjoyed this beautiful expanse each day of your life?  A view that some say is the best view in Vermont as it covers four mountain ranges in four different states.  I, for one, cannot imagine such a thing as I can see hundreds of homes from my living room window.  Perhaps that is what makes this "real life home" so precious to me.  That, and the lovely woman who calls this converted barn in Vermont, home sweet home. 

the three fs ( france part four)the markets and workshop

the markets in dordogne are over flowing with cheeses, sausages and vegetables. the area is known for foie gras( don't tell my ducks), truffles and walnuts. we went to the market on several occasion to prepare for the workshop and another time with the attendees. delicious strawberries and grapes, jams and breads how i could have feasted on these things alone. Aran workshop took place at the gorgeous manoir of malartrie (honestly dreamy) the inn keeper Ouaffa was incredible, a life saver when it came to gathering things for our workshop, she is one of the loveliest, gracious and kindest person i ever met . aran's workshop consisted of her cooking or preparing a simple and delicious meal, styling and shooting, stephanie and i would prep and gather things for aran  and the students. it was great to see everyone style things in their own way, i especially enjoyed visiting with the students and looking over their shots- they are as i mentioned before very talented.

i have always shopped at markets and daily, in fact i am not good at grocery shopping in the conventional fashion, which to my husbands dismay he can not understand but hence after almost twenty years of togetherness and fourteen years of  marriage which happens to be our anniversary today, he has gotten used to it and i might go as far as saying he appreciates it. i always shopped for what i craved to cook for that day, my meals have always consisted with something truly from market to table with very little preparation.

* thank you for your well wishes for sophie, she is doing better a vet check up yesterday afternoon said her progress is good, now just a lot of care and attention for the next few weeks.

* to my husband you are my home, in your arms i feel loved, always. when i can not be there or you here i feel your presence in my heart. happy anniversary-vous est nul autre.