Free at last! We are out of confinement (except for an 11 pm curfew–no problem for us!). In France, virus numbers are way down, vaccines are way up. In the US, even masks have gone away. So what are you doing to celebrate the new normal?
It’s been a long year and a half. For us, it's meant dealing with Covid and Long Covid. For many, it has been much worse. We feel fortunate to be getting back to normal. Tragically that’s not true for people in many other countries, and it may come back to bite all of us. But for now, carpe diem is the order of the day.
We are celebrating with the a trip to the Mediterranean, a trip we've canceled four times now, due to lockdown, illness etc. So here we are in paradise, counting our blessings.
How wonderful to see families with little kids playing joyously on the beach, unfettered by masks and pandemic worries. But the thing that has touched my soul the most here has been the flowers. Madly colorful and exuberant, there are walls and arbors and gates covered with them, in lush abundance. To me they are reminders that in life there is renewal, and beauty, that the dangerous air we've been trying not to breath can also be filled with perfume.
Do you cringe when people bring out a stack of their vacation photos? In that case, you should move on quickly. But, fellow francophiles, if you’d like a little French travel porn to perk you up, stick around for the show below. And please share what you are doing to emerge, like those slumbering cicadas, from your pandemic cocoon!
We are in the village of St. Jean on Cap Ferrat, near Nice:
In the COMMENTS: Frank, I absolutely loved your gardening story. Aryn, that's a good list to start, and perennials do well here, but camelias don't usually. The cold gets them. Virginia, hope you can get here soon, it's been too long. Peggy, you're the one with the beautiful garden these days. Francine, I know those flowers in Annecy, they are over the top!
Favorite Reads: Has everyone read Kristin Espinasse's latest book, The Lost Gardens? It's a memoir, written by Krisi and her husband Jean-Marc. Even if you've been reading her blog, French Word-A -Day, for years, the memoir is new and fresh and done in her inimitable style–and who knew Jean Marc was a beautiful writer too? Natalia recommends The Paris Apartment, by Kelly Bowen, about an apartment that holds its own secrets.
63 thoughts on “Things are Looking Up, Down South”
We are hoping for the South of France in October. We have put off so many travel schedules that I have lost track, but if things continue as they are this one looks good. We have talked about going if there are no restrictions and hopefully no test needed by that time to come or go. We had our jabs long ago and in ten days we are having our family Christmas party. If this travel works we will probably be in France for about a month making up for lost time. We will more than likely drive from Paris so a Beaune stop could be in order. We had also planned for another narrowboat adventure in England in September, but things in the UK look doubtful and may move that plan to the spring. In the meantime we will just watch the garden grow and if things continue as they are I will be freezing a lot of tomato sauce. Blueberries will be happening in another week.
We are hoping for the South of France in October. We have put off so many travel schedules that I have lost track, but if things continue as they are this one looks good. We have talked about going if there are no restrictions and hopefully no test needed by that time to come or go. We had our jabs long ago and in ten days we are having our family Christmas party. If this travel works we will probably be in France for about a month making up for lost time. We will more than likely drive from Paris so a Beaune stop could be in order. We had also planned for another narrowboat adventure in England in September, but things in the UK look doubtful and may move that plan to the spring. In the meantime we will just watch the garden grow and if things continue as they are I will be freezing a lot of tomato sauce. Blueberries will be happening in another week.
We are hoping for the South of France in October. We have put off so many travel schedules that I have lost track, but if things continue as they are this one looks good. We have talked about going if there are no restrictions and hopefully no test needed by that time to come or go. We had our jabs long ago and in ten days we are having our family Christmas party. If this travel works we will probably be in France for about a month making up for lost time. We will more than likely drive from Paris so a Beaune stop could be in order. We had also planned for another narrowboat adventure in England in September, but things in the UK look doubtful and may move that plan to the spring. In the meantime we will just watch the garden grow and if things continue as they are I will be freezing a lot of tomato sauce. Blueberries will be happening in another week.
Yes, confinement has been tough. And with restaurants closed since October reopening their interiors this week, it feels glorious. I feel grateful to have been ensconced in my quiet village of the western Languedoc with glorious views of the Pyrénées. There really couldn’t have been a better place to be during the lockdown with its tranquility and being relatively free of COVID. Like you, next month I will make my way east to visit my friend Jennifer in Nice for her birthday. We are going to do a road trip to Genoa, Milan, Lake Como, Lugano, Lake Maggiore and Torino before heading back to Nice. Then, at the end of July, God willing I will make my way to the US for my mother’s 96th birthday in Florida and to see my sister and her family in Atlanta. Freedom feels great! In the meantime I have making Cherry jam since they are in season. I have added a bit of lavender and yum!
Yes, confinement has been tough. And with restaurants closed since October reopening their interiors this week, it feels glorious. I feel grateful to have been ensconced in my quiet village of the western Languedoc with glorious views of the Pyrénées. There really couldn’t have been a better place to be during the lockdown with its tranquility and being relatively free of COVID. Like you, next month I will make my way east to visit my friend Jennifer in Nice for her birthday. We are going to do a road trip to Genoa, Milan, Lake Como, Lugano, Lake Maggiore and Torino before heading back to Nice. Then, at the end of July, God willing I will make my way to the US for my mother’s 96th birthday in Florida and to see my sister and her family in Atlanta. Freedom feels great! In the meantime I have making Cherry jam since they are in season. I have added a bit of lavender and yum!
Yes, confinement has been tough. And with restaurants closed since October reopening their interiors this week, it feels glorious. I feel grateful to have been ensconced in my quiet village of the western Languedoc with glorious views of the Pyrénées. There really couldn’t have been a better place to be during the lockdown with its tranquility and being relatively free of COVID. Like you, next month I will make my way east to visit my friend Jennifer in Nice for her birthday. We are going to do a road trip to Genoa, Milan, Lake Como, Lugano, Lake Maggiore and Torino before heading back to Nice. Then, at the end of July, God willing I will make my way to the US for my mother’s 96th birthday in Florida and to see my sister and her family in Atlanta. Freedom feels great! In the meantime I have making Cherry jam since they are in season. I have added a bit of lavender and yum!
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for the beautiful pictures! Just a guess, but I think the purple flower is an Allamanda. We are planning and hoping for a trip next Spring with our three granddaughters for their first trip to Europe…. London, Paris, Amsterdam. It is so wonderful to feel a bit of normalcy returning.
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for the beautiful pictures! Just a guess, but I think the purple flower is an Allamanda. We are planning and hoping for a trip next Spring with our three granddaughters for their first trip to Europe…. London, Paris, Amsterdam. It is so wonderful to feel a bit of normalcy returning.
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for the beautiful pictures! Just a guess, but I think the purple flower is an Allamanda. We are planning and hoping for a trip next Spring with our three granddaughters for their first trip to Europe…. London, Paris, Amsterdam. It is so wonderful to feel a bit of normalcy returning.
That flower could also be a Thunbergia battiscombei, not sure.
That flower could also be a Thunbergia battiscombei, not sure.
That flower could also be a Thunbergia battiscombei, not sure.
The purple vine might be a Solanum. Not sure but it looks similar!
It’s been 18 months since I’ve seen daughter who lives in U.K. It is hard. I have reservation to go next month but am going to cancel. The U.K. has such tight restrictions for us and don’t even want to see any vaccine certificates! Trying for September…… It’s been a long, long year.
The purple vine might be a Solanum. Not sure but it looks similar!
It’s been 18 months since I’ve seen daughter who lives in U.K. It is hard. I have reservation to go next month but am going to cancel. The U.K. has such tight restrictions for us and don’t even want to see any vaccine certificates! Trying for September…… It’s been a long, long year.
The purple vine might be a Solanum. Not sure but it looks similar!
It’s been 18 months since I’ve seen daughter who lives in U.K. It is hard. I have reservation to go next month but am going to cancel. The U.K. has such tight restrictions for us and don’t even want to see any vaccine certificates! Trying for September…… It’s been a long, long year.
Hi Lynn,
We’re coming to Provence in late July. Perhaps we can have a reunion. Great photos of a place that also offers us great memories. Hi to Ron.
Virginia and Casey
Hi Lynn,
We’re coming to Provence in late July. Perhaps we can have a reunion. Great photos of a place that also offers us great memories. Hi to Ron.
Virginia and Casey
Hi Lynn,
We’re coming to Provence in late July. Perhaps we can have a reunion. Great photos of a place that also offers us great memories. Hi to Ron.
Virginia and Casey
Bonjour à tous,
Thank you for the lovely photos; I live in Nice and still found myself drooling at nearby areas for which I’ve not been able to visit in a bit.
If you all are here next week, my Georgia Tech hubby and I will be en terrasse so join us for “un verre”!
Bonne fin de semaine à tous,
Ella
Bonjour à tous,
Thank you for the lovely photos; I live in Nice and still found myself drooling at nearby areas for which I’ve not been able to visit in a bit.
If you all are here next week, my Georgia Tech hubby and I will be en terrasse so join us for “un verre”!
Bonne fin de semaine à tous,
Ella
Bonjour à tous,
Thank you for the lovely photos; I live in Nice and still found myself drooling at nearby areas for which I’ve not been able to visit in a bit.
If you all are here next week, my Georgia Tech hubby and I will be en terrasse so join us for “un verre”!
Bonne fin de semaine à tous,
Ella
How beautiful–and so much more fun to look at than my father-in-law’s vacation slide shows! We will be spending a week in Montpellier in July, a reconnaissance trip preparing for our move next spring, and we can’t wait to see the sights. We visited Beaune on our first trip to France, in 1991, and look forward to seeing it again next year. We started traveling full-time last October, spending a month at a time in various places in the US, and we’ve loved the flowers (especially the roses) in Santa Rosa, CA and Portland, OR. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures!
How beautiful–and so much more fun to look at than my father-in-law’s vacation slide shows! We will be spending a week in Montpellier in July, a reconnaissance trip preparing for our move next spring, and we can’t wait to see the sights. We visited Beaune on our first trip to France, in 1991, and look forward to seeing it again next year. We started traveling full-time last October, spending a month at a time in various places in the US, and we’ve loved the flowers (especially the roses) in Santa Rosa, CA and Portland, OR. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures!
How beautiful–and so much more fun to look at than my father-in-law’s vacation slide shows! We will be spending a week in Montpellier in July, a reconnaissance trip preparing for our move next spring, and we can’t wait to see the sights. We visited Beaune on our first trip to France, in 1991, and look forward to seeing it again next year. We started traveling full-time last October, spending a month at a time in various places in the US, and we’ve loved the flowers (especially the roses) in Santa Rosa, CA and Portland, OR. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures!
Love the photos. They are so reminiscent of my visits to Nice and Monaco. I, too, have booked the same trip four times–to St. Lucia. Almost can’t believe the fourth time will be the charm.
Love the photos. They are so reminiscent of my visits to Nice and Monaco. I, too, have booked the same trip four times–to St. Lucia. Almost can’t believe the fourth time will be the charm.
Love the photos. They are so reminiscent of my visits to Nice and Monaco. I, too, have booked the same trip four times–to St. Lucia. Almost can’t believe the fourth time will be the charm.
Great pics of the flowers. In San Diego, there are tons also. I’m working on getting some in my garden! I remember fondly our visit to the mansion on the Cape Ferrat.
Great pics of the flowers. In San Diego, there are tons also. I’m working on getting some in my garden! I remember fondly our visit to the mansion on the Cape Ferrat.
Great pics of the flowers. In San Diego, there are tons also. I’m working on getting some in my garden! I remember fondly our visit to the mansion on the Cape Ferrat.
Hi Lynne,
Thank you so much for posting the photos! It is inspiring….I need to return to Scotland and France (which part???), to paint this Sept/Oct, but am so reluctant to even book a flight until it feels MORE normal! It’s so nice to see more normalcy there!
Hi Lynne,
Thank you so much for posting the photos! It is inspiring….I need to return to Scotland and France (which part???), to paint this Sept/Oct, but am so reluctant to even book a flight until it feels MORE normal! It’s so nice to see more normalcy there!
Hi Lynne,
Thank you so much for posting the photos! It is inspiring….I need to return to Scotland and France (which part???), to paint this Sept/Oct, but am so reluctant to even book a flight until it feels MORE normal! It’s so nice to see more normalcy there!
Wonderful photos Lynn! Our list of excisions from the mill is growing thanks to your glorious posts! The blue flower is a thunbergia laurifolia. Looking forward to lunch in Beaune with you 😊
Wonderful photos Lynn! Our list of excisions from the mill is growing thanks to your glorious posts! The blue flower is a thunbergia laurifolia. Looking forward to lunch in Beaune with you 😊
Wonderful photos Lynn! Our list of excisions from the mill is growing thanks to your glorious posts! The blue flower is a thunbergia laurifolia. Looking forward to lunch in Beaune with you 😊
bonjour Lynn,
J’espere aller a Annecy en septembre et octobre. Vos photos sont splendides. J’adore Villefranche! Avez vous visite Eze Village? Une beaute et la vue sur la Mediterranee est imprenable. Espere qu’on pourra se connecter en France a l’automne!
Desolee, cet ordi ne fait pas les accents! Zut alors!
Francine
bonjour Lynn,
J’espere aller a Annecy en septembre et octobre. Vos photos sont splendides. J’adore Villefranche! Avez vous visite Eze Village? Une beaute et la vue sur la Mediterranee est imprenable. Espere qu’on pourra se connecter en France a l’automne!
Desolee, cet ordi ne fait pas les accents! Zut alors!
Francine
bonjour Lynn,
J’espere aller a Annecy en septembre et octobre. Vos photos sont splendides. J’adore Villefranche! Avez vous visite Eze Village? Une beaute et la vue sur la Mediterranee est imprenable. Espere qu’on pourra se connecter en France a l’automne!
Desolee, cet ordi ne fait pas les accents! Zut alors!
Francine
Hi Lynn. Pictures are beautiful. Enjoy your travels. We will look forward to getting together in the states whenever you will be here. We traveled back to Michigan to see family and friends. Now back in Florida we are enjoying the company of people we haven’t been able to be with because of the pandemic. Just enjoying the beauty around us. We were in St. Petersburg last week remembering the fun we had together. Stay well. And, Happy Father’s Day to Ron.
Hi Lynn. Pictures are beautiful. Enjoy your travels. We will look forward to getting together in the states whenever you will be here. We traveled back to Michigan to see family and friends. Now back in Florida we are enjoying the company of people we haven’t been able to be with because of the pandemic. Just enjoying the beauty around us. We were in St. Petersburg last week remembering the fun we had together. Stay well. And, Happy Father’s Day to Ron.
Hi Lynn. Pictures are beautiful. Enjoy your travels. We will look forward to getting together in the states whenever you will be here. We traveled back to Michigan to see family and friends. Now back in Florida we are enjoying the company of people we haven’t been able to be with because of the pandemic. Just enjoying the beauty around us. We were in St. Petersburg last week remembering the fun we had together. Stay well. And, Happy Father’s Day to Ron.
HI Lynn,
You really captured the spirit of the area. They are all beautiful photos. That fisherman looks like he didn’t make the jump. Did he? Burgundy is not too bad now either so don’t fret about returning. I ‘ll send you some pics. See you soon!
Ellen
HI Lynn,
You really captured the spirit of the area. They are all beautiful photos. That fisherman looks like he didn’t make the jump. Did he? Burgundy is not too bad now either so don’t fret about returning. I ‘ll send you some pics. See you soon!
Ellen
HI Lynn,
You really captured the spirit of the area. They are all beautiful photos. That fisherman looks like he didn’t make the jump. Did he? Burgundy is not too bad now either so don’t fret about returning. I ‘ll send you some pics. See you soon!
Ellen
Lynn,thank you for these gorgeous pictures!
They absolutely make us happily embrace the end of confinement(at last!!)
Know you both are enjoying a long-awaited (and much deserved!) vacance!!
Thank you, too, for the tip about Kristi and Jean Marc Espinesse’s book,The Lost Gardens.I finished it and found it wonderful, entertaining, and (!) written from their hearts.
Many(many!) years ago, through her blog,it was Kristi who first introduced me to you and your always terrific SFF!
I have so fortunate to be part of such uplifting and always entertaining blogs– and most of all, the women who write them!!
Lynn,thank you for these gorgeous pictures!
They absolutely make us happily embrace the end of confinement(at last!!)
Know you both are enjoying a long-awaited (and much deserved!) vacance!!
Thank you, too, for the tip about Kristi and Jean Marc Espinesse’s book,The Lost Gardens.I finished it and found it wonderful, entertaining, and (!) written from their hearts.
Many(many!) years ago, through her blog,it was Kristi who first introduced me to you and your always terrific SFF!
I have so fortunate to be part of such uplifting and always entertaining blogs– and most of all, the women who write them!!
Lynn,thank you for these gorgeous pictures!
They absolutely make us happily embrace the end of confinement(at last!!)
Know you both are enjoying a long-awaited (and much deserved!) vacance!!
Thank you, too, for the tip about Kristi and Jean Marc Espinesse’s book,The Lost Gardens.I finished it and found it wonderful, entertaining, and (!) written from their hearts.
Many(many!) years ago, through her blog,it was Kristi who first introduced me to you and your always terrific SFF!
I have so fortunate to be part of such uplifting and always entertaining blogs– and most of all, the women who write them!!
All of these gorgeous photos are eye candy for my soul Lynn. All just breathtaking. Enjoy your fabulous trip.
All of these gorgeous photos are eye candy for my soul Lynn. All just breathtaking. Enjoy your fabulous trip.