Friday, May 21, 2010

Breathing in the Pace of Eden




Ham patiently wrapped around tenter asparagus, Eggs folded over gently sautéed spinach and spring greens, pasta marinated in pesto then sprinkled with feta, all of this drizzled with Hollandaise sauce. This plate of succulence, all accompanied by coffee, juice and a treat of fresh blueberries, crumbled pound cake and whipped cream, yes it is a lovely place to breath in the pace of eden.

We arrived in St. Louis last night just after dark and while it was evident that the Park Avenue B&B is lovely, it was a little hard to appreciate the beauty of the building and the grounds. After putting our things in the room we went down to the parlor last night with our lap tops, lured by brandy available to us in the decanter. There was not much brandy there, but as we are both lightweights, it was plenty. But there was lovely music playing, the room is decorated with antiques and a lovely victorian elegance. To our pleasure, Kathy brought us a glass of champagne to enjoy, since there was not much brandy. The wine was much more our style anyway and it was a lovely way to wind up our first evening in St Louis.

We are staying in the fleur-de-lys room here, complete with walk in shower and jacuzzi. There are a couple of tastefully placed fleur-de-lys around the lovely victorian room. It is cozy, lovely and just right for a quick episode of relaxation.

Jodi quickly got to work taking photos of the room, before we placed our own brand on it. She is still unnerved by the shadow she could not seem to get out of her photos, even more by the light that came on in the middle of night during a storm. She does not think it humorous that I keep telling her it is a lingering spirit. I did not wish to unnerve anyone else with talk of ghosts at breakfast so the verdict is still out on spirit inhabitants, but I really like the human ones.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Spring's Generosity




Today I went out with Lucy and perused my strawberries, there were some ripe, succulent and ready to be enjoyed! I am loving this years reawakening of the earth. Last year, after my return from Paris, I promised myself to be home in April, May and June hence forth. My pleasure in my yard had been diminished over the last several years with vacations smack in the middle of Spring. This year has been so sweet, maybe even sweater because of the dearth of enjoyment in recent years. God has watered in just the right quantities. The birds are plump with worms and singing their joy each day. My roses are all in full bloom and even ready to be pruned. The forget-me-not’s are opening their tiny periwinkle faces to me. They were my grandmothers favorite flower, between them and the lilly of the valley (just done blooming) she has been on my mind frequently this spring. My water lilies are opening their pink blossoms to the sun each morning in worship. The grass is green and velvety on my feet as I walk in my yard.

Picking the tender, fragrant crimson strawberries this morning reinforced my determination to stay home and participate in the beauty unfolding right here in my own back yard, it is not Kansas, nor Oz, but it is heavenly!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Chenonceau Mornings






It was another time and another place several years ago with another person. My first road trip in France included a visit to Chenonceau. It was a well worried trip and included a night at a hotel very near the castle. Auberge du Bon Laboureur, had been recommended by multiple people on multiple web sites. The visit, to what is still to this day my favorite castle of the Loir, was magical to me. After we dinned at the Auberge in the garden behind where we indulged in a lamb and spinach plate. I do not remember much else, other than it was a fabulous meal. Good food, good company and a lovely environment, all made it memorable. We went to bed well sated. The room was nice, a comfortable bed, toile walls and windows without screens that opened to the street. It rained during the night as we slumbered in our gastronomic high and we woke to the softest spring morning I have ever experienced. The world was right at that moment, birds singing, the soft spring air on our skin, the essence of fresh rain, resting in a comfortable bed with a person I loved. I thought life could not get any better. In the ensuing years I have experiences other ”Chenonceau mornings”, some with the other person who really gets that and many without. This morning is such a day. It rained last night, seriously rained and the earth is redolent of wet. The birds are ecstatic with the morning pickings and are proclaiming it with loud passion. Yesterday I prepared Croissant dough and this morning rolled it out, rolled them up and baked lovely golden flaky croissants. These I served with Rhubarb jam that I made last week with rhubarb from my parents garden, and cafe au lait. I don’t know how many Chenonceau mornings I have left, but I do know that I appreciate (recognize the full worth) of each one granted me.

Monday, April 26, 2010

14 vs 50 March 26, 2010





I don’t remember much about our last day in Texas, we lazed around some, finally got our act together to go to South Padre Island. This was Courtney’s favorite part of the trip! Why is water the best part for a kid, even when there are no other kids around? It was pretty nippy and I was glad I had worn a cover up, Of course the bathing beauty had to show off her loveliness, so she pranced beside me in her bikini. O, to be that young, innocent and cocky again, not! The beach was pretty littered, and sparsely dotted with people. My favorite moment is captured in the action shot I have added! Dinner time came soon and we went to a new “ little place” for shrimp, and boy were they good! Dirty Al’s served up big delicious shrimp and seasoned fried for a reasonable price, with a view of the water. It was definitely more my favorite part of the day! Interesting isn’t it that at 14 your favorite part is prancing in your bikini, and at 50 mine is the shrimp!

Texas Time - March 25, 2010









Thursday we got up, prepared ourselves for another gloriously sunny windy Texas day by going to the Las Vegas restaurant for breakfast. I had 2 eggs over easy on toast, thick bacon sizzled so crispy that I could hardly chew it, and a hash brown patty that I could not refuse! There went my vigil of counting calories from the past three weeks!

We arrived at the Texas Mexico border to a few changes. The international bridge to cross the Rio Grande is long and it breezy, and there are now blinds on where used to be windows to look out, I wondered why, to prevent us from seeing out, or others from seeing in? There are now Mexican military in great numbers on the border, more barriers between, longer lines crossing, and on the return, a showing of passports! It has been a few years since I last crossed the border at that point and in light of recent tragedies in Mexico, I was prepared for it all. What had not changed was the cacophony of “lady, lady do you want to buy...........“ People selling cactus leaves, bracelets, hats, shopping bags, candy coated peanuts, and much much more. Children hawking straw doll, shoe shines, toys, and chicle (gum) We walked down the street of Progresso looking at knock off Coach purses, “Silver” jewelry, sunglasses, and vanilla. To my delight I found vanilla beans five for 2 dollars, a steal when you compare it to the $16.00 I had recently paid for eight beans on line. We stopped for Nachos at my parents favorite breakfast place, I was wishing I had saved myself as the pastries on the shelves looked delicious, but it was lunch time, and well beyond those kinds of pleasures! The nachos were loaded with cheese, and came with pico de gallo, salsa, and the ubiquitous jalepenos. They were very good, though a little of the salsa went a LONG way! Daddy wanted his last haircut of the season, while he was being shorn Mother and I took Courtney to the local school. Our kids here take what they have so very much for granted, often complaining about what they do have. I wanted her have a correlation between what she has, and what these kids have. We walked right in the school, to a room with five little girls, all in fifth grads, giggling and smiling. Mother took a bag of pens and pencils out of her purse and I asked one of them if they would like them, the took them and put them right in the teachers desk drawer, that drawer had precious little else in it. I remembered an unopened roll of Mentos in my purse and asked if they would like them, they said yes, but did not put those in the teachers desk! I guess sharing only goes so far! I did have to wonder what kind of education these kids are getting, here we are slashing budgets, laying off teachers and going computerized to save money. DO our kids really get that much better education?

After the hair cut at Gloria’s it was time to make our way back. There is a tiny hole in the wall place my parents always stop in for drinks and I was needing a pina colada, so we stopped, it was as creamy and yummy and I remembered and well worth the alcoholic indulgence mid day! This place used to have dollar bills all over the walls, ceiling, bar etc, but the money is all gone now and when I asked the owner he said that they had spent them all! Crossing back over the border was uneventful, unless you want to include the vista of one of the most perfectly gorgeous men I have ever seen in the person of a border guard, a guard whose line my father did not lead us into!

That evening we played cards again and mother beat the pants off of all of us!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Being Mothered at 50 Wednesday March 24, 2010



What a lovely few days we have had! Family is such a precious thing and sharing time with them can be such a joy. We got here late Tuesday evening to a breezy Texas evening. It was great to see Mom and Dad looking better that I had hoped with all the health problems they have had this winter. They were thrilled to see Courtney. I believe that she is the joy of their lives. We got to the motor home and bedded down for the night, four people living in a motor home is tight. Though, as Daddy did reproach me today, there are millions of people all over the world that do it as a matter of living every day. We do take our lives and way of living so for granted. We all slept well and got up, broke our fast and went shopping at a local mall. It has changed a lot since I was here, most of the shops are geared towards teens, skinny teens at that!. Daddy wanted Courtney to see the Iwo Jima memorial there in Harlingen, it is the original prototype of the bronze that sits in Arlington National Cemetery. This one is plaster and apparently the mad who designed it gave it to the military academy there, who cares for it to this day. It is as impressive as the bronze and it was good for Courtney to see it and talk about it as we had seen the one in Washington a couple of years ago, she remembers it, and had been subjected to many lengthy talks about World War II as well. This just added some context. We had a great meal of meat loaf, stuffing, peas and apricots, prepared by mother. Sounds like a weird mix, but it was pretty darn tasty! There are few things in the world like being coddled by your mother, to be coddled in that way at 50, well, it is pretty fabulous! One may wonder why I would allow my mother to wait on me at 50, but in truth there is little room for two cooks in the kitchen of the motor home. We played a new card game that evening, that playing a game and spending time thing is more precious than Courtney can even begin to understand at this point in her life!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Sage in Bloom - March 23, 2010

I am off on an adventure with Courtney, an adventure deep into the heart of Texas, where hopefully we will see bright starts at night. Assuming that if we do, it will be because it is not raining! After an interminable winter we are catapulting south into rain, at least according to the very fallible weatherman! I am hoping that he will be wrong again! The very first trip I took with Courtney was a trip to Texas to visit my parents. We had an assortment of toys, books and crayons to keep her entertained on the trip. She had her favorites, she loved the mini etch-a-sketch, really loved it when I would read to her. She was not so fond of the fishing game which required more dexterity than she was capable of at that point in her life. She was fearless, I quickly found that if I did not show fear, she would not be afraid. So one very bumpy plane ride home we rode the waves! She loved it, and I kept thinking that I hoped I had not taken this young child off to her demise! This was the trip where she sat on my parents sofa bed in her jammies with pink curlers in her hair, looked at me, clasped her hands and said ”Auntie, We could be sisters.” I thought to myself, “I hope you always think that!” Knowing that all good things come to an end. And they have I have lost my cool now that she is a teenager. It is a killer to one day be welcome at school for lunch and then what seems like only a few days later ( probably a couple of years) be asked not to come to school. I wonder when and how I lost my cool, trying to remember if I felt that way about the adults I love (ed).

But here we are five whole days for togetherness, well, sort of. There is always that dratted cell phone which had anastomosed to her fingers. I have pretty much drawn the line in the sand at meals, but she doesn't HAVE to be present to me all the time, does she?

The Texas I remember is one with parents that are a little younger and healthier. Sometimes warm enough to go swimming one more time and sometimes cool enough to necessitate a sweatsuit the entire time. Fat Daddy’s for barbeque, Angels for mexican and a visit to the Island for seafood, this time I am “watching” my calories.

I remember running through the water o the beach with her, now I am sure she can outrun me!

I am delighted to have this chance to spend time with three of the people I love best in the world and feel expectant at what memories we will create for the future. Maybe we will even see the sage in bloom.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

February 14 and 21, 2010: Loosing my Copper pot




2-14-10

What a morning so far. When we packed last night I choose to carry my new copper pot on board, to protect it. I protected it all right, I protected it so well, that they took it away form me in security. I really don’t know what the hell anyone thought I was going to do with it. What, me a fifty year old woman clobber someone with a copper pot on a flight to the us? All I could really do it it in a violent manner is irritate the hell out of someone, but really hurt them? Seriously Can you see the headline? My cute little copper pot in which I had fantasies of making carmel or some fabulous sauce. They just took it away, my French totally escaped me and conveniently no one spoke English. Finally after I cried enough they send me to the US Airways desk and some one there will keep it for a month if I can find someone to go to the airport and mail it back for me, or someone who is traveling who will check it. This was after I had to already paid a $50.00 surcharge on my bag because it was too heavy. This cute little copper pot is beginning to cost as if I had birthed a child in France rather than just tried to buy a pot. What I can not figure out, seriously is what the danger is with the pot. If I think about it It still makes me cry two hours later. Damn it it was my BD present from my parents. I Am seriously reconsidering my future views on air travel, they nickel and dime you to death, and then treat you like a terrorist. What I am saying is I am not feeling the friendly skies any more.

2-21-10

Retrospectively I am still mad, sad and hurt over my pan. I think Julia will go fetch it for me, but what a headache for her! It is not a cheap trip, it will take a few hours and then she will still have to mail it when she gets back to Paris! But at least I did not have the chance to clobber anyone with it! As if, the whole idea was to keep it from getting dented! Like I would want anyones head print on it!

We got on the plane and I put my tray table down to write the above and the dratted thing would not come down correctly, it was if they had slapped in some seats that did not go together. Then in an effort to console myself I started watching a movie, which might have been good, but two thirds or the way through they had a technical difficulty. Customs was a breeze, actually even a pleasure due to the man at the counter, he joked, and flirted his way through his job, having fun, still doing his job, and making our experience the best ever. I thinks they should let him train! Rather than the dour faced people that one usually meets, He was the sunshine in our day up to that point!

I got home to Roses, Balloons, Candy, Cards, and Teddy bears that sing and that do not. It was good to be home and that was indeed the highlight of my day!

Saturday February 13: Bows, Frozen Toes and Last DInners









I was having a lot of angst about buying the purse Jodi told me she would get for me for Valentines day. The one from yesterday that could have been a financial disaster, the cute black one, with a bow, that is so perfect, and so expensive. I kept thinking about the cost, that I had seen a cute one earlier in the week for a lot less at BHV and so, Megan and I went to BHV before heading to the Fifth. I had a look but it did not have a shoulder strap, and not really a bow. At least I had satisfied my curiosity. We exited the metro and Megan endured a mini lecture about St. MIchael prior to picking up a couple of last minute souvenirs. Then we wandered into a Creperie St. Andre des Artes and had a delicious mushroom and swiss crepe and hot tea. It was blessedly cold but we headed back out into the streets to have a look at the bag. There were a few Irish gents with some French friends wandering too, apparently they were there for a soccer game. Megan was cute, fliritng with them, and a couple of them were truly adorable! To get to Max (the purse store) we had to bid them farewell and good luck, which they said they did not need because of their skill. I bet they won their game!

I bought the purse! She is a cutie, all soft supple leather, huge in side, with great pockets, a shoulder strap and a lovely bow! I was already dreaming of where everything would go in the purse, but we were on our way to the D’Orsay. We choose to walk as there is not a great way to metro to the museum from where we were. It was still bitterly cold, but we did have hand warmers with us and that helped. When we got to the museum there was a line outside due to security checks, and we did about freeze. There was a guy there selling hot chestnuts and they smelled heavenly. Inside the museum still feels the same though everything was moved around due to renovation on one part of the museum. Lovely paintings by Renoir, Monet and Degas all crammed together with people crammed in between trying their best to see. There was one painting called the Origin of the World that I had to take pictures of for class! Yes, look that one up if you are bored! Seriously, don’t it is a shocker, a picture of a woman’s genitals and even I felt a little perverted taking a photo of it. But it will be great for class!

We went back to the apartment to rest and thaw a bit.

For dinner we headed back to Bofinger, I had Pumpkin Soup with chestnuts, Duck leg over potatoes and mushrooms with a lovely sauce, and we shared a chocolate mousse for dessert. This was accompanied by a lovely Bordeaux, good nose, legs and taste! Sigh.....

Back to Packing!


Saturday, February 13, 2010

Dragon Fruit, Wandering, & New Friends at the Hidden Kitchen


























This morning Megan and I decided to have a separate day, until the Hidden Kitchen this evening, anyway. Breakfast for me was a croissant from my favorite patisserie, dragon fruit, cheese and meat with of course cafe au lait. After a discussion in class Yesterday about neighbor hood preferences I thought why not walk a couple of steps more every time when I really do prefer the people in the one on rue Rockett? This morning I put thought to action and took the extra few steps the the patisserie where the people smile and say bonjour like they mean it! The dragon fruit here is totally different from what I have seen at home, and much better; juicy, sweet and fucia in color. Probably what our creator meant for dragon fruit to be!

Getting off the St Michele metro at St. Andre des Arts feels like being home. I wandered down familiar streets to our favorite purse shop, Max. Once again I fell vicim to the need for a new purse. It was almost a financial disaster as there were two that I really liked! But I had trouble swallowing the price of one of them. Now I can't wait to get back to the apartment and get my stuff into it! I wandered on up rue Dauphine to rue de Buci and on toward St Suplice. To a store that makes my heart beat rapidly. La Comptior de Famille is filled with lots of red, white and fruity kitchen ware. I think I could just live in the store! I have lived in my home for over 7 years and have looked to replace the utensil holder I have now, it is actually a wine bottle chiller and needs to be free to live it’s rightful life. I had seen a couple of utensil holders for my stove in May and not purchased either, another part of my mission was to get one and I did. Getting all this home will be an adventure!

Wandering and breathing in the smells, sounds and sights of Paris I realize that I could indeed live here. I think Jodi could lead these city street people right out of the ninetieth century! Seriously, paint cross walks by hand, I wonder when we last did that in the states?

I decided to stop for a goodie at Paul. Paul was the patisserie I patronized when we brought the kids the first time. It was close, and looked nice. I later found our that it is a chain all over Paris, and beyond. My waitress was a short little lady, who has several years on me and a somewhat dour disposition towards me. I had a lovely rhubarbe tart , red fruits tea and a rest. I love listening to the background chatter in places like this. For a while the JUles Verne restaurant at he Eiffel tower had that sort of back ground chatter on their website, and sometimes when I got lonely for PAris I would just bring up that website. IT is gone now, though. Anyway, it was filling to sit there and get my belly full. I had to return to the apartment to rest up for the hHdden Kitchen - Paris!

We arrived first, and got to chat with Laura and Meg. We were greeted with Champagne with a lychee floating, which gave it a nice appearnce and flavor! I am not usually a fan of Lychees, but this was nice! There was a couple from Boston, A couple from Engalnd and a man from LA sitting near us, the only problem with this dinner, to my way of thinking, is that one does not get to know the folks at the other end of the table. The Amusee Bouche was fried sage leaf in a rosemary gratinata, the sage leaf alone was to die for!.. Followed by A beat and potatoe Carpaccio, linguini with romano and black pepper. Then came sort of a soup with a roasted sardine ( too bomy, the soup was fabulous, but the fish reminded me of the fish from yesterday - boney!), this was followed by a palate cleanser of a mint Julep. NExt came Rabbit deep fried over a spicy legume, after wich came caroline sloshing her water all over the table! Seriously the next course was beef cheeks and dessert was mandarin shotrcake, with mandarin ice cream, and finally petite fours. Appropriate wine with course and coffee with dessert, It was another fabulous experience, both with the food, and the people I got to meet tonight!

This morning Megan and I decided to have a separate day, until the hidden kitchen this evening, anyway. Breakfast for me was a croissant from my favorite patisserie, dragon fruit, cheese and meat with of course cafe au lait. After a discussion in class Yesterday about neighbor hood preferences I thought why not walk a couple of steps more every time when I really do prefer the people in the one on rue Rockett? This morning I put thought to action and took the extra few steps the the patisserie where the people smile and say bonjour like they mean it! The dragon fruit here is totally different from what I have seen at home, and much better; juicy, sweet and fucia in color. Probably what our creator meant for dragon fruit to be!

Getting off the St Michele metro at St. Andre des Arts feels like being home. I wandered down familiar streets to our favorite purse shop, Max. Once again I fell vicim to the need for a new purse. It was almost a financial disaster as there were two that I really liked! But I had trouble swallowing the price of one of them. Now I can't wait to get back to the apartment and get my stuff into it! I wandered on up rue Dauphine to rue de Buci and on toward St Suplice. To a store that makes my heart beat rapidly. La comptior de Famille is filled with lots of red, white and fruity kitchen ware. I think I could just live in the store! I have lived in my home for over 7 years and have looked to replace the utensil holder I have now, it is actually a wine bottle chiller and needs to be free to live it’s rightful life. I had seen a couple of utensil holders for my stove in May and not purchased either, another part of my mission was to get one and I did. Getting all this home will be an adventure!

Wandering and breathing in the smells, sounds and sights of Paris I realize that I could indeed live here. I think Jodi could lead these city street people right out of the ninetieth century! Seriously, paint cross walks by hand, I wonder when we last did that in the states?

I decided to stop for a goodie at Paul. Paul was the patisserie I patronized when we brought the kids the first time. It was close, and looked nice. I later found our that it is a chain all over Paris, and beyond. My waitress was a short little lady, who has several years on me and a somewhat dour disposition towards me. I had a lovely rhubarbe tart , red fruits tea and a rest. I love listening to the background chatter in places like this. For a while the JUles Verne restaurant at he Eiffel tower had that sort of back ground chatter on their website, and sometimes when I got lonely for PAris I would just bring up that website. IT is gone now, though. Anyway, it was filling to sit there and get my belly full. I had to return to the apartment to rest up for the hHdden Kitchen - Paris!

We arrived first, and got to chat with Laura and Meg. We were greeted with Champagne with a lychee floating, which gave it a nice appearnce and flavor! I am not usually a fan of Lychees, but this was nice! There was a couple from Boston, A couple from Engalnd and a man from LA sitting near us, the only problem with this dinner, to my way of thinking, is that one does not get to know the folks at the other end of the table. The Amusee Bouche was fried sage leaf in a rosemary gratinata, the sage leaf alone was to die for!.. Followed by A beat and potatoe Carpaccio, linguini with romano and black pepper. Then came sort of a soup with a roasted sardine ( too bomy, the soup was fabulous, but the fish reminded me of the fish from yesterday - boney!), this was followed by a palate cleanser of a mint Julep. NExt came Rabbit deep fried over a spicy legume, after wich came caroline sloshing her water all over the table! Seriously the next course was beef cheeks and dessert was mandarin shotrcake, with mandarin ice cream, and finally petite fours. Appropriate wine with course and coffee with dessert, It was another fabulous experience, both with the food, and the people I got to meet tonight!