Miller Wedding- First Stop After Paris!

Landing at O'Hare at 3pm yesterday from Paris, our first  mission was to get to my dear friend's sons  5:30 wedding in the city.  And we made it with not a moment to spare!  It was a gorgeous ceremony at Café Bauer in the Lincoln Park Zoo.  Later this week, I promise stories from France, but for today, I want to celebrate this important milestone in   my friend Jill's life, the marriage of her  son, Matthew.

Jill and I have been friends for almost 30 years.  Along with our friend Marlene, we were store managers  for Marshall Fields, raised our children together, solved the world's problems together ( especially retailing problems!)  and were each others confidants.  Now we are in the time of our lives, where our children are starting their own lives and  getting married. I knew this wedding of Jill and Barry's son, would be a glorious occasion, but with many tears of joy from Jill. 

 

 

The Ceremony

 

 

 Etereal white chuppah  for the marriage ceremony

 

Stunning white arrangements to mark the aisle.

 

 

Happy and tearful, Jill looks gorgeous in her navy taffeta gown.

She watches her future daughter in law come down the aisle.

Her expression brings tears to my eyes too!  Marlene is sitting beside me

and I see her grab her husband's hand and squeeze it.

 

 

 

Ashley looks radiant walking down the aisle to "Blackbird" by the Beatles.

She is such a sweet and gorgeous  girl.  Jill and Barry are getting a delightful addition to their family.

 

 

The 3 Miller women, Jill and her two beautiful daughters watch the vows taking place.

A happy Ashley and Matthew walking down the aisle as a married couple!

 



 

Jill and Barry right behind!

 

The Reception

 

 The elephant with its upturned trunk- a sign of happiness- was used as the icon for the wedding invitations, menu and place card table. 

Jill collected antique elephants for Matthew when he was a child.

Bridesmaid's bouquets of glorious hot pink peonies.

 Bride's bouquet of white peonies- simply divine!

 

Shoe's off and  ready to dance

Gorgeous bouquets on the tables for  the seven course dinner

 

Marlene and Ryan

 



Nancy and Bob -  Nancy was another old Marshall Field's colleaque!

 

 the mother son dance!

 

love Matt's smile

 

 

 

Jill and Barry

 Ashley's bracelet- so pretty!  a future heirloom!

 

 

This was  a wedding of happiness and joyful tears

- stately, sophisticated and yet touching to the heart. Another important milestone  for Jill 

just happened .  As I reflect on the past thirty years, it seems like Marlene, Jill and I were just talking about what Santa was going to bring our little ones.  Gosh, life flies by quickly. It is a wonderful thing to have  lifetime friends.

Between Marlene, Jill and I , we have nine children.  Three weddings down--- six to go!  Wonder whose child will be next??  No immediate plans, but there is romance in the air!  My bets on Marlene, but who knows????? 

 

Ashley and Matthew,
 may your life be blessed with wonderful friends!

 

 

 

 

 



 

Leaving for Provence in the Morning

Tomorrow, my husband and I leave for 10 nights in France and I can't wait. We have had such a cold spring and now as we are getting ready to leave, we get a little warm weather and I decide that I need to get my potager planted now instead of when we return.  So hurrying around this week, I did get it started. I decided that I needed to add a little more color and structure to it this yer, so we planted lupines and foxglove around the center. I will fill in with herbs, squash, cucumbers and zucchini on the outsides.  I purchased compact growing vegetables this year to try to keep them better contained.

I love this showy perennial , but it is hard to get it to come back the next year.

French lavender fills in the corners.

I feel a bit better about leaving for France with some of this planted and I will finish when I return. I am sure I will be inspired by the gardens and potagers in the French countryside. 

We are staying in Avignon at a beautiful place- La Mirande.

 

 

 

 

I cannot wait to get to this region of France and explore. I am sure when I return I will have many new thoughts about my potager garden! So much to learn and explore during the next few days!!

Elawa Farm and Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve

An unexpected treat- my friend Jill and I went on a walk on Friday morning to a forest preserve, Middlefork Savana,  near our homes.  I had never been on the trail in the direction that Jill had been.  The trail lead us to a gorgeous lake  through fields and ponds of water lilies. Jill and I had watched an otter grab and fish and carry it off to dinner.  So yesterday, my husband and I decided to walk it again and this time I took my camera!  I never expected such natural beauty in a completely suburban setting. I was hoping to show him the otter.

One of the lakes looks like a large rookery.  Jill told me that she had seen the bare tree filled with egrets. Can't wait to see that for myself.  A couple were bathing themselves while Jay and I were there.

A grove of large black oaks stood near one of the lakes.

 

A pair of Golden finches sat in a tree watching us!

Lily pond will be so pretty when it blooms!

 

 There were many male red winged blackbirds standing guard over the nests.

 

Walking back, you look upon Elawa Farm.

 

 

 

 The farms newly planted gardens were pristine.

 

 

 

The lilacs and Snow on the Mountain shrubs were in full bloom.

 

 

Returning from our walk through the forest preserve, we visited the Elawa Farms market and purchased  some spring pea hummus.

It was a delightful treat on crostini with radishes when we returned home.

 

 

They were also selling Chamomile Honey Morning Cakes! So pretty and petite, they are the perfect size for one serving. I served them in pretty compotes for breakfast this morning.

 

 

Elawa Farm is a wonderful resource for our community.  Summer markets are held regularly in the warmer months. There are animal displays for the children to learn about endangered species .  A range of cooking classes are held there  and the class descriptions can be found on line.  www.elawafarm.org.   That's something I want to do in the near future! The market specializes in fresh food using the ingredients that are grown on the farm. Amazing bouquets of flowers are for sale during the summer!  If you live in the area, please be sure to check it out!  And for sure, plan a long walk in the gorgeous forest preserve.