Groundcherries, Poha berries, Cape Gooseberries

I found one of these lovelies garnishing my plate at  Auberge des falaises in Malbaie, Quebec. "groundcherries" is what the waiter called them.  They taste like a very sweet tomato, but grow like a Mexican Tomatillo. I picked these up at a farmer's market in Tucson where they were called Peruvian Poha berries. Whatever the name, they are quite colorful on the plate and apparently make a great tart. If I can find them again after the weather is more tolerable for baking I will give it a try. 

Sweet Montreal

Montreal is one of my favorite cities. My husband has family right in the city, so our visits are frequent. While I love to see Westmount blanketed in snow at Christmastime, summer is spectacular! 

Produce at the Atwater Market.

At the Montreal Museum of  Fine Art.  An adjacent, abandoned Romanesque Revival church has been converted to a concert hall and boasts original Tiffany stained glass windows. .The contemporary addition to the church is an architectural highlight and houses Canadian art from many eras. 

Actually, the entire city is an architectural highlight.

Copper roofs abound, many are being refurbished to the original bronze, many have the green patina developed over hundreds of years.

View from above the city.

Great shopping in the Mile End neighborhood.

Classic views in Mile End.

Every time we go to Montreal we discover a new neighborhood or district -- this time it was Mile End. More Vintage Shops per Mile, it should be named. Bookstores, funky coffee shops. All adjacent to tree lined streets where families grow vegetables in the front yard  at the base of steep, snow efficient  stairways. The variety of foods and cultures is boundless, the atmosphere exciting and international. I almost didn't want to leave for the city of Quebec.

Flower therapy for the desert dweller....

I have been vacationing, and working really hard. Two lame excuses but I am back-- inspired by encouragement from unusual places. The big summer trip this year was to Quebec...We packed our kids off to  France and Turkey and headed to Boston, Montreal and further into Quebec. Everywhere I looked, beautiful flowers displayed with joy. 

Outside a restaurant in Montreal, clever use of discarded wine boxes

Beautiful sidewalk plant store, in Montreal

in Quebec, which is unbelievably picturesque while at the same time completely authentic.

Every door is decorated, this is my favorite.

And the food! More details and pictures to come.
Have a lovely weekend, wherever you are.

Nature Girl

Okay-- can' t avoid admitting it any longer. It is hot. And I have become my parents, sitting outside with a camera taking pictures of desert wildlife.  June in Tucson means the early mornings are still cool enough to have breakfast on our porch. I took a few shots of our agave  bloom and its visitors over about 10 minutes this morning. 

Full size, completely in bloom.

Upper branches, not quite open yet. 

A juvenile woodpecker. Soon to be hammering away on our gutters.

Hummingbird!

It is probably time to get back to some design posts. Soon, I promise. Have a great Monday.

Bittersweet

Today I cleaned all 946 pictures off of my camera card in anticipation of upcoming vacations and events... I came across a photo I took along the route home from San Carlos, Sonora Mexico last weekend. The photo was taken through the car window, in passing, because I thought it was a lovely roadside mural in Hermosillo, Mexico. A closer look after I added it to my trip album revealed that it is a prayer  from the Virgin of Guadelupe, for the victims of the ABC daycare center fire June 5, 2009. Beautiful. I love Mexico, and my heart goes out to the families of the victims.

"Come to me, my little angels of ABC"

San Carlos

 Several years ago, my husband and I started a Memorial Day tradition of packing up then-small children and a carload of beach gear and heading across the border to San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. It was always a relatively easy trip.  No time deadlines (except for the widely accepted rule of not driving in Mexico at night) no need for anything resembling fancy clothes. We packed a few swimsuits, flip flops and a sundress and that was it. When the drug violence in Mexico escalated a few years ago we sadly abandoned our yearly trip and wondered if we would be able to visit that friendly place again. This year we returned with teenagers and new friends and had a fantastic time. Our favorite place had not changed much-- simple accommodations, miles of unoccupied beach, sea kayaking, warm water, cool breezes and absolutely nothing to do but enjoy the quiet. Take a look:

 It looks just like Tucson, with an ocean pulled up to the Foothills.....

 A fun necklace carved from coconut shell....

Colorful beach rocks. 

Light Bracket

I have spent a great deal of time in my office, of late. Orders, spreadsheets, complicated floor plans. Very technical and unfortunately, 95% of my business. Occasionally I find a moment to mess around with my special "stuff". This week, it is a swing-arm wall lamp. Originally made as an oil lamp, it was converted to electric before I bought it at the flea market last month. The wall plate is wood, the Tole shade of uncertain origin was found at a thrift store and is in remarkably good shape. In combination, they light a sentimental terrarium and make a pleasant reference point as I sit at my computer late into the night. Sweet dreams.