The Virtuous & Industrious - and the Lazy (Like Me!) - Sunday, 26 March

(This post from Provence)

Saturday night as we were discussing plans for today, we did some research on churches, museums and other sights in Nice.  We found info about a lovely small Anglican church with an 11:00 service, about the stunning Chagall Museum, and about parking & other transportation options in the city.

So this morning four of my virtuous and industrious friends took off after breakfast for church, Chagall, and coastal charms.

Two other of my friends and I stayed home do ... well, to do pretty much nothing except loll around, soak up the sunshine, take naps, read, knit, and make lunch (leftover chicken with crème fraîche & rice with herbs).  Maybe not quite as virtuous a way to spend the day, but it sure felt good!

And we were rewarded by seeing the big ol' pheasant that roams this property jump up into a tree just outside our window to eat its berries!  So there!!!

Over dinner (pasta with prosciutto, red bell pepper, multi-color tomatoes & Parmesan), our more-virtuous friends told some great stories of their day's adventures and especially of Chagall, of the museum dedicated to his work (which was actually opened in his lifetime, the only major artist in France for which that's true), and of their observations of and reactions to his work.  It was almost like being there!  Almost....

I had planned to make two caramelized apple tarts for tonight's dessert, and I got as far as making the feuilletés (puff pastry) for the crusts, but my legs kind of gave out before finishing them.  (The cold and rigid clay tile floors throughout the house are lovely but, unfortunately, quite a bit harder on me than the wood floors I have at home - so I just have to content myself with doing as much as I can.)  But no worries, the pastry is just fine resting in the fridge for use tomorrow.  And we all have more time to salivate!