Soar-Dream-France

First France Blush

Having Evelyn taking care of the Chatette and Dali and Sam while I've been abroad working this year has been absolutely wonderful. She knows. I am so grateful. One of the surprise benefits to our arrangement is being carried home through the photos she has sent and on her blog www.melangedmagic.blogspot.com. This shot is my first rose to bloom at the Chatette this season. I have 8 rose bushes on the terrace that are all sporting various stages of buds. I should have another rose or two to welcome me home a week from Sunday. I'm wondering what other surprises will be waiting just for me.

 

Steps and Leaps

Coming to the end of another work assignment, I'm feeling leap when I should still be feeling step. Leaping now leaves way too many things undone between here and home. I have a bus trip to Luxembourg this weekend. I'm meeting Evelyn in Paris next weekend. But the most important 'undone' for me is in the moving on well with the big and little people I've worked with. It's begun, but it isn't finished. So step by step: I will let each know how much I enjoyed our time together, what makes them special, and how I carry the memories of what we shared in my heart. I've already been asked many times: "Are you coming back?" I must say: "I don't know." But in the back of my mind there's an experience I had early on when someone saw me and said: "It's you! You're back! Where did you go?" Could there be a similar experience waiting in our futures? As with everything else in life, there's no way to know. But one thing's for sure...there's a whole lot of leaping going on!

Feeding Frenzy

  

Although the plan for Easter Sunday was a picnic in the park with my mallard friends, I found that I didn't have the energy to make and pack a sandwich and extras after working all day on Saturday. I also wasn't sure if the ice cream place would be open since it was Easter. So, I pulled out a couple of slices of bread, a bag of left over cookies that were not my favorites, and a few euros just in case the ice cream gods were with me. I walked along the sidewalk till I found the first duck. All it took was one piece of bread into the water and they were following me till I found a place to sit. Once I parked, my spot was full of ducks and fish. I'd seen these fish before near this tree that extends out into the water, but never by the sides. They must have all come over to see me too. Needless to say-nothing was left in my sack by the time I walked over to the ice cream spot. I thanked the Ice Cream Gods, and walked home nibbling my Movenpick Vanilla as I wandered. One more Sunday here before I head home. I'm going to have to go back to say my a bientots.

 

Greedy Girl Giggle

Even though this photo is a bit blurry, my greedy girl was so cute and so intent that I had to post it. Moments after she did her dance and pitched a gaze that could cut through glass, she spread her wings and flew straight for me on the bank quacking and flapping all the way. I will miss her.

Dare to Say Lucky

Being no stranger to the aftermath of disaster, I didn't expect to react so strongly to the photos my friend Mike Kelly emailed over the last few days. This was the one that really got me. There are two houses between this house and my parents. Beautiful tree-lined Elizabeth is no longer tree-lined, nor is nearby Royal. As Kat said, you used to be able to look out the back of Mom and Dad's and only see trees. Their trees are still there, but now all you see is houses behind them...all the trees are down. Once more-grateful is the operative word. Mike commented that 416 and 411 were very lucky numbers on Friday night. The most recent good news is that the electricity is back on at Mom and Dad's and they can put the generator away. Hoo-Ha!

 

Flowing Fountain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally flowing-I grabbed a couple of shots of one of my favorite fully functioning fountain/sculptures in the hood. Interestingly, once the water and movement became part of the photographic equation-my focus changed. I'm still hoping for water and movement up the street at my other favorite-the tiny girl and kitten, but I haven't found any yet.

 

Happy Easter-Frohe Ostern

There are so many ways to celebrate Easter with you today...herds of them in fact. The best place to start (and probably end too) is the Vaihinger Confiserie-my favorite shop. I've been promising photos for a while now, but have written and shared in dribs and drabs over time. Here are a few faves to say Frohe Ostern today, with a promise to return with more very soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early Happy Easter-Joyeux Paques

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not wanting to spoil everyone's Easter Card deliveries in the states and in France, I waited till today to share these wonderful Easter Cards from my favorite shop with you. I know that all have arrived, so voila...and a little early Happy Easter to everyone. I think these are all suppose to be gift cards, but I fell in love with them and just went out and bought colorful envelopes to send them in. The France deliveries took a little more effort (on Evelyn's part), but I think were a little more fun because they were such a surprise. One day at the shop, I discovered these tiny tiny rabbits sitting on a 1 centime coin. They must be the old ones before the euro came in, because they actually cost less than a euro. I bought everything she had, and wrapped them individually and put them in a plastic cup for protection in the box that was going to Cadrieu. Evelyn then stuck them on the cute cards below and personally delivered them to "Equipe Laury" in the village. A little early Happy Easter to everyone and a HUGE MERCI to Evelyn for making my France piece happen!

Tornado Times of Gratefulness

The world is still a strange and crazy place to me. Working today, I'm up my usual time so I can journal, blog, and ease into a day of work this Easter weekend. I tend to fall asleep with the television on. CNN's Anderson Cooper is a favorite. This morning went from tears for the two young, accomplished journalists who were killed in Libya to giggling Royal Wedding etiquette. But then, the breaking story of a tornado that touched down at Lambert Airport in St. Louis. It was a little before 5am here in Stuttgart-a little before 10pm in St. Louis. Mom and Dad are in Ferguson. Kat and Tom are in Normandy. Each live within 10-15 minutes of the airport. So, I pulled up Skype and got busy. After my folk's number just rang and rang and getting the answering machine at Kat and Tom's, I called my brother Jim in Kansas. He pulled the info up on the internet and it sounded even worse. After a few more unsuccessful calls, Mom and Dad's neighbor Theresa filled me in on just how close of a call it really was for them. We agreed...we are very grateful. Kat and Tom had already tried to get over to Mom and Dad's but couldn't...too many powerlines, trees, etc. down along the route and an hour to get home. Kat and Tom are fine-no damage-electricity. Mom and Dad are fine, but without electricity. How grateful am I that I can sit in a hotel room in Stuttgart Germany, and not only discover a St. Louis disaster that could affect my family, but know within 45 minutes that everyone is okay.

Magnolia Madness

With Easter quickly upon us and blooms everywhere, I want to share this beautiful Japanese Magnolia with you. I have so much Easter and fun and color to share over the next few days, but this tree is Mom's favorite. She has one in front of the house on Elizabeth. I love them too. Maybe there's one in our future in France. Hmmm, another adventure to the garden shop upon my return and a lot of fun in thinking where to put it.