L'escargot des bois...

...or l'escargot des haies. Both names are used in French. In England, it's called the grove snail. I haven't read anything that leads me to think that people eat them. Like me, maybe they just admire their shell's pretty colors.

We don't see a lot of these gastropods around here, but I did see one slowly crossing the road

 out near our front gate a few days ago.

Une blanquette pour Pâques

For our Easter dinner this year, we had a blanquette de veau. That's un ragoût (a stew) of veal with carrots and mushrooms. The liquid for the stew is veal broth that you make by simmering chunks of veal for two hours in water with a little white wine, the carrots, and some onions, bay leaves, thyme and salt and pepper. It's a tasty consommé (a clear broth) with which you make a white sauce using butter, flour, and cream

Below are three photos of the veal that I bought at the supermarket for my blanquette. I cut the meat into smaller pieces before I cooked it.

Bright colors...

...dreary April days.

Early spring bloomers

Here's another tree that blooms in early spring. It's out in our back yard. It was here when we arrived more than
20 years ago. It's a cherry tree, I believe, but it doesn't produce any fruit. It's just decorative.

I took these photos yesterday morning at sunrise when I was out walking around with Tasha.