We’ve been seeing plums in the markets for a few weeks now. I’m only a fan of plums when they are really juicy and that first sort of sour taste from the skin is replaced by the rush of sweet juice from the soft interior.

Usually the plums are all the same color. I liked this mix we got one day.

I had bought some plums that I was less than pleased with-too hard and very little sweetness-so I used them to make a very simple plum cake. It was really good. Maurice and I finished in two days.

We had some clouds the other day at exactly the right time-developing as the sun set. I looked at my window and a rosy glow was flowing in and I went outside and saw this.

I especially liked these swirly clouds. Can you see the crescent of the moon on the left?

We had a lot of company one week this summer, even 13 people at one point, relatives of Maurice’s. (I really shouldn’t complain as last year we had 30 people but only for one day.) As you might imagine, I did a lot of cooking but the women all helped and they always set the table and helped with the dishes. I was exhausted when it was all over. Only a few of our guests could speak English well enough to carry on a conversation with me but I did get to practice my French a lot. It’s so nice when someone takes the time to stand there and listen to me and try to figure out what I’m saying and then giving me a better word for what I’ve said. It would be nice if everyone was that patient.
One of the guests was a little four year old girl who was so cute. She was one of those intelligent children, very serious, wise beyond her years. One night she didn’t want to eat the lamb. Her parents were trying to make her so she started crying, making all of us feel miserable. Finally her mother told her, “Fine, no ice cream then”. The little girl went in the house with tears in her eyes. I went in a little later and got an ice cream cone and as I headed outside I saw her looking at me with her big blue eyes with her sad expression and she said with her eyes on my ice cream cone, “I’adore glace” (I love ice cream). No one was looking so I gave her a bite of my cone. I went outside and told her mother what she had said and a few minutes later she was outside with her own cone.

Isn’t she a cutie? She sure does like ice cream.

Whenever I walk or run with Maurice he usually talks me into going further than I wanted to. On this particular day we decided to walk to the top of the mountain behind our house. We have to drive over it to get to Cereste or Apt and it’s pretty steep. I climbed to the top of it once by myself a couple of years ago. I’m not sure what made us decide to try it but the whole hike ended up being two hours long and I spent the rest of the day moaning and groaning everytime I stood up from sitting. At the top of the hill is a fabulous view and of course I didn’t have my camera so somehow we did the climb again so I could take photos.

After you pass through the little village near us and get a bit of the way up the hill, this is what you see.

And then this a little further on. I love how the road curves.

Finally, at the top we see our elevation. We started at 506 meters in the village.

I was ready to head down the way we came but Maurice saw a sign pointing on a hiking trail back to our village. Here and there on trees or rocks you will see colored stripes which tell you that you are on the right trail. It doesn’t always work for us though. We’ve gotten very lost in spite of them.

A look at a steep part of the road we climbed. Made me wonder how I made it.

And finally the view which had me making this trip twice. On the other side of the mountain we could see a long distance to a village a long drive from us and also the beginning of the French Alps.

It poured Tuesday night. I could hear the thunder rumbling as I lay in bed but didn’t get up to look. In the morning over covered porch and everything on it was soaking so there was wind too.

Normally, there is a clear view of the mountains below us but it was filled with fog in the morning and the fog slowly made its way up the hill to our house. Foggy valleys are usually a sign of autumn. I think it will be early this year.

I went out into the chilly air to try and get some photos of raindrops. I need a better lens I think.

Out of focus but I still sort of like it.

I liked the sun shining on a little minature rose bush that I have in a pot.

We had company over for lunch yesterday and despite threats of showers we got enough sunshine to take a walk afterwards and we showed them the old ruined chateau up near our village.

This is my favorite part of it. Every year a little more has fallen down. Most of it was probably dismantled during the revolution and the stone used to make the newer section next to it.

A very old shutter on the newer section. Even it is starting to fall apart. I think part of the newer section is rented now and then but it was all shut up this time.

The key hole for the front door.

We found an old barn with the door open and there were old cars inside beyond repair and, as you can see, one of them had part of the roof fallen down on it.

The sun came through the clouds as we were there and shown through the leaves starting to show signs of autumn-on of my favorite things: sunlight through leaves.

You know Autumn is on the way in Provence when you start to see golden hues in the leaves of many trees and vineyards, a touch more of coolness every morning, and by a visit to a market. On Sunday we go to a small, local market in St Martin de la Brasque where most of the sellers are local people.

Pumpkins suddenly arrive.

The first appearance of butternut squash.

Purple plums with their dusting of white.

It’s almost time for harvesting of grapes here in Provence and we are starting to see grapes for eating. Maurice particularly loves the green grapes. I’m not a fan of seeds so I usually don’t eat them. Maurice does, seeds and all.

My Santon lady was there again sewing outfits for her Santons denoting villagers.

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Figs are arriving too. I love their purple color.