Knock Knock

Knock knock...

Who's there?

"Your Baby Doll...

named Amy!"

&

then she said...

"I'm bringing a pArTy to your Frenchie Bleu world...

I just want to see you put that lavender oil on between your eyes again and I want to see your smile

&

Oh and I lost 20 something pounds!"  

~And I know she'll be dressed all in pink~

And then she said,

"We'll make a little holiday magic"...

Then I said,

" 20 pounds!??! but can we maybe eat a cupcake?"

She said,

"Of course we can!"

So we promised we will walk.

Alot...

but after we unwrap a pretty present or maybe two! 

~

She said mine is wrapped in white paper with silver stars

&
I wrapped hers in a pink bow with gold stars~

 ~Wishing all the magic possible to all my twinklie little stars~

XO

~

fin

image 1,2, 3, 7 & 9 Kathy Hackman Hutchison

image 4 Shirley at Simply Chateau

image 5 Tumblr

image 6 Making Magique

image 8 Google Images

If I Could

If

I could... 

I would make us a delicious Thanksgiving feast! 

A banquet like you've never seen before!

I would set a table for us all to sit together so that we can see each other

 face to face.

I imagine we would cheers our moment together

All. Day. Long....  

I would bake us each an apple tart shaped like my heart.

To tell you each one... that I am Truly Grateful

For You,  in my life.

Even though it is sometimes only words on a blog, it is your heart that speaks to me.

I know you are there. You take time. You care.

Thank you for being here!

Happy Thanksgiving 

to each of you and may your day be filled with

as much Love as you always

Give. 

XO

fin

All photos from Kathy Hackman Hutchison via Pinterest 

Thank you Kathy for all the beautiful images you share!

Just Sitting Here

Just sitting here planning our hOliDaY 

&

I am getting SO excited! 

It will be simple this year! 

Less stuff, less fuss but

dusted

&

laced

 with  lots of magic!

Have a fun week planning all of your favorite things,

your special touches

 &

 recipe hunting too!

Hugs to all You Beautifuls!!!

XO 

fin

photo 1 Dust jacket

photo 3 Kathy Hackman Hutchison

photo 2 French Kissed

Dear Ashley

Dear Ashley,

 I first want to let you know that finding your unexpected gift this year was an experience I will never forget...

It was a very special kind of "prize" when I stumbled upon it, because I knew, this moment was going to be for you. 

 It was a precious journey for me.

Thank you!

I walked into a beautiful old church in Paris.

I was overwhelmed with emotion.

I could not help but think of my Dad. 

 Then,

I thought of your brother in pure silence under amazing huge grey arched ceilings and stone walls. The sun showered in like heaven through old wavy glass stained glass windows.

I walked slowly until I found Saint Christopher,

 for you.

He stood on the left side, on a small alter all his own, holding a child in his arms. 

Candles were burning for loved ones... 

 I lit one for your brother.  I lit one for my Dad. 

 It was warm.  It was peaceful. 

 There was a huge brilliant presence of being HOME.

I felt so small.

My heart felt bigger than words I can share with you.  

I burned a Sainte Therese candle for your brother...

I knelt down and said a prayer. 

 I asked Saint Christopher to hold him close for you, always to keep him warm, happy and safe.    

Our candles burned all night long...

I went back the next morning to bring yours home to you, though now empty you can add a candle to burn again.

Always remember....

Your brother is Here.  He is There.  He is Everywhere. 

I promise you he is!

At the flea market in Nice I found your vintage religious souvenir.

 statue de sel 

A salt statue of Sainte Therese to sit by your candle.

Big Hugs

&

All my love to you sweet Ashley, stay strong.

Please send me your address to

Frenchbluue@cox.net

Janet

Ashleys comment: 

I entered this amazing contest last year and will do so again today, although my desired treasure has yet to change. I have a little vignette in my home dedicated in memory of my brother whom I lost in November of '09', he was only 27 and I still can't get the grasp of my on-going life without him. If I am so lucky to win, I would love a religious figure of sorts, something old, something that tells a story...I am so thankful to enter this contest....Good luck to all who enter!!

Xoxoxo~Ashley

Ashley just sent me over pictures of her brother.

Jonathan William Casedy

Jonny

Jonny with his son...

&

Jonny fishing...

both were his Heaven on Earth.

fin

XO

Le Grand Colbert

I am Home!

My cup is filled and I am so content. 

One of our first evenings in Paris was spent at 

Le Grand Colbert.

It is one of my husbands favorite visits because of the warm setting and delicious food.

                                                       

  It is also special because it is the restaurant Diane Keaton mentions and ends up on her Birthday with Keanu Reeves & Jack in one of my favorite movies,

Somethings Gotta Give. 

We are far from Jack & Diane but we were

so happy being here together.

After dinner we walked by the Grand Palais at night all lit up. 

So stunning!

Then we walked across the bridge.  The water was magical,

just like liquid gold.

Breathless.

Thank you all for you sweet wishes to me on my post,

Here, There & Everywhere.

Each one was so important to me. 

I will be posting my winner soon!

XO

fin 

All photos taken by FrenchBlue, Janet & Larry Solomon

photo taken in Le Grand Colbert by the waiter.

Here There and Everywhere...

I have learned that wherever you are....

 There is a door. 

A door that takes you to wherever you want to be.

It may be a place, a feeling or with a person.

It may be even with someone you loved, that you have lost~ 

I miss my Dad everyday. 

So much so that I was forced to  find a door with a bridge behind it that takes me to him.

My door has been shut very tight this year. 

I allowed myself no room. 

I felt like I was being buried alive. My husband noticed I was fading.

He came quietly to me and said...

"Let's go to France...

Please!

Let's go somewhere where everything makes sense to us...."  

"Where there is a secret hole we fall into..." 

"Where children are children. 

Where they catch rings with wooden sticks on a carousel." 

"Where you might find that very special little someone playing in the park after school again this year." 

"Where we can't read the menus and we can have two hour lunches."

 above photo Corey Amaro

"When we leave Paris we will go back to where the world feels balanced, perfect and right.

  Let's call Jean Bernard and stay at the La Madone in the Renaissance!"   

"You can stare for a long time at the linen drapes on those four hundred year old wooden floors again." 

"We can drive through the villages in Provence. We will go on daily adventures. 

&

 maybe even get lost if we want to." 

"We will see the leaves change color. 

It will be cold. 

 We will walk and walk and walk...."

"We can go to out of the way flea markets & brocantes." 

"Where we can find another unexpected treasure... 

like things that don't matter to anyone else, but us." 

"We can see and maybe even follow some of our favorite characters."  

"We will go all the way to the ocean this year, to the Cote de Azur! 

 There are brocantes in Cannes & Nice. We'll stay in a hotel over the water in 

Villefranche-sur-mer".  

And so I said...

"ok"   

And...

 YES YES YES! 

 I LOVE MY HUSBAND!!

Amy said I must visit The Monaco Oceanographic Museum headed by Jacques Cousteau.

She said It is by far the most beautiful place she has visited in France!

Lobsters are as big as us! SeaShells! Sea life specimens!  Huge old sea creature chandeliers!

I can't wait! 

So! 

My sweet friends....I have started packing today! 

SO!  

Tell me what YOU want me to bring back to YOU!

Because you know I love to give back to you! 

This is will be my 4th annual Tell Me contest!  

Tell me something very SPECIAL you are longing for from a brocante in France.

The first treasure I find on my journey that fits a wish will be my winner!

Rules: 

It must fit in my suitcase.

Be descriptive.

Don't be shy.

Just Tell me. 

Your wishes can be taken now through october by just leaving me a comment on this post!

Presents are little things that make us smile,
I know....
But the best treasure I have to share with you is...

We will walk through many doors in our lifetime. 

Some doors we walk through are better than others.

Hard times or good times, married or single, travelers or not, rich or poor.
There is one door we walk through where it is all the same.
Everything is the same.

  The sky is blue above us everywhere. 

 The earth is the earth and soil we walk on.

There is only one moon that looks down on us. 

 There is only one sun that warms us.

There is only ONE place to be no matter where we are. 

&

 That choice is yours. 

Love exists and lives, it's a feeling that only we can make from inside of ourselves.
It is here, there and everywhere.

Au Revoir Mes Amis!!
~

XXX's

    

fin
~
photo 1 pinterest kathy hackman hutchison 2 lynn goldfinger photo 7 corey amaro photo 15, 16,17 google images.  all other photos taken by janet solomon