I can be a bit cynical. Oui, moi. But love at first sight does exist. It's the love you feel the first time you hold your child. Actually, this may be the purest form of love. I felt it twice. And I have now fallen totally in love with my beautiful granddaughter. Yes, I am …
Category: baking
Snow 2017
(photo taken by C. Bland) 2017 has barely begun and we have our first snow "storm." Well, okay, it is a blizzard for us here in the piedmont section of North Carolina. The photo my sister-in-law sent is from the mountains where she lives. I took a photo of her vélo at Thanksgiving and gave …
Après Thanksgiving 2016
It's post-Thanksgiving, T + 3, but I am still thinking about all I have to be thankful for in my life. I have fallen into a post-election sadness. Not depression, but a deep sadness for my country. Politics aside, seriously, it's not Democrat vs Republican. It's about treating others, those different from us, with dignity …
Give Thanks
Practice gratitude. Easily said. Not so easily done sometimes. But I try to do this every day. By nature, I am not a negative person. EB recently gave me this little gratitude tree. She and Son #1 have one in their apartment. Last time I was there, I noticed that theirs has more leaves on …
Let them eat brioche?
**Update October 25, 2016 Sometimes the most wonderful things happens when you write a blog. You make new friends. And you realize that people really do read what you write. I write this blog this for me, but if I can reach just a few others who have the same interests I do, then I …
“Bake something. You’ll feel better.”
This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. Good advice, n'est-ce pas? Words to live by. I found the mug at Holstee after seeing what they call their Manifesto. I bought the mug and notecards. So, keeping in the spirit of doing what I love, I got up this morning and …
Searching for Aimée Leduc
I blogged about Cara Black and her heroine, Aimée Leduc three years ago. I was just reminded of Aimée by Arles Lucy because she shared Bonjour Paris's interview with Cara. I am ready for the next novel!! 2017, set in Saint Germain. If you have read any of Cara Black's Aimée Leduc novels, you know …
An Ode to Autumn
Fall, glorious fall. Or autumn, if you prefer. It is, hands down, my favorite season. I ask my students which season they prefer and summer usually wins. No homework. No school. Sleeping late. Camp. The beach. The skiers in the group say winter. Once in a while someone says fall. Girls who like to wear …
Good Women by Sean Dietrich
Here I go again. Shamelessly stealing from Sean. Well, it's not stealing if he says I can, right? And if I give him full credit? I love this man. He says it the way it should be said. He is not ashamed of his Southern roots. He is not ashamed to eat real food. And …
Heroes
Ask Americans of a certain age where they were on 9/11 and they can tell you. I was in a 7th grade team meeting. Before internet and televisions in all classrooms. Most of us didn't even have radios. Sounds like the Dark Ages to the young'uns. The kids I teach this year, in 6th, 7th …
the sabbatical chef 