THE JOYS OF LIFE!

Date Loaf

2011-08-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is an incredible tasting date loaf! It was so good that I have made it twice in one week and gained a few pounds. I will work it off in the next few days. I took three recipes and modified it to perfection.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups finely sliced dates
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup boiling water
4 teaspoons butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Caramel syrup:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 350* Butter a 5 x 9 inch baking pan (3 inches deep).

Batter:
Sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over the dates. Add the boiling water and mix. Add the butter and walnuts and mix. Tip: *If you have a blender it is easier to add the dates with bicarbonate of soda, boiling water, butter and walnuts to the blender and blend on a low speed.
Mix the sugar and egg together and add to the date mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the date mixture. Add the vanilla essence and mix.
Turn the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Bake the loaf on the middle rack of the preheated oven for one hour or until done and a testing skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the loaf.

Caramel syrup:
Slowly bring the brown sugar, cream and butter to the boil and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Turn out the date loaf onto a wire rack and slowly pour over the caramel syrup. Leave to cool before serving with some heavy whipping cream.

Enjoy every bite of this delicious sweet treat!

All images taken by me.

Wheat Five Grain Italian Toast With Broiled Garlic, Marmite, Cheese, Tomatoes, Olive Oil and Herbs

2011-07-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

This recipe is delicious and my own creation! Toast a few slices of wheat, five grain italian bread. Spread it with butter and rub a clove of garlic over each slice of toast. Spread a thin layer of Marmite (optional) over each slice. Marmite is a yeast extract with a savory taste which is available in some USA supermarkets. Add slices of gouda, havarti, swiss or cheddar cheese. Add halved cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with extra-virgin olive oil and oregano, thyme and parsley. Season with black pepper and salt. Broil in a Euro-pro or regular oven until the cheese is melted. Enjoy it for breakfast, as a snack or light lunch!

All images taken by me

After A Thunderstorm In Our Garden

2011-06-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

I am aware of the fact that I am doing a series on remarkable women but I wanted to share the following images with you. I took all these photos after a thunderstorm in our garden yesterday afternoon and marvel at nature's beauty!

Raindrops on a banana leaf!

Hope you enjoyed it!

All images taken by me

Remarkable Women ~ Part Two: My Tuscan Experience

2011-05-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

I have met so many remarkable women. This is a series about women that are not famous or infamous, but they are hidden gems of society and deserve attention. Some of them have gone through severe trials and hardships, and still do, but they have risen above their circumstances and still see and enjoy the beauty in life. In the previous post I visited my girl friend Silvia at her Tuscan style home in Naples, Florida, USA and decided to do another post on her because I knew you would enjoy another afternoon of cappuccino and tea at her beautiful home...

Silvia made some German flower cookies and we enjoyed it with fresh strawberry and berry jam that she made.

It was wonderful relaxing and enjoying each other's company at this beautiful table ...

She has the most beautiful tea cups and it was difficult to choose a cup to drink tea out of...

It felt like we were in Tuscany with this beautiful view...

Pepper enjoying the sunlight! She is one of the sweetest and friendliest cats I have ever met...

Room with a view...

We sat at this cozy fireplace in the hot Florida summer while she put the air conditioning on cold. It was quite an experience...!

All images taken by me

Remarkable Women ~ Part One: My Tuscan Experience

2011-04-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

I have met so many remarkable women. This is a series about women that are not famous or infamous, but they are hidden gems of society and deserve attention. Some of them have gone through severe trials and hardships, and still do, but they have risen above their circumstances and still see and enjoy the beauty in life. It was with great excitement and anticipation that I drove to my girlfriend Silvia's Tuscan style home in Naples, Florida, USA to enjoy an afternoon of tea, cappuccino, sweet treats and good company.

When I walked through the large wooden doors of her beautiful Tuscan home I was received with so much warmth and love! I immediately felt at home and when I walked into her inviting kitchen with yellow sunflowers, rich golden-mustard faux walls, wooden cabinets, and beautiful architectural details, my senses were awakened and my soul fed.

In the oven were home-made croissants. On the island was a tray set with beautiful porcelain tea cups, a fine tea pot with hand painted butterflies and a silver milk jar and sugar bowl. I couldn't help to feel special when I saw all the preparation that went into it. What a memorable occasion it was!

Cappuccino, home-made croissants and fresh cherry jam.

Silvia went to culinary school in Germany and baked this delicious cheesecake!

We relaxed by the poolside enjoying each others company, drinking cappuccino and hot tea. When we tasted the cheesecake with cream we did not even think about the calories. We just enjoyed the moment!

One of the most important things to me in life, is how you treat people! I feel we should all treat people with respect and love. It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, what matters is whether you make someone feel special and important. Silvia went out of her way to make me feel special and loved, she treated me like a queen and therefore is a hidden gem of society. When there are days when life does not go the way I planned and things are tough, I will sit back, relax and remember this special afternoon I enjoyed at her beautiful home.

All images taken by me

Health Rusks

2011-03-12T15:59:00.000-08:00

I just love rusks! Most of you probably won't know what a rusk is. The Wikipedia definition for a rusk is a hard, dry, biscuit or a twice baked bread. I would say it is very similar to a biscotti, but not as sweet!

We eat our rusks after we have dipped it in a cup of hot tea or coffee! Rusks can be eaten for breakfast as a late morning or afternoon snack, or even when traveling when you stop for a coffee or tea break. There are quite a selection of rusk recipes out there but this one is my favorite recipe. For years my parents bought these rusks at a home industry shop in South Africa. My dad tried his best to get the recipe from the owner but she never wanted to share the recipe with anybody. However, one day, she told my dad that she has sold her business and was leaving town. She said she would give him her recipe! Today, I have the recipe neatly filed and I treasure it. My dad has since passed away and I have such great memories of us dipping rusks in a cup of hot tea and enjoying the moment!

Ingredients:
6 cups self-raising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups wheat bran
3 eggs
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup raisins
four 4-oz sticks (16 OZ or 1 LB of butter)
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups of sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 350*F. Butter a 11 x 16 inch baking pan. Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Add the wheat bran, coconut flakes, and raisins and mix.

Melt the butter and add it slowly to the mixture. Beat the eggs, buttermilk and sugar together and add to the wheat bran mixture. Mix well. Put the mixture in the baking pan and press gently to level it.

Cut into pieces before you bake it.

Bake it for 35 to 45 minutes. It should be a golden brown on top. Let it cool down and cut again and take the pieces apart. Put the pieces into two baking pans and put it in a 200*F oven to dry out. After two hours turn all the pieces around and dry out for another two hours. Let it cool down. Make some hot tea or coffee and dip the rusks in the tea or coffee. Enjoy!

All images taken by me

Bees, Honey And Tea In Our Garden!

2011-02-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

Spring is around the corner. I noticed this week when I looked through our kitchen window how busy the bees were collecting pollen from the blossoms on our lemon and orange trees.

Honey bees, what beautiful little creatures!

Hard at work...

Sweet and healthy honey...!

Relaxing in our garden with a delicious cup of hot tea and lemon...

A yellow jacket bee on a lemon tree blossom

A honey bee on a lemon tree blossom

All images taken by me

Scones With Spinach, Feta And Sun-dried Tomatoes

2011-02-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

I love scones and decided to make something different this morning when I woke up. I normally make plain scones that we eat with strawberry jam and cream but I decided on savoury scones for today! It took a little bit longer to make because the spinach needed to be cooked, the sun-dried tomatoes chopped and the feta cheese crumbled. My dear husband loved it and to my surprise our fifteen year old son as well! Our twelve year old daughter didn't say anything because she has a sweet tooth like her mama! I liked it but have to admit that after the first one I cut an end piece with no savoury on it off of another scone, went to the refrigerator and got out the strawberry jam! If you tend to have a taste for more salty food you will love this! Enjoy...scones are a joy of life!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1 extra-large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk

150 gram spinach, washed and stems removed
1/2 to 3/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 450*F. Lightly dust a baking sheet with all-purpose flour. Cook the spinach until soft, transfer to a sieve and drain well by pressing out the water. Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Lightly whisk the egg and add the buttermilk. Add to the dry ingredients and cut in with a knife to form a soft dough. Gently shape the dough into a ball and put it on a lightly floured surface. Flatten slightly so the dough is about one inch thick and cut out large scones using a glass or large biscuit cutter. Arrange the scones on the baking sheet, leaving enough space in between them for rising. Brush with a little milk. Mix the drained spinach, tomatoes and feta cheese. Make a hollow in each scone and spoon a little of the spinach mixture inside. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes or until nicely risen, done and golden brown on top. Serve hot with butter and extra feta or cheddar cheese if desired.

Scones with strawberry jam and cream above. I made the basic scone recipe and added half a cup of cheddar cheese.

Enjoy the scones with some hot tea!

All images taken by me.

Lemon Picking In Our Garden

2011-01-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

We had some freezing temperatures this morning in Florida and by this afternoon I just had to get out into the sun. With a basket in the one hand and my camera in the other I went out into our lovely garden and picked some lemons. What a privilege and joy of life it was to pick some lemons in my own garden! I am so grateful that I could do that and would love to share some pictures with you...

An orange tree can be seen in the background...

I just love lemons and I have discussed the health benefits of lemons and extra virgin olive oil in one of my earlier posts in this blog at http://thejoysoflifeingrid.blogspot.com/2009/12/natural-anti-aging-and-health-remedies.html

May you have a wonderful and blessed 2011!

All images taken by me

Tea Time With Cheesecake In Our Garden

2010-11-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

I love all things beautiful and romantic and therefore decided that it was time to host a tea in our garden. I took out some of my favorite teacups and went for a walk in our garden and picked some beautiful bougainvillea. I baked a delicious cheesecake and set the table. I kept things very simple and enjoyed the afternoon with loved ones...

CHEESECAKE
Ingredients

Crust:
1-1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons lemon juice
750 g smooth cottage cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Strawberry sauce:
3 cups of frozen strawberries
3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons port

Preheat the oven to 350*F.

Crust:
Mix the crumbs, sugar and melted butter together and using the back of a large spoon, press crumb mixture firmly on the bottom and up side of a 9" nonstick springform pan.

Filling:
Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and thick. Add the lemon juice while beating. *I prefer using cottage cheese instead of cream cheese and put my cottage cheese in a blender to make it very smooth. Stir in the cottage cheese, cream and flour and mix. Turn the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 275*F and bake for 1 hour or until the filling is firm but still slightly soft in the center. Switch off the oven but leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven. Remove from the cake tin when cold and transfer to a serving platter.

Strawberry sauce:
Bring the strawberries and sugar to a boil and simmer slowly for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the port and bring to the boil again. Leave to cool and serve with the baked cheesecake. *If you do not have strawberries you can use blueberries or any other choice of berries.

Enjoy!

I can honestly say that I am living my dream life! I am so grateful for the wonderful life I live together with my husband and children. Is everything always perfect? No, not at all because we live in an imperfect world but I try to think and speak positive on a daily basis because I firmly believe "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7) My husband is a great role model to me and for hope and encouragement you can visit his blog at http://theprophetspeaks1.blogspot.com/

All images taken by me.

Tomato, goat cheese and beef tarts

2010-11-12T14:34:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love Mediterranean food and these tarts are delicious and can be served as a lunch with a Greek salad. If you prefer not to have any meat, mushrooms can be used instead of the beef.

Ingredients:
1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions (4 cups) thinly sliced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
3 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese
2 large tomatoes cut into slices
3 tablespoons fresh julienned basil leaves
4 slices of all natural deli beef (I use all natural Boar's Head brand)
10 fresh mushrooms thinly sliced (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425*F. Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly. Using a 5 to 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide and cut 4 circles from the sheet off pastry. Repeat with the second pastry sheet. I used the scraps, made it into one piece and rolled it and cut more circles from it. In the end I had 12 circles. Place the pastry circles on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Sauté and stir frequently until the onions are limp and there are almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add half a teaspoon of salt, quarter of a teaspoon black pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for a few minutes until the onions are lightly browned. remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife (I used a wine glass) and score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border. Place a heaped-up teaspoon of the onion mixture on each circle, staying within the scored edge. Add small pieces of beef on top of the onion mixture. Crumble small pieces of goat cheese on top of the beef (or mushrooms). Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt, pepper. Scatter some grated Parmesan cheese on each tart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Sprinkle some fresh basil and serve warm with a Greek salad. Enjoy!

I decided to show you some pictures of our garden. I love the combination of red and green colors that can also be seen in the tomato and basil in the tarts above.

I love beautiful interiors and I find most of my inspiration in nature!

Below are some photographs of interiors where reds and greens were used. Look closely at the color combinations in nature and use that in your interiors!

Images 1 to 4 taken by me. Images 5 to 8 from Architectural Digest

FRANCE...Amboise...(12)

2010-11-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

Amboise lies on the banks of the Loire River in central France. It is half way between Orléans and Tours. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court. It played a great part in French history especially during the Renaissance era.

Château d'Amboise was built on a promontory overlooking the Loire River to control a strategic ford that was replaced in the Middle Ages by a bridge. The château began its life in the eleventh century, when the notorius Fulk Nerra, Count of Anjou rebuilt the stronghold in stone.

Myself having something cool to drink, it was very hot...look at the lady's hair to the left of me...

The Tower Clock

Myself taking a break at the side-walk...

Beautiful gardens...

Clos Lucé Mansion - the last house where Leonardo da Vinci lived by invitation of King Francis 1 of France before his death...

The gardens at Clos Lucé Mansion

My friend Ronelle and myself enjoyed shopping in the narrow streets of this beautiful town...

Image 3 by Wikipedia, Image 8 and 12 taken by my friend Ronelle, all other images taken by me

FRANCE...Château de Chenonceau gardens...(11)

2010-10-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

In the previous post I shared about Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley and how it reflects the combined influence of five women who brought a feminine touch to this graceful building. This week I would like to show more of the gardens. I always dreamt of a life in France in a château with beautiful gardens. Gardens with tree-lined forests, fruit groves, sumptuous flower beds, elaborate topiaries and water fountains where I could stroll, breathe in the fresh air, listen to the birds sing and enjoy the beauty!

I could easily live here but I think we can all cultivate a tranquil retreat of our own even in the tiniest of spaces where we can indulge in the wonderful fragrances of flowers and herbs and enjoy tea or lunch with friends. Gardens provide us with a place to relax in the fresh air and where we can connect with nature again...

All images taken by me

FRANCE...Château de Chenonceau (10)

2010-10-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Château de Chenonceau is a castle near a small village Chenonceau in the beautiful Loire Valley. It was built on the site of an old mill on the river Cher. It reflects the combined influence of five women, who brought a feminine touch to this graceful building. First came Catherine Briconnet, wife of the royal chamberlain, who supervised the construction of the château. Later, Diane de Poitiers, Henri II's mistress, created a formal garden and built a bridge over the Cher river. After Henri's death, his widow, Catherine de Médici, reclaimed the château and topped the bridge with a gallery.

Catherine de Médici's gardens

Myself in the gardens of Château de Chenonceau

The old stables were turned into a restaurant for visitors

The Gallery

Bedroom of Diane de Portiers

Five Queen's bedroom

Bedroom of Catherine de Medici

Francis I's bedroom

Hope you enjoyed the tour of Château de Chenonceau! I will continue with our tour next time...

Images 1, 13 & 15 by Wikipedia. Image 4 by my friend Ronelle. All other images taken by me

FRANCE...Tours...(9)

2010-09-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

This week we are continuing our trip through Tours, the largest city in the Loire Valley. I am taking you through narrow streets with restaurants, cafés, brocante stores, lush creepers and beautiful architecture adding to the personality and appeal of this lovely city.

My friend R and myself stopped for a Sunday morning breakfast at a side-walk café...

Now who can resist these mouthwatering French pastries?

A French bakery called a Boulangerie..

Myself, enjoying a fresh croissant and café au lait...

The cathedral of Tours

Till next time...

All images taken by me except image #12 taken by my friend R

FRANCE...Tours...(8)

2010-09-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Today we are visiting Tours, the largest city in the Loire Valley. I had no idea what to expect as my dear friend R drove me to Tours in her blue car.... We were chatting and laughing and eating apricots in the car while I was admiring our beautiful surroundings of the Loire Valley. I am so grateful that I had R as my personal guide because she drove us through the narrow streets of Tours, knew where to park, where to stop for a cool drink and showed me all the places of interest!

A refreshing lemon flavored Perrier......so French!

Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) in Tours..

Strolling down a flower market.....

Until next time when we continue our trip through the city of Tours....

All images taken by me.

FRANCE...Villages...(7)

2010-09-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know how you feel about the French countryside but I just couldn't get enough of it.....I hope you don't mind if I share some more photographs of villages in the Loire valley my friend R and myself visited! R was so sweet and drove me all over the place....I really don't know what this town was called but I loved the narrow streets, architecture and the texture and finish on the walls of the house to the right...

We travelled through sunflower fields, vineyards, etc.... and needless to say with my jaw dropping more and more.....could this all be for real?

We ended this lovely trip with a delicious late lunch.....

All images taken by me

FRANCE...Montlouis-sur-Loire...(6)

2010-09-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

When visiting the Loire Valley in the French countryside my friend R took me to so many beautiful villages and towns and Montlouis-sur-Loire was one of them. Montlouis-sur-Loire is situated next to the Loire river. The Loire Valley is known for it's white wines and the Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir are the principle grapes of this region.

Montlouis-sur-Loire is a quaint town with narrow streets to stroll around and discover lovely restaurants, bakeries, flower shops, etc.

A beautiful iron gate in the town of Montlouis-sur-Loire....one can't help to wonder what goes on behind this gate? I believe this property belongs to an artist....it makes it even more interesting! Doesn't it?

A beautiful view over the Loire river...

Till next time when I will share more about the Loire Valley.

All images taken by me

FRANCE...My favorite corners at R's home...(5)

2010-08-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Visiting the french countryside was even better than I could ever think or dream it would be....I fell in love with my friend R's home and garden and this picture above is probably my most favorite corner.....it is a cave in the back of her garden where we enjoyed some lunches and dinner's, chatting and laughing about life!

A quiet place to relax with the sound of water dripping from a fountain.......

Some steps up to a terrace.......

Some fresh basil in a quiet corner.....

A sunny and inviting corner in R's kitchen where we enjoyed special times sharing and eating delicious meals......

We had many late evenings relaxing in this lovely living room with a warm cup of café au lait and chocolates.....

Till next time.......

All images taken by me

FRANCE...A Dream Comes True!!...continues...(4)

2010-08-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

One thing I have learnt from my friend R and the french is that the food is simple but absolutely delicious!!
We visited the fresh markets almost daily and the fruits, vegetables, fish, cheeses, etc. were so fresh. I couldn't believe how sweet the peaches and apricots were. R would buy a bag of apricots and peaches and we would sit in the car and eat them right there with the juices running down our fingers and dripping onto our laps......

Since I have visited the french countryside I started to buy all our fruits and vegetables from local farmers and not in the supermarkets. I have noticed that is is so much cheaper and tastier.

This was our lunch one afternoon.....it was fresh, crispy salad with some left over roast chicken R made us the previous evening and some roasted peppers with créme frâiche, roasted pine nuts and a mustard dressing. We had fresh baguette bread and a selection of cheeses as well. It was so healthy and delicious!

Notice the red peppadews in the salad with mint water........

I will share some more on the food of R and the french next time......I hope this post inspired you to buy from your local farmers and eat more healthy!

All images taken by me

FRANCE...A Dream Comes True!!...continues...(3)

2010-08-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have such great memories of my visit to the french countryside and one of the highlights was sitting in R's beautiful garden watching her two cats and hens enjoying every corner of this pretty environment. R's two hens, Tartelette and Omelette arrived the same day as I did and they still had a lot of exploring to do.....

Tartelette and Omelette enjoying the wild roquette in the garden....... These two hens are so sweet and I am so inspired to get my own two hens back here in the USA. This will be something new for me but I am determined to make it work and I learnt a lot from R..... They had five star meals everyday and she just showered them with so much love.....

And then there are the precious cats....Tokala and Aiyani.......they are two of the most loving cats I have ever met. Aiyani took a while before she trusted me but Tokala came to me from day one and I must admit that she made me feel good because when I studied for a teacher years ago they told us not to study teaching if pets and children run away from you.....

Tokala.....

Aiyani.....

To me....France would not be what I dreamt it to be without kitty cats, hens, lavender, blue shutters, etc. and I am so grateful that I could experience all of this in R's lovely garden with a café au lait in my one hand....!!

Till next time when I continue with the rest of my visit to the french countryside.....

Image 2 & 3 taken by R and all other images taken by me

FRANCE...A Dream Comes True!!...continues...(2)

2010-07-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

When I think about my visit to the french countryside and why I enjoyed my visit so much a few things come to mind.......it was the lovely homes with blue shutters, beautiful gardens, fresh fruits and vegetables at the markets, the delicious pastries, fresh breads and wonderful cheeses, the quaint villages and of course the people that made my stay feel like a dream!

My special friend R was the perfect host, from the word "go" she made me feel so welcome. She is such a good cook, gardener and home maker......and the two of us never had a dull moment!

A beautiful and quiet corner in R's garden.....

French lavender........everything smelled so wonderful in her garden!

What a joy of life it was to sit and relax in this beautiful garden with its lovely smells of lavender, rosemary and basil, beautiful quiet corners, the sound of water dripping from a fountain with a special friend that made me feel so welcome........THE JOYS OF LIFE!

Till next time when I continue with my journey in the french countryside..........

All images taken by me

FRANCE...A Dream Comes True!!

2010-07-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have been to Paris thirty years ago but have dreamt for years and years about visiting the French countryside... Little did I know that my dream would come true in July 2010...! I have a very special friend that lives in the Loire Valley and great was my excitement when the opportunity arose for me to visit her. I flew to Paris on July 5th with a few butterflies in my stomach. I have been married for sixteen years and realised how dependant I became on my husband since being married. The idea to catch a train all by myself at Charles de Gaulle airport to the french countryside made me nervous and therefore I couldn't help to pray for an angel to assist me. The lady sitting next to me on the plane was very friendly and we immediately hit it off. She had to meet her friend who left the States a few weeks earlier at the train station at Charles de Gaulle. Great was my relief when she invited me to go with her to meet her friend at the train station. We laughed a lot at the airport looking for the right way to go...it was like the blind leading the blind! It didn't matter to me because just having my new friend Diane next to me was very comforting.....

Finally Diane found her friend Mary and when she asked Mary to what train station they were going to I couldn't believe my ears....St. Pierre-des-Corps....the exact same train station I was going to! Now I had two angels to assist me!

My first angel Diane waiting for our train to St. Pierre-des-Corps on the platform.

Myself and Mary, my second angel waiting for the train to St. Pierre-des-Corps.

My first glimpse of the french countryside....

Another view from the train of the french countryside.

At St. Pierre-des-Corps I said goodbye to my two angels when I saw my friend R's smiling face amongst all the people. Everything was like a dream....

Arriving at her beautiful home with the prettiest garden we were greeted by three french ladies. They were friends of R and waited for an important package to arrive at R's home while she fetched me at the train station. I wish I had a video camera because these petite french ladies were laughing, smiling and talking in french to R while I stood there in total amazement, understanding nothing and enjoying the moment!

R's pretty garden with birds singing and the soothing sound of water dripping from a fountain that greeted me upon arrival!

R and her husband's beautiful home in the middle to the right....

What a lovely home....!

....and what a warm welcome....a beautiful room, card, gifts, fresh white french linen and white towels awaiting me!

The gorgeous view from my lovely bedroom onto the Loire river...

My bathroom above....with the best bathroom view in the world below!!

I have so much more to share with you but will have to leave it till the next few posts to be able to tell it all!

All images taken by me except image 3 taken by my friend Diane.

Hartford House In The Natal Midlands, South Africa

2010-06-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

I love nature, open spaces, delicious food and gorgeous interiors! All this can be found at Hartford House in the Natal Midlands in South Africa.

At the foothills of the Kwazulu-Natal Drakensberg mountains lies Hartford Country House on Summerhill farm. It is a four and a half hour drive from Johannesburg International Airport and an hour and a half drive from Durban International Airport. The closest town to this beautiful estate is Mooi River.

The estate is the largest thoroughbred horse stud in the region.

Activities at Hartford House include walking, fishing, horse riding, photography, swimming, birding, wildlife, cuisine, spa, sport, etc.

Hartford House has fourteen incomparably-styled luxury suites which are beautifully decorated with color, style and texture!

The Ezulweni Lake Suites are situated on a picturesque trout lake.

The pool area and Wellness Center.

The restaurant has received many awards as one of the "Best Restaurants". Head chef is talented Jackie Cameron and the team is one of culinary excellence!

Hartford House is also the perfect venue for a romantic wedding. Their services include the complete co-ordination and arrangement of your wedding, the accompanying banquet, floral, photographic and make-up arrangements, the supply of marquees, etc. They have a large selection of the most beautiful and delicious wedding cakes created in their own kitchen.

...........and for those magical winter wonderland days they offer a romantic crackling log fire with some sherry to warm you up!

For more information contact the friendly staff of Hartford House at http://www.hartford.co.za/?contact_us

All images by Hartford House - Tarryn Liebenberg and Annet Becker

I WILL NOT BE BLOGGING FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS SEEING THAT I AM GOING TO THE FRENCH COUNTRY SIDE AND HOLLAND TO VISIT SOME FRIENDS!!
BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!
LOVE INGRIDXX

Hot And Sunny Florida!

2010-06-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

It is so hot and sunny here in Naples, Florida.....we have degrees in the 90's!!! My family tells me that it is snowing on the mountains in the Cape in South Africa where the World Football (Soccer) Cup is hosted. We really have the two extremes between the northern and southern hemisphere. It feels to me that hardly anything growing outside right now can survive this Florida sun and heat. My poor lavender plant couldn't survive but I will share some photographs with you this week of plants that have survived and still thrive in this humidity and heat!

Bloom where you are planted...even though you might feel you are in the fiery furnace!!

All images taken by me