12 June 2016

A mixed bag

This time of the year is always busy for us.
 Garden to keep tidy for our guests 
Especially this adorable 'Labradoodle'  from Holland.
 He was the star  staying in La Petite Maison
I found out he even takes his own selfies.

 Summer time is a must for market shopping.
always get there early, before the crowds appear.
I start off with the fruit stalls.

Then the Charentais melons, to take home and have for lunch
served with some jambon cru, and a crusty baguette.

There was even a stall selling Jambon from the Auvergne.

Local honey on a croissant for breakfast.


 A medley of tasty vegetables for lunch.

Traditional goodies to savour.

A lovely selection of rose shrubs.




Then I found a lovely stall with an English lady selling beautiful original things.
I loved these old cases & boxes she covers in decoupage.



 In the summer there's always an organ grinder playing music .


Time for a spot of people watching and a cup of coffee before leaving.


Easy all in one meals.
Then the joy of eating outside.
Followed by Strawberries from the Dordogne.( The best in France )

Family and friends popping in for aperitifs. 

All the things I love about summer.

How about you, what do you enjoy the most about summer ?

I'm looking forward to some long sunny summer days and evenings.
Spent outdoors.

à bientôt
Barbara Lilian

13 comments:

  1. Comment by email from a dear friend who I used to see when she came to stay in her holiday home near to our home. I miss her.

    What a lovely blog about summer and French Markets , you can almost smell all the lovely things.

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  2. Comment by email from a dear friend who I used to see when she came to stay in her holiday home near to our home. I miss her.

    What a lovely blog about summer and French Markets , you can almost smell all the lovely things.

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  3. What a lovely market Barbara..I like many of the same things in summer..gardening..markets..blue skies and warm breezes..some summer rain..and sunshine..children having fun:)

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  4. Hi Barbara. Your market looks wonderful with all the fresh produce and cheeses. I like your ideas for breakfast and lunch and aperitifs. So much more healthy than North America. Sadly, our produce is all imported until local becomes available (soon!) and is very very expensive. Prices have shot up the past month or so and eating healthy is often not an option. Hopefully local produce, and what we get from our vegetable garden, will help us eat more healthy this summer! Have a lovely week.
    Pam

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  5. Your market looks as wonderful as ours in Perros, the only difference is the quantity of seafood here and our music comes from the Breton bagpipes! Another of my favourite things is the festivals that seem to happen nearly every week in the holiday season, such fun to listen to live music and eat fresh mussels at long tables with everyone happy and enjoying themselves. Have a great summer and don't forget to take some time to relax!

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  6. Ahhh yes . . . a market I too would love visiting . . .
    The cooler days of summer find me outdoors keeping the flower gardens tidy . . .
    going for walks, bike rides, friends visiting and porch time relaxing with a good book.
    Fresh asparagus from the market is our early summer treat,
    And now we find more veggies, home made items, gorgeous flowering bouquets.
    Ah yes . . . the days of summer!

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  7. Owwww ...what a great place to be....France !!.....lovely summer Darling. Enjoy...love Ria x❤️

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  8. Barbara, what a charming market place. Just my kind of place. Those apricots look so delicious, and the jars of honey do as well. I love the decoupage suitcases. What a clever idea. Jess collects suitcases, she would love these. I can see why you stopped here to get a cup of coffee before leaving and just watched the world go by. What a delightful place this is.

    love, ~Sheri

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  9. Oh Barbara what a gorgeous market place. The fruit looks delicious. Loved those decoupaged suitcases. Looks like summer is being very good to you. I as well Love those summer evenings. Hubby and I often go out in our hill and watch the sun set. Have a great day. Hugs!

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  10. I loved the story of your black and cream mother-of-the-bride dress at your son's wedding. I actually saw a black and white dress and it looked nice but didn't think it would go well with her colors. I'm glad you had a good experience with the red dresses. I wanted something in blue tones, but like I said, there wasn't a whole lot out there. But I'm glad I found something. :) ~Sheri

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  11. Thnx for all these great photos. Makes my mouth water and reminds me I am hungry! I love the fresh fruits and veggies! Your guests are delighted I'm sure. What a wonderful outdoor market. Lucky you.

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  12. What a wonderful market. All these great photos make my mouth water. Your guests are delighted I am sure. Love all those fruits and veggies!

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  13. I love how you savor the pleasures of summer. Not like going to one of our mass produced super markets...but stopping to enjoy the sights and smells and sounds, and taking time for a cup of coffee and people watching...We do have nice outdoor farmer's markets in Maine. I will never forget the outdoor markets I visited in France: Lyon, Paris, St. Rémy, Ile su la sorgue...I wonder, do you cook all meals for your guests? You are multi-talented...

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