Transitioning

...from one holiday to the next always seems to move way too quickly for me. We took some lovely walks this past weekend with our out of town guests & saw a lot of  contrasting colors.

Although this pretty holly & the funny snowball of a plant below do look awfully Christmasy & I know there are quite a few people out there who are already decorating & getting ready for the next big holiday, 

 I am just not ready.

Maybe it is because in Charleston the leaves have only just started to turn into beautiful bright fall colors.

The golden Gingko tree above & the red Maple below are at their peek right now.

So it is hard for me not to want to fill my pockets with pretty autumn leaves to take home & enjoy.

I  still want to linger just a while longer in the glory of fall & thanksgiving.

But last weekends holiday flowers are starting to fade....

...while last years Christmas cactus is almost in full bloom.

So I guess I had better get with it & transition into the next holiday season right along with everyone else.

Sunflowers & Gratitude

I couldn't help but noticed that many of the holiday bouquets have sunflowers in them this  year, which of course reminds me of France.

The yellow fields of sunflowers are what I dream of most when I think of my summers in Southwest France.

My son is here now for Thanksgiving & I couldn't be happier. I am smiling like the bright faces of these sunny blossoms.

I would like to wish all of my American friends a very happy Thanksgiving.

May it be filled with loved ones & beautiful sunny bouquets !

Happy wishes too to everyone Dreaming of France because especially at this time of year, I feel so much gratitude for all of my beautiful memories.

A Drive In the Country

....around this neck of the woods can turn up some pretty interesting sights. 

You really never know what you might find.

 I enjoyed seeing this old barn with its collection of old signs

 ....and old cars.

I loved this house with the neat row of chairs on the front porch

...as well, as this old silo & gas pump.

Of course there are the grassy marshlands & stately snowy egrets to see...

And there are plenty of pretty country lanes to meander down too.

Yes, taking a drive in the country in the south can be a very pleasant afternoon adventure.

Blog Envy

Sometimes there is a blog that brings up a whole array of conflicting emotions. Feelings can rang from pure adoration, to envy & disbelief to sometimes down right disdain, as in

 "How can anyone be this perfect!?"

Those are just a few of my confused reactions to Mimi Thorisson"s  Manger.

It's not just that Mimi Thorisson 

is knock dead gorgeous or that she & her husband have found the perfect chåteaux to renovate in the Bordeaux region of France, it's not even all of her incredible recipes that I find myself envying.

Nor is it the fact that she is doing all of this, seemingly without a care, while raising five children & a whole plethora of dogs. She just had her fifth baby in May.

No, while all of these things are beyond admirable, it is that Manger is so well written & so beautifully photographed. Each post is like an enchanting story to be read & savored over & over.

The amazing, warm & earthy photos of Thorisson's Icelandic husband, Oddur, are what I love & envie most about this blog. It is through his photographic eye that this tail of French life at its most lovely is truly told.

Now there is a cookbook, My Kitchen In France, to fulfill all your dreams of Franc. It is out in stores this month. 

Whether you are just discovering Mimi Thorisson's Manger or you are an ardent fan, I am offering this little review to Paulita's Dreaming of France as my contribution to such dreams.

All Photos from Manger 

How do you lIke to go up in a swing

Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing 

ever a child adult can do.

On a recent trip to Atlanta's High Museum of Art I enjoyed the 

Mi Casa, Your Casa 

interactive exhibit created by Mexican designers Héctor Esrawe & Ignacio Cadena,

…where you could swing to your hearts content.

Wishing you all a playful weekend!

Ramdom

…photos

….because dreaming of France can be like that….

Check out Paulita's Dreaming of France to see other random thoughts on the subject.

Drawing Challenge: Under…

…wear…..or under dressing …or under layer….or under painting

It's whats underneath that counts. 

Find out what else is under… on Stefanie's blog.