Soar-Dream-France

Paris Peeks Encore

I love views out, through, into, in, and on and on. It's no wonder this brightly lit foyer behind this blue Paris door pulled me over. The lighting on the shot was tricky since it was early in the morning, but this one finally worked nicely.  I chuckled as I was shooting.  I had an audience once more.  I wonder what people are thinking when they see me shooting things that they see every day and probably take for granted.  This particularmorning, it was a Parisian Poubelle person.  He just smiled at me from ear to ear, from his green jumpsuit.  I was reminded how a friend of mine once told me that he saw the Lot for the first time, new and fresh through my eyes. I wish that wonder and sense of discovery for everyone.

Peeking in Paris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every swirling stair case in Paris has a personality all its own. When I'd visit or stay with Madam Vera, I'd be humping up her flights of steps round and round and round. I almost missed this beautiful flight at the Hotel Eden in Montmartre. They had an elevator.  When I looked up to see that tiny patch of blue sky-I had to have a photo.

Flocks of Fine Feathered Friends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking over for breakfast the other morning, I saw these amazing birds perched in the treetops, wings spread, as if to say: "Look at me-ain't I grand?" Every time I see them on the lake-they make me smile.  This morning I scooped up a couple of old croissants in my room, and headed over to the lake to have petit dejeuner with the gulls, ducks and other birds of a feather that hang out on the lake in front of the hotel. On my way home, a woman who was walking her dog said something to me in Dutch.  When I said: "Have a nice Sunday," to her in English she stopped and then told me in English that there were so many birds today. I asked her about these guys in the tree, and she explained that they don't have any oil on their wings so when they get wet, they have to go to the top of the tree and spread their wings to dry. Now when I see them doing their wing thing on the tree top, I'll still smile (and always will), but now I know why! Here are a few more shots of the lake, its colors and some of my other fine feathered friends.  Happy Sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paris Play Dough Project

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last time Kat and Tom  were hanging out around the Abbesses Carnival rides, this little guy hosting was GREEN.  Imagine my surprise to find someone very BLUE. I bet I can construct something like this in play dough next week. Better yet, maybe it would be more fun to all pack up and go ride these rides in Paris.  Happy Saturday to everyone, from a big girl who can still be happy with little girl dreams.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving from Holland-or as it is more modernly known-the Netherlands...home of the Dutch. As I'm sure you can imagine, Thanksgiving is not celebrated here.  So, this morning I got myself together to get out and to work quite early. One of the things I'm most grateful for on this assignment, is that I can walk to work.  It is wonderful.  From time to time I sing Moon River on the way home. As I walked to my assignment in the dark at 7am this morning, I began my gratefulness list for the day. FIrst and foremost is my family and friends.  Kat sent photos of all of us that made me cry.  Evelyn blogged today about her gratefulness for us...there are no words to describe my gratefulness to her and Lucie for uprooting their lives to come and help us.  I know that my Dal and Sam are in very good hands, and that everyone in Cadrieu is helping out and keeping an eye on them as we all do for each other.  I am grateful for our wonderful place in France where we landed quite unexpectedly-and for mes amis et mes voisins a Cadrieu-who I've come to love and love me back! I am also grateful to be able to do this work that I do.  This work lets me work in Europe and continue to live in France.  And so today, as I observed children with behavioral challenges doing better, learned how to make play dough from scratch, spent the afternoon helping 3 little girls learn to share the play dough, and made my own play dough hearts and stars...I was grateful that I could give my stars away to the kids who were left at the end of the day.  How often do you get to let a group of five or almost five year-olds know that they are "stars" with a pink play dough star of their very own? It's a first for me.  Happy Thanksgiving-and I hope you enjoy this photo taken out in front of the hotel. 

Feeling Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Thanksgiving almost here, it is a little strange to be working away...away from the states and away from home in France.  When I accepted this work assignment, I knew I would be gone for all the major end of the year holidays.  I've learned to pay attention to myself and find ways to make wherever I am home and fun for me.  Keeping up with friends and family, my photography, and writing the blog are parts of home and fun. So today, the red, the black, the chairs, the tables, and the restaurant-pieces of home for me in my ramblings in Montmartre.  Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

A Message From The Universe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Running around in train stations last week on a regular basis, I pulled out my camera at one of the many and shot this photo.  I found messages everywhere.  This message: Enjoy Work and Life, was written on the back of the stairs in one of the stations.  Taking that shot slowed me down, allowed me to catch my breath, and helped me to find focus in the photo and in my life of the moment. I've teased about this before, but it's true: When I'm traveling I'm working and when I'm home I'm on vacation.  How wonderful to be able to spend the bulk of your year home and feeling "en vacance".

  

 

 

Steps, Steps and More Steps

Having already run up the steps from the metro stop, I treated myself to a ride in the funicular up to Sacre Coeur.  I have no idea where my burst of energy came from, but when I exited there was yet another huge set of steps that I decided to jog up.  It was wonderful because there were so few people.  Actually, no people except the homeless man who just shook his head and laughed at me coming up the steps.  I just said: "Bonjour, ca va..." and kept moving. It was barely dawn when I came back out of Sacre Coeur, but the puffy clouds and sweet morning mist were everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Launching Pad in Paris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This trip I tried out a new hotel in Paris, the Hotel Eden Montmartre. Heading to the hotel near the Jules Joffrin metro stop took me past my old friend above...Abbesses. This was my launching pad for my first trip to Paris back in 1992. After sleeping well Monday night and petit dejeuner at the hotel Tuesday morning, I still had a little time to wander before my afternoon plane.  I returned to see my old friend and run up the steps, instead of taking the elevator.  If you look below, I think you'll understand why.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merci Madness

Those of you who read me regularly, know that St. Therese has become my "Merci Lady". I look for her to share my gratefulness, and often capture her in photos in various places.  Passing through Paris earlier this week, I was back in my favorite quartier, Montmartre.  I got to the top of the stairs of the Abesses Metro, and realized that I had never lit a candle with her at L'Eglise Saint Jean right across the street.  Everything was closed up tight, so I walked over towards Sacre Coeur.  I'd never lit a candle with her there either.  When I arrived inside Sacre Coeur, none of the lights were on.  I looked for my Merci Lady in the dark, and saw her off to the left. I began to make my way there, but stopped dead in my tracks. The lights must be on a dimmer switch, because they began to come up very slowly.  Petit a petit, a whisper of an angel, a whisper of Jesus, and whispers of the stations of the cross, that gradually became shouting, brilliant light.  I couldn't move. I looked up awestruck, and felt the wonder of this place that carried me to the wonder and holiness of our barn.  At that moment I knew, that whatever we do in the barn needs to allow us to look to the heavens and appreciate the holiness of all places of the universe.  I went on to the Sacre Coeur Merci Lady. I plunked in my euros for my candle, and then it began. First, the candle wouldn't light. Second, when I tried to light it, it took the light of another candle and we had no light. Third, I got the candle to light, set it on the tray and it fell off. I finally picked it up from the floor, wax all over my hands, and put it in my pocket and left.  It just wasn't meant to be. I headed back to the metro, and found a much more cooperative Merci Lady when L'Eglise Saint-Jean was open.  I put my little red candle beside her easily. I thanked her; but especially thanked her for being so cooperative and then letting me take her photo.  (Photos are Interdit in Sacre Coeur.) Happy Sunday to everyone, with a  photo from today that's a hint for tomorrow...