Say it with Flowers

When words fail to express how much I miss you, and fail to lend me the strength to hold my own onto that ship...

While your being gone has cast our lives into disarray like a tempest unforeseen, bashing us castaways against the harshness of our depleted surroundings, wreak havoc our lives, split open our hearts...

Despite your not being afar for I can feel you around, softly brushing past, hesitant tip-toe, lingering into regretful embrace, gliding up and down the Stairway to Heaven in nocturnal errance...

If only you whisked me along.

Bloomers Flowers & Decor

How I care to imagine living a day without you and still carry it through, whether my life will be whole again despite the hole that you left...

How what mattered yesterday has come to pass and lies at our feet in its irrelevant, insignificant splendour...

And whether I seek to explain to the rest of you here - or not,

I shall never cease to love you.

When words lack a word and words fail your hurt, elude or go astray, laced into the atemporality of the present hurt...

You have to forget the words and forgive them too.

And let flowers do the talking for you.

© Nathalie Hachet Kuntz, 11-Apr-2018

Bug Life

For a piece of visual entomology, look no further than Alex Wild Photography! Mirabelle has been following Alex's Twitter account for years now and this is one of my favourites: a Twitter perk that stands out from the Twitter mush!

There you get close with the bugs and once you magnify and get to their level, discover the beasts of engineering that they are: fascinating, awesome and pretty darn scary too!

Calliphora augur, Diamond Creek, Victoria, Australia

Myrmecia pyriformis, Yandoit, Victoria, Australia

Nesomyrmex wilda, Harlingen, Texas, USA

Nasute termite soldier, Yandoit, Victoria, Australia

Pogonomyrmex comanche, Red Rock, Texas, USA

Apis mellifera, Austin, Texas

The macro-photographic skillset of Texas-based American biologist Alex Wild plays its magic and his carefully-chosen
subjects are equally magical. The descriptives bear none of the generalist attributes that non-scientists like myself are guilty of using all too often when faced with unidentified small creatures: critters, bugs, insects, creepy-crawlies, flying things (ha-ha!) and other often-erroneous and somewhat disrespectful captions.

Here we dive deep into entomology territory, the taxa, order, genus, species and sub-species, and catch ourselves on a learning curve if we are serious enough about the views we entertain. This is how I found out, as a starting point, that myrmecology is the entomology branch related to ants.

When faced with the ingeniosity of life at its tiniest level, you cannot help but think about the Great Architect of the Universe and how none of this would have been possible without Him at the helm. Without politicising this post, I would venture the belief that atheists are deniers of God when you witness how the divine has engineered nature in a way that is humanely impossible to achieve.

Anastatus sp., Austin, Texas, USA

Ceratopogonidae forcipomyia, Cayó District, Belize

Hesperolabops gelastops, Austin Texas, USA

Tutelina elegans (male), Urbana, Illinois, USA

Chrysina lecontei, Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, USA

Tetragonisca angustula, Morretes, Paraná, Brazil

Alex Wild has managed to build a captive audience out of science proselytes like myself, and the macro-photographic journey amongst creatures of the tiny order is both captivating and humbling!

Source: All photography by Alex Wild Photography.

Floral Sophisticates

You needn't be looking for beauty for it is all around you in the natural world if you care to notice and observe. Flowers have it in spades of enchantment... The art of the artist is to capture the beauty they notice but which might be going unnoticed by others, emphasise it and restitute it for it to be (finally) noticed, acknowledged and appreciated. Kate Scott is bewitched by the beauty of the floral kind and Mirabelle has too been spellbound by floral beauty for as long as I can remember.

Flower power has hit home! The curves, curls and swirls, the shades, hues and ombrés, the seemingly laser-cut petals, the detailing, the precision, the floral geometry, Fibonacci of sorts that ushers floral art into the sacred, the intricacies, fragility, ephemerality, the sophistication of flora at its paramount best that is bound to leave you speechless... All of this skillfully captured by Kate Scott. Welcome to the floral art world, a delicacy for the senses and an instant mood lift!

Gipsy, Dahlia (detail), by Kate Scott Studio

Grace, Dahlia (detail), by ibid.

Fleur, Ranunculus (detail), by ibid.

Blush, Ranunculus (detail), by ibid.

Frill Seeker, Hibiscus (detail), by Kate Scott Studio

Peaches, Roses (detail), by ibid.

Folly, Peony (detail), by ibid.

Amazon, Tulip (detail), by ibid.

"I have always found flowers bewitching. My aim as an artist is to capture the essence and soul of each bloom and present it in a way which cannot otherwise be readily seen. No camera is used in this process. Flowers are scanned at high resolution then digitally painted, pixel by pixel, capturing the tiniest of detail, often invisible to the naked eye. A single specimen which measures only a couple of inches across is transformed into a sensual landscape and in this way, each flower is reinvented and reborn. It is a painstaking process, often taking hundreds of hours to produce one large printed piece." - Kate Scott 

Source: All artwork digitalisation by Kate Scott Studio. Her exquisite limited edition flower prints are available to purchase directly from her online boutique. Printed on museum archival paper.

Crumbling Châteaux

With modern times achanging, old money does not warrant stability and continuity: one way or another the estates it relates to likely meet their fate. Heating bills, maintenance and repair costs, and property taxes end up sealing the deal on one remorseless Winter night.

Passed down the generations, the estates increasingly turn into financial burdens (financial money pits!), unless pockets are deep and/ or resourcefulness (return on investment projects), DIY skills, family team spirit and general stamina are unequivocally high.

Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers (dating back to 13th century), Les Trois-Moutiers, Vienne, France

Maybe any land-related business attached to the estate (farming, winemaking, fruit orchards, garden nurseries, crafts, hospitality) which used to support or supplement its income ends up folding altogether due to high running costs and other expenditures - and the implacability of French taxation (so be said). The château lifestyle may then take a turn for the worse and bite the dust...

Likewise the French château dream may turn sour for those idealist buyers and unpractical investors who succumbed to the lure of a quick, cheap and fanciful purchase, only to find out that they are biting more than they can chew. And then the château lifestyle increasingly becomes a distant vision. 

Château de Maupas (built c.1580), Maupas, Dordogne, France

I have little knowledge about the history of the châteaux featured herein - and the reasons that led to their falling from grace. Regardless, my aim is not to blame or condemn. Mirabelle knows only too well how easy - very easy - it is for a property - grand or otherwise - to fall into disrepair, catch you off-guard, and for its maintenance costs to escalate beyond repair, especially when the property has not been consistently looked after or if you have been dealing with cowboy builders and other rip-off con artists from the associated building trades. Those elderly ladies made out of stone, brick, slate and wood require constant methodical TLC: choose to disregard or overlook it at your peril!

Château de la Boissière (dating back to 19th century), Edern, Brittany, France

Some owner-renovators and passionate volunteers are riding the wave high and proud and making a success out of their property venture, through blood, sweat and tears. First expect cold sleepless nights, spartan comfort, improvised dinners out of a camping stove, and chamber pots for toilets... Or best make a caravan your home while a modicum of comfort is being established in your property. All in all, keep at it and never lose sight of the reward at the end of the dirt track, beyond crumbling plaster and patches of dry rot!

Château de Coat an Noz (built 1870), Belle-Isle-en-Terre, Brittany, France

Source: (1-5) French château photography via Châteaux de France. (1) Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers (built 13th century), Les Trois-Moutiers, Vienne, photography by Pierre Mairé. (2) Château de Maupas (built c.1580), Issac, Dordogne. (3) Château de la Boissière (dating back to 19th century), Edern, Brittany, and (4) Château de Coat an Noz (built 1870), Belle-Isle-en-Terre, Brittany, photography by Morgan Corbet. (5) Château de Bonnefontaine (built 1818-1822), Altwiller, Alsace. (6) Château de Blancafort (built 1453), Sologne, Loire Valley. (7) Château de Meauce (built c.13th century), Nivernais.

Château de Bonnefontaine (built 1818-22), Altwiller, Alsace, France

Depressed about the château sorry state? Cheer up and read on...


Château Success Stories:

• Adopte un Château, in partnership with Dartagnans, presents itself as an innovative crowdfunding scheme designed to bring together investing members of the general public willing to be involved in the rescue of a struggling château that has fallen into disrepair. The initial goal is for the investors to collectively meet the seller's asking price. By purchasing one or more shares (affordably priced at 51 euros a share), they become in effect one of the several owners who will be involved in the château's future, with its renovation funded by its conversion into a profitable business. This is exactly what is happening to our featured (1) Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers right now! Now whether the scheme has real potential for the safeguard of a château - or is purely utopic - remains to be seen, especially in the long term.
• Push open the door to a successful privately-owned current château renovation scheme: Château de Meauce (built 13th century), set in Nivernais, the Central area of la belle France. The château is featured on the Adopte un Château website.
• Follow the river and admire the quintessential châteaux of the Loire Valley: those are healthy and wealthy! And while you're at it, take a leisurely stroll through the grounds and the gardens. 
• If your pockets are deep and you envision yourself as the proud owner of a renovated château in Sologne, within the Loire Valley, you are in luck! Château de Blancafort (built 1453 as a fortified stronghold) is up for auction... and already has your name on it! 
• Purchased in 2015 by TV personality Dick Strawbridge and his wife Angel Adoree, Château-de-la-Motte Husson is the star of a (British) TV home renovation series. The Loire Valley-located château (which finds its origins in Medieval times and was rebuilt 1868-1874) also hosts vintage weddings and other hospitality events under the umbrella of The Vintage Pâtisserie, Angel's hospitality company.
• In the French Pyrenees village of Château-Verdun, Château de Gudanes (built mid-1700s) is too enjoying a second youth! Its new owners are a couple of  dynamic Aussies who gave up their home comforts from Down Under for a château life made up of cracks, leaks, drafts, overdrafts... and much joy! The château restoration is well underway now and paying off! In fact, each Summer paying guests are invited to contribute their skills in exchange for a slice of the pie. 

Château de Blancafort (built 1453), Sologne, Loire Valley, France

Château de Meauce (built c.13th century), Nivernais, France (pict source)

Fresh, Crisp and Leafy

Mirabelle never imagined for one second that placemat and napkin sets would catch her eye, get her excited and get an article in the process with adjectives like fresh and crisp and leafy... When was the last time such adjectives were used in unison to describe those little accents of table linen?

Maybe placemats used to leave you indifferent too... until now! Because you and I hadn't yet crossed paths with the French luxury linen company D. Porthault, that's why!

Need a little convincing? Surely not as I can see you gaze admiratively at the exquisite artistic sets below... And since you're asking, Tempête Tropicale is my favourite. How about yours?

Tempête Tropicale

Anagramme Lilac

Mariage

Papyrus

Lilas Blue

Feuilles d'Olivier Soft Green

The sets represent only a tiny sample of D. Porthault linen collections: you really need to check those out for yourselves!

Always ahead of the game, The Glam Pad has just announced the imminent release of D. Porthault: The Art of Luxury Linens, a coffee table book showcasing those eponymous colour-rich home collection textiles, sure to brighten up our bedside cabinets as we move towards shorter days and longer nights. With such a book to hand, we'll naturally want to stay tucked up in bed just a little longer, flicking through the pages, enjoying the visual treats and redesigning our abodes! Sweet dreams and happy home projects to you!

Available to purchase from Gibbs Smith

Corsican Interiors and Exteriors

Mirabelle's Coastalicious island dwelling is taking us down Corsica's scenic roads, then off the beaten track and with a seaview in mind, to those houses of character, their front door unlocked for a little tour. Pictures of stylish private estates, family holiday hideaways, chic hotels and redesigned houses flock together for an instant breath of Summery inspiration...

DECORATIVE CEILINGS THAT MAKE UP A ROOM:

Sources: Painted ceilings make up a room and leave a lasting statement. Volutes, arabesques and phantasmagorical flora in splashes of colour steal the show with their enchanted splendor! (1-2) Photography by Fotograficasa, via (1) Atma Corsica and (2) Abritel HomeAway of ornate plaster ceilings in Casa Magna, a 19th century palazzo located in Rogliano, Cap Corse, to the north of the island of Corsica. Historically, artists - Italian for the most part - used to travel the island during the 19th century in order to sell their architectural crafts to churches, mansions, maisons bourgeoises and the less opulent abodes seeking a touch of sophistication. Decorated ceilings were all the rage for whoever wished to flaunt a little (or more!) wealth. Casa Magna belongs to a photographic husband and wife duo who, as Fotograficasa, run a week-long photographic Masterclass yearly and ad-hoc events, artistic or holistic. Meanwhile you can get a closer look to that ceiling by renting the house!

PRIVATE SPACES THAT CELEBRATE SOBRIETY IN INTERIOR DESIGN:

Sources: (3-4) photography by François Halard for the June 2015 edition of Vogue. Images via Habitually Chic. The 19th century Corsican holiday home of Studio KO architects Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty has been sensibly restored and updated by skilled craftsmen. Neutral tones dominate the interior, and the traditional red tomettes got the heritage pale grey treatment. Besides who needs pictures on the walls when the vistas open up to luscious rambling hills and mature gardens? (5) Part of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux network, five-star Hôtel La Signoria is tucked away in the leafy suburbs of the scenic resort of Calvi, and a stone's throw away from Calvi's jewel-in-the-crown of a sandy beach! The hotel was originally an 18th century Genoese private estate, which became a hotel in 1986 and to which were added apartments, suites, villas, swimming pools and a spa. The restaurant is located within the original house. There is a French Provençal bastide look to the hotel compound, with ochre and terracotta tones to the façades and mature gardens with a strong Mediterranean accent, complete with palm trees, orange trees and pine trees. Dates, oranges and pinenuts and we would be forgiven for craving some Moroccan delicacy! (6) A few miles away from Calvi, the disused Couvent Saint-François d'Oletta had fallen out of sorts and into disrepair. Over ten years ago, love came to the rescue of the Franciscan convent in the name of Candida Romero, an artist who had fallen for the poetry of the place and its potential, not only for her pursuing of her craft but also doubling up as a venue for weddings, artist events and film and photo shoots! Pictured is one of the former nun bedrooms, soberly redecorated, photographed by Henri del Olmo for Côté Sud. You are promised to 'sleep like an angel' by the lady owner.

KITCHENS AND FAMILY GATHERINGS:

Sources: (7-8) The convent's kitchen, photographed by ibid. Granito flooring, repurposed 1950s cabinet and bits and odds never felt so at home than right in here!

LAVISH COUNTRY ESTATES

Sources: (9) Maison Casanova is a 19th century (estimated 1870s) maison d'Américain tucked away in the hilltops of Sisco, a coastal village in the Cap Corse peninsula that stretches like a pointed finger. Photography via Airbnb. In the second half of the 19th century, many established families from the Cap Corse, incentivised by the Spanish Crown under the Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 (Real Cédula de Gracias), tried their luck and emigrated overseas to the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, Mexico and Venezuela to set up plantations. Within the timeframe of one generation, the Corsican settlers' hard labour had paid off and most of them had made a small fortune. They would return to Cap Corse, their land of origin, in order to have lavish neo-classical manor houses and monumental mausolea erected as a way of testifying to their newly-acquired wealth.

GARDEN DETAILS:

Sources: (10) Detail of a fountain cherub spout in Luri, Cap Corse, photography via Destination Cap Corse. (11) Opuntia ficus-indica is a prickly detail of note scattered along the Corsican shoreline, that sits at the intersection between introduced cultivar from Mexico and its later escapist adventure into the Corsican maquis. Photography by Mirabelle, also featured in our Club Tropicana feature.

The Garden Beckons

A garden is Man's vanity project, a reinterpretation of nature for our own comfort: growing the edible and cultivating the eye-pleasing. It is an extension of the home, a solace, a place where we unwind and kids play safely. A space where we surrender our thoughts; we let our mind wander and there it takes us down its wondrous pathways... There is the private garden and the public garden, and off the charts is the secret garden, a personal host to the unkempt thoughts and the ordered ones, the wise desires and the wilder ones.

A vegetable and fruit garden is a practical way of attending the land and yields crop to our labouring hand. The practical garden certainly was so for our elders living in rural communities and to which land had to be productive, not stand idle. What else is a garden? A garden is a place of observation - an observatory of sorts - where the little seed we planted rewardingly comes to be, and the pruned shrub has been lent a hand so it shall draw the vigour that will make it strong and prosper. A garden is a testimony for oneself and others. There is nothing more satisfying than to be the custodian of a plant or shrub or tree that an elder lovingly put into soil and nurtured, for future generations to enjoy and care for in turn. For I do believe strongly that there is a little of us that lives on with each plant that we commit ourselves to.

Sources: (1) Where to start? Garden inspiration might nudge you down the local flower shop, or it could just be a walk in the countryside or a spot of sunshine... The Little Potting Shed of Tarporley, Cheshire, is the little sister of The Potting Shed of Alderley Edge, an exclusive leafy Cheshire town south of Manchester. (2) There is a lot of action going on in horticulturist, writer and BBC presenter Alys Fowler's garden and its size (20ft. x 16ft.) debunks the assumption that one shall need ample space in order to grow a wide variety of plants. Alys's compact garden is a punch to the senses; it is packed-full with colours, textures, aromas and edible plants! Her facetious Jack Russell Terrier Isabelle lends a hand, oops a paw! Photography via Pinterest and believed to originate from BBC. (3-5) Britain has some of the most inviting nurseries/ garden centres in the world, replete with oodles of style and Venusian charm, an effortless romantic inclination, and an attention to detail and presentation. This craftsmanship comes together as a living Liberty pattern (or other favourite British florals) or a canvas to a poem, that distill your experience as quintessentially British! And wait a minute! Those nurseries also cater for the palate (oh, the plump freshly-baked Victoria sponge cakes!), and the home in equal measures of style. Petersham Nurseries, Richmond, Surrey is one example of that very British quintessence. (6) Wispy Verbascum like this one pictured by Norwegian lifestyle blog Roser og Patina will be noticed in the cottage garden and stand its own amidst lupins, foxgloves and delphinium. (7) Digitalis purpurea, Foxgloves, Ibid. (8) What came first, chicken or the egg? No worries, a hen is always the bearer of good news: fresh eggs! And it gives the garden and the owner a little company, and a country feel. Hens are friendly, social and curious. Photography by Ali Harper in Georgia, USA, to illustrate the Dandelion Greens and Pepper Omelet recipe designed for Kinfolk magazine. (9) Flowering right now in the wild, on the shaded roadsides of northern Corsica, the elegant and statuesque Bear's Breeches (Acanthus spinosus) can also be grown from a packet, from an online place like Crocus. (10) Pink Sunday Sage (Salvia horminum), a heritage seed by Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Co. (pictured below).

Further Inspiration: Find out more fascinating facts about Alys Fowler's life, from BBC Countryfile. Also catch an episode or two of her BBC TV series, The Edible Garden, from Archive.org. Alys's eponymous book, The Edible Garden may be purchased from Barnes & Noble.

'If I had a magic wand, I’d like to see what would happen if we’d never had the Enclosures Acts and still had small-scale subsistence farmers, where the land was not owned by the few but by the majority. It would be interesting to watch how that played out and whether our lack of understanding about food and where it comes from has partly been caused by the fact we have capitalised the countryside for the benefit of a few individuals.' - Alys Fowler interviewed by BBC Countryfile

P.S: More garden inspiration from Mirabelle, Mirabelle's Secret Gardens, and La Baguette Magique!

Love it! Your gardens are beautiful! https://t.co/BO4uJgho1J

— Baker Creek Seeds (@rareseeds) June 14, 2016