provence in bloom

Julian has a new system on his Postcard site which means that we have time for blossom walks. It means also that we are not going to bed with hundreds of disappointed New Yorkers and Atlantans and Californians at night, and that there is space in the day after 'l'heure du ping' (the moment he posts his daily picture and the mac starts pinging, and which usually co-incides with apéritif time) to actually cook and eat together. Unfortunately, after having been a helper for a week for some Southern American ladies and gents touring the area and having first 'researched' and then taken them to all my fave vineyards and restaurants, I seem to be suffering from the trop mangé bug . This bug essentially means feeling my stomach knot itself around three portions of foie gras in two days, my head throb with buttery sauces and my energy depleted by too much viognier and syrrah. I am taking the traditional birch juice cure for 'drainage' (the French are really into drainage and I guess they have a fair amount to drain) plus black radish and artichoke tablets for my poor old liver and for digestion...



Despite my queasiness, we have walked and walked. We have seen cherry blossom ghost white by moonlight and apple blossom paper crisp by day; plum blossom framing the Ventoux and almond blossom turn pink in a final blush before it drops. It all goes by so fast. Letting go, letting go.....




....and loving it!