Bonjour everyone!
Hope the weather has been treating you well. We’ve gone from extremely hot & humid to torrential downpours within a 7 day period. Hoping that this is not what’s in the cards for the summer months ahead.
It’s been a week of getting things done in the garden ( a never ending project), working at the farm planting dahlia tubers (again it seems like a never ending project) and finally starting to get some things done inside the cottage as I prepare for my first yard sale here at the end of the month.
The hubby and I had a pretty in depth conversation this past week about our future here at the cottage and we are leaning toward making the BIG move to France sooner than later. After we bought the Normandy cottage, we talked about moving there permanently “someday”. Then it was maybe “within the next 5 years”. Now we are thinking possibly next year. But we decided the first step in this leap was to purge. We are going to spent the summer months going through everything and getting rid of what we don’t need, sell off a few things and re-evaluate in October where our mind set is. I am in Normandy in September with the thrifting tour & the hubby will be the in October with his brother & nephew touring the WWII sites. We plan to keep the existing Normandy cottage as an income rental & look for a new home near it. That' would mean we would sell our home here in the states to do that. There are so many logistics with such a big move to a foreign country so we are taking things slow and looking into all the details before we make the leap. You gotta have a plan… and that’s what we are doing. Creating the plan for the BIG move abroad.
Lest we forget
This week marked the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. I was amazed at the amount of events that were going on in the area in recognition of this date. All to say thank you to the men & women that literally rescued a country that was under an extremist rule. Many of them are long gone and by the time it is the 85th anniversary there will be no one left who was actually there. To hear their stories, their memories truly puts shock & awe into what happened there. No movie can replicate what happened. No reenactment does it justice. These men & women most of who were not even old enough to legally drink gave their lives so that all of us could have the life we all have now. My grandfather served in WWII. He did not serve in Normandy but in the East but he always said that people now don’t realize what we lost to have what we have now. I personally cannot imagine the 18, 19 and 20 year olds of this current generation fighting in a war like that.
To say the French are forever grateful to the American & UK liberation of their country is an understatement. There are reminders all throughout the Normandy countryside. Even in our little village there is a monument of all who perished but also a note of the liberation. The town next to us was a huge factor in the US taking control of Normandy. The Battle of Mortain literally happened in the area surrounding our cottage. To know that the German offensive was in our yard is kind of unbelievable.
But to look out at the beautiful countryside each time we are there and know that these soldiers fought for the peace & serenity that is there now is overwhelming and we are forever grateful.
Interested in visiting Normandy & the WWII sites? Our cottage is available for holiday rentals. It’s available May through September. Click here for availability & pricing via Airbnb.
Des Fraises
Strawberry season is here! We have a small strawberry patch here at the cottage and it’s been fun walking out each morning to see if there are any new ripe berries to pick. My friend Katherine @rue.dauphine.paris always has yummy recipes to celebrate the season.
Here’s her delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Pie recipe:
Pie crust:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups Crisco (vegetable shortening)
1/2 cup ice cold water
Combine all ingredients gently into one large ball, then form into two equal disks, wrap separately in plastic, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Filling:
2 cups chopped rhubarb
3 cups chopped strawberries
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons instant tapioca
Zest 1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter diced
In medium bowl gently combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, zest, tapioca. Set aside, let sit for 10 minutes then gently drain extra juices. Roll pie dough disks out separately for a top and bottom crust. Place bottom dough into 9 inch pie dish, fill with strawberry rhubarb mixture, dot with butter, add top crust, poke vent hole in center, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for about 60 minutes until pastry is nicely browned, filling is bubbling and cooked through. Let cool completely before serving for filling to set, even better if refrigerated. Bon Appetit!
Al fresco dining
We are taking advantage of the good weather days to eat outside as much as possible. especially since we have this sweet little courtyard to enjoy our meals in. It has been a work in progress here at the cottage to find a space that would be a little private space to enjoy our meals. So we created a courtyard near the back (easier access to the back door/kitchen) using the no dig edging *, landscape fabric * and pea gravel. Then we added the trellis boxes * and I planted a silver lace vine which is very fast growing and has these beautiful feathery like flowers in the late summer.
We brought in our bistro chairs* & our outdoor dining table * which I drilled an hole in this year to add this umbrella * & bronze umbrella stand*. Then I ordered this beautiful French toile coated cotton tablecloth from I Dream of France. For an extra $25 they will add the umbrella hole & a matching zipper to any of their tablecloths. It was so worth it! (TIP: sign up for their email list to get 10% off your first order/free shipping too!) These cute little cast iron French rooster tablecloth clips* keep it in place.
Now we have this cozy little spot in our garden to enjoy meals this summer.
Sunday Saves
Some bits that caught my eye this past week…
So many of you reached out via social media about my lavender border. Here’s a great article: French Lavender: How To Grow and Care for It in Your Yard via Real Simple. I found that here in NE that English lavender tends to be more hardy than French lavender due to the cold winters.
5 Anti-inflammatory Foods to Eat Regularly, According to a Nutritionist (I have no problem eating LOTS of #5 LOL)
A flexibility expert says these are the five 'essential' stretches people should do every day. I have noticed now working at the farm that if I don’t do stretching every day that I am in such pain the next day.
This is my latest candle find and the cottage smells like a flower garden. * Get it on Amazon for $20 than their actual website. I use my candle warmer lamp* for all my fancy candles.
The Best Time to Visit Paris for Cheap Flights and Fewer Crowds
What is the Cost of Living in France vs. the USA? I agree with most of this article except for the real estate part because at least where we are in Normandy & where we are looking in Normandy the amount of land that you get is WAY more than what you get here for the price.
Summer color trends for 2024 – 10 sunny shades interior designers can't get enough of
25 Quick Dinners To Make When You Don’t Feel Like Spending Too Much Time Cooking. Definitely plan to try a few of these especially after long days at the farm.
There is still time to come with me to Normandy this Fall. Only 2 spots left in my thrifting tour. June 30th is the deadline. Click here for more details or to reserve.
*Please note that some of the links are affiliate links including my Amazon shop where I do make a very small commission at no additional cost to you when you shop my links which helps me continue to provide this free weekly newsletter.
As always….Merci beaucoup for your patronage! xo- Jenna
Well, that IS a major move in the works. I've moved countries 4 times, so I have a very good idea of how major. I think you've got the right approach, though. Planning is super important and advance purging is helpful. Good luck!