Saint Malo

We decided to take a very mini break and take an overnight trip to St Malo (only 2.5 hours from our house). We left just before 10am and took a picnic lunch with us. We decided along the way to take the coastal route and have our picnic lunch near Cancale - don't regret that choice at all!! Stunning views of the sea!
Then we cruised along to St Malo and I rediscovered the city through Vincent's eyes as the last time he was here he was 6 years old.
It was a hot hot day, at least 30C which is a little unusual along the coast. We wandered around the walled city and up and around the ramparts.. Looking at the crystal clear water below. It really is a stunning city.
At the end if the day we went to Le Cap Horn for our dinner reservation. As we got there a few minutes early after a stroll on the promenade we got a drink in the piano bar - yup piano bar! The dude was there in a suit playing along for our listening enjoyment.
Then we moved along to the meal - yum! Asparagus purée as an amuse-bouche, I started with 12 oysters on the halfshell, they were the biggest, butteriest oysters I have ever eaten! 12 should be a main course! Then I had wild seabass with a miso sauce... Finishing with an AMAZING dessert : Kouign Amann with a scoop of lait ribot (buttermilk) ice cream. So creamy & wonderful.
We finished the evening with a walk on the beach.
It's great to have a change of scenery - if only for a day!

Summer?

Let's see... Since those two beautiful weeks of summer we had back in ugh... May. We've had not one glorious hot summer day. Nada. Zilch. Nil.
Instead of working on my tan at the beach in the afternoons I sip tea in my hoodie on the couch. Not that I mind that but I'd prefer to do it in say... November? It's JULY!!!

Rant over.

Anyway this year there have been some ups and downs in my little veggie patch. My FIL had given me dome beautiful tomato starters that he grew from seed, with the rain and those beautiful may days they grew bananas. But alas with just so much rain they still suffered the same fate as last years tomatoes - blight. I ripped them up this week :-(
He gave me leek starters this week, I think they'll do better, more adapted for cooler weather. My blueberries created the most beautiful and delicate little white bell shaped blossoms this spring (that the bees adored!) and now they are starting to ripen!! My snow peas & green beans are enjoying the cool weather and have lots of flowers. I planted a row of beets from seed which sprouted quite nicely until I went out one morning and saw that the slugs had mowed them down only leaving two which now are doing great. My zucchini have resisted the cool temps and are doing their very best to flower and have little baby zucchini starting. I'm going to plant some carrots, beets & kale that I ordered. Hopefully they'll do ok :-)

That's it for the garden round up - ill leave you with a picture of my breakfast this morning! Berries from the garden if you please!!!

14 juillet

The rain stopped long enough to go up to the Val de Saire with some friends. I had offered to bring a dessert and ended up making a cheesecake because the hostess has always wanted to try one. Having real access to Philadelphia cream cheese makes a HUGE difference and now I prefer a speculoos crust over a graham cracker one.
We were lucky with a clear night when we spotted fireworks across the bay.

Now if only the sun would come back and the temps would creep up above the 16C we've been having - I want summer already!!!