My Provence

Malheureusement, I am not off to Provence this summer.  So, if I can't go to the mountain, so to speak, I am bringing the mountain to me.  Oui!  Et pourquoi pas?  It started off innocently enough with a little lavender from my one beautiful, blooming plant at home.

Then I made some note cards out of my favorite lavender photos taken over the past few years.

They have already come in very handy-- a thank you note, a get well note, an I'm-thinking-of-you note.  I put a few little grains of dried lavender inside, too, so the smell comes through.
And yesterday, at Harris Teeter, when I ducked in before work to get a cup of coffee from Starbucks, what did my wandering eyes see?  A whole display of sunflowers!  In Provence at this very minute, the fields are full of them.

And last, but not least, I have a novel to keep me busy in case I run out of things to file and questions to answer and people to help.

Little stories from the coast.  The Mediterranean Coast.
After work, research is being conducted concerning drinks for warm, summer evenings' apéro.  I headed down to Wine Authorities yesterday to taste a new creation- rosé with melon and rosemary.

Wine Authorities free tasting this weekend will feature wine cocktails.
Kopke White Port Cocktail
"Cantamary Rose" (pictured above)
WA's Official Red Sangria recipe "Better than any Sangria in Spain"-- anonymous customer
The Cava and mango/lime sorbet float, featuring sorbet from The Parlour, the Durham Ice Cream Bus
Don't they sound amazing?  And refreshing?  And sinfully delicious?  I made the Sangria last summer.  It is really, really good.

Now I am on a quest to taste-test rosé and grapefruit juice and/or grapefruit syrup.  That's this afternoon's project with help from my go-to guy and burger maker and flipper par excellence, Seth at Bull City Burger and Brewery.  Tough job, but someone has to do it.  And shouldn't it be moi?  Results will follow.  C'est promis.

Bon appétit, ma Provence!