Spring has arrived earlier than last year here in Wisconsin, but later than the year before and the year before that.Nonetheless, we are grateful that most of the snow is gone, thanks to a run of 45-to-60 degree days and a fair amount of sunshine. I love the washed-with-sunlight look of late March and early April. But the landscape is still gray and tan and colorless, as the rains have not yet turned the lawns to green and there are still patches of blackened snow along the curbs and in low shady places behind the horse barn.
I cannot help but recall that six months ago, I was languishing by the side of a pool in the southwest of France, sipping Malbec and breathing deeply of the country air, midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The wind rumbles low along the causses and ripples through the fir trees and through the rows of vines in the vineyards.
The photo above was taken that very day on the terrace of the house we rented, known here as Chez Bateau.
A Sunday in France is a day to be celebrated.
So is a Sunday in spring. How will you celebrate?
14 comments:
Sadly, on Monday there will be OCC Auditors in my office, so I get to spend a part of my first Spring Sunday of 2009 at the office working on files...
But after that, I'm going out for some fun at a local bar.
We've had spring for a couple of weeks -- earlier than usual on the prairie. Things green and grow so fast with the warmth of spring.
Tough luck, ChazF! I feel for you.
Martha, those words resonate with me...prairie, green, warmth. I do love spring best...
Bonsoir Mimi,
Today was a rare pre-spring sunny Sunday in Chicago. Through my window I even saw a couple of green little things pointing out of the dirt near the bushes in front of the entrance of my building. But I think that it's too early to celebrate Spring. Nevertheless since I need to comfort myself(I have been in a cast for 3 weeks since I broke my ankle on an icy sidewalk covered by snow on March 1) I sent my wife buy a couple of "magrets de canard" (duck breasts). I'm about to sear them in a touch of olive oil in a cast iron skillet after coating them with a crust of black pepper, then bake them in the skillet in the oven (preheated to 375). Then I will slice them on the plate and they will be just pink and juicy. We will eat them with diced potatoes sauteed in olive oil with crushed garlic, along with a Boston lettuce dressed in a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. This is for me a typical mini Sunday night celebration that will perhaps remind you of the kind of food you had in the Valley of the Lot river six months ago, Mimi.
I will pair that with a bottle of Bergerac red from Chateau Haut-Sarthes Montravel 2005, a delicious and affordable wine from the Southwest.
Hi Mimi--I think your spring Sunday is better than mine.....we have gale-force winds and it's pretty nippy. Rained this morning too. I made some bbq pork in the slow cooker today...definitely NOT spring fare!
I was in Milw last week...that 10 degree day was crazy! I don't think I could take too many of those on a regular basis. But my Dad's snowdrop flowers were bloomed.
Alain, mon dieu! I am so sorry about your mishap. I fell in December, but no injuries. That meal sounds wonderful, and yes, much like those we enjoyed in the Lot. I ran into Chez Bateau's owner today, and she said the weather there earlier this month was wonderful.
MaryRuth, it remains nippy here this weekend, but we have had some very balmy days. BBQ sounds good!
its Monday here and I have a summer/autumn flu! Its the pits.
You do not want to see my poor hydranya plant. After our shockly hot summer I think its dead.
Hello Mimi,
I spent Sunday buying fat bunches of pink ranunculus and mimosa from our local flower market to bring a little of that spring fever indoors. I'm heading for the South West of France myself in a few weeks time, so I loved your description of sitting by the pool and sipping Malbec. Sante!
Debora
Mimi...Spring has sprung here in the midwest, tho we have heard rumors of snow (shudder!) for the weekend. Doesn't bother me one lick, tho. Very little bits of green coming through, with my chives being the 1st!
And here I thought...Wow!! Spring has really sprung in Wisconsin!! I spent the first weekend of spring um...recovering from a hangover because of too many rootbeer martinis. Silly me...
I think Spring is over-due in someplaces in the country~happy to read it has stopped by your place! Are you going to plant a garden this year?
We have our spring flower here, but not very spring like weather, and neither in France!! Have just come back after a 3 day break.
Anne
Mimi, Hope you are having a warmer weekend. Check out my blog for an award.
Its late summer / early autumn here in New Zealand, still very warm and sunny. I have always thought it would be nice to have 4 defined seasons, here in Auckland its either summer or winter with not a lot in-between. I can appreciate though how wonderful it must be to see the earth spring to life again after such cold long winters.
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