The Magic Bucket and Col du Coq

This is a magic bucket. Actually, it is one of many that have shown up by our front door, filled with fresh vegetables and fruits. We consume the treasures and throw the bucket back over the fence to our neighbors where it is refilled and returned on a regular basis.

So for the first year in who knows how long I don't have a garden but I am still enjoying the rewards of one!! Have I ever mentioned how very spoiled I am here?!

This day it was raspberries, and they didn't last long.

I couldn't even get them into the house...

these two were hoarding...

but Piper got his turn, too.

Last week they brought me several buckets and I was a bit overwhelmed by the produce. See that bucket - it is full of white currants. I had to look them up to even know what they were!

Our French tutor came this day and when I told him I needed to do something to use some of these up, he offered to teach me how to make ratatouille during our French lessons that day.

French lessons + French cooking lessons = bonne idée!

For some reason I forgot to take a picture of it when complete or during the instruction...oh, wait, that was because he instructed in French and it was all I could do to translate, understand, learn and cook!

Needless to say it was my favorite French lesson yet and we agreed we will do it again sometime. And the ratatouille was delicious. Next time I make it I promise to take pictures!

Last week it was also unbearably hot, so we went up to the mountains with a picnic dinner to enjoy the cooler temps one evening.

We went up to Col du Coq, right behind our house, at the base of the Dent de Crolles seen below.

There are quite a few hiking trails at this location...I really want to hike up the Dent de Crolles but not sure if Piper is up to the challenge.

This is the view out the other direction, across to the Belledonne Mountains.

We took the boys' bikes along...

and decided to let E ride (coast) his bike down the mountain to the main road.

Starting off...

and down and down....

still cruising down...

It took about 15 or 20 minutes for him to cruise down to the main road. He had a smile clear across his face the whole time. Next time we'll make him ride up instead. haha.

View on the way down.

I still find it hard to believe that we live in such a beautiful place. I try not to take it for granted!

We are truly blessed to live here in this amazing part of the world with wonderful neighbors and friends.