Saturday, July 31, 2021

Au Revoir, Paris in July!



"Although Bertha Young was thirty she still had moments like this when she wanted to run instead of walk, to take dancing steps on and off the pavement, to bowl a hoop, to throw something up in the air and catch it again, or to stand still and laugh at–nothing–at nothing, simply.

What can you do if you are thirty and, turning the corner of your own street, you are overcome, suddenly by a feeling of bliss–absolute bliss!–as though you'd suddenly swallowed a bright piece of that late afternoon sun and it burned in your bosom, sending out a little shower of sparks into every particle, into every finger and toe? . . ."

---from "Bliss," in Bliss and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield


Paris in July wraps up this weekend, and what a lovely time I've had. I feel exactly like Bertha Young when I experience Paris in July (or, honestly, Paris at any other time). 

My friend Louise from A Strong Belief in Wicker loves Paris and children's books as much as I do, so we decided to do a buddy read of A Hundred Million Francs, one of the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read set in Paris, for Paris in July. We're at the halfway point, so we plan to read on, even after Paris in July. We have tentative plans to read the picture books in French together after that. The Paris in July fun lingers into August. 

I read/am reading three books---My Place at the Table, French Dirt, and Four Seasons in France---where people actually move to France and start new lives or spend extended time there. Maybe...someday...







What I Read Last Week:

by Alexander Lobrano ⭐⭐⭐
The Paris Project by Donna Gephart (Children's Fiction) ⭐⭐⭐
Crêpes by Suzette by Monica Wellington (Picture Book) ⭐⭐⭐





What I'm Reading Now:

Marlaguette by Marie Colmont (Picture Book, in French)
Bonsoir Lune by Margaret Wise Brown (Picture Book, in French)
La Vache Orange by Nathan Hale (Picture Book, in French)
A Hundred Million Francs by Paul Berna (1001 Children's Book)
My Four Seasons in France: A Year of the Good Life by Janine Marsh (Moving-and-Starting-Over Memoir)
Serve It Forth by M. F. K. Fisher (Food Writing)









Paris in July Last Week:

Iliana at Bookgirl's Nightstand shared a recipe for a common French favorite, French Yogurt Cake. My husband won't eat cake, but he does eat bread, so I made the cake and renamed it French Yogurt Bread. It was delicious.

We visited a French bistro a couple of times when we stayed in Paris last February, and my sister gave me a book she found after we got home for my birthday. I reviewed French Bistro.


We watched Season 1 of Alice in Paris. I hope to find the other seasons.


 Paris in July from Previous Weeks:

We watched Un Dimanche à la Campagne (A Sunday in the Country); The Lavender Hill Mob; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; Monsieur and Mademoiselle Adelman; and Jules and Jim


For Wordless Wednesday, I focused on the French phrase "Coup de Foudre," a lightning-bolt moment, here.

And I reflected on the French idea of books as an essential good here.

I reviewed Confessions of a French Breadmaker and tried one of the recipes from the book for Walnut and Red Wine Yeast Bread here.

I tweaked the Top Ten Tuesday post to note ??? Book Titles ??? That Are Classically French.

I shared my favorite modern art from Centre Pompidou: Modern Art at Centre Pompidou in Paris. Did you know "modern art" doesn't really mean modern art? I did not.

I listed my favorite French-ish books and tried to figure out why I love these books so much: Why I Love French-ish Books (And Why You Should Love Them, Too!)

I packed for Paris in July here.








Good Thing #1


Blowing bubbles with Annie and Wyatt.



Good Thing #2


A new Le Petit Prince coffee mug!


Good Thing #3

My sister, Cathy (left), had her birthday last week,
and I (right) had a lot of fun celebrating with her. 








I'm happy you found your way to the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place for us to link up and to share what we have been doing during the week. It's a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

Some of the things we often talk about at the Sunday Salon:

  • What was your week like?
  • Read any good books? Tell us about them.
  • What other bookish things did you do? 
  • What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.

        

My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. 

62 comments:

  1. Hello Deb, I just discovered your blog on Sherry's Pickings, and I think I am going to love it.I was a Librarian as well, love reading, and play the piano, or try to anyway, and I love cooking. My son and his family, including my three grandchildren have just moved to Montpelier for 12 months as she is French so really interested in all things French as well. I will follow your blog and look forward to it. Best wishes, Pauline

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    Replies
    1. Welcome, welcome. Happy to meet you here, and now I'm off to visit you on your home turf.

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  2. Your new mug is fabulous. You inspired me to get Confessions of a French Baker & I’ve a few recipes lined up for this upcoming week. Love the looks of the French Yogurt Cake too!

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    1. The French Yogurt Cake is a perfect light dessert. My husband gobbled it up.

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  3. I love that you renamed the cake as bread and your husband ate it. Great idea! My husband and I were talking about moving to Europe recently. We have a distant relative that just up and moved to The Netherlands and loves it. It's just a pipe dream right now, but maybe someday.

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    1. I often think about it. My nephew is looking into getting Italian citizenship for himself as well as for his mom and me. If that works out, we'll see.

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  4. Thanks for the reminder to make the French Yogurt Cake. I spotted it on Iliana's blog, but promptly forgot to print the recipe!

    Great pics of the kids blowing bubbles. Love that Wyatt is always in his boots. :) Sweet photo of you with your sister. Modeling new sweaters?

    Have a lovely weekend, Deb.

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    1. Yep, Christmas sweaters!

      Looks like a lot of us are making the French Yogurt Cake. It's so easy and it's delicious.

      And that Wyatt with his boots!

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  5. Welcome back after your month in Paris! As you will have noticed, it is still hot here.

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    1. Although I hear there may be a cool front coming next week...

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  6. French Yogurt Cake sounds so good.

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  7. Kids and bubbles are the best combination (well, adults and bubbles, too). Welcome back from Paris, I am glad your "travels" get to continue.

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    1. I ordered what I thought were two bottles of bubbles with my grocery order, but I ended up with two packs-of-four...a total of eight bottles of bubbles!

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  8. So glad you were able to have so much fun with Paris in July. I need to do it next year! I have never been and don't know when I'll be able to make it so this is the next best thing. That French Yogurt cake looks amazing. Yum. I hope you have a wonderful week!

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    1. Paris in July is a lovely mid-year break, I think. I hope you can come, too, Heather, next year.

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  9. Looks at those wonderful French children's books. That French Yogurt cake is just the type of dessert I would like - not too sweet. I love the pics of the little ones and you and your sister - so precious. Have a great week Deb.

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    1. I'm glad I bought the little picture books in French. It seems to be helping me to read them over and over.

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  10. Well it sounds like you had a lovely time in Paris and that French Yogurt Cake/Bread looks delicious!

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  11. Someday I will spend my July in Paris. It sounds like you had so much fun and read so many great books. Great pics you shared with us. Hope you have a great week!

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  12. What cute pictures of your grandchildren and you and your sister!

    I'm glad you were able to "visit" Paris and even extend your "vacation!" I haven't ever visited in real life but it is high on our list.

    Enjoy your week!

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    1. I'm envious of you in Alaska in summer. Sounds perfect.

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  13. I love that you disguised the food and called it bread. I've been eating a lot of yogurt lately to watch the carbs and sounds great to make cake with it.

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    1. I eat yogurt every morning, so it's just a tiny stretch to make a cake...that is, bread...from it.

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  14. Loved following your monthlong trip! Hope to go to Paris on my next trip to France - in the meantime I’m going to make the Yogurt Cake too!

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    1. Thank you, Monica! I'm eager to go back to France soon.

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  15. I need to get some baking done. I want to plan a trip, but I'm not quite ready yet. We have never gone this long without travelling!

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    Replies
    1. We usually go on at least one rock dig a year, but nothing has happened here in a year and a half.

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  16. Your 3 good things always makes me smile but the blowing bubbles this week was a great pick me up and reminded me of fun with my grands and something we need to do again.

    Have a great week!!

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    1. I should have made a video of the kids with the bubbles. It was so much fun.

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  17. You really maxed out Paris in July and I loved all your posts. It was a good one this year. Now, to get to the REAL Paris, July or otherwise!

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  18. That yogurt cake looks yummy! And your time in Paris was wonderful. Enjoy August...and thanks for sharing.

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  19. Wow, I'm always impressed by how many books you read, and there are always seem to be more for July in Paris! Your yogurt "bread" looks delicious!

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    1. I always read a lot. Unfortunately I haven't been able to read in depth the way I'd like.

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  20. I plan to make Iliana's yogurtcake recipe, too... and admire your cleverness in calling it bread ;-) Also happy to see you enjoyed My Place at the Table. Whatan excellent month you had in Paris!

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  21. I smiled at all your good things this week.

    Loved the bread vs. cake hack. LOL. Did your husband love the bread?

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  22. Replies
    1. It was, despite our increasing apprehensions about the surges in the virus.

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  23. The Little Prince was one of my favorites as a child
    This was my first week with Sunday Salon and I am so happy to be here
    I hope you will check my post out !
    https://twogirlsandtheirbookishlife.blogspot.com/2021/08/sunday-salon-its-my-first-and-i-am-so.html

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  24. Ahhh, such a love list of Paris themed books and photos! I'm so loving your blog as well as this link up! Thank you!

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  25. This month was so much fun and I have you to thank! I saw you past about it and hopped on the bandwagon. Love The Little Prince mug and the bubbles. Blowing bubbles has gotten me out of many a bad mood :)

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    1. I've enjoyed seeing your Paris in July posts very much.

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  26. The cake name change made me laugh. I have to do that sometimes though I think with my husband I'd have to leave the yogurt out of the title. The cake looks delicious! I have a few Paris books coming up in my reading list that I'm looking forward to. I'm thinking about grouping them together and having a little Paris in August maybe? Have a great week!

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  27. Sounds like you had a good month with all things Paris. The French Yogurt Cake looks lovely. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  28. Ha ha on the cake to bread change. You had a great Paris in July!

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  29. You did well on your Paris reading trip. And the yogurt cake looks great to me. Your photo with Cathy is good fun, is that from the '70s? I had my hair in barrettes just like that.

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    1. The photo is from the mid-60s. I'm from an earlier time. But the style transcends time, I think.

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  30. French Yogurt Bread sounds delicious. I'm probably going to spend an hour going through these PAris links... :)

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  31. I would love to travel to Paris. If you can't books are the next best thing. That loaf looks lovely.

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  32. joining later this week! But love your three things.. that photo of you and your sis is beautiful.. Happy bday to her (belated).. and that French Yogurt Cake ahem bread looks yum..

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  33. I loved this week's Sunday Salon. Sigh...farwell, Pairee...
    I loved the look of the yogurt bread. Is the recipe hard? Bubbles and grandkids are a delight, aren't they? The kids are so precious. Did you ever pass along the cheeseboard to Annie? I hope that you will!
    Belated happy BD to Cathy. The pic of the two of you is adorable.
    Have a good rest of the week.

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    1. The yogurt bread is very easy, as easy as a box cake.

      I'm keeping the cheeseboard for Annie until they get settled in their new place.

      Thank you, Rae.

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