This past weekend was a landscaping weekend. El Guapo finished the last of the hardscaping last weekend when he added one more retaining wall at the top of the yard near the shed. You can just see it in this photo.

I love all the changes we have made to our yard over the past 3 years. But, the time has come to add plants. Admittedly, we have several already, but not nearly enough!

The potted standard rose was the most recent addition - until this weekend, that is.

After a spendy trip to Fry's Road Nursery in Albany, 20 shiny new plants to tuck into special spots. Unfortunately, El Guapo and I have some differing ideas about gardening. He likes to think that when he sticks 5 plants in a row in the ground, 3 years later there should still be just those 5 plants still precisely lined up. I tend toward the opinion that you should stick plants in the ground in various places and see what happens. Thus the violets overrunning the front yard and the Forget-Me-Nots overrunning the side yard fill me with glee and El Guapo with horror.

This is a picture from Chanaz, France. A BeaUtiFul place and something I would love to emulate at our house!

Patchwork Cushion

Isn't it interesting how a project can be driven by materials on hand? I have been following Posie's blog http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2009/06/grilled-shrimp-patches-and-a-book.htmland was dying to try her technique for patchwork cushions. I crocheted one of the cushions for the adirondack chairs out back and decided that patchwork was what I wanted for the other one. In my mind, I pictured something very similar to Posy's. But when I went through my stash and scraps, this is what I came up with. Now, don't get me wrong - it turned out beautifully (Posie's technique makes for the slickest piecework ever). But . . . it isn't right for the look I am striving for out back. I guess there is nothing for it, but to try again!

Here is a view of Abbaye de Hautecombe on Lac du Bourget. It is a beautiful spot on a lovely lake.

To France and Back Again

. . . And yes, every bit of it was this pretty. We took somewhere around 600 pictures in two weeks between the four of us. I will try to share some of the best photos with you over the next few weeks. We keep being asked what our favorite part was and I guess I have to say the Alps, just because they are so awesome. But, I do love history and so the Roman and Medieval Ruins were right at the top for me.

Ripple was terribly happy when we came home!

Next on the agenda - more crochet, some sewing . . . and I am determined to find that particular blue that is used on all the shutters, etc. in Provence and paint something out in the garden with it! Also, many of our photos were of gardens - stay tuned as we make transform our own humble back yard into a French Cottage Garden.

Au Revoir!

So . . . the day has finally arrived! We leave for the airport tonight and then . . . off to France!!!! First stop - the French and Italian Alps. Next, Provence and the Mediterranean. Could it get any better? All this Frenchiness will be in company with our delightful French exchange student from last August - we couldn't have found a nicer friend! I made the above cards for her and her mum - an assortment of photos I took of the Eiffel Tower in 2007 and some photos I took of the poenys in my flower bed. I had a great time antiquing and generally messing with the photos and then turned them into blank notecards. I know, taking notecards of the Eiffel Tower to France is, as they say, 'taking coals to Newcastle.' But, whatever. The Eiffel Tower is just about my favorite place on earth.

So, I'm off. Back in two weeks with lots of photos to share.