Friday, November 10, 2017

Fall Is Here

October Outtakes


Fall arrived in the weirdest way this year at Cottage. On October 16th, a hurricane, named Ophelia, made its (her?) way from Africa to Ireland via Portugal. Brittany was mostly spared, except for a very windy morning and a YELLOW SKY. I was at home as I have Monday mornings off. Little by little, it became darker and darker, the sky turned yellow and there was a burnt smell in the air. It was a tad frightening and even the cats were afraid as two of them rapidly came back home. I'm very thankful for the Internet as I found soon an explanation : there had been huge fires in Portugal that weekend and the high winds brought back cinder that made the sky darkers and also sand from the Sahara that made the sky yellow. My camera failed at taking a picture of that yellow sky above Cottage, but our region tweeted that picture.


L'automne a commencé d'une manière des plus étranges à Cottage. Le 16 octobre, un cyclone remontait depuis l'Afrique, le long des côtes portugaises en direction de l'Irlande. En théorie, la Bretagne n'était pas sur son chemin, mais en réalité nous avons eu beaucoup de vent et surtout un étonnant ciel jaune. J'étais à la maison ce matin-là car je ne travaille pas le lundi matin. Peu à peu, le ciel s'est assombri, a viré au jaune et l'air s'est chargé d'une odeur âcre de brûlé. C'était très impressionnant et même les chats ont trouvé ça inquiétant car deux d'entre eux sont rapidement rentrés à la maison. Heureusement, Internet était là pour me rassurer grâce à une explication scientifique. Ce n'était pas la fin du monde, mais un mélange de cendres venues des incendies qui sévissaient alors au Portugal et de sable rapporté du Sahara par les vents violents. Mon appareil photo n'a pas réussi à rendre l'étrange couleur du ciel, mais le conseil général a tweeté la jolie photo ci-dessus.


Inspired by the sky colour, I bought some pretty roses at the market. They were all my decoration for fall this year.

Inspirée par la couleur du ciel, j'ai acheté de jolies roses au marché. Elles représentent toute l'étendue de ma décoration d'automne cette année.


 I did work on the living-room project, but I can't show you anything new, as I mostly worked by substraction. Lately, I sold my former TV unit, a chair and the white bookcase and I'm trying to sell the old sofa. I'm creating space for new things and new projects.

J'ai travaillé sur le projet "salon", mais je n'ai rien de neuf à montrer : j'ai travaillé par soustraction. J'ai vendu mon ancien meuble télé, une chaise et la bibliothèque blanche. J'essaie de vendre l'ancien canapé. Je fais du vide pour recréer un nouvel espace.


Temperatures began to drop a little at the end of October, so the cats stayed in more, even Piano - sorry his picture is blurry, but he doesn't like me coming too close. Shadow was scared at first by the new stove, but once he understood the stove was closed and warming the living-room, he thought it was the perfect place to groom himself.


A la fin du mois, les températures se sont faites plus fraîches. Du coup, les chats passent plus de temps à la maison, même le vieux Piano - désolée pour la photo un peu floue, mais il n'est pas très coopératif. Shadow avait un peu peur du nouveau poêle au début, mais quand il a compris que c'était sans danger et que cela dégageait de la chaleur, il s'est dit que c'était l'endroit idéal pour faire sa toilette.


I personnally thought a scientific experiment was necessary - was it possible to eat chocolate chip cookies in front of the stove without them melting?


Moi, j'ai mené une petite expérience scientifique - vérifier s'il était possible de manger des cookies aux pépites de chocolat devant le poêle sans que cela fonde.


Some old time readers may remember that I used to have an umbrella that was perfectly coordinated to Cottage's decoration. Sadly, this umbrella disappeared in the staff room a few years ago. I left it there one morning and it was nowhere to be found in the afternoon. I was so disappointed that I waited till last week to buy a new one. Now, if you're wondering what French chic is, I guess it's having an umbrella that's matching your socks, don't you think?


Mes lecteurs les plus anciens se souviendront peut-être que j'avais un parapluie parfaitement assorti à la décoration de Cottage. Malheureusement, ce parapluie a disparu il y a quelques années dans la salle des profs. Je l'y avais laissé un matin et je ne l'ai pas retrouvé le soir. J'étais tellement déçue que j'ai attendu jusqu'à la semaine dernière pour m'en offrir un nouveau.  Et voilà la définition du chic : avoir un parapluie assorti à ses chaussettes !

Oh, by the way, the chair hidden by the umbrella is brand new... Or at least, brand new to me, I drove an hour and half to buy it from people who didn't like it anymore.

Au fait, le fauteuil caché par le parapluie est tout neuf... Enfin, tout neuf pour moi et j'ai fait une heure et demie de route pour aller le chercher chez des gens qui ne l'aimaient plus.

See you next time,

A la prochaine fois,

Hasta la proxima,


44 comments:

  1. Oh, Cottage looks so beautiful all in white! We too have had a very strange fall. It started off warm, then got cool enough at night to help the trees change color. But then it got windy, blew the leaves off before they could develop fully into the bright fall colors. Some trees never turned color and remained green, then we got SNOW! It was strange to see green trees with snow.

    Nonetheless, that fireplace is ready for the cold weather, Magali! Enjoy!

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  2. Ton poele Jotul est magnifique et il doit être bien agréable de déguster des cookies en se chauffant les pieds devant... Et quel luxe d'avoir un parapluie assorti aux chaussettes... Il faudra que tu marches sans chaussures dans les flaques pour faire admirer cet assortiment. Bises !

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  3. Well - did they melt? Or didn't they have the chance? Intrigued by the idea of matching socks with umbrellas...

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  4. Was it possible to eat the cookies before they melted?

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  5. Love, love love your cottage. We had a bad hurricane in Florida recently. It is such a scary time. It causes so much damage. Glad you did okay.

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  6. I love chocolate chips and your tea service is so nice and white to go with your room - the fireplace looks wonderful with a fire going. Such a yellow sky ours does that now and then here when we have tornado type of weather approaching - has to do with all the dust in the air I guess.

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  7. I love that stove!!! I've seen yellow skies before tornadoes hit - yellow skies are SCARY! Have a wonderful weekend! xox

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  8. Wow, your new stove looks awesome and I love how your mantle looks above it. Great look for cottage. Love how cozy and inviting your living room looks and a great place to work on your blog, along with tea and cookies and a happy and warm Piano and Shadow. Like the umbrella, put your name on the new one! Have a great weekend.

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  9. Hi...i was thinking about you an your new stove as the temps dropped here as well..i am always amazed at the distance weather events can travel..your yellow sky..ciders & sand must of have really scary before finding out what the heck was going on..glad you're all safe..cookies an a cup of tea in front of the fire..doesn't get much better then that..well unless you can bath yourself there too..looking forward to seeing what new things you find for cottage..an how far you had to go to get them..that new to you chair is very nice..an the umbrella..all i can say is..fabulous! hope you have a wonderful weekend..supposed to get really cold here..thank you Canada.!!

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  10. Oh Magali you just made me smile this morning reading this post. Love your matching socks and umbrella!!!! So glad to hear that chocolate chip cookies do not melt when near a fire!!!! So reassuring!!!! Glad the kitty's are staying close to home now with the temps dropping. Enjoy your new pretty stove as the temps begin to drop. You are going to love that cozy warm spot.
    xoxo
    Kris

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  11. Did the cookies melt? Love the idea of coordinating socks and umbrella.

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  13. Wonderful and mysterious post,i love chairs and probably have too many, wow, socks and umbrella's, made me smile.Thanks, your post are very entertaining.

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  14. How nice to be able to work on your computer in front of your new wood stove....and with a plate of chocolate chip cookies, no less!! :)

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  15. Quelle ambiance sympathique au coin du feu, je viendrais bien faire câlin aux griffus. Joli parapluie.
    Bon weekend. Bises. Babette

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  16. I love your life, Magali - driving a distance just to pick up a new treasure, munching on not melted chocolate chip cookies by your beautiful, white stove, in your beautiful white living room, curled up with your kitties and blog friends on your laptop! Cozy and comfy cocooning, ready for a Brittany winter!

    Poppy

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  17. Being in front of a fire sounds wonderful! Finally got cold here.
    Brenda

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  18. The yellow sky from the fires looks very eery. The kitties cozy up by the fire sounds ideal to me:). Busy with school and projects, continue on with those delicious cookies near the fire too:). Keep warm, Kathleen in Az

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    1. That sky was like nothing I had experienced before!
      Have a nice week, Magali

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  19. Your cottage is so inviting, to me. I adore seeing your wood stove in action. Ours is working right now, providing heat and comfort. Nothing quite like it.

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  20. Your Cottage looks so warm and inviting. I am sure Cottage is loving the warmth of the stove. It looks terrific.

    Love the socks and umbrella, they look very well together.

    So sorry about the weather, how scary. Seems like everyone's weather is nuts.

    Enjoy your weekend.

    Mary

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  21. I love that stove of yours! It sure seems that whoever took your umbrella would know it belonged to you as it is so unique.

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    1. About the stolen umbrella, I do suspect the people in charge of cleaning the staff room, bu all were so nice, I didn't dare to report them...

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  22. Votre cottage est bien douillet, on doit s'y sentir bien. Il n'y a qu'à voir, d'ailleurs, le chat et le chien !
    Bon week end.

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    1. Oui, on est bien au Cottage, tant qu'on ignore l'étage encore tout en chantier! Belle semaine.

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  23. ce ciel jaune est extraordinaire même s'il est dû à la folie des incendiaires !
    petite déco d'automne mais grande réflexion pour celle de fin d'année ??? pour ma part, j'ai déjà craqué pour des déco bois d'un grand magasin "pour les métiers d'art et les loisirs créatifs" et d'une grande chaîne de déco de tous pays...
    bon week-end ! monique59

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  24. I think kitty has the right idea to bathe in front of the fire! It looks so warm and cozy- the perfect place to be when the weather turns cold. The rose is gorgeous!

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  25. It is finally cold here and of course my heater in the living room decided to quit this morning. Fortunately my apartment is small and the one in the bedroom will keep me warm enough until Monday. I would love to have that wonderful stove to snuggle up in front of though. xo Laura

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  26. Such an eerie color to the sky! The rose color is so much cheerier. I always love your comfortable and inviting cottage. Ha ha! Love the matching umbrella and socks!

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  27. Matching socks and umbrella. . .very chic, indeed! I wish I lived near you, I would buy that white bookcase in a heartbeat. Love it. Your cottage is so very pretty. Fun to see it this morning. Have a great week. xo

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  29. Magali que interesante nunca habia visto un cielo Amarillo,me gusta ver fotos de Cottage se ve bonito yo te hubiera comprado el armario blanco me encanta tu sentido de humor y cuando nos dejas en suspenso. Hasta la proxima amiga ,cuidate :).....( paraguas y medias que divertido )

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    1. Realmente me gusta la estantería, pero era demasiado grande para mi pequeña pared y demasiado pequeña para la gran pared ...

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  30. Yes, the yellow sky would certainly scare me, too! So unusual! Love your new wood-stove. I'm sure it is the favorite place to snuggle for both you and sweet kitty. Very cute umbrella and socks! Hope your new week is lovely. x Karen

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  31. Hi Magali!!! What a beautiful sky and what a so cozy corner of your home! I love it, I don't know, if I have talked you, about My parents' cat, it is like yours, black and white. It's nice to see a relative of our cat, June, who lives so far.

    hugs from Spain

    Marina

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  32. Well you are one high fashioned girl to have matching socks and a umbrella! A beautiful sky but does have an eery feel to it...like somethings really brewing! Our Ginger hate summer and we can hardly get her to go out but now that its cooler we can't get her inside? Go figure!

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  33. I didn't realize you got hurricanes in your area. I've seen yellow skies like that here, when certain storms were brewing. The stove will keep you and the kitties toasty this winter, and it looks great! The matching umbrella and socks - what a fashion statement!

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