Heureuse année ~ a new year...

Isn't this a lovely postcard? Sent in 1902,perhaps the forget-me-not flowers are significant. Anyway, we just love the design & it's Petit Pica blue too. We love old postcards & spend hours looking through boxes at brocantes & vide greniers. This one is lovely too, we're not sure who it's from but the sentiment is very touching.

Translation:
My dear Little Dinette I am still waiting for your news & I think you have forgotten me.
I always think of you very often I send you my dear Dinette my wishes for the new year.
Health happiness this is what I desire with all my heart for you & your dear parents.

Once twelfth night has passed & the decorations have been put away until next year, it's a good time to have a bit of a spring-clean. I'm not only talking about the home but of life too. I gave up making New Year's resolutions a long time ago. I rarely keep them & usually end up stressing too much about them. The only resolution I do make & keep each year is that January is a "dry" month, i.e. I don't drink any alcohol. I've been doing this for several years so now I quite look forward to it after all the excesses of Christmas. This year, Kelly is keeping me company as she is not drinking during her pregnancy.

available on Etsy

Instead of resolutions, I like to write down my "to do" list for the year. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a compulsive list writer! I also love notebooks & find any excuse to buy a new one. Kelly shares this passion too - the notebooks, not the compulsive list making! The New Year list will be compiled of things like, places to visit, list of W.I.P to be finished (work in progress & projects - this is on the list every year as there is always something lying about waiting to be finished!), work goals, finding a little "me" time each week, etc. Writing it down helps me focus on what is really important to me. I try not to make the list too long because then it seems unachievable & I'm less likely to follow it.

While looking for inspiration for this New Year, I came across this quote:-

source

Isn't it lovely? I think I might have to have it near my desk for those dark days...

The weather has been quite mild here & we've been enjoying lovely clear days with the sun shining, (always lifts the spirits). This was the sunrise the other morning when I took Harley for a walk, a lovely way to start the day...a sunrise to warm the heart...

We hope 2014 is a good year for you...

Crowning glory...

This weekend was Twelfth night, time to take down all the Christmas decorations, even though it doesn't seem very long since we put them up! However, once they are all packed away, it's a good time to re-look at the house & perhaps rearrange objects, add a colour or buy a little something to change the look; start afresh for the new year ahead.

 

  Here in this part of France, it is traditional to have a galette des rois (cake of kings) on Twelfth night, to celebrate the Epiphany. It takes its name from the biblical three kings or Magi & people get together pour tirer les rois (to find the kings). Made from flaky pastry & filled with frangipane, it also contains a féve (dried bean or charm). The galette is cut into one slice for each person sitting at the table plus one. The extra slice is symbolic for the first poor person passing by. The youngest child, said to be the most innocent and fair, sits under the table & announces who gets the next slice. Whoever finds the féve becomes king and wears the crown. The féve was initially a dried bean but over the years this has been replaced by porcelain or plastic figurines. Traditionally, these used to be in the form of a saint or biblical figure but today tend to be more popular characters, like Asterix. They have also become quite collectible. The galette des rois are usually available in bakeries until the end of January.

We were invited to our own feast on Twelfth night with lovely food & company. Jenny, our host, baked her own galette des rois, topped with a crown made by the children. It was really scrummy but very filling. As she handed each of us a piece, we searched for la fève, but no luck. There was a sliver left for her &, you've guessed it, she had won la fève. She was a little embarrassed but we insisted she wear the crown. In the true sense of liberté, égalité, fraternité, she said we should take a turn at wearing it so we could all be a king (or queen).
Thank goodness Madame Guillotine is no longer in use!

À bientôt,

Bonne Année pour 2013...

Did you have a lovely Christmas? Lots of goodies, food & happy times? We do hope so.

Now Christmas is over, we are thinking towards the New Year & what will be in store for us. Will you be making New Year's resolutions? Will your resolve last or will you give in by the end of January? It's the good intentions that count and who knows, maybe this year, we manage to keep just one. 

The postcard above was found at a local brocante fair. In beautiful copperplate writing, the author expresses best wishes & kisses for the New Year to their children & uncle. Promising a letter to follow the next day - it's so touching.

We hope you have a very happy 2013 & all your wishes come true.