SOUTH ACRES FARM

A holiday in the Luberon

We have been enjoying a holiday in the Luberon, surrounded by vineyards and olive trees for the past two weeks.  Beautiful weather... lots of lying by the pool - the warm air caressed by the "shish-shing"  of the Cicadas, and the minor melodic tones of French songs on the local radio station "Nostalgie". 

The day starts early!...The baby girls, Isabel and Kitty are our alarm clocks and usually get the entire house-hold up with their shrieks of delight and chatter!    

Sliced local melons - sweet and delicious,  boiled eggs,  yogurts, baguette and of course croissants,  accompanied by freshly squeezed orange juice and excellent coffee.  As breakfast comes to an end,  the little girls begin looking expectantly at "Oupa" (Mr R-I) who then takes them off in the double pram for a stroll around the estate.  The little girls sometimes put up a fuss about sharing front position,  and a "bishy" (rice-cake) is then called for!

Mornings are usually earmarked for the daily markets in the region,  and how wonderful these local markets  are,  so colourful, selling wonderfully fresh produce and a huge range of scarves, dresses, shirts, soaps, spices etc etc. 

It is usually very hot when we get back to the villa and everyone heads for the pool.

We always have lunch inside to avoid the mid-day heat.    A huge green salad,  often a bean and potato salad,  "poulet roti" or cold cuts from the butcher.  

Tonight the boys are BBQ-ing two spatch-cock chickens. I have assembled a large beef tomato/mozarella salad and there are potatoes baking in the oven.  As a family,  we are rather obsessed with food and seem incapable of just grabbing a sandwich for lunch!   It's been such fun having everyone together in one place and the little girls have been adorable.  

Absolutely delicious!