Sweet Spring Rain

A little bit of rain, nothing serious! My sweet blonde belle's umbrella is more for the show of it! To sing her praises, I chose this extract from a17th century poem. It shows that femininity is very enduring!

"With solace and gladness,

Much mirth and no madness,

All good and no badness,

So joyously,

So maidenly,

So womanly,

Her demeaning

In every thing;

Far, far passing

That I can endite

Or suffice to write......." from To Mistress Margaret Hussey by J.Skelton

As French as....Eating Al Fresco

We all know where we first saw a pebbled courtyard with outdoor furniture and umbrellas attached to a good restaurant. It was in France! Now, all over the world we are fortunate as everyone has their favourite outdoor eatery. I have painted Cafe Felix at Riebeek Kasteel, a tiny artists town not far from home.

Of course, dining "out" at home can be such fun! We have an ocean breeze to cool us as we enjoy our light fare. This is the way I prepare the salad: cut up ripe room temperature tomatoes into a flat wide dish, salt them with freshly grated course salt, pour on olive oil and leave the dish for a while. This is the time to pick rocket, basil, fennel, broad-leaved parsley and lots of spring onions in the kitchen garden. Wash lightly, pat dry and break the leaves on top of the happily marinating tomatoes. Just before dishing up, toss thoroughly. Do not add avocado, nuts, fruit or anything else! I am a purist when it comes to this salad!

Is there an aroma of barbecued angel fish coming from the braai area? Super! Bring out an olive bread on a wooden board. Pour the wine! Bon Appetit!

Wearing a scarf with Flair

There is one thing about a Frenchwoman: she definitely knows how to wear a scarf! In my bedroom there are some hooks brim-full with the most beautiful scarves which friends and family brought me.

Every Frenchwoman throws a scarf over her clothes, they say, and you should do it too! Do these lovely gifts suit me? No! If I do try one on, no matter where I wear it, it will seem as if I have headache, neck-ache or toothache! It does not help that many of my forebears were French!

This French Belle was one of the first I painted. She was adopted by a small company that sells imported French fruit drinks. Unlike me, my Belle knows what style of scarf will go with her white sun dress and beads!

Reading on the Patio

Being French is all about being feminine, even when you sit alone under the wisteria, reading and relaxing. My belle is looking ageless with tied hair with a live flower in it.