As the Rosemary Blooms

Emerson is ELEVEN!!

Can you believe it??  If not, that's okay -- I'm April Foolin' y'all.  He will be NINE tomorrow, but had his birthday party yesterday with four boys (Thomas, Matthieu, Saleem, and Remy) and one girl (Claire - who reminds me of a miniature Calamity Jane, language and all).

Celeste graciously offered to decorate the cake this time - the theme was "monster".  

I had toyed with the idea of hair clippings and wild boar tusks, but Em downvoted that concept.  

Celeste just finished reading The Hunger Games (in French) and Loved it.

...and here she is planting strawberries in the strawberry patch!  Yum!  Can't wait!

Final view of my favorite place to hang out these days.  

Where's Hugo, you ask?  Gee, must be dodging the camera... too bad, he's got a new haircut which looks fantastic, and everyone says he's getting taller and stronger each day.  

Next post I will feature that handsome young man.  

Happy April!  and kisses from Pertuis!

"Veni, Vidi, Dormivi" (I came, I saw, I slept)

Ah, Rome.  What images sift to the forefront at that word?  Ancient ruins, chaotic streets full of Vespas, roma tomatoes?  Acres of cobblestones, tightly-clad women speaking that beautiful language into their cell phones, men in dark business suits speaking with their hands, the slowly flowing Tiber, the exquisite design seen in the shop windows, the smells of garlicky sauces?  

Old things everywhere you look.

You can't help but feel a bit young next to all the ancient backdrops.

(and I must admit, the art isn't bad for the body image as well..)

(forgive me; so hard to choose which photos to post)

My favorite moments:  strolling through the streets and figuring out how to cross those busy roads.  Crosswalks are based on confidence and peripheral vision, with a smattering of good luck. 

Also, seeing the Sistine Chapel.  Walking through the Vatican, it was almost a "Mona Lisa" experience:  everyone herded along with one goal in mind - to see the famous Michelango touching fingers.  When we arrived, finally, at the chapel entrance (us and a tour of 500 or so), the guard dramatically closed the doors, saying something in Italian to the affect of "Go away, you are too late, we are closed!" to our dismayed faces.  And then, just as dramatically, opening the doors again to the affect of "jk, lol".  

The art was astounding.  

The pantheon dome.  Didn't know that the romans invented cement.  Their brilliance is awe-inspiring.  Why do none of their bathrooms work??

And then, these guys.  Better have comfortable shoes.  I saw Italian women in their clicky-clack high heels and tried to figure out how they navigated the stones.  Genetic, I imagine.

So, of course, on the narrow streets and limited parking, Vespas are King.  But also saw small, vintage Fiats...

... and tiny trucks...

...and even tinier cars...

wth??

Lots of laughs, and not tooo much crabbiness when we got lost.  Which we did, but not as badly as in Venice.  

Roma.  Amor.  

Grazie.  Prego.  Arrivederci.

Bee Boxes and Deck Update

This past week we employed the kids to help construct these bee boxes (approx 300) and between the five of us, wood glue, a staple gun (my nemesis) and a hanging drill, we accomplished our mission.  

And with this beautiful weather, we spent some time gardening - and Patrick made these planters to finish the edge of the deck.  Lovely.  There will be a step between them, where I imagine we'll someday sip a rosé together at dusk.

In front of the salon window doors, we've planted grass (with red poppies) which is slowly sprouting a green blush.

Skipperdoo!  Southside is looking good.  Now, to finish that chicken house and get the vegetable garden going.  

Love from Pertuis!

The Return of Tringali

Remember back in 2009 when Tringali came with his crew to pour the cement floors in the house?

Well, look who's back working his magic on our miellerie and studio floors!  He called last Monday saying they could come on Tuesday and Wednesday and do the two rooms.  

These future work spaces are coming together much faster than we'd anticipated.  Patrick hopes to put up insulation/sheetrock later this week.

Tringali will come back in a week to sand the floors, and then we will cover them with varnish.  

We might paint a design on the studio floors, copy a vintage tile design.  More images soon!  

love from Pertuis!

Windows and Doors

Our latest expense:  the aluminum doors and windows for the miellerie and studio.  

The miellerie is ready now for some serious work (electrician and cement floor guy come soon) so Patrick can do some serious work.  (view below)

...and the art studio / honey work / guest suite is closer to becoming ready for creativity, productivity, and guest activity.

Most of you will see this soon enough, so consider this a preview. 

Looks great, really frames the beauty of the woodsy views.  

more soon, Kisses from Pertuis!

 

Snow Deck

Patrick and Fransisco worked together for two days and put up this lovely deck, finally depleting a stack of boards from Ardeche, and giving us a perfect stage for meals, razor scooters, modern dance... oh, the list goes on.  

Patrick will build planters on the far end with a couple of steps, and the deck will be wheelchair accessible from the parking cove.  Eventually we will build an attached lower deck which follows the house away from the road.

Now, if this glacial, Siberian cold front would just let up for five minutes we'd be able to enjoy it instead of simply gazing at it from inside.  Already, since I've shot this view it is covered in snow.  

Could I make an ice-skating rink? 

Well, we look forward to sipping rosé and nibbling on delicious meals with you on this very deck.  

C'mon over!

On another note, poor Jacky was hit by a car on Wednesday night as she was returning from one of her evening strolls with her new black lab boyfriend.  Poor girl.  She got stitches, but is already eager to go play outside.  We'll need to keep her mostly indoors for awhile until her stitches come out, and then she'll get a new zappy collar for her birthday.  No more running free on the road!  

Wish I could send you this snow!  

Kisses from Pertuis!

Brothers in Bunks

As promised, the completed boys' rooms...

Patrick did a great job making these beds, re-using some of the wood from Hugo's original bunk at l'Agnel, the rest of the wood coming from Ardeche.  

Their rooms aren't finished, but they look a lot better.

kisses from Pertuis!

It Snew!

It has snown last night!  

OK, just kidding about the incorrect usage of past simple and present perfect.  

English teacher humor. 

Just a few images to show off our exciting weather, and the beginning of the deck construction. 

The beams are 3m60, and other beams will extend another 1m90.  

Although nothing and nobody is moving nor working today.  

Today is a SNOW DAY, a rare occurance in Provence, thereby treated as a true gift. 

Love from Pertuis!

Outdoor Update

The woodworker comes in for coffee.

The winter is when we can accomplish projects around the house, since the beekeeping season 

(March - October) has the beekeeper much too beesy.  This winter has me smiling non-stop: first the entry wall, the kitchen wall, the boys' bunkbeds, the yardwork with the gardener, and now we see the beginnings of the deck.  Wow.  

The deck will measure 5.5 meters by about 7 meters, and will be one step lower than the kitchen doors.  Eventually, we'll add another lower, angled step extending further south, and likely another lower deck extending west (this side/lower edge of photo).  

The wood has been stacked for over a year, coming from Ardeche like all the other wood. 

A few more trees have had to come down, and the gardener got rid of low, dead branches.  

Can you see a difference?

You'll also see black hose visible here and there; last week the gardener (Francisco) and Patrick worked on the watering system so things we've planted will thrive. 

We've planted several piracanthas, eleagnus, lauriers tins, photinia, berberis, and a few others.

Not easy finding things that are indigenous and grow well in a pine tree's shade.  These plants will eventually act as privacy barriers, too. 

And of course, the two olive trees are in the earth!  With such a warm winter we haven't had to cover them yet, although that could change next week when temps are threatening to drop to .... below zero!  gasp

Hmm, I'll need to add some Miracle-Grow to the water?  

On the agenda for tomorrow: rooms cleaned upstairs!  I'll add a couple of photos of the famous bunkbeds. 

love from Pertuis,

Liz

Seventeen years ago

...we went before the judge and tied the knot.  

And as is tradition, we find ourselves at our favorite restaurant "La Lune Bleue Chez Nous" sipping champagne served by sommelier Hugo, and eating delicacies prepared by chef Celeste and served by maitre Emerson. 

So romantic!  

Happy holiday wishes to all of you, from us five, with much love.

You are formally invited..

... to play marbles with Emerson

(I think if I were this age, I'd collect marbles too.)

Hope to see you soon.  Kisses from Pertuis!