NZ Herald " A French Affair".....oh la la!!

In todays NZ Herald is an article about Amanda Taylor-Ace, originally from Devonport in Auckland who, 12 years ago or so upped sticks and made her way to live in Provence. What a life - she has developed a neat old traditional style farm house into a kind of B&B and markets her rooms and tours (cooking, walking etc).

The article has a great line in it - "In the short time I have spent with her, she has me privately questioning the choices I am making in my life"- don't we all know that feeling!! Here is a lady who is living her life and living her own dreams in technicolour and you have to respect that.

http://www.joiedevivre-unlimited.com/

I had heard about Amanda - she is talked about regularly in books by an Aussie woman who has written a couple of really funny travel books about France. Check out Anne Rickards book "Ooh La La! A French Romp"...

Their paying you to go to France!!

Ok that got your attention but seriously - if your young, doing advanced Uni study, interested in beautiful old France and care to apply check out the "New Zealand-France Friendship Fund Excellence Scholarship"on http://www.nzvcc.ac.nz/scholarships/nzfff

Why can't I find a fund or scholarship prepared to pay me to travel to France (I'll need First Class Travel of course plus a bit of accommodation and money for sightseeing...) and do 'research' myself - I am sure I could be EXCELLENT at it!!

Cheers

Dahlia "French Doll"

How beautiful Dahlias are - they are a recent discovery for me, only really in the last year but what a selection, what colours, what beauty.

But, I confess, I did not love the Dahlia "French Doll"- sad but true - she (are Dahlias female?) was so subtle beside the vibrant colours of her sister Dahlias - enjoy the photo of the very chic white French Doll.

Check out the options at Dahlia Haven in Auckland - http://www.dahliahaven.co.nz/