Two Years

Two years ago last week, we came to Paris for our 'look see'. To look for a house to rent and to see what the school we had chosen and the new life we had committed to from the other side of the world would be like. We ended up choosing the very first house we were shown, although not before viewing quite a few more in ever decreasing states of repair! I wish I could say that I remember this rhododendron bush from that first visit. It must have been in full bloom, but I do know that we would have passed it as soon as we walked through the gates to explore this house's amazing garden.


This year it was at its most spectacular as we hosted a farewell party for three of the closest friends we have made in the past two years. The high price we pay for this expat life that we are so fortunate to live is the sad goodbyes we have to say every year as families are relocated somewhere else in the world.


I have found it much harder to deal with the farewells this year, partly I think, because after two years we have got to know the people who are leaving so much better and also because as each of the friends we are close to moves onto different and far flung parts of the world, I am realizing that it could be a very long time before we are able to see them all again in person. I am learning from experience, that it is even hard to keep in contact through emails and phone calls with all the friends we have around the world, so that is why I am so happy that two years ago I also started this blog. It is a way for me to remember the wonderful experiences we have had as well as sharing bits of our lives with everyone we know. Together with Instagram (you can follow me @growingberries) and Facebook there is a chance I will be able to keep all these wonderful people in my life.


We were originally moved to France for just two years, but I am pleased to say that we are now staying on for another year. We're not ready to go. We still haven't hung all our pictures, some of our belongings haven't made it out of the moving boxes and there is still so much to see and do in Paris. Not to mention Keith's work which of course is what really keeps us here, not luck or my desire to stay put. I've decided to start taking more photographs of this house I love so that when we finally do have to leave I will have created a portrait of it. So, from now on, every week or so I will share a little detail. Remind me if I forget!

Dutch sleepover

Last weekend we all piled in the car, Alfie included, and set off on a road trip. Five hours later and a quick pit stop in Belgium we arrived at our friends' new house in Holland. These friends were our Paris BFFs last year. Pen pals before we moved and mentors once we arrived. They made the transition so much easier for us and the whole family got on so well - even the dogs! We miss them so much now that they have left Paris so we took the first opportunity we could find to go and visit them despite the fact that Keith didn't arrive back from a business trip in Australia until Saturday morning and we would have to be back in time for school on Sunday night! It was a long way to go for a sleepover but we certainly made the most of our 24 hours in Holland.


As soon as we walked through the door our hosts insisted that we had to go for a bike ride. When in Holland...


This was Florence's first ever time on a bike (and my first for a while I must confess!). After a nervous and frankly bemused start she loved it. In her words it was 'wow!'

Side note: Florence's seat was by far the most conventional device we saw for transporting little ones on bikes. There was no end to the ingenious contraptions the Dutch families were using to get their kids around, but the best we saw was an infant car seat attached (presumably securely) to the back of one mother's bike!
 
This is what we saw on our twenty minute ride from our friends' front door and back:


'Juice and moos' otherwise known as canals and cows.


Clever cows!


Enormous bunnies.


Lots of sheep.


And horses. All living in the prettiest lush green surroundings. The lanes (which are open to cars!) reminded me a lot of my native Jersey and I was so happy to have been persuaded to explore them that way.


The next morning we were up early to fit in another must do Dutch experience. A boat trip along the canals of Leiden.


This unexpected treat was the cause of much excitement for all the girls. Although I grew up a sailor's daughter my children haven't had much exposure to boats yet!


The adults spent the journey planning our next move. There were so many pretty houses to choose from. Perhaps this one?


Or what about a farm on the water's edge?




Everyone had a turn at the tiller.


And after an hour meandering we arrived in Leiden.


Such a pretty town and exactly as I had imagined Holland to look. We moored the boat and ate our picnic. Then stepped ashore for coffee and cake.


Boats and bikes and bridges everywhere.


By the end of our trip we had seen traditional Dutch architecture, spotted a few windmills, ridden a bike and sailed on the canals. We checked a lot of boxes but we still have to go back for the tulips. I can't wait!

Farm Fresh to You

We have just a couple of days left in California before we return to France. When we first arrived, with four weeks stretching ahead of us it seemed like we had so much time and I expected we would fill much of it doing some of the touristy things we never got around to whilst living here, like visiting Alcatraz or walking across the Golden Gate Bridge in its 75th anniversary year. The four weeks have flown by though and those activities will have to stay on our bucket list as we chose to spend our time staying local, near friends and our favourite swimming pool, a ballet camp for India and a quilting camp for Georgia and more sleepovers for the big girls than we can count!

Last weekend though, we did fulfill a long held desire to attend the Capay Tomato Festival, hosted by the farm, Capay Organic, that used to deliver us our weekly box of organic vegetables. We started getting the box about four years ago and it completely changed the way we ate. I already loved cooking at home, but starting our menu planning with the vegetables we had available rather than the meat seemed to be a much healthier approach and never quite knowing which seasonal vegetables were going to turn up in our box really got the whole family trying new foods on a weekly basis.

We had attended lots of open days at the farm in every season whilst we lived here, but the heirloom tomato festival in the summer never seemed to fall at a good time for us. This year though we finally made it with our good friends who share our love for the contents of those boxes.


The farm is about an hour and a half's drive north of San Francisco and in such a pretty location. Tractor rides took visitors around the fields, filled at this time of year with summer squash and asparagus.


There were plenty of activities for the little ones. Arts and crafts, hula hoops, herb salt making and Florence's favourite...


...bubbles!


The main event though was the Heirloom Tomato Tasting.

Not only did the family who run Capay Organic pioneer organic farming in the region, farmer's markets and fresh produce delivery, they also reintroduced heirloom tomatoes to the market. Here's how...




What a great story!


Now, although those organic boxes have got my kids eating carrots, pistachios, spinach and even kale, India, Georgia and Savannah still maintain that they hate tomatoes and cannot usually be persuaded to eat them. I think they may have been converted though after this weekend. All three girls tried and liked the huge variety of tomatoes on offer.


Georgia sporting some Bastille Day fireworks!


Someone who doesn't need any persuading to eat a tomato though is Florence. She adores them and she was in tomato tasting heaven here.





The party continued with live music.


Just a few more tomatoes.


And dancing.


A wonderful day out in the fresh air with good food, great company and more tomatoes than you can eat.

Miam! Miam!

Burning the candle at both ends

It's been quiet around the blog this last week, but not at home. I have been busy on another creative endeavour designing and compiling a yearbook for India's fifth grade who will 'graduate' to Middle School at the end of this week! Not since I was in college have I had to work so hard to meet a deadline. I have seen the wrong side of midnight more often that I care to count, Florence has learnt a lot about independent play and that laundry, it's another unwashed mountain!

I could have probably completed the task in a more relaxed manner if it wasn't for the fact that, just like at university, I have been putting off work to go out. The round of farewell to ex-pats events continues with a big one on everyone's bucket list having been crossed off on Saturday. High Tea at the Ritz Paris with nine of my favourite ladies. This was a huge treat for all of us, inspired once again by the lovely Véronique and her post about the world famous hotel in which she mentioned that it would be closing for renovations this summer for two whole years! This was the last chance for all of us, moving or not! Somehow, despite husbands away on business trips, imminent arrival of moving crews and end of year dance recitals everyone managed to get away for the afternoon and a fabulous time was had by all. The setting was gorgeous, the food was delicious and all was going well until one of our party spotted a mouse running along the skirting board! Never mind, we kept calm, drank our consolation bottle of champagne, and carried on! Another special Paris memory and hopefully les souris will find a new home during the renovations!


P.S. Don't forget there's still time to enter my Blogiversary Giveaway. You have until the end of the week.

Celebrating

We took a cruise on the Seine last night, partying again with all those American friends who are about to leave Paris.


It was such a fun night that we needed a quiet day in front of the TV today! Perfect for taking in some more river action - the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the Thames. Sadly the Queen wasn't as lucky with the weather as we were, but it was still an amazing event. My favourite part - church bells being rung from a barge sailing down the river!


It was also Fête des Mères (Mother's Day) in France today. We are totally confused as to when to celebrate Mother's Day as British Mothering Sunday is on the fourth Sunday in Lent, America (and most of the rest of the world) celebrate on the second Sunday in May and France marks the day on the last Sunday in May - except when Pentecost falls on that day which it did this year, then it's moved to the first Sunday in June. Phew! Suffice to say we kind of missed them all but this lovely felt hoop was a sort of present to myself made by the talented Melissa Crowe one of my favourite Etsy sellers. It arrived all the way from Portland, Maine this week and I love it!

So this weekend, I was proud to be British, honoured to be adopted by America and loving living in France!

If this was your special day, I hope it was a good one!

This Moment. Partager

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Joining in with Amanda and friends at SouleMama

At 6 o'clock last night the grey skies cleared and the sun shone down on us
as we set out on our way to a picnic that lasted until midnight.
A wonderful evening shared with so many friends for life
who we hadn't even met this time last year.