ugh....

 time sure flies.  

still on the right side of the grass.  

since my last post here, I:

* moved

*got a full time job

*worked at the job for almost 10 years

*learned a lot about business

*learned a lot more about people

*left job

*had surgeries

*had heartache

*had some self-realization

*realized i have much more learning to do.....

*am still an optimist

(I think.....)

  

Bonjour!

There is a local French Restaurant, L'Adour, which we LOVE for breakfasts. We try not to go too often, because we think we could really get used to it, and want to keep it a little "special".

There are a few reasons we like this place so much..... It is so quaint and charming. The wait staff are all from France. The storefront, and dining room are just as you might expect in France. But not pretentious at all. It's a very laid-back European vibe . Sometimes as I sit there, I look out the window and actually feel transported to France. Just something about the way the sun hits the curtained windows, and the angular buildings in that section of the city....

They wrap the woven cotton napkins into rosettes (you can see them on the tables) you are served water in an Limoncello bottle with the attached plug. they used to serve little dishes of citrus sections as a sort of appetizer, but they have stopped that... we miss it! The food is always hot and GREAT! They make the pastries as they are ordered. Great pastries....

We were there on Sunday and I ordered the Spinach and Goat Cheese Galette (crepe). It was delicious. Our server was a young girl who looked a bit like a Paris-street-urchin. ( I mean this in a good way! ) She was very funny. We ordered an almond croissant, and she swooned a bit... We told her to sit down and have some with us! lol

BUT... HERE is the reason we love ths restaurant..... The coffee is amazing. This coffee is so good we always drink about 5 cups each. I could just sit there, looking out those windows, drinking coffee and watching TV5Monde which they always have on playing on the bar tv.

We've never gone for dinner or lunch. We always say we're going to, but never have.

The owner/chef is a very nice man who often comes around and says hello to everyone.

http://ladour.com

Hello?

To anyone out there.... Forgive my "lapse" in blogdom. Blink if you can see me.

I'm going to try to rev up this thing again. We'll have to see how much I have to say. lol

(the pic is Brennan's Beach on Lake Ontario) It was just an overcast day and cold when we were there a month or so ago.

where the heck have I been?

The summer is just flying by.....

I just haven't had the energy or inclination ot post anything here, but I have been keeping busy!

I've been going to the lake and snapping pictures of the most amazing sunsets!!!!

and I've been starting to think more about knitting again. I'ts been so long. I'm thinking socks and sweaters....

I've been baking a bit lately. Today I got the newest Everyday Food magazine in the mail. I was looking through it and there were recipes for plum things. I had gotten a bag of plums at the store this week and was thinking of making a plum tart.

....and there it was. The filling in this tart (other than plums, of course) is ground roasted almonds, sugar and a bit of flour.

I'm not a "eat the raw cookie dough " kind of gal, but I tasted this mixture, and I could have eaten the whole bowl of it.

It's actually a Galette, which, I assume is a free-form type of tart....because that's exactly what it is.

Here it is piping hot from my oven

Monday, Monday.

I've been walking at a local Municipal Park lately. I like the track that runs around the whole thing.. There's something that appeals to me about knowing just how far I am walking.

There is also a tennis court there, which has been a nice halfway point for my friend and I to meet and play a bit.
Next to the park is a cemetary. I walked into it a bit last week. It is so peaceful and charming.
Lots of old trees and even more OLD headstones!





Many are very detailed like this one.

The road through the cemetary is not paved. These trees are absolutely magnificent!

The older headstones are in bad condition. Many have the carvings worn right off them.

and some have fallen over.

This headstone caught my eye. this guy was only 18 when he passed away.

there are a few angels and other assorted obilisks and dual-tower-like markers/statues.

This angel is one of two side by side. Two young girls a couple of years apart, both dying on the same day. Maybe a car accident...... the graves are under the most beautiful locust tree.

haha... here are my train pictures. (backwards, of course...)

More cemetary. ....

this is one of the larger markers in the cemetary.

This picture reminded me of Stonehenge!

And this is the skeleton of a very large bird's nest. It is about the size of a dinner plate.

Very cool!!!

Saturday

I do not know where this past month has gone!
After we got done with the yardwork today, I decided to finally take pictures of the flowers.
They are so beautiful this year! So here is a view from the road.......
(the driveway will be replaced with a new cement driveway soon..)

I love the Hydrangeas!!!!!!

and under the tree..... My Mom made those deer in ceramics.

ahhhhh....

We decided to leave the Greek Festival till tomorrow and headed out to Skaneateles today.

It started to rain, and was gloomy, but nothing can make Skaneateles look gloomy!!! It is so beautiful there.

Such a charming place. We try to get here a couple of times a year.

the hazy lake. One lone saiboat way out.

After we looked through the shops and walked out near the lake, we headed to Anyela's Vinyard. We've been there before, and like the atmosphere there.

Some band called Elephant Shoes was playing. Two men who played mostly guitar-laden pop songs, but were very funny and got everyone going.

In this field they always plant sunflowers.. In the fall we take a picture.

I have gotten so much sun lately, I keep getting burned and getting over it.

I'm not used to not being pale!!!!!

PASTA!

I've been a bit busy this week. First, a picture of Harley...... awww..... Walked at Longbranch Park this week for a change. Not too many people go here during the week. the lake is still a bit rough.

I walked out the stone pier to this vantage point. I really loved looking at the clouds this day.

there were a few people fishing under the bridge.

I like this shot of the bridges.

a single seagull... that beach is pure tiny shells.

A nice hazy shot of the city.

the second bridge.

this is a nice picnic area. In the summer it's packed with people on the weekends.

I decided it was time to stop being so lazy and make some sauce and homemade pasta today.

SanMarzano tomatoes, garlic, green and red peppers, wine, and Italian Sausage.

and, Of course, the pasta. (and of course) the photos are not in the right sequence!

this is the final result.

this was post-rolling and cutting. Drying ......

Cutting..... My mother -in Law gave this pasta maker to me when she got too sick to make pasta anymore. I have treasured it ever since.

We went to a First Communion yesterday. I hate just wrapping anything. got a bit creative....
(pardon the rubber bands.... I also hate to tape things too much!)

Lately I have been so HAPPY..... Life is GREAT! I usually don't like to post my picture on here, but this is my evidence......