Onions and art

Many people dislike onions, they are praised for “catching” germs, they are dammed for causing food poisoning; someone always has an opinion on onions.

I personally love onions, but do tend to use more the white and purple varieties as although still flavoursome, cause less gastric upsets.

However, I have rarely seen anything quite as beautiful is this slide show – link below.

I wish that I could give credit to the artist, but was unable to find any information. Enjoy

Then by dint of several searches I was able to locate the original - always glad to recognize talent!

www.diaporamas-carmine.com/wp-content/uploads/.../Lart-aux-petits-oignons.pps

If for some reason you are unable to open this link you can search for it

doing the following

"aux-petits_oignons" filetype:ppt

Hanging raindrops out to dry.

As we have had such warm weather this summer, one day I got out the old clothesline out to air dry our wash. Although I absolutely abhor stiff towels, most anything else is just fine. Talk about a trip back to childhood – the smell of sun-dried clothes will do it every time. As a child, I hated having to help pin and take in the wash so have mostly avoided it as an adult, but special circumstances and the thought of saving electricity had me re-thinking former dislikes.

Yesterday I had washed the tablecloths and put them out to dry. Fortunately the last thing – in the dark – I remembered to take them off as it poured during the night.

The result was very artistic I thought thus my sharing with you:

Raindrops hung out to dry.

August 1st: Number 15 and

Changing traditions.

For various reasons, not the least of which was the fear of another heatwave, never mind the lack of energy this summer due to the ups and downs in the weather, I decided not to have the annual 1^st of August gathering at my home.

I did tell a few of the regulars that I ran into that I wasn’t going to, but there may be others who think that they have not been invited. I apologize.

With the “coming of age” last year, priorities (ok energy levels as well) have changed.  I have also become a grandmother and – surprise – everything everyone ever said about that state is true: love, love, love! It is one of the purest and truest of loves.

So, instead of having all my friends (Hmmm, perhaps a fall or winter party when I can be sure of cooler temperatures!) I simply decided to have the “N°.15 ers”, ie family and family-who-have-lived-here over the years.

Former housemates, current housemate, the younger son who is back living here for a few months, the older son who moved on at age 19, and two VERY WELCOME additions who will, I hope, eventually live here, that is my daughter-in-law and my grandson.

It was the baby’s first night outing as well; I am blessed to have been chosen. He fussed, but that was to be expected and at least now they have finally proven to me that he can as every time I have seen him so far he has started out crying, but stopped the minute I picked him up. But after his two-month visit to the paediatrician, a visit to the physical therapist yesterday then being drug across town in major traffic, I empathize. My “guests” had to fill up on chips and my younger son’s more-than-delicious guacamole whilst I cuddled and walked the baby in the attempt to soothe his pains and allow his parents a few minutes to bond with family and enjoy some moments without worrying (ok been there and so remember all the parties in which I only half participated – an eye and a thought are always on one’s child).

Once the burgers were finally on the grill and part of the way-too-much meal was eaten, the parents and baby were back on the road. The rest of us gathered in the living room and enjoyed champagne and dessert – one of the most decadent chocolate cakes I have ever had the pleasure of eating!

It was the best of celebrations.

Especially as today is the Swiss National Holiday and I could sleep in, clean up leisurely, eat breakfast in the most wonderful of environments and will later celebrate that in my village.

A new tradition begins at N° 15.

My social club….

The local grocery store.

I kid you not: today has to be some kind of a record. I went for a coffee as I needed to go to both the pharmacy and pick up some groceries. The coffee shop up on the upper floor by the post office and pharmacy serves good coffee and I was headed that way when I bumped into a neighbour and mother of a son with whom my youngest went to elementary school!

Hadn’t seen anyone in that family for years so surprise number one that we even recognized each other. Caught up briefly and exchanged telephone numbers so that sometime this fall when we are both back from all our travels we can get together. Whilst talking to her I saw another lost-from-view person, but obviously wasn’t so impolite as to interrupt my conversation so we simply nodded to each other.

I did make it up the stairs to coffee and had just settled in when I saw another close acquaintance coming out of the pharmacy. She lives in town and was accompanied so didn’t pop up and great her. Still.

After coffee off to collect groceries where I ran into three other people, again one of whom I hadn’t seen since my older boy’s scouting days!

As I was checking out I also chatted briefly with one of the neighbourhood restaurant owners. Good to see her as I thought that they were closed for a month. Turns out, no, only 10 days. Yeah – a place to eat that is reasonable and that we all like is available.

Tomorrow I think I’ll stay away from my local grocery store – can’t take the excitement.

www.stockunlimited.com/vector-image

Having….

Opened up the house; liberated, fed, watered and cleaned their kitty litter – Babette and Cléa; having cleaned up what I left in the living room last night as well as put away and/or

otherwise taken care of what my son had washed; having washed the counter tops whilst making my breakfast; having had said breakfast, leisurely, looking out on the garden, and having done a Sudoku in my Sunday paper it was finally time!

Time to get dressed.

Oh blessed Sunday morning!

Friendship is….

Many things to many people. I could write entire pages on what friendship is.

However, amongst all those others, one is currently very precious: the empathy and

Greetings I received from a friend across the ocean who read about our terrible heat.

For all of you in similar circumstances:

Just want to send you

some coolness! 🛫your friend in Silicon Valley! ⛄

 miracuously it is cooler today!

One does what one has to do…

 Or ironing on the balcony!

Many of you are unaware of the heat wave scorching Europe right now – or are thinking “thank goodness it’s not me”.

We went from hot to hotter to almost-unbearable, but we survived-to-tell-the-tale.

Today it is finally breezy and one recalls what it was like when life was more bearable.

As it was, the days were spent doing as little as possible, airing in the middle of the night in order to shut up entirely the whole day and still suffocating.

Sleep was rather non-existent unless one had a north-facing bedroom.

I bless the day that I changed the windows for triple glaze and more importantly the old wooden frames for PVC as there are now no longer leaks through the wood! Then I installed a ceiling fan – on two it does permit me to sleep – but of course, I am using electricity.

The last of the three elements that have led to better comfort in my bedroom although it is facing the setting sun and exposed to full sunlight as of about 13:00 are the new awnings. Thanks to a friend I knew that there existed a vertical piece in addition to the traditional slanted normal awning. This effectively seals the balcony from the direct sun – although one can see through it fairly well.

Saving the “mattress in the cellar” for the next heat wave.

All this means that ironing anything in the house is a total no-go; have also forbidden the use of the oven for the duration and actually prefer that people living in the house eat cold or heat in the microwave. I prefer going out, but finding a reasonably cool place to eat is also a challenge given that most of Europe does not yet have air conditioning.

So thanks to the early morning shade on the balcony that is where my ironing board has landed. I can iron a couple of shirts, sometimes even three items, without any of that nasty heat getting into my bedroom. A BIG plus, if odd: I am sure that not many people iron on the balcony.

Never mind the glorious view: greenery, lake and the Jura mountains in the distance!