Provence Lavender
Many have tried to define the magic of Provence, but it is not one single thing, it is many, many glorious things together.
“Provence is one of the great garden destinations of the world. It is a special place where the beauty of its natural landscape has magically mingled with civilizations for centuries, and the beauty keeps on radiating.” —Bonnie Jo Manion
Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie
Last Days of August at Domaine de Manion
“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” —Marcel Proust*
That is the way I feel about all of you! I love sharing ideas, recipes, philosophy, tips, travel, styling, in other words, a “Taste of French Country Living” to live by, no matter where you are. A few pillars of this life is simplicity, awareness of living in the present, and embracing everyday simple richness.
I hope you all had a marvelous summer, full of excitement and everything you like to do with family and friends!
Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie
*Marcel Proust was a French author, literary critic, and essayist who is considered by critics and writers to be one of the most influential authors of the 20th century. He was born July 10, 1871, and died on November 18, 1922.
Alexandra Stoddard’s Books In My Library
I actually thought about Alexandra Stoddard recently, and then I heard this delightful current interview podcast with her talking to Shannon Ables of the The Simply Luxurious Life, a lifestyle blog I regularly follow. No coincidence, life is full of surprises.
I have been a fan of Alexandra Stoddard for many years and have many, many of her 28 books. Her voice and philosophy on life is beautiful and uplifting. She reminds us to use all of our senses, every day, every present moment.
At 81, she is still writing, giving interviews, and presentations and lives in her beloved stone cottage in Stonington Village, Connecticut.
This special interview is over an hour in length, and a gift for you today. I invite you all to sit back, relax, and listen to this uplifiting podcast. It has prompted me to place Alexandra Stoddard’s Grace Notes nearby my bedside table once again, and start re-reading her books.
To listen to the following podcast, click on Reacquianting With Alexandra Stoddard, the original post on my website.
Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie
Intrigue Rose Brightens My Kitchen
“Less is more” is the message here. In my kitchen I have in a corner a marble lazy-susan on my kitchen counter. I keep different olive oils, salts, pepper, garlic, and more at handy reach. In a very simple antique vase I try and keep a favorite blooming cut rose in it.
It makes me happy. It is cheery. It is beautiful. It is often very fragrant. It speaks to me in many ways. it is a companion while cooking. It reminds me of my garden when i can’t be there. It gives me joy.
Try a simple cut rose in your kitchen, it will make you smile, and it smile back with so much more.
Simplicity is elegance. Never underestimate a single cut rose.
Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie
The Kitchen Garden at Allt-y-bela in Wales, Garden Design 2012 Magazine
From my post last week, Down The Garden Path, followers were asking me where I got my willow fencing. I thought it might be fun to revisit the original post from June 2021, and my original kitchen garden inspiration from photos and the Garden Design article. I hunted “high’ and “low” to find willow products, and finally found them at Master Garden Products in the Pacific Northwest. I actually called them as I had several questions and needed more information to make my order. Master Garden Products couldn’t have been more helpful and so friendly. I highly recommend the company and their products.
Now is a great time to get your gardens plans in place, make an order, and enjoy the beauty of willow!
Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie
The inspiration for my kitchen garden, or potager, came from a Garden Design, Winter 2012 magazine article, Simplicity Rules, on well-known garden designer, Arne Maynard’s rustic and historic late medieval farm, Allt-y-bella. Located in Wales, much of the rustic gardens and garden structure remind me of Provence. I envisioned borrowing a lot of the main elements featured in the article and photos, creating the look of a rustic kitchen garden. Some of these elements that caught my interest were the wattle hazel fencing, arching fruit trees with a centered bench, raised beds for vegetables, obelisks for climbing vegetables, easy pathways around the raised beds, and select spots for larger perennial plants like rhubarb and artichokes.
Allt-y-bela Kitchen Garden Pathway, Arching Fruit Trees, and Bench, Garden Design 2012
In 2015, I started creating a kitchen garden space to the north of our vineyard, with 4’ x 8’ raised bed kits. I looked high and low for hazel or willow wattle fencing for enclosing the kitchen garden similar to Allt-y-bella. I couldn’t find any source at the time. I needed about 75’ total. However, I happened to find a large amount of rolled willow fencing at Rogers Gardens at 50% off in an obscure sale corner. My intention for fencing the perimeter was to keep our chickens out of the kitchen garden as well as any random critters.
Up until 2020, my kitchen garden was good, and a work in progress. Over time, with sun exposure and high winter winds the willow fencing began to come apart and break down. This is common. I started looking for what I call wattle or willow fencing again.
My Kitchen Garden, June 2020
Last month I found willow fence panels online at Master Garden Products. They offer a nice selection and sizes of willow fencing, panels, borders, obelisks, etc. They are out of the Seattle area, and will freight orders to you. I purchased 6’ L x 3’ H woven panels for my entire perimeter, and used the same anchoring rebar and metal stakes that were already in place. I am really pleased with the look, and the material overall. I also purchased three obelisks for climbing beans. The willow panels are stronger and sturdier than the rolled fencing, but will eventually break down over time.
My Kitchen Garden, May 2021
Fine tuning the willow fence, I will put put larger rocks around the bottom of the fencing, to discourage critters from burrowing under the fence.
Starting an Outside Row of Perennial Artichokes
For more information and musing on how I create garden rooms from garden magazines, photos, and design ideas, please go to my previous post, The Making of a Garden Room.
French Fabulous! On Netflix, there is a new French subtitled drama series, Lupin. It is like a modern day “Houdini” Thriller series. Lots of twists and turns. Not only does it keep you on the edge, it is filmed mainly in beautiful Paris. Once you watch an episode or two, it draws you like a magnet. With two series completed, I see there is a third one coming.
Bon Appétit and Bon Weekend….Bonnie
Nasturtium Spilling Onto the Garden Path
The best path is your path. Follow your own garden path.
Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie
The Timeless Majestic Roman Pont du Gard
One day planning, and four days later hopping on a plane, my husband, John, and I were off to France in mid-March after nearly four years away. On a whim, and in the midst of the national French strike over pension, we traveled to South France and Paris in the off-season. It was one of our best trips to France yet, where everything seemed to flow effortlessly.
On a blustery day, edging towards sunset we stopped to take in the Pont du Gard once again. We had visited the aqueduct fourteen years ago on one of our first trips to Provence, on a much warmer spring day, approaching it from the other side of the river.
Taller than the Colosseum in Rome, the famed Roman aqueduct, Pont du Gard, in the Gard Department in South France always takes your breath away. Built over the Gardon River, and designed to transport water to the Roman city of Nimes 30 kilometres away, it has remained timeless.
I could go on and on about how incredible an engineering feat it was 2,000 years ago; that it is estimated that it took 800-1,000 workers to construct it over three years; that there was no mortar used amongst the stones; and that it has actually three distinct levels.
It is such a place of reverence and respect. So well preserved. So discreetly tucked away, and one with the landscape. So beautiful, words can hardly describe it. To further heighten the moment, we were nearly the only ones there, just us with our thoughts.
Seeing the Pont du Gard, I felt I was actually seeing time, not experiencing, but actually seeing time. It has such an ethereal aura about it, one can’t help but think of time in many different ways. Why is that 20 years can seem like a blink of an eye, your little nephew is now an adult approaching 30, or you don’t know how you can possibly know a special friend for over 50 years. Yet, in other situations, time seems to stop or become frozen, and you don’t know why. It is our perception of time in relation to our lives.
What also immediately came to me—I was literally seeing time before me, a span of my life in years, a gift, and the sturdy foundation was my values, unshakable and steadfast, always grounding me in life, and keeping me on course to follow my dreams and desires. Gazing at the Pont du Gard, it was an homage to a life well-lived, including the ups and downs, and much more to look forward to.
Past Related Post:
Provence: Roman Marvels Endure
Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie
New Antique Mall Opening Soon
From time to time I write about “Places to Know” around San Diego County which are special and of interest. For those who live in the San Diego area, I discovered recently that a new antique mall is opening in April 2023 in Encinitas and I wanted to share this with you. For those of you who mourned the closing of the Tuesday Morning store, Encinitas location, the silver lining is that Antique Mall is opening in that exact location.
I don’t have a lot of information to share with you, other than it is another business and retail location for the owners of Consignment Classics and Consignment Classics Decor in the same retail mall (also the same retail mall where LA Fitness in Encinitas is located). Consignment Classics has two other locations in San Diego and the Sports Arena area. Judging by the success and the type of inventory offered, this antique mall too, should be a great success.
If by chance, any of you are interested in renting a space at this antique mall, please contact, Frank and Ruth Ann, with information about what you would be selling at the Antique Mall, along with your phone number and email address. Consignment Classics in Encinitas is located at 201-D South El Camino Real, Encinitas, California 92024, (tel) (760) 635-0730.
I have gotten many a reasonably priced treasure, for my home and garden at Consignment Classics. Inventory turns over quickly, so if you like something, buy it. On the other hand, if a piece has been on the floor for a certain time, it might be eligible for a 20% mark down.
The thrill of the hunt lives on!
Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie