Two Great Things to Do in France: Save Money and Eat Food

I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

I have a few things that we need to celebrate.

Reason #1. This very blog just reached 2,000 views! Yes ladies and gentlemen, you've done it.

Thank you thank you thank you

Reason #2. Since getting to France a month ago, John and I have visited SIX different locations, skipped not one meal (ohhh quite the contrary), and gotten to thoroughly visit the real France while covering a distance of over 1,000 miles. We have spent less than $250 each. To expound on the beauty of having spent so little money, I would like to also add that I have literally (literally) eaten cheese 33 out of the past 33 days.
This sum is what we spent on necessities such as getting from city to city (sometimes spending more than we should've, in hindsight) and eating while on the move. This doesn't include the plane ticket to get to France, tourist activities (although those only add up to $21 since connections made through Couchsurfing and Wwoofing typically serve as "tour guides"), or food purchases that are made simply because we cannot resist them (nutella-filled donuts, for example).

Reason #3. John and I just made a really, really amazing fresh lasagna. Homemade pasta, sauce from scratch, Italian ricotta, yadda yadda. You wanted to be there.

Now, in the spirit of celebration, I propose to lavish upon you pictures of aforementioned lasagna.

Did I mention that there was garlic bread?

Chopped carrots and celery, garlic (of course I used it all), onion, and John's homemade pasta

Layering...we kept the pasta "sheets" long and zig-zagged them
throughout the layers to keep spillage at bay

Sauce transformation...transforming is yummy

Apart from weeding & lasagna-making, we've been doing a lot of eating, so take a look... (remember: clicking on the pictures makes 'em larger)

A pre-mixed tomato, basil, & onion salad

Pâte, butter, and olives. To be enjoyed with crusty French baguette, and oh, maybe some cheese. Yum, anyone?

Flowers so pretty you want to eat them. And then you do.  The purple is Hyssop (very herbal and slightly bitter),
the orange is Nasturtium (a bit peppery, but not too strong)

Tuna & Black Olive Quiche...why is it so easy for the French?	Oat & slivered almond pudding with black  currants for dessert
So simple: Corn, cauliflower, hard boiled eggs, and a few splashes of red wine and balsamic vinegar and EVOO	The classic: Prosciutto wrapped melon

Ham, Walnut, & Cabbage salad with Fresh Tomato & Pea Salad.
 Of course we're always this healthy...

Can't I just show you one more picture of the lasagna? And how about letting me mention how the exposed pasta gets all crispy on the top layer and you will probably fight anybody (including children) for these sections?

Stay tuned for some lessons I've learned from the garden and of course, more food.