tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24508837853413547522024-02-21T12:59:57.891+01:00Stella in the Pyrenees Frugal French Living
Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.comBlogger215125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-82636513517597238282020-04-29T12:31:00.001+02:002020-04-29T12:31:35.492+02:00Stella in the Pyrenees has Retired.<div style="text-align: center;">
This Blog will no longer be updated.</div>
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Thank you for visiting - please feel free to read and comment on the old posts.</div>
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Best wishes</div>
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Stella</div>
Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-75563053348440945012019-01-15T10:05:00.002+01:002019-01-15T10:05:35.740+01:00Frugal Food: Biryani from the Left-overs.<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Curry Night is an almost weekly fixture, and one of the few cooking traditions I've carried over from life in the UK. That, and fish on a Friday, simply because that's the day we go shopping and that's the day the fishmongers have the best fish. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Nine times out of ten when I cook curry it will be a vegan meal - dal, bread more often than rice and a couple of vegetable dishes. Sometimes yoghurt will creep in, and occasionally we'll blow the budget and buy some local meat from the village butcher and have a vindaloo, subtle and highly flavoured and hot yes, but not numb your mouth and burn your throat hot. What would be the point of that - this is food not some macho eating contest!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">I am normally careful to cook just what we can - and need - to eat; no left-overs, no over laden plates and absolutely nothing going in the bin. But because of cooking multiple dishes, curry night is the day most likely to leave some food uneaten; it usually ends up in the little three drawer freezer to come out as what my folks delightfully call second-hand dinners. But the other alternative is to re-use the left-overs later in the week and this take on a biryani is a great way to use up dal and certain vegetable dishes. </span><br>
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</div><a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2019/01/frugal-food-biryani-from-left-overs.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-12887720148156290392019-01-06T11:35:00.001+01:002019-01-06T11:35:22.173+01:00Book Review: Invisible Damage by Julie McLaren<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me this is the best novel to date from Julie McLaren, she has stepped up a level with this portrayal of a woman slowly recovering from an abusive controlling relationship. </span><br>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2019/01/book-review-invisible-damage-by-julie.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-87797802890666009192018-09-08T14:05:00.000+02:002019-01-06T11:32:02.781+01:00Book Review: An Unfortunate Incident by Julie McLaren<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What a joy to read - Five Stars!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">An Unfortunate Incident is a beautifully written novel exploring the ideas of friendship, trust and class. Set in both the 1960s and the present day, the novel easily moves backwards and forwards between the two periods, helped by Alice speaking in her own voice in the childhood period and a third person narration in the current day.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">As the novel unfolds, Alice learns more and more about her friend's family and we discover the true nature of Alice's relationship with Hilary, Georgie's disturbing brother.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">More about <a href="https://juliemclaren.com/about/">Julie McLaren</a> on her website.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Link to <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unfortunate-Incident-Julie-McLaren-ebook/dp/B073QYBLM6">Download</a> a copy of An Unfortunate Incident.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-59287144624968295112018-07-26T14:52:00.000+02:002019-07-26T10:19:25.625+02:00Books: When Politics Gets in the Way of a Plot!<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I began writing my latest novel, The Reluctant Expat, in November 2014 as part of National Novel Writing Month with a simple enough plot which would take my main characters, reluctantly or not, from Britain to France.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As well as exploring Julia's emotional response to the loss of a close friend, I thought it would be fun to destabilise her cosy and safe existence; she is a strong individual and I wanted to give her a challenge. Having done it myself, I know that even moving to a neighbouring country can be tough. France may only be across a small stretch of water from the UK but it is far more than just the language that is very, very different. But one element I didn't need to address was the ease</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> with which citizens of any one country of the European Union can move to another - you don't need a visa or a work permit, or to ask permission. So long as you can support yourself without becoming a burden on your host country and have medical insurance you are welcome to stay. No paperwork. Easy.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My characters never discussed the legality, the rights, of moving from one European country to another or the possibility of not being allowed to stay; it just wasn't a necessary part of the plotting. That was </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">until June 2016 and the UK very marginally voted to leave the European Union. Even then, although personally shocked by the result, I knew that as the referendum was advisory and the result marginal - too close to call a strike or to make a change to the constitution in the main political parties - it was unlikely to be enacted upon. I continued with the novel and let Julia worry about the cost of renovations.</span><br>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2018/07/books-when-politics-leaves-plot-hanging.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-36272675135886679542018-06-12T15:51:00.001+02:002018-09-03T09:56:31.720+02:00Garden: Olive Tree Revisited!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Back in summer 2016 I made the first tentative prune of our olive tree as it had massively outgrown its space. I fully intended to complete the task in the following spring assuming it hadn't died as a result of my first attempts. You can read about the first chop <a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2016/08/garden-olive-tree.html" target="_blank">here.</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And after the August 2016 chop, we could at least see out of the study window again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Inevitably the intended spring prune to finish the job didn't happen, so by February 2018 we were pretty much back to square one. The view from the study window was obscured and the inside of the room was very dark.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As the tree appeared to have suffered no ill effects from the original brutality, and inspired by the beautiful, highly clipped and frighteningly expensive olives at the garden centres I decided to be strong! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the reasons for cutting in late spring is, I believe, to avoid the cut limbs from getting waterlogged and then rotting. After the wettest winter and early spring for decades it wasn't until April before I finally felt confident enough to do the job.</span></div>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2018/06/garden-olive-tree-revisited.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-6063272370934905012018-03-20T15:17:00.001+01:002018-03-20T15:20:36.616+01:00Garden: A Brief Taste of Spring<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is mid March and the vernal equinox, normally a really busy time. I would expect to be dashing up to La Mongie or Peyragudes for some skiing, returning home in the middle of the afternoon as the snow turns to knee breaking slush in the warmth of a spring afternoon but in plenty of time to get some more seeds sown. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But not this year - this morning it was still snowing down here at 300m, and although that has now turned to drizzle, at a mere 2 degrees, it is far too cold for outdoor seed sowing. And after an incredibly wet winter my clay soil is still very cold and inert. But after two years of drought, I refuse to complain about the rain - the local reservoir looks full for the first time since 2015!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The endless damp days have not made for good photography chances, but I did manage to snatch few yesterday morning, before the snow returned!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Peach Blossom - our very first and although the tree is trained against a south facing wall, I suspect the return of winter will prevent us getting our first fruit this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Goat Willow - I have this everywhere and it buzzes with bees on sunny and warm days. It is also the food plant of the Purple Emperor caterpillar, a stunning butterfly that we see often.</span></div>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2018/03/garden-brief-taste-of-spring.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-1559482091698787092017-11-25T08:30:00.000+01:002017-11-25T08:30:20.072+01:00Bastides of the Gers<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the joys of living in the foothills of the Pyrenees is being able to turn our backs on the mountains when the weather is poor - that sometimes all too brief period when the snow begins to fall but before the ski season kicks off - and head north into the beautiful rolling countryside of the Gers.</span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphDVjSqr5JxRNxS2alVpwynf6JzvvY1xgVFpgK1c_EK-a_DuNjH7W45lFb_p2gu_ZWJiYUjBH1CmN6BUZl8wAMzokQkrXJZGu0IQgWc9IVKQBbQHjtlWab6AS_RdAOPIz3Miet4TrsAoi/s1600/snowmked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphDVjSqr5JxRNxS2alVpwynf6JzvvY1xgVFpgK1c_EK-a_DuNjH7W45lFb_p2gu_ZWJiYUjBH1CmN6BUZl8wAMzokQkrXJZGu0IQgWc9IVKQBbQHjtlWab6AS_RdAOPIz3Miet4TrsAoi/s320/snowmked.JPG" width="320"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Snowfall - not good motorcycling conditions.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Throughout the summer our neighbouring department is all sunflowers, vineyards and a million camper vans, but in late autumn the majority of the visitors have left and for a motorcycling enthusiast the empty rolling roads become a playground. I love nothing better than cruising along at a steady pace, quick enough to get a thrill in the bends but slow enough to pause and watch a peregrine or harrier overhead.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our last couple of forays have been out to explore some of the medieval bastide towns and villages in the Gers. These two were on the latest 200km round trip.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lupiac - birthplace of the real d'Artagnan.</span></div>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/11/bastides-of-gers.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-49404197451117081582017-11-07T11:36:00.000+01:002017-11-07T11:36:29.146+01:00Garden: First Frost<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the temperature falling to minus two last night it is time to say good bye and thank you to all the tender plants that make the potager something special in the summer. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the peppers, chillies and aubergines are destined for the compost heap this afternoon, along with courgettes, tomatillos, cucamelons, basil plants and many others that I've forgotten.</span><br>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/11/garden-first-frost.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-10328479383349650652017-10-18T11:50:00.001+02:002017-10-18T11:50:46.262+02:00Wordless Wednesday: Autumn Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/10/wordless-wednesday-autumn-garden.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-20797769292897079762017-10-04T11:07:00.000+02:002017-10-04T11:37:41.879+02:00Books: Review - Not Just a Boy by Jonathan Hill<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I read this short and punchy novella in just two sittings and afterwards wondered why the author had chosen this short form for his story. For perhaps the first time I feel that Jonathan missed a trick in not bringing much more depth to this tale of schoolboy bullying and its aftermath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The writing is as ever neat and evocative but was for me a little lean. Having said that, the scenes of threat and fear came over really well, as did the sense of differentness portrayed by the Boy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is a great coming of age story, often bleak, but it left me wanting more, hence only four stars.</span>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-10346173968976562412017-07-11T15:14:00.000+02:002017-07-11T15:14:46.709+02:00France: Contrasts in l'Herault <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The French school holidays are upon us - where has the year gone? - so last week we dashed away or a few days at the seaside, ostensibly to eat some Bouzigues oysters, but also for a potter around the villages on and around l'Etang de Thau.</span><br>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/07/france-contrasts-in-lherault.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-76688137325699164182017-05-30T16:55:00.002+02:002021-05-02T16:32:10.525+02:00Walking in the Pyrenees - A circular walk from le Chiroulet.<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">At the weekend we walked the circular route from le Chiroulet in the Lesponne valley via Lac d'Ourrec, the Col de Bareilles and Lac Bleu before descending back to the car at le Chiroulet. </span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">And in May 2017</span></td></tr>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Having walked the straight up and down route to Lac Bleu back in November, this time we wanted to access the high Alpine meadows beyond the lake and in particular enjoy the spring wildflowers for which the mountains are justly famous. We weren't disappointed.</span><br>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/05/walking-in-pyrenees-circular-walk-from.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-62607712340332656822017-04-22T22:28:00.001+02:002017-04-22T22:28:53.768+02:00Garden: Late Frosts<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Usually by this time in April the outdoor anti-slug shelving will be laden with tomato and chilli plants jostling with melons, aubergines and other tender vegetable plants getting hardened off before being planted out in the garden. But this year, after a really warm spell in the early part of the month they are yet to</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> spend a single night outdoors. We are still carrying out the twice daily plant shuffle, which becomes increasingly difficult as the plants get potted on and take up more and more space in our salon-</span>sejour<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oh for a heated greenhouse or conservatory!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This April, as well as being incredibly dry - again - it has also turned really cold, culminating in frosts the last two nights. While the tender veg was smug and snug indoors, some things just can't be moved, like this gorgeous fig, Madeleine des Deux Saisons, which, by the look of these frosted leaves and fruit will only manage the one crop for us this year.</span></div>
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</div></div><a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/04/garden-late-frosts.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-47353793649068847162017-04-16T11:58:00.000+02:002017-04-16T11:58:02.516+02:00Silent (Easter) Sunday: Blooming!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/04/silent-easter-sunday-blooming.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-31311014715306667942017-03-21T17:35:00.001+01:002019-07-26T10:19:25.539+02:00Books: A Work in Progress Dilema<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over the winter of 2014-15 I wrote the first two drafts of a bitter-sweet romance loosely about an older couple taking the plunge and buying a wreck of a house in the south west of France. Without giving too much away, the focus of the plot is her reticence about moving - new country, new man, new business and new challenges. </span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My characters - well one of them - were captivated by a view like this.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All well and good, and then wallop, June 23rd 2016 comes along, the British electorate vote by the tiniest of margins in an advisory referendum to leave the European Union and suddenly my simple people-focused plot is in the middle of a massive political upheaval.</span><br>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/03/books-work-in-progress-dilema.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-42574933780092834302017-03-16T12:06:00.002+01:002017-03-16T12:06:34.464+01:00March - The Best Month of the Year?<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br></span>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It has only taken thirty odd years of pondering plus a return to living in the countryside for me to conclude that March might just be my favourite month of the year. Possibly. Probably.</span><br>
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</div><a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/03/march-best-month-of-year.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-3733134892867604492017-01-02T12:04:00.001+01:002017-01-02T12:09:35.707+01:00Photo Project 2017: Flowers<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another year and another photo project. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over the last few years I've tried to take a weekly photo either in or from the garden that illustrates the changing of the seasons: I've focused on the potager through the year, or the Pic de Montaigu (above) as seen from the house. Last year was a look at a large oak tree (below) that stands on the edge of our garden, and dominates it in the summer, and the unmanaged woodland that faces it on the opposite boundary.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This year I have decided to try something a little different, and find a flower in bloom to photograph each week. Most of the year this will be very easy, although finding a </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">different</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> variety may be more of a challenge.</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zT8CXYYAmAQ06wVqBer51PNxKIauX0-vwYIaMJT-2_OIuudZaVYjxJn2C05tOZ0LDQcSYQ_pPGZgDLRhxd_wC25vudzuyt4BqlSXnX_zlGq687gEQR4HXl9b18uIGckmYRzBFNSrHwbj/s1600/rosemary.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zT8CXYYAmAQ06wVqBer51PNxKIauX0-vwYIaMJT-2_OIuudZaVYjxJn2C05tOZ0LDQcSYQ_pPGZgDLRhxd_wC25vudzuyt4BqlSXnX_zlGq687gEQR4HXl9b18uIGckmYRzBFNSrHwbj/s320/rosemary.JPG" width="260"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The first few months will be the toughest, although there are always a few winter stalwarts to be found, like the rosemary (above).</span><br>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/01/photo-project-2017-flowers.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-71550989448424004002017-01-01T16:27:00.004+01:002017-01-01T16:27:44.461+01:00Silent Sunday: Walking on New Year's Day, 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2017/01/silent-sunday-walking-on-new-years-day.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-10820349126559199732016-12-28T11:36:00.001+01:002016-12-28T11:36:32.016+01:00Wordless Wednesday: Frosty Morning.<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2016/12/wordless-wednesday-frosty-morning.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-50810432066852985232016-12-07T08:30:00.000+01:002016-12-07T09:55:13.967+01:00Garden: The Year of Disastrous Leeks<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the summer might be all tomatoes and aubergines, courgettes and basil, the winter is all about deep hearty stews, cheesy gratins and satisfying pies. </span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Leek, lentil and smoked sausage.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All of the latter need leeks - leeks, lentils and smoked sausage cooked </span>cassoulet<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> style in the oven with a bread crumb topping stirred in half way through is about as good as it gets after a day on the slopes. Baked leeks under a blanket of cheese sauce - strong cheddar back in the UK or a mature </span>Cantal<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> home in France - served with roast spuds and parsnips and some deep green crinkly </span>cavolo<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span>nero<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> makes a powerful alternative roast when we have vegetarians visiting, or have just run out of cash for the month. Leek and bacon pie, double crust and oozing with smoky juices, or a simple leek and mushroom quiche, served with chips, of course are the things I like forward to in the colder months. Frugal yet flavoursome food that relies on a few bought staples and the garden's bounty.</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This year will be rather different because I spent most of yesterday digging up and binning my entire leek crop. In late June I spent two back breaking days in mid-thirties heat planting out over two hundred little leeklings - dib hole, drop in plant, add a scoop of garden compost and water, then repeat two hundred or so times. The next day I replanted the twenty or so that an inquisitive blackbird had pulled from its hole.</span></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mid November and still healthy.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2016/12/garden-year-of-disastarous-leeks.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-76161381416258776182016-12-05T12:01:00.004+01:002016-12-05T12:01:56.429+01:00Book Review: A Christmas Outing by Jonathan Hill<br>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is a long time since I've found myself laughing out loud over a book (note to self - read more fun stuff) but this quick short story is just brilliantly funny. Anyone who has read Jonathan Hill's stories about the accident prone Maureen will know that he can handle comedic scenes, but this is an entire step up in class. His observation is first class: when did he meet my family?</span></div>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-christmas-outing-by.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-86325763166931689042016-12-04T08:00:00.000+01:002016-12-04T08:00:07.365+01:00Silent Sunday: Lac Bleu de Lesponne, Hautes-Pyrénées<br>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A late November walk to Lac Bleu before the first big snowfall a few days later.</span></div>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2016/12/silent-sunday-lac-bleu-de-lesponne.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-88110573121873105542016-10-23T12:32:00.000+02:002016-10-23T12:32:05.586+02:00Silent Sunday: Autumn Sun in the Hautes-Pyrénées<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Castelnau Magnoac & <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525;">Montoussé</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2016/10/silent-sunday-autumn-sun-in-hautes.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450883785341354752.post-63392559715829940332016-10-14T15:01:00.000+02:002016-10-14T15:04:43.269+02:00Garden: Autumn Colours.<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Temperatures dropping into single figures for the first time since the early spring, leaves changing colour and collecting in little heaps beneath the trees, misty mornings and the village full of drifting woodsmoke: Autumn is w</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ell and truly here.</span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last of the dhalia blooms - Tartan</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chard Bright Lights catching the morning sun. These plants will feed us right through until late spring. Unless the voles get them!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://stella-in-the-pyrenees.blogspot.com/2016/10/garden-autumn-colours.html#more">Read more »</a>Stella in the Pyreneeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486109822056190212noreply@blogger.com2