Welcome Autumn...

So I know that TECHNICALLY the autumn has not yet arrived, but as soon as I pluck the last pepper from his leafy home, I know that the time has come to yank up all other greenery left (ahem...mostly weeds) in my little veggie garden for the year.  Now if I were an overachiever, I would be getting my lettuces, radicchio and fennel plants geared up for the late autumn harvest, but alas I am not.  I need these cooler temps and lack of mosquitoes for all things pruning in the Hart garden proper...so maybe one day when it is all under control I will be able to concentrate on making ourselves a sustainable veggie patch, but I fear that will never happen.  

Tending our garden is like painting the golden gate bridge...

As of now, my little veggie patch is like a secondary outdoor cupboard for salsa makings and basil for fresh pesto...this year I added peas and green beans to the mix.  As for the level of success, I'm going to stick to the excuse that there was far too much rain... ; )

So the salsa. As an end-of-summer treat, and much to the hubby's pleasure, I made 6 gigantic jars of mexican salsa. I must say that as a first attempt it turned out pretty good!  Although I think I need a proper pressure cooker/canner...and maybe a wall knocked out of my kitchen to store everything...

Homemade Salsa...

Now in the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I don't often cheat when it comes to cooking, but I found it completely convenient to use a salsa mix that I picked up my last trip to the USA...Mrs. Wages.  And thank you indeed to Mrs. Wages, she rocks.

So what do you need for the salsa....?

Spicy peppers...

Loooovely cherry toms...

Toms, Onions and cilantro...match made in heaven!!

Making sweet salsa love...

Finished!

To be enjoyed with my famous taco salad and homemade refried beans!!

Ciao ciao summer...you will be missed.  

Mosquitoes.  You will NOT be missed.

xoxo sjkh

Buon Compleanno Bambina Mia...

So, two years ago today our lives changed dramatically.  We had been embroiled in a 19 month long house-buying war (as is probably typical here...), and all of a sudden had to come to terms with the fact that we had to bring our newborn daughter home to live in a "gasp, shock, horror" apartment.  I know.  Rough stuff.  But we managed to survive.  

Americans, I even gave birth in an Italian hospital with social healthcare....and it was a DREAM.  No they did not give me the option to have any painkillers whatsoever, but who the hell cares!  I can now hold the pain over Olivia's head for years to come.  You call that pain, I call it ammunition.  

But despite the pain, the big head, and the waddling for weeks after, I have myself now a baby girl who is two years old today.  

How the hell did that happen?  

So today is for my little princess...I love you so so very much. 

You have truly made my day, my week, my life - you name it.  

Who couldn't help but love to pieces a little girl who squats and tells you when she is doing a "fah-ties" - I'll leave you to the translation - and who points out the mole on my neck and calls it a "zucchini". 
Yep, pure entertainment.

So to my baby girl...Mamma loves you.  You are my little sunshine...

Happy birthday sweetheart.

xoxo Mamma

Un mariage en Provence

I know I keep going on about weddings, and being a young lady who has already had three of her own, I should pretty much be tired of them by now...

But how can I be expected to grow weary of weddings when our friends continue to celebrate their unions in amazing places?!  This past weekend Henry Olivia and I hopped in the car to celebrate the wedding of Dear Friends Elliot and Charlotte in the South of France...

OK, a quick work stop for Henry in Monaco....beach time for Mamma and Babba...

"You can reach me on the Monaco number dahhhhling...."

Then off to Grasse for a super lovely time with lots of friends...

Now, for any of you who know the Harts very well, it is a rarity that Mr. Hart is master of linguistics with the Mrs. around.  But Henry has managed to bring himself a couple of rungs in the language ladder following our latest trip.  You see, although I have been in Europe for the better part of the 2000's now, I have not done tons of travelling round...so this was my first visit to France.  

And I struggled with the language - BIG TIME. 

Actually, struggled doesn't begin to explain just how lost I was.  I now have a strong urge to learn at least a bit, as the natives looked at me with a deep "Silly American" expression...

Le Ouch.

Thank goodness the new couple are English and therefore the majority of the guests I was able to communicate sans difficulty...except with the Scottish guy of course ; )

(Side note - the Scottish guy who I sat next to at dinner was named Grigor and his wife - a German - was called Juanita...Love it! And loved them...what a couple!!)

But the wedding...Oh the wedding.  

If Henry and I were Seal and Heidi Klum, we would have wedding renewal parties every year, most definitely.  And if I could choose a place to get married again, it would definitely be this place.  Strangely similar to our second wedding in the hills of Monfumo, yet so different. 

It was beautiful.  Pics can only try to do it justice....

Where Liv and I spent most of the wedding...

Obligatory Hart Fam shot...

Officially Mr and Mrs Herbertson!

Lovely old Porsche...

Drinks reception...what a setting...

Liv dancing to the music...

Looking good with the 'tasche...

Liv obviously thinks something is funny...

Silly Hart girls...

Lavender everywhere...it smelled divine...

Sweet baby.

Father of the Bride makes his speech....

Sophie and Liv clowning around...

Dinner...

Who is this "Steffi Hart"????

Little touches made it so personal.

Menu...

I LOVE bunting.

Hand painted signs directed you where you needed to be, and I definitely needed the bar.

Guess whose husband was the first one in the pool?

Many thanks to the couple and the families of the couple for such a wonderful time!!

Still so darn good lookin'... ; )

xoxo sjkh