Courtyard Vignette at Domaine de Manion

There are many vignette definitions, noun and verb, but for my writing here, a vignette is simply a grouping of objects. Interesting objects I might add. A vignette can be anywhere there is a special spot, on a table, a buffet, inside your home, or out in the garden. The beauty is you can create it with any number of objects, pieces, and things to make a person’s eye pause to catch the totality of the objects assembled.

Some things to think about when creating a vignette:

Is there something of interest or unusual? Like this French cart.

Is there symmetry and balance? Like the two pots of geranium, sweet peas, and mums.

Does color play into this? Like the delicate pink blooms of the geranium and verbena.

Is there simplicity here? Like a gathering of random potted pots.

Row of Confit Jars at Domaine de Manion

Now is a great time to create vignettes for the spring!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

A Great Moro Blood Orange Harvest

I absolutely love growing my food, and cooking from the garden. It gives me so much satisfaction, besides tasting so divine and eating seasonally. I still have a long way to go, or more I can do, but I am getting there.

Vineyards and citrus don’t really mix. I was taught that in my vineyard management classes. Citrus can carry a lot of pests that are pests for a vineyard as well. Consequently, to support the health of our backyard Syrah vineyard, I have planted only a few citrus trees. I do have a lemon and lime tree, and a few years ago, I planted a Moro Blood Orange. If you are going to have one orange tree, make it a special one.

The Moro Blood Orange tree is special, and the most popular of blood orange trees. It is a beautiful self-fertile ornamental orange tree that reaches 12’ to 15’ high when planted in the ground. Blood Orange trees need a warm temperate climate. They can be grown in containers in cooler climates, and moved indoors as the temperature drops. Once planted it takes 3 to 5 years to for the blood orange tree to bear it’s crimson fruit. This year is the first real harvest for me. It was worth the wait.

The fruit is spectacular in appearance—round, medium in size, and has a red tinge color skin. To me it tastes much sweeter than a regular orange, and maybe a bit more acidic. There are only 1 or 2 seeds to each orange, and the juice is a deep beautiful crimson color. When traveling in Italy, it is common to see Blood Orange juice served with breakfast.

Simple Moro Blood Orange Beauty

Eating a freshly harvested Moro Blood Orange is a treat by itself. However, the crimson flesh and juice lends itself to many types of dishes— baked goods, sauces, salads. In fact, where ever your creativity in the kitchen takes you. it reminds me of love, hearts, and Valentine’s Day. A perfect food for February.

Please share if you grow blood orange trees.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Winter Morning Sun over Domaine de Manion

Even though it is wintertime, and not much seems to be happening in the garden—there is. The garden may be somewhat dormant, but it is not. It is resting and storing up energy for the great burst of growth and flowering in spring, and the long growing season ahead.

Structure is prevalent in the garden, and the bones of the garden much more easily seen. Are there changes you would like to do in your garden moving forward, or are you happy with your garden as it is. Now is a good time to take a good, close look at your garden.

Pruning is really important in the winter garden, while plants and trees are dormant. I pruned all of my roses in one day. I went from one garden room to the next garden room, and powered it out. I tipped and lightly pruned some of my Crape Myrtle trees, and a few of my fruit trees.

Newly Planted Sweet Peas on Willow Obelisks

I have added more bare root climbing roses this winter, and bare root roses for my cutting garden. Now is the perfect time to plant roses, water well, and apply compost around them. Apply a dormant spray within a week of your pruning (check with your local nursery for exact recommendations). Your roses will do all the work, until they need a little rose food/fertilizer at Easter.

I added a Chocolate Persimmon fruit tree, and a dwarf climbing Mulberry vine to my berry room. I planted dwarf sweet peas in containers, and climbing mammoth sweet peas for my willow obelisks.

In the potager I have Swiss Chard doing well. I planted some gourmet lettuce, and soon it will be time to germinate heirloom tomato seeds and other heirloom vegetables.

Viburnum ‘Spring Bouquet’ Happy After Our Rains

Although the garden is dormant, there are many surprising plants blooming now in February at Domaine de Manion. Most of them have been planted for a while.

Arctosis (Many Varieties)

Cherokee Rose

Eleanor Roosevelt Iris (Intermediate Bearded Purple Iris)

Landscape Geraniums

Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’

Narcissus Bulbs (Many Varieties)

New Zealand Tea Tree

Rosemary (Many varieties)

Verbena

Viburnum ‘Spring Bouquet’ (Great for using in floral designs)

Domaine de Manion Vineyard Anxiously Waiting To Be Pruned

The winter rains have benefited our Syrah vines which are now approaching 17 years old. We have had to mow knee-high weeds, and cover crop between the rows already. Our date to prune each year is usually around Super Bowl time.

Last year we had a record high yield of 1400 pounds, which was unbelievable to us. It was an intense emergency Labor Day morning harvest, because of the intense end of summer heat. Every year is different, and every harvest, and every vintage different. We are hopeful this will be a great growing season, harvest, and vintage.

Even though it might be cool, overcast, sometimes damp, and even rainy, I urge you to get out in your garden now and observe. Make note of any changes you want to make, new plants to plant, or a list of things to do for spring. Your garden awaits you.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Prize Bull at National Western Stock Show, Denver, Colorado

Hello 2023!

Hello to you all! What I mean is, make this the year to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Do things that are different for you, out of your everyday. Experiences that push you to grow. Expand your horizon and create new interests. The very things you have put off for a while, do plan, take baby steps to begin, and do now. Start checking off your wish list, and turn your dreams into reality. The important thing is to act now, the rest will fall into place. It is never too late.

Some helpful suggestions to make your 2023 a spectacular year for you!

1) Heighten your awareness using all of your senses through your everyday. This leads to living in the present, which is such a gift in of itself.

2) Live your life with gratitude with all of the people who surround you, what you have, and the true abundance of this life.

3) Focus on those things in your life which give you joy, be it your grandchildren, your garden, your cooking, your creativity, your hobbies. True fulfillment and success comes from within, and not externally.

4) Eliminate from your life, those things, people, and circumstances that create stress and grief in your life.

5) Look a bull in the eye, and stretch yourself for growth, passion, and in turn self-confidence in all areas. You are unique, and you have one go around in this life. Take advantage of all that comes to you. Say “yes” more than “no.”

6) Keep a positive attitude, open mind, and a clarity about your life, so you can recognize it instantly, whatever it is. Sometimes life wears many coats, and maybe not exactly the one you were thinking of wearing.

7) Remember we are all connected, and we must be kind, gentle, and loving to all people, things, animals, and beauty that encompass the universe.

8) You can never give too much. Give, give, and give more. Giving uplifts you, and comes back to you in unimaginable abundance.

9) Smile, a smile is gold.

10) Focus always on what you want, not what you don’t want.

11) Set clear intentions for yourself, and review them regularly.

12) One of my dear friends shared with me this saying, “Wear Life Like a Loose Robe.” Ease up on life. Don’t fret, worry, agonize, over things. In the end, it all works out the way it is suppose to.

13) Believe in yourself, the life you create, and the life you have!

Related Post:

Bonjour January 2022 (The list is worth revisiting)

Embrace the Beauty of the Season

Thinking of all of you, thankful and grateful for the journey we have had together this year through the musings, recipes, places to know, garden, kitchen, workshops, culinary experiences, events, lifestyle tips, and above it all—the sharing.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season….Bonnie

After a break for the holidays, I will return in January 2023. Merci mille fois!

My French Country Home Subscription Box and Magazine

If you are a Francophile like me, chances are you have friends, and loved ones who are too. Here is a short list in no particular order, of online websites and shopping for great gift ideas from France that I follow, frequent, and recommend. A few are new to me, which I thought you might like too.

1) French General, owner Karri Meng, has a fabulous old-fashioned general mercantile of French fabrics, trimmings, craft kits, notions, and brocante finds. She also hosts “French General GetAways” each summer in the Toulouse, France area.

2) My French Country Home Gift Box, Boutique, and Magazine. Owner, Sharon Santoni does a magnificent job of promoting France, french products, French artisans, and more to Francophiles.

3) The Simply Luxurious Life, Shannon Ables has a terrific blog and podcast on cultivating the extraordinary in your everyday. Check out her Simply Luxurious Life Francophile Finds

4) Chateau Sonoma, I call owner, Sarah Anderson, the unofficial ambassador of Sonoma County. She promotes flower farmers, antique dealers, artisan farmers, artists, chefs, etc. with her French flea markets, events, music concerts, and Friday Cocktail Instagram hour. Chateau Sonoma is a retail shop on Sonoma Plaza in Sonoma, California, as well as a great website specializing in French antiques and gifts. Chateau Sonoma just celebrated 20 years!

5) Rabbit Hill Lifestyle, owner, Cat Bude lives with her family on a beautiful farm in Normandy, France. She offers a fun and lively pop-up shop for 24 hours usually the first or second Saturday of the month. She specializes in copper pieces, as well as brocante and lifestyle treasures. Worth checking out.

6) Vivi et Margot, named after her two daughters, Charlotte Reiss offers “A French Life To Live” with her online store for Traditional French housewares. She and her family live in Southwest France, and soon will be moving to Provence. She is fun to follow on Instagram at vivietmargot.

7) The Cook’s Atelier, Expats Mother/Daughter duo, Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini are based in Burgundy, France with their fabulous cooking school and culinary boutique. I have experience their kitchen and shop, which is a stunning. Online they offer many antique, kitchen, and culinary boutique items which are very special.

8) Elsie Green, Elsie Green is a small family run business out of Northern California. The team travels the world to find special pieces. One visit to their website, and you will be inspired.

9) Francaise Shop, A new shop for me to explore, that I have heard about in Coronado, California that specializes in modern French contemporary for the home, kitchen, and boutique clothing. It is on my list to visit, and it is local.

10) Le Panier Français, Also new to me, an online French marketplace out of Illinois specializing in imported French food items. A great online website to find special French foods and ingredients. It is fun to browse all of their items available.

Please share your favorite websites for Francophiles too. I always love to hear! Happy Shopping!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

An Autumn Sunset To Be Grateful For

“Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life” —Rumi

Pumpkins Basking in the Autumn Morning Sun

Quoting Author, Cook, Mimi Thorisson, “Every Season has something great about it.” She says “Autumn is reflection.” I agree with her. After the busyness of the year and excitement from summer, it is time to slow down before the coming holidays.

There is a profound shift happening. The weather cools. Our gardens take a rest. Days get shorter. Root vegetables come into season. The wonderful aromas of soups, stews, and gratins permeate our kitchens.

We can easily add autumn into our lives through color, ribbons, scents, mother nature, decorating, cooking, and celebrating. I have listed ten ways, but I could really list many, many more. It is my hope that maybe one or two that I mention will trigger your creative juices for your home this autumn.

1) Decorate with pumpkins, inside and outside your home. Pumpkins come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Create a tablescape, arrange little pumpkins under a glass cloche, or simply create a friendly arrangement of pumpkins as a welcome gesture at your front door. White pumpkins for fall, can carry on into the holidays. Gather branches, berries, rose hips, from your garden to further embellish your pumpkins.

2) Add a scented candle to your home such as Pumpkin Clove from Anthropologie.

3) Make Ina Garten’s Warm Fig and Arugula Salad from her Make It Ahead cookbook.

4) This is the season to add Fuyu persimmons, apples, pears, pomegranates, nuts, to your vinaigrette salads. Experiment with new recipes for squash soups, pumpkin desserts, and root vegetable gratins.

5) Buy bright orange marigold cut flowers at your favorite Farmers Market for your home. If you are really ambitious make a simple single marigold flower headband by threading together the center cut marigold heads with elastic string. Be bold and wear it to a dinner party.

6) Experience “Day of the Dead,” around the same time as Halloween. Where Halloween is about costumes, scary, and spooky, “Day of the Dead” is paying homage and respect celebrating the past life of loved ones with altars, face painting, and skeletons. Originated in Mexico, it is celebrated in Latin America and many countries around the world.

“Day of the Dead” Celebration at a Baja, Mexico Winery

7) Plan a trip or simply a hike to the great outdoors and experience the brisk air, autumn scents, crunching of leaves, and beautiful foliage colors.

8) Roast marshmallows and make s’mores over a fire pit with friends and family. Create a gourmet board of ingredients for your s’mores by using special chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, coconut, and cookies.

9) October starts the peak season for fresh mussels (moules) now to March. If your loved ones enjoy mussels, try Jane Webster ‘s recipe from her book, Château Life for Moules À La Normande. It is one of my favorite very “fall” ways to make mussels

Moules À La Normande

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 shallots diced

2 pounds mussels (moules)

1 cup apple cider

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp crème fracîche

1/2 bunch chives, coarsely chopped

1 baguette, sliced and grilled

Directions:

In a lidded cast-iron pot over high heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and sauté until soft. Add the mussels, pour in the cider, cover, cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the mussels open. Transfer the mussels to a serving bowl.

Cook the cider over medium heat for 5 minutes to reduce, remove from heat, than add the mustard, and crème fraîchte. Whisk into a sauce.

Pour the hot sauce over the mussels, sprinkle on the chives, and serve with the grilled baguette.

10) Use orange, wine, gold, tawny, and olive colors in your tablecloths, napkins, seasonal pillows, scarves, dishware, and more. Beautiful hues for a beautiful season.

A Warm Welcome Autumn Greeting

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie