French Witch

Writing a journal blog in English is such a relief to me.  I don’t know why but it gives me a certain comfort. I guess because I have had a good solid life in the States? Or I had so many sweet memories back then? Anyway, most of memories are somehow camouflaged in a good way. Talking about a fond memory, I have to tell (you) about Aunt Marise in France. I believe in her past life, she must have been a white witch.

Aunt Marise has a green thumb; whatever she touches in her vast backyard, everything revives and beautifies. She’s an amazing gardener who has such enchanted hands.

Just standing her yard in the early morning is therapeutic. A heaven, indeed.

Her house is in a sleepy-hollow-y village in the Western region of France. A quaint village in the middle of rolling hills of wheats and sunflowers.

I get so excited each time I visit there.

Her rose bushes are thriving. She loves roses; as I wonder in the yard, there are so many varieties of roses growing. But also there are different kinds of flowers, herbs, and vegetables flourishing.

Theo, the cat is roaming in the garden. Theo is a male name but this cat is female. When they found Theo, it was so tiny that they couldn’t tell its gender. Therefore, Aunt Marise and Uncle Michel named the female cat as Theo. But eventually Theo grew and bore a brood of kittens one day!

 I love her garden. I can wonder around carefreely. My mind goes everywhere enjoying its serenity.

Roses, roses, and roses…

So, I made and brought her family rose éclairs.

Aunt Marise also loved my rose éclair licking even her fingers with rose créme légere. She exclaimed with delight it was the best one which she ever had.

Her magical hands produce great results.

Not only her yard, but also at her home. She makes beautiful drapes and tassels. A witch’s hands creates enchanted items, you know.

Also, she is a good cooker, but I’d say, Uncle Michel is rather an avid cooker always preparing yummy meals for her.

Last year when we went there to say “Good bye”, she gave me beautiful flowers from her yard.

And small sweet-scented roses without pesticide to make something magical by myself. I took it as a test to become a witch but darn it; my ordinary brain didn’t work well and made just a rose liqueur in “eau-de-vie” given by my father-in-law. I haven’t checked the fragrance or its taste since then. It’s about a time to open it!

More than these, I received the token of a magical witch. A clear liquid filled in the used whisky bottle. She just told me to use it for my gâteaux for special occasions. But she told me not to open it until April 10, 2011 which was exactly one year after she made it.

Being a trainee witch, I rebelled her command and opened it a week before that for making a special “tarte d’anniversaire (birthday tart)” knowing Aunt Marise would allow me to do so.

It’s an orange liquor with splendid citrus scent and flavor. Now one year later, it has turned in an orangy yellow color. What a magic she has put it in! Her recipe is disclosed passing secretly by certain women to women in her region. She showed us the process of it but she said never reveal it. There is a secretive recipe to add it in as a syrup, she told us that she never passes this recipe to anybody, even her daughters just yet. A wonderful mystery.