Saturdays are for Stealing

Bearded Iris beauties in front of the abandoned building.

I had to be quick. There was no telling who could drive by and see me. The thrill and reward were worth the risk. Some could call it stealing, but I like to look at it as a type of volunteer gardening service. These irises had been calling me to take them home since I first laid eyes on them. 

It was during one of my walks or one of our drives that they caught my eye. Prettily being themselves, they stand in front of the old abandoned building up the road by our house, not needing any admiration by anyone of their unique beauty, but being their beautiful selves anyway, all day, everyday. If only we could all be more like that, I think humanity might be in a better place. 

There are many beautiful flowers in bloom now. Spring is finally here. These flowers however, stand out to me the most. Perhaps it’s the unique combination of their colors, yellow and maroon, which allure me. Somehow, this combination of colors reminds me of a fashion runway. Maybe my brother could design a dress inspired by these colors and the delicate texture yet slight poofiness of the petals! I could wear that dress for his wedding next year. There are many irises around, mostly purple, but none I have seen like these. 

Bearded Iris Califlora Blatant Reblooming

Iris rhizome 

My friend Marie agrees. She sweetly came to visit me this week with her 3 kiddos, despite having car troubles. She borrowed her neighbor's car just to get here! That is a real friend. We had lunch and went for a walk with the kids. When we passed the irises, she too marvelled at their beauty. She even suggested I could take them, since no one lived in the abandoned building. She even gave me the idea of harvesting some of the rhizomes to take and plant in my own garden at home. And I did that today! It was exciting because I had to explore a bit the ground and had actually thought I would have to come back with a garden fork to dig them out, but they came out so easily! I took a few. Even though no one lives there, I still want to be respectful to nature and in general never take all of anything, and always I ask permission of the flower or what I am harvesting and give gratitude before I leave. 

For the person who does own the building, I’m actually helping keep their irises healthy because you don’t want the rhizomes to overgrow upon each other and crowd each other. So, I made space for future beautiful and healthy blooms. I help the mystery owner, while gaining some rhizomes for my own garden, as well as pretty flowers to decorate our home. A win win if you ask me. 

Baby bump & basket of irises and elderflowers.

Who needs to go to a farmers market when you can take a walk, getting exercise, while finding some treasures to beautify your home? I miss going to farmers’ markets of course! But, with life as it is at this moment, I am so grateful to at least still grab my basket and go out to gather something. The bonus is it’s free!

Also in bloom are beautiful elderflowers. Around the same area of the irises is a giant elder tree. The blooms of elder trees are always notoriously difficult to reach. They grow in places surrounded by nettles, other thorny plants or water, and according to Jorris, are usually hard to harvest without a ladder. I was able to harvest a handful of umbels. They smell so sweet and delicate! 

Tiny little sweet smelling elderflowers. 

Elderflowers are hard to reach. 

Happy elderflower harvest. 

The irises smell amazing too, sort of peachy. See how I really love these flowers! It’s not always the case that a flower is both beautiful and smells good. The elderflowers are also beautiful, tiny little white flowers in an umbel shape. I love elderflower sodas/champagnes which are naturally fermented and which I have tasted from a local artisanal producer. I can’t have alcohol at the moment, so with this harvest I plan to make an elderflower cordial, which is alcohol free. Or maybe a syrup?! Baby can enjoy a taste too from the amniotic fluid! It’s so gratifying to engage with nature and create things that nourish our bodies and spirits from her offerings. 

Elderflower cordial in the making.

I bowed to the elder trees which I encountered, asking permission to harvest and then once more at the end in thanks. Reaching as high as I could, gently pulling branches towards me and harvesting the fluffy white clouds of sweetness. I lost track of time and place, just going for the next branch and searching for the next possible umbels to gather, while watching my footing to avoid a tumble. I saw another tree so crossed the field of tall grasses nearly reaching my chest, the soft seed heads tickling my skin as they brushed against my arms. To walk on the earth and through the grass was so grounding, rather than my usual pavement walks up the road lately. 

Tall grassy walks towards the elderflowers.

Can’t wait for the elderberries to arrive. I will have to look into when that will be. There is so much to investigate and learn. I love it. I’ve heard one can make a syrup from them which helps with colds. I want to make things from nature for my family that will keep us healthy during the cold months when colds and sickness can arise. Always present, while looking ahead, right? But for now, I am so looking forward to summer and in the moment enjoying spring's offerings. 

In stunning admiration of the flowers which I have crossed paths with today who share their uplifting energy with me, I wish you a beautiful Saturday stealing flowers of your own, or whatever you maybe up to...

See the fuzzy yellow beard? 

*photos by me. 

Le Pain de Bayasse

On the road in the Southern French Alps to Bayasse. 

We took a drive through the southern French Alps, on the other side of where we live yesterday. Our destination was the village Bayasse. Col de La Cayolle is the name of the pass, which takes you into real Alps territory, whereas we live in part of the Alps considered Alpine and Mediterranean climate still. It was as if we had shrunken into tiny versions of ourselves and transported into a painting. The Mélèze, European Larch trees, dabbed the landscape with their yellow pine needles. Their lightly textured presence contrasted beautifully with the deep evergreen pines woven into the landscape. Small streams slithered through hillsides. Nature is such a talented artist; she places things in such perfect places and proportions. My eyes were acute, delighted, absorbing all they could. 

An hour in our drive, I needed to pee, so Jorris pulled over. Stepping out of the car I thought it would be freezing, but actually, it was sunny with just a touch of chill. And the air was astoundingly quiet and clean, the kind of quiet and clean you can only find at 780m (5,800ft) above sea level. 

We were almost there Jorris said and I couldn’t wait any longer. A few more narrow turns and we approached the house. I was so excited, like Charlie winning the Golden Ticket to visit the Chocolate Factory. 

Their home and Bed & Breakfast upstairs with boulangerie (bakery) below. 

Wood of pine and Mélèze for the bakery wood oven. 

Stephanie Les Cordiers and Cedric Monasse of Pain de Bayasse. 

Cedric greeted us with his usual friendly smile and the customary French two bises on both cheeks. He is the Master Baker of our phenomenal daily bread. It wasn’t our first time there; however, it would be our first time witnessing him and Stephanie bake bread. We sell our artisanal products at the same markets in Guillaumes together, so we see each other once a month. It had always been in the back of my heart to visit them and watch them work one day, but I was always too shy to ask. As my Mom has said though, “a closed mouth don’t get fed”. If I wanted to taste fresh bread, I would have to open my mouth to ask, and so I did. Cedric said yes and after some planning, we found time to come.

If only my words could bring to life the adoring, cozy smells of wood-fire and freshly baked pain au levain naturel from Cedric and Stephanie’s boulangerie (bakery). I’ll try though. After yesterday’s, what we found out later, exclusive bakery visit, I’m certain that once in your life, you should go visit a baker and see the magic of bread being made. Go ahead, add it on your bucket list now; I’ll wait.

Loaves of bread waiting to go into the wood oven. 

Wood oven with switch above directing flames to bread.

The dough loaves of bread were sitting patiently on these shelves with wheels during their stage of final rise, also known in the baking world as "proofing". They were on this canvas material, folded like an accordion, each loaf of soon-to-be-bread, tucked between the folds.

The warmth of the bakery was just so perfect. There’s nothing more hygge than a warm wood fire, except perhaps the smell of baking bread. 

Cedric and Stephanie had been up since 6 a.m. staring the wood oven, since it needs time to cool down before the bread can be baked. With the oven started, they have time to shape their dough and let it rise. 

Flour, water and salt are mixed together in this giant mixer called a petrina. Depending on the sizes of the bread, one petrina can mix between 60-90 loaves of bread. After mixing, the dough sits in here where "bulk fermentation" will happen. This is a crucial step during bread baking as this is when the wild yeast and bacteria do most of their work, breaking down the complex carbohydrate structures of the flour, which in turn reveals more flavors for us. Wild yeasts, unicellular fungi, and bacteria from the lactobacillus family eat up the sugars of the flour, releasing ethanol (alcohol) which increases flavor, as well as carbon dioxide, which helps bread develop better structure as gluten traps these air bubbles, creating a network. Basically, fermentation is the process of the yeasts and bacteria eating up the sugars, breathing, farting, pooping, and voilà, subtle flavors and delicious textures for us! Of course when the bread is baked, these friends die away and the alcohol and carbon dioxide evaporate; however, their flavors linger. After bulk fermentation, Stephanie divides up the dough, weighing out each loaf, shaping, and placing them snug on the canvas accordion. There they wait during a final rise before going into the oven.  

The petrina, can mix between 60-90 loaves of bread. 

Stephanie weighs out dough for each loaf of bread. 

Here Stephanie shapes the dough. 

Between waiting for the oven to cool down and taking pictures, Jorris and I found time to ask questions like: how does your bread rise? He uses the traditional method of ancient days.  In French it’s called levain naturel, natural leavening. Basically, it is a live culture produced in fermented flour and water. Natural bacteria in the air and/or flour such as lactobacili and wild yeasts begin to ferment over a few days. It’s what is commonly known as the sourdough starter.  Add some of this starter to more flour and water, bake, and you get bread. This is how bread was discovered by accident. Some flour fell into water, sat exposed to air for several days and voila, a natural leavening agent, which makes bread rise. It’s been recorded as early as 2000 B.C. that the ancient Egyptians made bread this way. No packets of any chemical agents or factory-made yeast. 

At the beginning of the 20^th century chemical oxidants were discovered to cut fermentation times from 18 to 3 or 4 hours. With these chemical additives, a batch of bread can be made in several hours. These breads are called “quick breads”. Chemical additives are used in many modern day retail bakeries which speed up both mixing time and reduce fermenting time.

Many good things in life as we know; however, take much time. Traditional bread baking is really an art, requiring patience and time. Time for the starter culture to ferment, time to mix, time for the bread to rise, time for the oven to be at the right temperature etc. It is through the time consuming process known as fermentation, however, that foods such a: sauerkraut, wine, and bread can taste so good. Of course there is a range of flavors and textures, which can be discovered in sourdough breads, which makes sourdough interesting and tasty, not to mention better for our digestive systems since these natural bacteria and wild yeast are eating, reproducing and processing the wheat so it’s more digestible, nutritious and easily absorbable by our bodies. Taste can be contributed to the type and amount of bacteria doing the fermenting (alcohol fermentation) as well. For example, too much lactobacilli in your starter culture and you get a lot of sourness, so you have to taste test over and over how much of your starter to add to your batch of dough until you get the preferred taste. 

Cedric, sliding off just-baked loaves from his peel to the table.

Sesame bread just baked and out of the oven!

Here the breads cool before delivery tomorrow. 

Cedric and Stephanie have got the taste and method down. Their bread is not sour and has perfect texture and color. Watching them in their rhythm of work was mesmerizing. Cedric would slide 60-80 loaves in the oven onto the spinning disk; meanwhile, while in the other room, Stephanie would be weighing out the dough and/or shaping the dough into loaves for the next round. A quick 20 minutes and turn of each loaf later and the loaves of white dough were completely transformed into brown loafs of deliciousness. Cedric took them out with the same precision and speed. Sliding loaves from his peel onto their place randomly on the wooden table. Steam rose from the freshly baked breads as Cedric smiled at our amusement and enthusiasm. The aromas of these natural beauties made my mouth water. 

There are many factors to consider when baking bread: temperature, both inside the oven and outside, humidity, even the moon! 

Cedric explained with a chuckle that, "When it’s a full moon, bread does not want to rise!" 

But, according to Cedric, the most important thing is feeling. The dough and heat of the oven for example are important elements to really feel. I watched this in action as he hovered his hand in the oven door! He said if he can’t leave it in there for 5 seconds, it’s still too hot. 

He and Stephanie get their flour from Valensole where the Lavender grows and Moulin Pichard, a well-known traditional mill in les Alps de Haute-Provence established before 1789, even before the French revolution. Their sources of flour are both local and bio, the word for organic in French. Why not certify formally as organic? I wondered. Why be certified for doing the right thing, making bread the right way? The ones who need certification are those who alter traditional bread baking by putting in additives and chemical risers, according to Cedric vehemently. 

Each year they make about 12,000 loafs of artisanal breads including specialty breads of: olive, raisins; fig and hazelnut, sesame; apricot and almonds!! Not to mention some delicious pastas. Since their start 7 years ago, they humbly estimated that they’ve made probably around 100,000 loaves of bread. Incredible, as he was an apprentice for just a year before he started baking on his own. That is a lot of bread, which literally feeds villages. Our village is one of them so fortunate for their delivery of bread each week to the Co-op store. They even make delicious and beautiful pastas!

Shell pastas, one of their many varieties. 

Fusilli and Radiatori pastas; 100% wheat and organic. 

For me, to know the source of one’s food, what nourishes our bodies, minds and souls day to day, as intimately as we have observed Cedric and Stephanie baking bread is truly unique. Unless one lives a countryside life, it’s not often easy to say we know our bakers, cheesemakers, beekeepers, etc. Most city dwellers whom frequent the supermarkets are veiled from the artisanal beauty and quality of real food. It’s a pity! C’est un dommage! We say in French. Having experienced both sides of the coin now, I know from my own experience. 

There is a deeper appreciation for the food you eat when you know where it comes from, or even better, when you produce it yourself. Knowing where our food comes, we come to question, discover, and hopefully, better understand our food web. We live an inter-dependent world. We depend on the Sun, which grows our food that the farmer cultivates and harvests, which if we buy from far away, that food travels thousands of miles releasing fossil fuels into the atmosphere, which we breathe. One question leads to another. For example, wondering where our bread comes made me wonder where the flour comes from and then that lead me to discover the traditional mill. Knowing the flour is organic from organic grains is incredibly reassuring with all of the GMOs (genetically modified organism) out there, pure food seems more difficult to come by. 

Stephanie Les Cordiers of Pain de Bayasse 

Cedric Monasse of Pain de Bayasse

You’re probably wondering, boy that’s a lot of work to know about your basic bread, Tiffanie; I don’t have time to question life. But actually for me, it’s a necessity; it’s a responsibility. How we spend our money and whom we support in agriculture or in any industry for that matter, makes a difference. Knowing what we put into our bodies and how it affects our health and well-being is part of our responsibility of taking care of ourselves and our families. Knowing that our food has been produced cleanly without chemicals and in harmony with the earth is part of our responsibility as citizens of this inter-connected world. It’s worth the time and effort to wonder and ask questions. 

Supporting traditional ways of producing food like Cedric and Stephanie’s artisanal bread is not only about preserving taste, but also culture. If people began only shopping at the supermarket and forgetting about artisanal bakers like Cedric and Stephanie, we would be lost forever in a sea of florescent lights and ails after ails of plastic-wrapped fake bread. Let’s not let that happen. 

So, what is a Bread Master’s favorite way of eating bread? Can you guess? Cedric tells us over lunch of some pumpkin and butternut squash soup, "Old bread, pan-fried with butter and put into soup". We’ll have to try that! 

Beautiful views at the Bed and Breakfast of Pain de Bayasse. 

Planning a visit to the French Alps or to Mercantour National Park? Visit Cedric and Stephanie for some fresh bread at their quaint Bed and Breakfast. 

http://www.gite-bayasse.com

*photos by Tiffanie Ma

Happy 4th Birthday Garden Gallivanter!!!!

We are mid-November and only today did it feel anything like Fall. It actually rained! And, it was cloudy, and you needed a jacket or sweater. It was divine. It sure hasn’t felt like this. The last few months had been nothing but scorching 80-90 F weather.  And with Christmas music already playing on the radio and X-mas trees and decor pouring into stores, it feels like everyone is rushing past Thanksgiving, as usual, and the weather last week had me feeling like it was Christmas in Summer?! I prefer Tim Burton's mix of Christmas and Halloween, at least during Halloween, it's cooler, well, supposedly. 

It's hard to stay connected to the natural rhythms of the earth when you live in Southern CA where it's almost always 70 F and sunny. Ok, so I can't complain. It's really gorgeous and many across the country and world would die to wear slippers and a tank top in November. But, not having real seasons can throw a girl off, especially a farm girl in the city.

But no more complaining, this week it’s going be Thanksgiving! My favorite holiday, not only because it’s my birthday a day before, after or sometimes when I’m lucky, on Thanksgiving, but also because, it is a day that reminds us to be grateful, to be thankful. I am so thankful for all the food I helped grow and cook from the garden to our table this past season! We expanded the garden up the hill and grew corn and lots of squash and beans and potatoes, lots of potatoes this year. 

In April, Philippe helped me prepare the lower garden for planting.

I love how every year you can start on a blank canvas. 

                                        

Jorris took time to help us build a tunnel-greenhouse for the tomatoes. 

I planted 60 or so tomatoes plants.

Growing tomatoes: cherry and coeur de beouf (beef heart)

By June/July, a tall and wild jungle of tomatoes.

Most our seedlings we got from our friends Evelyn and Sophie, and some other local seedling producers. They were so helpful in helping me select plants such as tomatoes which do well in mountain climates. I wish I had a picture of them. I may have one and if/when I find it, I'll share. They are the two kindest women I've met here and work incredibly hard growing seedlings for people to buy at the farmers' markets. In some ways, they are always with gardeners because their product continues to grow in people's backyards, beautifying and nurturing their homes and health.  

I planted these happy lettuce as babies and we had fresh lettuce to eat!

Jorris liked to wander and weed the garden from time to time. 

Cukes growing up a trellis, shading lettuce. 

Philippe taught me many little tricks here and there. Like this one shown above. We built this little trellis so that the les concombres (cukes) had something to grow on and when cukes appeared, they would hang, so we could see them. This way they were also protected from critters below who would munch on them if they were on the ground. And, the lettuce would have some shade. French companion planting at its finest!

Started from scratch in the upper garden. 

A few months later!!

Another trick Philippe taught me was to cover young seedlings with crates. This protected them from extreme weather and critters. I suppose Philippe's favorite vegetable is le courge, squash, or more botanically, the cucurbitaceae family. We planted tons of spaghetti squash and potimarron and les courgettes, which everyone eats here, like Americans eat apples. 

Squash is one of those veggies that just surprise you and hit you with that "wow!!" every time. They start off small and you check on them hoping they are bigger and then when you ignore them BOOM!  There is suddenly a huge le courge ready for harvest. 

Newly planted baby les courgettes and les courses.

Just weeks later...boom!

Corn and Squash growing happily together, the beans were also near by.

Beans in the foreground, squash and corn. 3 sisters!

Calendula flowers which I made Calendula oil with. 

Strawberries growing wild and we re-planted them.

Lots and lots of juicy strawberries!! 

Of course, I couldn’t have done so without these two. I’m so thankful to have shared another season of hard work on this bee farm in Southern France with the two hardest working men I have ever known. Philippe has been my teacher and Garden Wizard, cleaning a small part of forest growth so we could expand the garden above, and doing some hard earth cultivating in the garden below, helping me prepare the soil for planting.

The 3 Mountaineers of Villetale Haute, on Jorris and Philippe's bday in May.

We are a team that can do anything. They are two people who have taught me so much about nature, about life; they opened the door to another world for me and I see the world from a higher perspective and understanding because of all the people we have come across who have visited Villetale Haute. 

I am so thankful I had the honor of throwing them a birthday party this past May at the farm house where I cooked Deviled Eggs with creme fraiche, Guacamole (avocados from Pedro’s home country of Guatemala and his recipe he shared), vegetarian lasagna with garden veggies and last but certainly Jorris’ favorite, pumpkin pie I had frozen from un potimarron (little French sweet pumpkin) when I had first arrived the month prior. It was a feast, oh and did I mention the amazing company and wine, lots of wine…and champagne, and candle light, and how we talked and dined until midnight…or maybe it was even later...

Setting up the party: freshly picked wildflowers, candles.

Introduced Deviled Eggs with a French twist of creme fraiche to our guests.

It was a beautiful evening. 

It Jorris’ Big 30th birthday on May 27th, and Philippe, well, with his strength, spirit and heart, we could say he turned 30 again. Their birthdays are a week a part so we had joint birthday party. We had our closest neighbors and friends over. And everyone loved the food, so I was thrilled! And we all had a marvelous evening. Jorris was happy and so was Philippe. I was too, of course, luckily everything turned out well and our neighbors and friends Daniel and Sylvaine allowed me to use their big oven to cook the vegetarian lasagna in!

For Philippe's Bday, homemade chocolate brownies, card and wild flowers. 

Cooking the veggie lasagna at Daniel and Syvaine's house. 

Garden fresh salad along and veggie lasagne. 

Our neighbors, friends and guests of the party. 

Sometimes when it gets to be too "city-ish" here, and with only 1 day left until Jorris arrives for the Holidays and our next adventure, I get giddy and look back on pictures of this season, coming to a close with our bees moved to the coast where they will hibernate over the Winter while we take a break. 

We somehow managed to build 2 yurts with the help of the one and only Pedro, while juggling the bee business, garden, hosting wwoofers and building upon a new natural beauty line.

For the past 2 months, Jorris and I have been talking on the phone mostly every day. We finally skyped a few weeks ago when he got a new computer because his old one was damaged from a leak in the yurt. Seeing him after not seeing him for a while made him seem more real, that this story, our story is still alive, despite being an Ocean apart. He looks the same, handsome with a bohemian twist. His hair looks longer and more wild, his beard as well. I love scrolling through pictures of our times in Provence...."working"....we really did work, these pictures captures the moments before or after our work!

Jorris during at one of our date nights.

Provence.....

Not a bad place to be stuck when your car breaks down....

Jorris the chef on our lunch break after working with bees in Provence.

Our camping bed during the few days we would work in Provence.

Le Lac de St. Croix, where we went swimming. 

The sunflowers we stopped to smell on the road to Provence. 

This is heaven.

Time really does fly, more like free falls. This time last year I was still in the French Alps and it was getting cold. I remember the trees were stunningly on fire with leaves of reds, oranges and yellows. You could feel the cold creep up in the air and everything just slowed down a bit. The bees were moved to the coast, the season coming to an end. Fall is a favorite time for farmers I’ve discovered. We can take a moment to breathe, to reflect, to be more present with our loved ones, friends and family. And while I am not with my French friends, I still think and remember them often, and the beautiful Summer we had.

I’ve been keeping myself busy but when I get lonely I like looking back on our accomplishments of the season. These are some of my favorite memories which I am so thankful for…and without which I would not be my 28 year old self in 6 days and without which my blog, my baby, wouldn’t be its 4 year old self today.   

Like those trips to the coast we would make...all the beauty I witnessed. 

Staying at Jean Claude's in St. Raphael where Pablo Picasso painted!!

Philippe spots a fox in L'Esterel!

L'esterel is a most magnificent natural park right on to coast. Home to foxes, bees and les sangliers!! Philippe and I were so honored to witness them so closely when we went to harvest rosemary to make rosemary essential oil one Sunday afternoon in May.

Pat follows us to a market in Puget.

Where cute little bunnies are sold as food! :(

And speaking of food, I can't forget to be thankful for all the amazing food I made in the grand company of our many wwoofers.

Ysé and Arnaud with Kan in the back of the J9. 

Just one of Ysé's amazing dishes; this one is very Provencal!

Bread from Cedric and Stephanie!

Just one of many date lunches w/Jorris. Pate avec ceps!

Our fabulous wwoofer Isabelle taught me how to make an Apricot tart!

Tarte d'abricot! Apricot tarte with almond flour crust and lavender flowers.

I love those moments of breathtaking beauty that imprint in my mind, forever.

Just another day in Villetale Haute.

My beeswax candle I made!

Jorris and I in Roua where some of our hives were.

When we hiked to a little church w/Katie, our wonderful wwoofer from Canada.

Daluis

Just glorious views all the time. 

I'll never forget when my beautiful friend Kat came to visit me all the way from LA. We met about 4 years ago at Garden School Foundation where we were interns. This Portland transplant is the one of the most sweetest and most beautiful people I am so lucky to know. And we had a blast!

Kat's first evening in Provence, straight from the airport to the lavender fields! 

Kat is the kind of person who just inspires you to do anything! To live BIG, love BIG, and never fear! She inspired me to make a little video of the glorious drive through the Gorges de Daluis, which was our main "freeway". I wish the quality were better, but this is just a sketch of the gloriousness of this drive.

One afternoon we went swimming down in the Gorge in the Var river!

Isn't she just divine?

Ok, so you are probably wondering why we ate so much pizza in France, but that is because we lived right next to Italy in the south east of France, and so found pizza just as delicious as in Italy.

Pizza at the best pizza place in the world, the Guillaumes campsite.

Pizza and beer after swimming on a Saturday=perfect. 

Philippe joined Kat and I after distilling Lavender oil. 

Philippe, while a little macho some times, respects and believes in the power of women. I've always known this, but this instance really celebrated this quality of his. One day the Laguna got stuck on the side of the road going up to the farm house. And we couldn't get it back on the road. So Philippe asked Kat and I to wake up at 6am to help tow it off the side. It took 3 people, 2 quatre-quatre four wheel drive trucks and some rope. I drove the blue truck, Philippe the white, and Kat was in the Laguna, to steer.

Making our own tow. 

Kat ready to go. 

The laguna fallen to the side of the road and stuck. Kat steers.

With a few revs of the engine, the brake-release trick, a touch of the clutch, then full gas, and 2 tries later, we did it!! Philippe never gave up on us. It all sort of happened all at once and fast, so my writing skills aren't really capturing the fullness of it. But, just know we used lots of horse power to pull this car back onto the road and it took the right timing between the two trucks to pull. It was so exhilarating! Kat was such a trooper. She woke up early and even with the car, literally tilted to the side, she still got in like my great, one-and-only, friend Kat would.

Although last Fall while I was not used to wearing jackets and layers during November back in southern CA, it was a different story in the southern French Alps. A story I still couldn’t put down then. And one I still don’t want to end now.

So I’ll keep writing it, living it. We’ll keep writing it together, Jorris and I. What’s the next chapter you wonder? We’re on the road again, WWOOFing this time through California, discovering the possibilities of a countryside life here. And as someone once said, “when you don’t know what to expect, anything is possible.”

Cheers to all my readers near and far. I am so thankful to have this virtual space to write and share my stories with you. Thank you for all your support and inspiration. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Cheers to all my readers!!

Always Your Garden Gallivanter, Chef, Beekeeper,

Tiffanie

*Photos by Tiffanie Ma otherwise stated.