Savouring the Seasons

The farm is a place

down the dirt rode

where the animals are kept

and our food is grown

by Lisette King 

June 15, 1973

I think I was destined to live by a farm...

I made this plaque when I was 13 years old with a magazine photo of a farm.  Even though I was raised a Bay Area city girl...I've always had a love for farming. I attribute my love for farms to my dad who grew up on a 100 acre farm outside of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.  

All my life, I've lived in the suburbs.  Not anymore.  Now I live close to the country where farms are just down the road.  About two years ago, we moved(for my husband's job)to a small town in rural Northern California where I've been adjusting to a more country way of life.  And that life is good.  

I never meant to take such a long break from blogging here but it happened.  I am back now and inspired in a slightly new direction.  So I am continuing this blog but have given it a new name, Savouring the Seasons.  I hope you'll join me in savouring the seasons in my kitchen, through my lens and in my travels. 

Summertime

1968 edition of Lisette, the French girls magazine.

Happy Summer!

Summer is here!

My summertime memories growing up in sunny California:

water skiing, Discovery Bay, iced tea, Santa Cruz Beach, the Boardwalk, sno-cones, suntanning, Days on the Green concerts, riding my ten-speed bike everywhere, cruising,with a car full of girls, in my 1976 Camero, swimming, 7-11 icees, roller skating, nectarines, apricots, watermelon, cherries, bbq's, having fun, wishing summer would never end...and of course, ice cream!

Wishing you a happy fun filled summer!

Je m'applle Lisette

Je m'applle Lisette(My name is Lisette)

Since some of you may not know me...please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lisette. I am an American woman who inherited my paternal Great Grandmother's name Lisette. (The photo at left is of her as a young girl).

When my parents were expecting me, my mother wanted to give me a unique name. She had chosen Celeste. Thank goodness before I was born my father told her his Grandmother's name was Lisette and voila...that was it! I am so happy I am Lisette and not Celeste!

My name fits me. I love it! I have never been bothered having a unique name that many people have never heard before. In fact, I love and appreciate my name even more now that I am older and such a Francophile!

Some fun facts about the name Lisette:

Origin: France
Gender: Female, a from of Lisa.
Pronounciation: lis-SET, liz-zet, lee-SET, or lee-ZET.
French meaning: devoted to God.
The French pronounication is lee-ZET.

In France, along with the name Lison, Lisette was a common name from the beginning of the Eighteenth Century on. It is a name that often appears in comedies. Lison, is the joyful and helpful woman from the countryside, whereas Lisette is the woman from Paris. Hmm...sounds perfect to me!

The name Lisette does not rank in the current USA top 1,000 baby names. I don't really recall ever meeting anyone else in person with my name.

Prestigious companies seem to like the name. Here are just a few of the products with my name:

Waterford & Royal Doulton both have formal china patterns "Lisette".
Barbie Limited Edition "Lisette" Fashion Model Doll and Hallmark Ornament.
Drexel Heritage "Lisette" French dining room chairs.
Thomasville Furniture "Lisette" French settee/bench.
J. Crew "Lisette" ballet flats.

Looks like I am in pretty good company!

My most favorite find of all is Lisette, the vintage French magazine for girls. One year while my husband and I were browsing the book stalls along the Seine in Paris, we stumbled up the darling French magazine Lisette. My name was as large as could be on the cover. I immediately fell in love with these magazines. My name may not be that popular in America but now I know how popular and loved it is in France!

One thing you should know, is that I am not particular how you pronounce my name. Believe me, it has been pronounced so many different ways. Since I love Paris so much, I love how the French say it... lee-ZET. To my Dad...I am always just Lizzie!

Thanks Mom and Dad...I love my name Lisette!

Bienvenue/Welcome!

Bienvenue to my blog Tete-a-Tete.

Welcome to my blog!

I have had a fascination with blogs for awhile now. I spend a lot of time on the computer searching for ideas, recipes, Paris articles and lately, knitting ideas. Unexpectedly, I have stumbled upon some really neat blogs. I have been so impressed not only with their content but with their gorgeous photography.

Last night I was at my knitting group getting to know fellow knitter Jane better. I mentioned to her how I love her blog. She has such interesting things to say and what a platform to do it on. So, I asked her about blogging. She filled me in. She told me I should do it. So here I am.

What to write about? I asked my husband the other night if he had ever thought about writing a book? He is an avid reader, book collector and was a Lit major in college. He said "not really." He did tell me though..."that one should write about what one knows."

So, I shall be writing about what I know best: shopping, food, tea, Paris, London, interior design, antiques, knitting and "joie de vivre" which translates to "joy of living"! I love so many things and stumble upon so many neat shops and ideas.

I hope you enjoy the things I love. I can't wait to share them with you.