Introducing . . . .

Shamelessly gratuitous baby pic — Nana’s privilege, right? Harriet’s more fun by the day, smiling, chortling, rolling over . . . . 

While I’m treading water here in Blogland, I thought I might divert you from my shortcomings by pointing you in the direction of several bloggers you might not yet have met.

Two of these are neighbours of mine: First, my good friend Alison, whose Art classes I will be taking in France this year. Recently, Alison has been blogging “A Drawing a Day,” and several years ago she kept a wonderful blog of her sailing adventures, gorgeously illustrated with her own watercolours — a perfect armchair escape if February is getting you down.

Another antidote to February’s gloom is not to escape it, but to delve into its surprising gifts. And digging and delving is what my gardening neighbour Jane does best. That is, except when she’s writing her wonderfully observant, lyrical meditations on the winter garden she has been caring for this past decade or so. Granted, we garden in a rather temperate zone here, but you might still be surprised to see what colours and fragrances can be coaxed out of the earth just to lift our sun-deprived spirits.

Jane also blogs about other gardens she works to maintain, about her own garden, as well as her wanderings out and about on our little bit of West Coast Island paradise in Gardenthoughts.

And I’ve discovered a new blogger you’ll want to say Bonjour to, if you haven’t already met Madame Là-Bas. Your inner Francophile will thank you as Madame has been peppering her (fairly recent) retirement with visits to Paris, and she shares titles of books we Paris-lovers might enjoy along with jaunts through Paris quartiers she’s lived in while studying at the Sorbonne — what inspiration!

So there you go. . . .3 blogs you might like to visit AND a smiling baby. See how I try to keep my readers happy, even when I’m February-fatigued?

What about you? Any blogs you think more of us might like to know about? Or other diversions to help us through February?

16 Comments

  1. Madame Là-bas
    16 February 2013 / 12:28 pm

    Merci, Mater. Harriet looks like such a happy baby. I am enjoying "A Drawing a Day". There are so many talented artists and so many different blogs to explore. I haven't visited "Gardenthoughts" yet but winter gardens on our coast are inspirational and have their own kind of beauty.

    • materfamilias
      16 February 2013 / 10:22 pm

      Gardener Jane is full of gardening wisdom, but I also love the way she applies that wisdom and observation to life. . . and yes, there are so many talented bloggers, one must pick and choose carefully!

  2. Pondside
    16 February 2013 / 2:47 pm

    She's lovely, Mater. Makes me anxious to cuddle our babies-in-waiting or get a hug from one of our little grandsons.
    Harriet's smile is so engaging – love that eye contact!

    • materfamilias
      16 February 2013 / 10:23 pm

      I keep thinking of you, with 3 new babies all coming along so soon — and yes, her eyes are obviously fixed on a well-loved photographer. . . Mommy!

  3. K.Line
    16 February 2013 / 3:16 pm

    Oh, she is a DOLL. And she's very chic in yellow. It must be her colour. Also, I love her shearling. We had one of those for M (from NZ, brought back by my friend Hilly). Now we use it on a chair. It is still in perfect condition.

    • materfamilias
      16 February 2013 / 10:26 pm

      Harriet's "sheepie" was actually Megan's before her, so it's 30 years old and has been machine-washed and dried countless times yet still holds together well. They're apparently frowned upon by Public Health nurses these days, for babies, but the friend who introduced me to them was a nurse, married to a GP, and they'd learned about them while doing a year's locum in NZ — where everybody's baby goes to sleep on them and most seem to benefit from it. . .Lovely to know you used one for M as well.

    • K.Line
      17 February 2013 / 3:38 am

      Hilary was actually doing a locum in NZ, which is when she got a few of the shearlings. And her babies used them too 🙂

  4. Anonymous
    16 February 2013 / 7:03 pm

    Mater,les femmes sont assurément reines chez vous. Quel adorable petit trésor! Elle est mignone, n'est-ce-pas? Je vous envie.

    Orane

    • materfamilias
      16 February 2013 / 10:29 pm

      Moi, je pense que oui, elle est mignonne. Mais je suis Nana, et peut-être un peu partiale. . . .Merci pour vos mots . . .

  5. Anonymous
    16 February 2013 / 7:40 pm

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  6. Anonymous
    16 February 2013 / 8:05 pm

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  7. Tiffany
    16 February 2013 / 9:00 pm

    Harriet is adorable!

    On a side note, sorry to see your comments are being spammed.

    • materfamilias
      16 February 2013 / 10:29 pm

      Thanks, Tiffany. . . . and grrrr, I'm so tired of the spamming! It seems to have accelerated over the last several weeks.

  8. Unknown
    16 February 2013 / 10:29 pm

    What a beautiful, happy baby. Does she love to be held?

  9. Duchesse
    17 February 2013 / 12:04 am

    And here's another adorable girl whose pictures I'll be begging for!

  10. jane ..
    21 February 2013 / 2:15 am

    i love this idea, mater, of passing along blogs .. you've inspired me .. and, thank you ..

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