JUIN 2018

Evening sunset at photo club picnic _Keith in the middle with the hat

JUIN 2018

A month has passed and so has the solstice. Here in Gevrey it stay light well past 10pm.

Summer arrived with a bang. Suddenly the temperatures were over 80 degrees and we have had strong winds for days. Today the 30th, calm again and we can put the awning (store en français) down.
The back of the house faces west, and without the awning down, the patio is hot.
And the cat is not happy either. He likes the awning down so he can have his afternoon nap on the bench! It is a little strange when a cat sits there on the patio and meows for the awning to be down. When we can comply (non windy days), he jumps on the bench for his nap! Spoiled?

This month I met my niece Karen (Vicki's daughter ) in Paris. We had a wonderful couple of days talking, sight seeing , and eating /drinking food and wine (but of course). It was a cloudy and very cool in Paris, especially for June, but that is weather. Unfortunately, I was a little leery of asking strangers to take photos (and camera disappearing), so I do not have any of us together...OK there is one, but in my opinion one of us (the old aunt) did not take a good photo. But there are Paris photos, the beautiful city.

A ramp near the d'Orsay has been painted

We added a padlock here to commemorate our few days
And why not 

Arc de Triumph

Eiffel Tower   Did you know: G Eiffel-
Born: December 15, 1832, Dijon

Rodin museum

Notre Dame

Self portrait---me with the camera

Les Deux Margots
Diner one night 

Les Deux Margots once had a reputation as the rendezvous of the literary and intellectual élite of the city. Its historical reputation is derived from the patronage  of Surrealist artists, intellectuals such as Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, and young writers, such as Ernest Hemingway. Other patrons included Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso, James Joyce,  Bertolt Brecht, Julia Child, and the American writers James Baldwin, Alison Machin, Chester Himes,  Charles Sutherland, and Richard Wright. What an interesting history.

When looking at ceramic tiles for the kitchen or bath, ever wonder why those white ones are called metro tiles? The underground transport in France is called the Metro.

Note the white rectangular tiles on the walls and ceiling of this Metro stop

Speaking (or writing ) about the Metro, some stops in Paris still have the art nouveau style.

I always love these.

I have been in the woods a couple of times. One flower I posted on Facebook, but will post it here too.

The seeds of the Solomon's seal flower

orchis pyramidal (anacamptis pyramidalis)

Ophyrs abeille (Ophrys apifera)

I do not know- (like a large dandelion)

Phalangère à fleurs de Lis (Anthericum liliago)

Lis martagon (Lilium martagon)

Limodore à feuilles avortées (Limodorum abortivum)
Flowers not open and a little past its time

And here and there some butterflies (papillons).

Gazé

Tabac d'espagne

Le petit Sylvain

I have also been taking photos of villages and things associated with these villages. This month I have a photo of plaque that is part of a ruins in the woods of Ternant. It was a small chapel to Saint Hubert. He is the patron saint of hunters. This plaque is still in the ruins.

Another is a borne ( a road marker or property marker, old ones made of stone) found in the woods of the village Semezanges.

Horse upper right, a man kneeling, probably two dogs center bottom
Saint Hubert is often represented with a deer. Rays  from a cloud
center top. Rest unknown.
Saint Hubert is often represented with the illustration below

Photo of Ternant from above-

Old borne with the Fleur de Lys
What is it doing here deep in the woods?

This week also was out 48th wedding anniversary. Amazing huh! We went to a starred restaurant in Dijon, Chapeau Rouge. Lunch was very nice. I took a photo of the main plate ( called plat principal, not entree, here the entree is the starter..).

The sauce!! The waiter brought me more sauce!

It was divine

As indicated by the opening photo, my photo club had its' annual picnic, and this year it did not rain.

this was the 29th, last night.

Many still eating...this at Chamboeuf

Cows and people having a good time

He did not drink all of that wine alone! Keith actually
drinking some water.

And that closes the month of June. Now for the World CUP.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

PAVLOVA ( named after the russian dancer who lived in France)

This is a recipe from Marcotte. She helps host the TV show Meilleur Patissier, much like the American Bake off, but centered around pastry, not baking breads. Marcotte is a food writer and has been co-hosting the show with chef Cyril Lignac.
This is really an easy summer recipe that works with most fruits. Start with a meringue, add sweetened whipped cream and top with fresh fruit.
I have left it in french with some translation. You can easily look up recipes too. 
And why not buy the meringue and go from there. It does not have to be a pretty bowl as in the photo, just crumble in individual glasses, top with the whipped cream and then the fruit. What a show stopper.

Photo from internet site Mercotte
mercotte.fr

MERINGE : 3 egg whites, 55 grams of  powdered sugar + 55 g of sugar, 1 tsp vanilla sugar

La meringue : 3 blancs d’oeufs, 55g de sucre glace + 55g de sucre semoule, 1cs de sucre vanillé.

Cook 1 hour at 110 celsius ( I have since found that it is best then to turn off oven and let it sit for 2 hours to further dry out. I still get slightly browned meringue, and still working on it. Mercotte says to open oven door and leave in the oven.

Cuire 1h 10 à 110° à moduler en fonction du four. Laissez éventuellement dessécher porte fermée une fois la cuisson terminée.

Here mix the fruit of choice with some sugar. Framboises below are raspberries

Le coulis : 250gr. de framboises, 40gr. de sucre en poudre, 1/4 de jus de citron.

Mixez framboises + sucre + jus de citron + 2cl. d’eau. Passez au chinois fin pour éliminer les grains.

Put the whipped cream at the bottom of the meringue bowl. Add the fruit of the season on top. Serve with any leftover fruit mixture.

La finition : Répartissez un peu de chantilly pour les gourmands au fond de la meringue et ajoutez les fruits selon le marché du jour.  Servez accompagné du coulis en saucière.

VOILA

MAY 2018

Mai 2018

Exposition photo theme "Detail"

It is June and I am a little late. I have had problems with the internet connection. I like to work downstairs, but my computer started to protest. upstairs right next to the source, it appears to be working..yeah.

You may have noticed or will notice a notification automatic. The EU now requires a privacy notification. Nothing has changed in my Blog, this is a new rule that went into effect mid-may.

My photo club has its' annual exposition this last weekend in May. We had 47 photos exhibited and about 500 people pass through. It was slow on Sunday the 28th because it was Mother's Day here in France. I won 1st place in the vote of the Photo Club members. I am really happy. However now I have to set up a photo display next year of 6 to 9 photos!!

Our Expo is in the Caveau of the Espace Chambertin

Getting ready for the vernisage (opening) of the Expo
After speeches from the club president and mayor,
everyone shares a glass and snacks like gougeres

Winners "circle". The vote of the public, first place is the
vineyard with a drop of water- the drop has a reflection of
the vineyard. Second place was the photo of the bison with a
reflection in his eye. And third was the photo of the birds head.
I have first place by the vote of the Club.

Trip to the USA. First stop was Chicago. Thought I would never get there. The day before I was ready to go up to Paris (I usually stay at a airport hotel for morning flights),  I took one last look at my emails, and there, email from Air France had canceled my flight for the next morning.  Air France was on strike, but this was a none strike day and I had thought I was safe ( the days of the strike are shown online)! There was nothing I could do while in transit to Paris, but when I arrived at the airport CDG, I went to the service desk and rebooked my flight with Air Canada. I had a stop in Montreal and was 6 hours later arriving in Chicago- noon with Air France, 6pm with rebooked flight via Montreal. Oh well, but I made it!
I had that  evening and the next day to visit and site see (should have scheduled more time..love Chicago). I arrived and it was freezing cold. There had been light flurries during the afternoon, and that evening with the wind, it was cold. Had a nice glass of wine with my cousin and spouse (cousin-in-law???).
Next morning bright and early, I set out on a blue sky morning (7 am) and although sunny it was very cold! and it is Chicago (the WINDY CITY) there was lots of wind (brrrrrr rrrr). I went over to Millennium Park and took photos...what a beautiful place.

The graphics of the glass buildings is amazing!

This is the outdoor concert building...large grass stretch
in front for summer concerts. But again I was drawn to the
graphics.

Cloud Gate or better known as The Bean (Haricot)
Next year the Theme for the Photo Club expo is
REFLETS (reflections)... I am ready.
Stopped in the drug store for gloves after some photos!

I should have taken my camera to the art museum. I thought some places have problems with cameras, so I left it behind. Spent some time there and around without my camera. Spent a large part of the day with my cousin, catching up on our lives. Then out to dinner with cousin, spouse and one daughter who lives in Chicago. Wonderful time talking and enjoying the evening and the great Indian food...

Up the next morning (raining) and out to the airport and a flight to Springfield Mo. Rented a car and drove to Ava Mo (about 2 hours) and into the Ozark Mountains.

Parts of Missouri are on the old Route 66

Went to Branson Mo one day with my sister (she lives outside of Ava). In Branson I had lunch with  longtime friends. I worked with Connie for many many years (in Minnesota) and Steve (her husband) I have also known for a long time. So fun to meet up with old friends.

Watched the famous Fire and Water show too, and was in the wrong place when it started and was on the receiving end of  a huge spray of water (courtesy of the wind).

The water jets are all timed to music.

A walkway that  passes behind the fountains
on the river side..

Old truck by the Big Bass store - still in Branson

Photos from the gravel road by my sister's house.

Bryant Creek, more like a river to me though

A barn

Flock of butterflies

Ah then the return home. Flight day home, everything worked. Both Air France and the railroad were on strike the day I came home, but both my flight and the train from Paris to Dijon ran. And it was a holiday, so the trip from the airport to the Gare Lyon (by bus) was the fastest I have ever had.

Went out and took some photos after coming home

Poppy field

Linen flowers, note the ruins of a castle on the hill left
and the town church center.

More linen turning the other direction (bluer)

I have not found some photos from Ava. If they turn up I may
add them next month. I had several memory cards, now I need to find all of them.

To end the month, we had lunch at a friends house. We started at noon and finished at 7:30 pm. A delightful afternoon with friends, food and wine. It all passed so quickly. One needs a lunch like this every so often.

Recipe of the Month.
Cake with Camembert and chives.
Cake here can be sweet or salty. This is a good aperitif.

Ingrédients

• ·        1 camembert (750 grams)
• ·        180 grams shifted flour ( about 1 ¼ cup flour)
• ·        3 eggs
• ·        12 cl of crème fraîche liquid  (1/2 cup- use cream if no creme fraiche)
• ·        5 cl of white wine (dry) ¼ cup
• ·        1/2 bunch of chives (or to taste)- batter should be fairly colored by the chives
• ·        10 g of butter – 1 TBL melted
• ·        1/2 packet or 5.5 grams baking soda
• ·        Pepper and nutmeg

Préparation

1. ·        Heat oven to 180°C, thermostat 6. (350 F)
2. ·        Mince the chives
3. ·        Remove the coating of the camembert cheese and cut the cheese into small cubes.
4. ·        Mix the dry ingredients together.
5. ·        In a bowl beat the eggs until light yellow and foamy, then add the wine, cooled butter and crème fraiche ,then the chives
6. ·        Mix the two together (dry and wet)
7. ·        Pour batter into a cake/bread pan that has been prepared ( greased and floured)
8. ·        Bake for 35-45 minites