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We're heading into Autumn like this tenacious Brussels Sprout!
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Happy Autumn, everyone!
Apologies for the long stretch with no update. September was filled with 'beginning of school year' meetings, documents, school supplies, etc. It is surprising how much of our time was taken up with getting back into the rhythm of the school day, combined with Katherine's work schedule and my performance/audition/french class schedule. It was a full month, but not many pictures were snapped. Beginning of school year meetings don't make for exciting blog photos... That said, Mr. Super Brussels Sprout, in the picture up above, is my favorite example of Lyonnaise graffiti. He greets us each morning as we walk Daphne up the hill to her new school. Were I a super-hero, I'd be Mr. Super Brussels Sprout.
September also brought some concerts for me, here in Lyon. A beautiful oratorio (Dvorak's Stabat Mater) with a stellar ensemble. The performances were in the Romanesque Basilica of St. Martin d'Ainay, which is happily just a 15 minute walk from our apartment. I have complained that I generally can't walk to work, but this time, I could.
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| l'Abbaye d'Ainay |
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| Setting up for rehearsal |
September also brought a new level of French class for me, which has been great (though pretty intense). Lots of new, complicated grammar, and I'm eager to let it all sink in now that the class has finished. Katherine and I often ask for help from the kids on our French, which they are generally happy to offer. Every so often though, they refuse on principle.
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| Learning (aka, 'accepting') the rules of the French 'subjunctive' |
Daphne is in a new school this year which is exciting, but makes seeing her friends from last year a weekend event. Living in the neighborhood makes this relatively easy, and it's been fun to hear the stories from her friends as they all compare their new 'collèges' (middle schools).
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| Weekend playdate with Daphne's school mate from last year |
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| I tried to time this photo about ten times, but they couldn't jump at the same moment... |
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| Cora chose a solo leap |
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| Leo playing in the steam spouts just outside the Courthouse in Lyon |
And, as is our modus operandi, there were also a number of cooking adventures last month...
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| The strawberries at the end of the summer were amazing, so I made a strawberry cake one afternoon which rose way too much, and cascaded over the pan like a volcano. I saw this as a major fail until the kids laid eyes on it. THEY thought it looked like the best cake ever. So, in hindsight, "I meant to do that." |
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| Also, the kids needed a 'dish from their native culture' for a school event. What you see above is probably the only Tuna Noodle Casserole in all of France. |
One of our good friends here was talking to me about his favorite food memories as a child, and while looking through a cookbook, we came across a classic favorite from the French countryside,
Lapin à la moutarde (Rabbit in mustard sauce). Having never cooked with rabbit before (indeed, having never really even considered it...) we decided to make an evening of it.
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| Ingredients...the wine does help one come to terms with cooking a little bunny. |
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| Daphne couldn't wipe the grin off of her face, nor the giggle at the thought of eating rabbit. |
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| Browning the bunny... |
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| and simmering with many herbs, veggies and wine. |
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| My friend, who offered to bring a Bordeaux Chateau Pape Clement 1986 Grand Cru if I cooked the rabbit. |
Our evening was great, and for a family which eats mostly vegetarian, it was really fun and a
delicious way to continue exploring French cuisine, which is NOT mostly vegetarian.
We also had a middle eastern feast with our good friends who live just downstairs. It was a birthday surprise, but we forgot that the birthday boy would be 'wearing' their newborn baby in a baby björn, so when we all jumped out and yelled, "surprise!" his poor baby's arms and legs flew out to the sides and he started screaming. Oops... The food was great, though:)
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| Surprise!!! |
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| sorry about that, little guy! |
October has also brought Cora's birthday. Our newly minted 10-year-old, Cora! She celebrated with some of her good friends from school by chatting, giggling, making stickers out of nail polish and water, devouring Katherine's now-famous chocolate cake, and revelling in a day all about her:)
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| Making party favours... |
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| "Don't worry, Cora, I won't snag any candy necklaces from your party table..." |
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| "Candy necklace? What candy necklace?" |
So its been a full and busy six weeks. Here are a few other random shots...
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| The girls who can't contain their excitement over Leo's haircut |
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| The opera house on a beautiful autumn day |
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| Leo has inherited my 'Bed-Head' Sorry about that, bud. You take the good with the bad... |
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| Leo rewarding Daphne with marshmallows when she finishes her homework. This was his idea after I left him "in charge" while I was out shopping. |
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| Many of the restaurants and shops have cats who live and roam freely within them here in Lyon. This monster haunts my dreams. |
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| Leo's new solution to avoiding shampoo in his eyes |
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| Cora walking home with me after a concert |
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| The pool where Daphne now swims with the Lyon Lyons! |
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| Fountain outside Orchestra Hall |
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| Daphne who was injured during 'Judo' class at school |
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| This was hilarious: in an "Anglophone/American store", I found a bottle of Barefoot wine. Anyone who has seen this in the states knows how it tastes, and it's value (generally a fat $2.00/bottle). Here in France it is about $10.00 |
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| Potatoes swimming in roast chicken drippings. You can smell this all over the market on weekend mornings. |
As of this afternoon, the two-week autumn school vacation has begun for the kids. We've got a short trip planned and I'll post pictures and stories from that, surely. Until then, bonnes vacances!
Love,
Aaron
