Soar-Dream-France

In the Shadow of the Barn

 

Holidays are always a little bit different for me in France. I always try to find a way to make them special, even it I'm on my own. As I described Christmas on my own in Paris last year, I realized that from Thanksgiving to Easter I was working for many years away from home and got very good at making each one special.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday evening's dinner invitation was so much fun.

 

 

My little chick at the top was one of that dozen that I contributed to the evening. Making my way down the hill in the dark with my phone/flashlight, I realized that a Sunday Easter picnic would be fun. I have a couple of favorite picnic places, and could easily throw late lunch/early dinner into my backpack with a bottle of wine and go.

 

As the day progressed, it looked like picnics weren't going to happen. I knew that for sure after my second trip to the poubelle beside Eddy and Helen's house.

 

 

 

 

 

Taking some pix of their place, the gorgeous lettuce of Jackie and Yannick's, and on the construction road home, I was plopped with a few big drops.

 

 

 

 

So, how about Easter with the Barn this year! That would be fun. A little table inside...all very pretty and colorful.

By the time I was ready to take everything down the tracks and out to the barn, it was raining pretty hard AND it was getting chillier. 

Instead, I made a few dramatic flower arrangements and pondered.

 

 

 

I decided that I'd eat on the covered terrace from the swing and gaze at the barn from there.

It would have to do, and did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I began with a little guacamole inside while I wrote a bit in my journal and did some cooking for into this week. 

 

 

 

 

Then, it was off to the terrace with my dinner of stuffed meatloaf, baked potatoes, applesauce, salad with beets and mushrooms. 

 

That chocolate bunny will live to see another day, since other chocolates and cookies made a fine dessert all their own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a special place.

 

 

 

I love having so much pretty, romantic, historic, and so many CHOICES to make my holidays, days and my life special. What could be better than Easter in the shadow of my barn, lavoir and Chateau with my bittie birds singing in the rain?

Happy Monday!

 

 

 

Joyeuses Paques de Cadrieu

 

From a Good Friday Full Moon River Moon over the Lot, to a Saturday morning dancing diamond sparkling sunrise, and an Easter morning shower...days of holiday roll on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitors stop. Neighbors pass. Monsieur Winkelmann and I commune.

 

 

And, if it clears up there could be an Easter lunch at some out of the way or special location in my future!

 

 

We are Beautiful!

We Sparkle!

 

Happy Sunday and Joyeuses Pacques!

 

 

Good Friday Circulation (Traffic)

 

Yesterday's morning mission into Cajarc turned into joy on my way home. I had some things to gather so I could be in tune with the season for a couple of gifts for an invitation for this evening.

An easy and comfortable wind-free ride in took me first to La Poste, then to St. Etienne to see my Merci Lady, and then on to Gamm Vert, Lagarde's, the Petit Casino and Les Fins Gourmands.

On the way home those mistral-type winds blew up,so I decided to stop at my favorite place.

 

I sipped my Sprite and nibbled on a Lagarde chocolate chip cookie in the sunshine.Usually, I enjoy a peaceful sit and get back on my bike home relatively quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

With my back to Cadrieu, Jane pulled up on the opposite side of the road to say she'd just been to my house hoping for a visit and a sweet together.

 

I offered to meet her back at the house, but we were back and forth about how to sort it out.While Jane and I conversed back and forth my friend Annie stopped to make sure I was okay. Once she was assured and pulled off, the car behind her pulled up and Parick Schlumberger stopped to say hello too. 

Jane and I continued chatting. Another friend from Montbrun passed and waved, but by then it was clear we were holding up progress and couldn't come to a decision.

Jane headed on home toward Cajarc and I hopped back on my bike smiling all the way.

What fun to be the source of a little bit of a traffic jam on the road between Cadrieu anbd Cajarc!

Happy Saturday!

 

Celebrating Belonging Again

 

Getting ready to have friends come to the Chatette had been a regular happening prior to the fire. Since then, I have become much more selective and stayed to friends one on one or small groups.

I have some grand plans, but I continually ask myself just how much do I want to do and how much energy it will take? It is still incredible to me to think that I will have only just now at the end of this month, been back in the Chatette for a full year.

 

I didn't hesitate to invite the Albert-Bouet family down for a visit before they headed back home at the end of this week. Clio had come down to see me, as she has been doing ever since 2017. When I opened the front door that 2017, I was in shock.

 

 

I've watched Clio grow up through the years with her visits ever since she was around 4 or 5. A beautiful, smiling young woman greeted me at the door, who will be 16 this year. Once Clio told me that this would be their only visit, I knew the family had to come. Tuesday afternoon it was.

 

 

I heard them coming down the road way before they reached the front door. I tried to be ready with nibbles and also nibbles that younger people would enjoy...licorice...coke...chocolate and other goodies for all. I of course, had to make my infamous deviled eggs. (Making deviled eggs here for the first time last year was a milestone of being home for me!)

 

 

As I brought things out from the kitchen, I was not surprised that their first questions were about my huge photo of Spy Boy Dow, by Roy Guste. Max was particularly excited about it. I did my very best to tell them the story of Dow, the Mardis Gras Indians, their history and their "suits" in French.

 

Everyone (Fred, Jean-Francois, Clio, Max and Jo) had fallen in love with him.

 

While we chatted mostly in French, Clio's english is excellent and the rest of the family does well too.

I did my best to speak completely in French, but did get a little help from Clio from time to time.

She and I do well together and help each other. 

While Clio had been down many times and Freddie and Jo had been down once; Jean-Francois and Max had not been here before.

 

That meant that after nibbles and conversation, we headed down to the tunnel, cave, and over to the barn.

t was fun to share "us" again with friends. It is nice to be reminded how truly wonderful and magical we are!

I will miss seeing the Albert-Bouets again this summer.

Other family members may come, but as younger people's lives expand and become more complicated; it's not always possible.

 

 

I love being able to watch the lives of my friends here in the village and surrounding areas evolve, grow and change. Some I've seen from babies, to teenagers, to parents themselves. We've shared history and experiences, and that means the world.

That said, as with the Chatette and the barn...I'm looking forward to what the future holds here in the village with my friends. I have a feeling that we will be melange-ing a Cadrieu-New Orleans kind of magic that only time can reveal.

Happy Friday and Lots of Love to the Albert-Bouets!

 

Celebrating Belonging

 

Morning has broken here at the Chatette today, after a Monday and Tuesday of celebrating friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday was a birthday celebration at La Cazelle in Figeac and Tuesday was a celebration of history and future here at the Chatette with a family I have loved since I arrived in Cadrieu.

 

 

It's wonderful to spend time with friends you've had for as long as you've lived in a place. We have history and we have a common language.

It's nice to be able to be there for each other through thick and thin. Jane and her sweet family were there for me as I faced last year's move from life before the fire to life after the fire.

I'm still moving. So, for her birthday we headed to our favorite, La Cazelle in Figeac.

 

 

I've teased that we are often the first lunch customers in and the last customers out. Monday we were only the last, but that was after a leisurely celebration AND two bottles of wine.

Don't worry, there was a lot of substantial food to soak it all up. It began with regional soup and then rolled into charcuterie, duck and beignet de courgette, fromage, dessert, and cafe.

 

 

We had fun and yes, we did our best to solve the problems of the world once more.

 

I was very pleased that after all that wine on Monday and the devastating news about Notre Dame de Paris later that night; I still got myself together to be ready for friends yesterday afternoon.

The Albert family have been in Cadrieu ever since I bought the Chatette back in 2002,

 

 

 

We shared a very special time together, that as I write, I think it deserves a post all its own.

Come back tomorrow for part two. I want to give myself some time to ponder and reflect on this wonderful family and our history in this place.

Happy Wednesday!

 

 

 

 

No Words

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dandelion Dandies

 

Let me start by saying that I have absolutely NOTHING against dandelions.

A little bit ago I wrote a post and titled it "Death to Dandelions" because as I was out cutting grass everywhere, I was rolling over millions of them with the lawnmower. As I'm sure you can imagine, when the grass is a foot to a foot and a half tall...they are impossible to miss. I was surprised that not just one, but two of my friends as of today encouraged me to "Save the Dandelions!"

I'm not sure exactly how you can do that and get your grass cut too.

 

On this last round of cutting on Saturday, I left a little dandelion patch at the point of my land.

 

 

I'd planned to tease John Saunders that this was the honorary "John Saunders Dandelion Patch!"

 

As of this morning, I'll have to put Anne Davis in there too.

 

 

It's only a tiny point in all the land I have to cut. I must confess, the only real reason it was saved was because my long cord would not reach that far.

It looks very pretty. I will enjoy it until the next round of grass cutting must ensue. Overall, we are looking very pretty. No matter how hard I try, we will always be just a bit sauvage!

 

Happy Monday!

 

The Story of an Unfinished Journey

 

When I first decided that this Roy Guste photo of Spy Boy Dow should be my gift to myself and the Chatette for surviving the big fire; I didn't stop to think about all of the steps along the way. And, I had no way of knowing that the gift to myself would take on a couple more layers over time into the future and beyond.

 

Because of the way I chose to purchase, pick-up and bring it back to the Chatette with me; this photo (and Roy's other purchased shot) has had quite a journey.

 

 

All tubed up and ready to go, we became world travelers together. Covington, Miami, Paris, Cahors, and I got us home the rest of the way to Cadrieu by bus and foot.

I was finally able to get everyone out of the tube to straighten them, let them breathe, AND begin the hunt for frames.

Our little girl was easy-I scooped a frame in Villefranche at the Bricorama that was exact.

 

 

 

Dow was a little more difficult. I ended up ordering his frame from Amazon.fr. It was delivered earlier this week from Germany. 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, it was delivered when I was on the other side of the wall cutting the grass over by the barn, lavoir and wagon.

Fortunately, I saw the Jardel truck. He passed. Went down to Evelyn's to turn around and come back and stop.

 

 

I didn't know if I could scramble over the wall fast enough, so I stood on the train tracks and yelled: "Monsieur, Monsieur, je suis ici!" He came to me with my treasure, I signed and we were ready.

I still had a little more grass cutting to do. So, Dow's frame rested against the wall for awhile. I didn't want to walk it down the train tracks...I hoisted it back over the wall to rest until I could get back around the house and bring it straight in the front door.

 

Of course, I couldn't wait and went right to work with the framing. I need better tools and an expert to get him hung though, so I'm going to have to be patient.

 

 

 

In the meantime, I have discovered that this suit in the photo is the first in a series of three suits that Spy Boy Dow is creating. This trilogy portrays the story of the journey of free Africans from their homeland into slavery via Haiti and then the US through each suit. The second suit was worn this season and the third will be created and sewn next year.

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this. My wall above the staircase is huge.

 

Even with Spy Boy Dow #1 hung, there would still be room for two more. I'm thinking #1 as the center-piece with #2 and #3 on each side in a smaller format. I also think it's important to have all of the history and information about this journey of free men and women into slavery that Dow has so expertly portrayed.

 

 

Ah, another project for me. I'll keep you posted.

Happy Thursday!

 

 

Death to Dandelions

 

 

Getting over to cut the grass on the land by the barn, lavoir and wagon always seems to be difficult. Yesterday, I had a mission and was very pleased that the main portions got done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is still a little piece beside the railroad tracks and the big patch up the hill to the road, but for now I'll just cut a path up and finish the rest later on.

 

 

 

 

I have dandelions everywhere at the moment. Just one pass of the lawnmower and they are no more! I teased yesterday...Death to Dandelions.

 

Off for more...Happy Wednesday!

 

Remembering Cajarc

 

One of the fun things about living in Cajarc in the apartment after the fire, was discovering shops I'd never used and exploring a different way of life than that I had had at the Chatette in Cadrieu.

 

 

When I reflect today, I have not yet been home a full year. My first night at the Chatette after the fire was the last Saturday in April of 2018. Hmmm-there's an anniversary coming up here!

 

 

Being in Cajarc made shopping, errands, and chores easier. I found myself expanding my shop choices and sometimes hopping on my bike to make the circle of errands. It was much easier making the circle than making the 6km round-trip ride en velo from Cadrieu.

My best discovery during that time was Boucherie Escrozailles. I have not been a boucherie person. Sunday's visit has made me one. Even though my mission was to go in and get the amazing roasted potatoes I discovered while living in Cajarc, I threw caution to the wind and decided to buy my chicken there too. Chicken is very expensive here, but the price at the boucherie was comparable to what I'd seen at the Intermarche.

 

 

I watched the young women in front of me order their "escalopes des poulets" and I was hooked. The butcher also split them nicely so that a chicken cordon bleu could have easily been made. When I ordered my demi-kilo of chicken he made me the same offer..."Non, j'ai une marinade chez moi!" Last night's chicken breast was plump, juicy and flavorful. (And, I still have two more.) I'm sold.

Chicken is one thing...maybe I'll live a little more dangerously and try other cuts of meat, saucissons, and charcuterie on future visits!

 

Stay tuned.

Happy Monday!

 

My chicken was wrapped in this very pretty paper that I've fallen in love with! To find out more go to their web-site at: www.boucherie-escrozailles.com