First and last days

This is our first day with the swans that shared our breakfast, and the last morning at Lutzelberg, before we started the return journey.

Field of Flowers

It was a perfect summer's day ! We rode to Xouaxange about 20 minutes away from the canal, and found this Elvira Madiganesque files of wild flowers - Queen Anne's Lace, cornflowers, erigynon... heaven couldn't be better !

A great part of the pleasure was being totally unaware of any Dangerous Critters that might lurk in the long grass. I would never have done this at home in Australia - far too many snakes.

I was really intrigued by the strange (read: very un-French) names of some of the towns in this area: Gonrexange, Xouaxange etc. Haven't been able to find out their provenance as yet.

Holiday Snaps: The Canal Boat

We're just putting the photos from our holiday into an album, and enjoying the memories...

In France, we hired a DIY boat on the Marne to Rhine Canal for 4 days. We (the two of us) started our voyage at Lavarde, in the Lorraine, went east to Lutzelburg, then returned.

We could cook, sleep and shower on board, and we could moor anywhere that took our fancy. We also hired bikes so that we could ride inland to forage for food. The bikes proved to be vital, because it was August, and most of the shops in the little villages were closed for the summer holidays. We discovered this on our first morning, when we walked 2km to find a 'boulangerie'. It was closed ! Went back to the boat to pick up the bikes and ride 2 km in the other direction to the next village. This boulangerie was also closed !

Fortunately, we spotted a travelling food sales van and virtually threw ourselves under the wheels to stop her driving off. We had worked up quite an appetite at this stage, and bought up big ! We took our croissants, 'dejeunette' and cheese to a lake that we had passed en route and sat in the glorious sunshine, counting our lucky stars, and the lucky swans who insisted on sharing our breakfast. And that was the first morning !

The Apple Orchard

I pass this house on my way to work in the mornings. I've always been intrigued by the little mounds in the 'lawn', and by the fact that they have planted a veritable apple orchard, and not much else, in the front garden in a very residential area.

This week, it looks absolutely gorgeous because all the trees are in full blossom, and there were some bright tangerine coloured flags - I think they're called 'Balinese flags' - flapping in the wind.

Completing the scene is a small flock of wooden ducks. Such an eclectic mix ! I wonder who lives there ?

Kate's Window

Last week, I was approached by a woman studying Visual Merchandising, who asked if she could design and install a window display, which would then form part of her assessment, in the shop. I was wildly excited at this prospect, as it is hard to find inspiration - or rather, hard to find the time to MAKE the inspirations - week after week.

She came up with 4 designs, but we both preferred the one that had been inspired by a huge basket that I have.

She covered 4 polystyrene balls with silvery soft Cineraria "Dusty Miller ' leaves (would have taken her all day !), climbed death-defyingly up ladder to hang them, and then together we filled the basket with yellow iris, concealing the container within with moss and with olive branches which I had trimmed from my tree last weekend.

Looks pretty good ! I was most pleased that it was in keeping with the Calypso Flowers style, yet it was something that I would never have had the time to do. Thanks, Kate !!

Weekend at Daylesford

Journal entry - June 6
We arrived at the house in Daylesford in time to have a cup of tea before heading off to Hepburn Spa, for a spa and massage. I chose a ginger, lime and geranium blend, hoping it would help my sore throat. I lay in the bath listening to the soothing sound of rain on the tin roof.

Ann had made a tart from the 5 Crown apples growing on the tree outside the bedroom window, and Yves had made an entree from the mushrooms growing in the front garden. I made a mental note to start work on a vegetable garden during the coming weeks, so that it would be ready for a spring planting. The table was decorated with candelabra wound round with some ornamental grape vine, with just a few crimson-coloured leaves tightly holding on.

I just loved those fragile little nerines growing on the side of the garden path. I must get some for the shop when I return.

How wonderful to be able to enjoy the fruits of nature so simply, and in so many ways.

Celebrate the seasons !

We're well into autumn now. The shop is filled with flowers the colour of terracotta, blood-orange and rich red burgundy. My favourites are big, chunky, brick red LA lilies, which combine beautifully with orange parrot tulips.

On Saturday, we created the flowers for Laura's wedding. I covered two big pots with dried lotus leaves, then filled them with big, fragrant Casablanca lilies, lime-green Bells of Ireleland and white, white freesias.