The sun finally breaks a wet, sluggish May

Time for a short note. Sacha is growing -- Gwen and Louis bring him over to see us and for nice long naps in the back yard. Yes, the rain has finally let up! We even have sunshine and it's warm! We can enjoy the yard. It's starting to feel like May, at last. The roses are gorgeous this year and there are lots of them. It looks like I pruned them back the right way, for once, and if only I could remember how I did it, I'd be able to do it again! My romaine lettuce is getting eaten away by some insects that I can't find, or maybe it's snails or slugs. Looks like the critters like parsley, too. And basil and zucchini plants. One of the zucchini was eaten down to nothing, but there's now a new leaf peaking up, so it didn't die. I'm really not doing a great job with my square-foot gardening. I keep forgetting to plant the plots I've harvested from. But I do like the raised beds -- so much nicer for my back.
The rhubarb didn't die, either. I let it flower this year, which is not supposed to be a good thing, but the flower stalk came up so fast, I just didn't react in time. By the time I cut it, it was too late, so I took in what rhubarb I had (made some jam with mint leaves in it and then used that on an apple pie -- very good combo!). I thought that was it and that the plant was dead. It was more than a month ago. Now, I see new leaves coming up, so all is not lost. The artichoke, however, did not survive the winter freeze. In other years, it survived winter and sprouted new flowers. Since there was never enough to make a meal of, I just let it bloom and it was pretty. Maybe I'll plant another. The raspberries are late, this year. We're going to have lots of fruit, but I think it'll take another two weeks before they are ripe. The plum tree that surprised us last year is full of fruit again, but lots have been dropping already, not ripe, so it may have reverted back to its old ways. I would love to have some fruit from it again, though.
I went back to Cake & Bake last week. They were having a little sale for those willing to brave the rain and come out. I bought myself some new pie tins and alphabet & number cookie cutters for the kids. I couldn't resist getting a cupcake (or muffin) stand for a wedding gift for friends I've made via the blogs. They seem to have a constant flow of visitors and I remember one of them mentioning muffins so everyone could enjoy the conversation in the living room rather than a meal at the table (or something like that).
Oh, yes, France elected a new president and we're getting ready for the legislative elections in 2 weeks. We are hoping to get down to the south of France to see family, and we now are planning to get up to Holland to see friends who will be over from the States to visit their family. And at the end of June, we go over to England for more family. So, after a very homebound May, June will be full of comings and goings.

Lots of visitors -- Pleins de gens !

French first, English below the line of dashes, photo credits: Emmanuelle & Louis:

Emmanuelle et ses filles avec Sacha
Emmanuelle and daughters with Sacha

Les courses chez Cake & Bake
Cake & Bake shopping

Oof, je prends un moment de repos. D'abord, j'ai fait mes ongles et maintenant que le vernis est sec, j'écris. Que des visites ces dernières semaines. Nous avons eu le plaisir de voir les Lebelles de Pau autour d'un petit voyage à Prague pendant les vacances scolaires à la fin du mois d'avril. Ils ont passé une nuit "d'hôtel" en arrivant le soir pour partir le lendemain à l'aéroport rejoindre le reste de la famille. Heureusement, au retour, ils ont passée une journée pleine avec nous. Dès leur arrivée de l'aéroport, les Lebelles parisiens (Louis, Gwen, et Sacha, et Anne) sont venus -- grande réunion de cousins, cousines et bain de foule pour Sacha.  Le lendemain, laissant Paul et Alexandre à la maison, nous, les filles, sommes allées dans Paris chez "Cake and Bake", un tout petit magasin de tout ce qu'il faut pour faire la patisserie américaine -- cupcakes, glaçages, moules, formes amusantes pour découper les biscuits. Lieu de perdition, mais je savais que ça plairait ! C'est près de la Place de la République et de là nous sommes allée à pied au marais, rue des Rosiers pour déjeuner. Découverte des falafels pour les paloises. Très appréciés. Suivi par des pâtisseries orientales que nous avons ramenées à la maison pour le goûter. Il faisait prèsque beau et prèsque chaud. Samedi ils sont repartis pour Pau. C'était une bonne visite -- à renouveler.

Le temps de voir un film avec Emma et Anne -- Le Prénom -- et se préparer pour l'arrivée des Husaunndees de Duston. Un mot sur le film; à voir. On rit bien. Il faisait très beau le 1er mai. Un vrai temps de saison. Un temps trop court parce que le reste de la semaine, il faisait de nouveau frais et pluvieux. J'ai quand même planté des tomates, du basilic et j'ai remplacé le thym.

Les anglais sont arrivées vendredi soir, entre deux pluies. Charlotte et Aurélia ont ramassé quelques radis pour le repas du soir. On s'est rendu compte que ça faisait plus d'un an depuis leur dernière visite -- le weekend anniversaire. Samedi, journée tranquil avec une visite à l'écurie à côte de l'école maternelle. Les filles ont adoré voir les chevaux et sont retournées à l'écurie encore dimanche et ce matin avant de partir. Aurelia a fait la connaissance d'Eric, notre coiffeur, mais elle n'a pas voulu se faire couper les cheveux, vraiment pas. Dimanche, c'était de nouveau maison pleine pour le déjeuner. Et une photo de famille! Les filles sont tres contentes d'avoir ce petit cousin et très, très affectueuses. Quelle plaisir de les avoir tous là!

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I haven't written in French on this blog in a long time, so I put the French version first. I'm not really going to translate for the English version. It's going to be more like an abridged version. The picture at the top is Emmanuelle, Alexandre's wife, with their daughters, holding Sacha. They were here for a visit after their little trip to Prague. The next day, we went to a shop specializing in American baking accessories, Cake & Bake, and then walked down to the Marais area for falafels and oriental pastry.

Emma, Anne and I went to see a movie on May 1, "Le Prénom" ("The Name"), a French movie based on a play with the same title. I'm sure it'll be remade in the States. It's perfectly adaptable, so I won't give it away. Let's just say that at a dinner party, the father-to-be is asked if they've decided on a name and that leads to quite a discussion. Lots of laughs, but some serious thoughts, too.

The Husaunndees just left after a weekend with us. Another big family reunion -- see the picture! More cooking and playing and just sitting admiring the kids. They got to see the horses at the stables next to the nursery school. They even got to see the school, where "Mummy" went when she was little because it was a polling station, therefore open. They also went to the aquarium and saw the crocodiles (among other animals and fish). They loved seeing Sacha. Aurelia is fascinated with babies and would have smothered him in kisses if we hadn't held her back.