French la Vie https://www.frenchlavie.com French la Vie Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:56:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://www.frenchlavie.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/poppy-1-150x150.png French la Vie https://www.frenchlavie.com 32 32 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/07/27/my-cousin-chris-garden-tips-for-delicious-vegetables/ My Cousin Chris’ Garden Tips for Delicious Vegetables https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/963446786/0/tongueincheek~My-Cousin-Chris%e2%80%99-Garden-Tips-for-Delicious-Vegetables/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/963446786/0/tongueincheek~My-Cousin-Chris%e2%80%99-Garden-Tips-for-Delicious-Vegetables/#respond Mon, 27 Jul 2026 02:00:24 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85844 Green vibrancy, Chris’ vegetable patch hums with yum. His passion finds its way into every row, joy lingers on every vine, and the reward arrives in delicious vegetables—blue-ribbon marvels! Autumn leaves become a tablecloth for tomorrow’s feast. By spring the leaves are swept aside, leaving room for posthole-dug homes, each plant welcomed with compost rich […]
               

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Green vibrancy, Chris’ vegetable patch hums with yum. His passion finds its way into every row, joy lingers on every vine, and the reward arrives in delicious vegetables—blue-ribbon marvels!

Autumn leaves become a tablecloth for tomorrow’s feast. By spring the leaves are swept aside, leaving room for posthole-dug homes, each plant welcomed with compost rich in coffee grounds and eggshells. Folded weed cloth, a « fresh » tablecloth of leaves, a crown of real steer manure, then drip lines, sturdy stakes, and construction-wire cages complete the scene.

No mystery, only care, patience, and a gardener who knows that generous hands coax extraordinary harvests. Chris shares his know how freely— and his bounty.

now, Chris my readers, and I would like your recipes for sun-dried tomatoes, and marinara sauce. Please indulgence us in your secrets!

M some of the photos were taken by Chris

               

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]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/963446786/0/tongueincheek~My-Cousin-Chris%e2%80%99-Garden-Tips-for-Delicious-Vegetables/feed/ 0 Weekly Top Posts: 2026-07-26https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/963181043/0/tongueincheek<ol><li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/960903563/0/tongueincheek/~The-Big-Adventure%2c-Grand-papa-and-Gabriel">The Big Adventure, Grand-papa and Gabriel</a></li> <li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/961016750/0/tongueincheek/~The-Vineyard%3a">The Vineyard:</a></li> <li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/961167680/0/tongueincheek/~some-of-us">some of us</a></li> <li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/960800198/0/tongueincheek/~The-Sign-of-the-Times">The Sign of the Times</a></li> <li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/960668384/0/tongueincheek/~Heartland">Heartland</a></li> </ol><Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" alt="" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0;width:1px!important;height:1px!important;" hspace="0" src="https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/963181043/0/tongueincheek"> Sun, 26 Jul 2026 04:00:01 GMTtag:feedblitz.com,2026-07-26:tongueincheek/2026-07-26T04:00:01-00:00 FeedSplice by FeedBlitz https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/07/26/my-mothers-garden-3/ My Mother’s Garden https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/963194690/0/tongueincheek~My-Mother%e2%80%99s-Garden/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/963194690/0/tongueincheek~My-Mother%e2%80%99s-Garden/#comments Sun, 26 Jul 2026 02:00:07 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85832 ]]>
]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/963194690/0/tongueincheek~My-Mother%e2%80%99s-Garden/feed/ 6 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/07/25/the-story-of-blue-willow/ The Story of Blue Willow https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962873087/0/tongueincheek~The-Story-of-Blue-Willow/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962873087/0/tongueincheek~The-Story-of-Blue-Willow/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2026 02:00:50 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85819 The night before Koong-se was to wed the duke, Chang disguised himself and slipped into the house and escaped with Koong-se (and the jewels).  Once upon a time there was a wealthy Mandarin, who had a beautiful daughter named Koong-se.  The Mandarin had plans for Koong-se to marry a powerful Duke.  But Koong-se had fallen […]]]>

The night before Koong-se was to wed the duke, Chang disguised himself and slipped into the house and escaped with Koong-se (and the jewels). 

Once upon a time there was a wealthy Mandarin, who had a beautiful daughter named Koong-se.  The Mandarin had plans for Koong-se to marry a powerful Duke.  But Koong-se had fallen in love with her father’s humble clerk (Chang).  Obviously, this could not happen because of the difference in their social class.  Their love was discovered by her father who built a high fence around his house to keep the lovers apart.  The Duke arrived by boat to claim his bride, bringing a box of jewels as a gift.  The wedding was to take place the day the blossom fell from the willow tree.

The alarm was raised and they ran over the a bridge, chased by the Mandarin, whip in hand.  They escaped to the Duke’s ship sailed to a secluded island where they lived happily for years.  But one day, the Duke discovered their hiding place and sent soldiers who captured and killed the two.  The gods, moved up ni by their plight, then transformed the lovers into a pair of doves. »

Blue Willow and other blue ware from my cousin Judy.

To read more about Blue Willow dishware and the continuing text. Please click on this text.

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962873087/0/tongueincheek~The-Story-of-Blue-Willow/feed/ 1 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/07/24/judy-delicious/ Judy Delicious https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962454125/0/tongueincheek~Judy-Delicious/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962454125/0/tongueincheek~Judy-Delicious/#comments Fri, 24 Jul 2026 02:00:01 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85803 My cousin Judy follows a recipe and knows how it will taste before the first bite. Whenever any of us are invited to Judy‘s table, we know it will be a feast. She creates effortlessly – At least that’s how it seems. There must be a few invisible helpers tucked around the corners. And if […]]]>

My cousin Judy follows a recipe and knows how it will taste before the first bite. Whenever any of us are invited to Judy‘s table, we know it will be a feast.

She creates effortlessly – At least that’s how it seems. There must be a few invisible helpers tucked around the corners. And if I find them, I’m bringing them home with me.

The secret ingredient isn’t on the recipe card it is within her.

No fanfare. No applause. Just grace, set at the table. Abundance is simply Judy’s native language. She lives as though there is always enough to share.

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962454125/0/tongueincheek~Judy-Delicious/feed/ 8 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/07/23/home-base-4/ Home Base https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962002739/0/tongueincheek~Home-Base/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962002739/0/tongueincheek~Home-Base/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2026 02:00:35 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85797 Being back home changes my rhythm. Things aren’t where I expect. People coming and going. Happy distractions. Full days that blend into another- full of conversations, laughs, tenderness, and moments I somehow forget to photograph. Pretty wild for someone who usually documents everything! I only realized at the end of the day my camera is […]]]>

Being back home changes my rhythm. Things aren’t where I expect. People coming and going. Happy distractions. Full days that blend into another- full of conversations, laughs, tenderness, and moments I somehow forget to photograph. Pretty wild for someone who usually documents everything! I only realized at the end of the day my camera is mute. Sorry—everyone’s happy, healthy, and all is well. Now, I must think Photos!

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/962002739/0/tongueincheek~Home-Base/feed/ 2 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/07/22/dinner-last-night/ Dinner Last Night https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/961531451/0/tongueincheek~Dinner-Last-Night/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/961531451/0/tongueincheek~Dinner-Last-Night/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2026 02:00:41 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85785 My nieces, Marie, Molly and her brother Warren came to my mother’s and brought a dinner they made. So happy to be with them I only took these photos! Not even of the delicious dessert, or a selfie of us all. But the time spent together was truly all I needed cxx]]>

My nieces, Marie, Molly and her brother Warren came to my mother’s and brought a dinner they made.

So happy to be with them I only took these photos! Not even of the delicious dessert, or a selfie of us all. But the time spent together was truly all I needed cxx

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/961531451/0/tongueincheek~Dinner-Last-Night/feed/ 6