Soar-Dream-France

Hydrangeas/Hortensia-Beyond Spectacular

Every day while I was in St. Louis and whenever I've talked to my folks since my return to France, my Mom tells me how beautiful her hydrangeas are. Mom takes pride in her yard and garden and still gets out there and works, despite our discouragement from time to time when it's particularly hot or she's doing some particularly hard work. She has two plants and both are spectacular. One for its size and the other for its multi-colors. We bought this place when I was in college, so I only lived there for a few years before I left to go to social work school at Tulane in New Orleans. I always said that I wished I could have grown up in this house. One of the reasons is the yard. The lot is 90x360, with huge old trees and flowers of Mom's making everywhere. On our last telephone conversation, Mom told me again about how beautiful her hydrangeas are. Dad chimed in: "They're as beautiful as your roses Laury!" That should tell you something-like mother like daughter. So tomorrow-my more than spectacular roses!

 

Call Me Old-Fashioned

Today is one of those days when the world feels like it's changing way too fast. I want it to stop so those of us who are spinning can rest a moment before we go on.

It began when I found out that the New Orleans Times-Picayune will no longer be a daily paper. It had been purchased by a large out of town conglomerate, who has now decided that the paper will only be published 3 days per week. Let's face it, everything is going e or on-line. As much as I appreciate it, I don't like it.

It ended when I discovered information on Facebook that I would have preferred to  have found out some other way, or frankly...not at all. I don't know about you, but Facebook is not the place to discover old boyfriends got married, friends have died, friends have life threatening illnesses, or friends have gotten divorced...just to name a few in a limitless list.

 

I know the world isn't going to stop, or even slow down a bit. All I can do is take my little piece, back up, slow it down, and make my own mindful choice based on the pros and cons presented in today's speeding information world.

Poppy People Post

Posting about poppies brings people out of the woodwork, begging for more. More is easy this season, since they seem to be everywhere I turn. This is the first season that I can remember actually having fields of poppies in Cadrieu. Walking beside the river and through the village with a friend of mine, he mentioned that someone told him a kilo of poppies brings 3000€. That's a lot of poppies. So, for my poppy people...enjoy...I don't know how much longer they are going to last but I'll keep them coming from time to time as long as they do!

 

Happy Memorial Day!

Two years ago, I posted this collage of my family members who served in the military. It seems the perfect thing to do once more, to honor them and show my love and gratefulness. It's turned into a memorial of another kind for me, since this year we lost Uncle Bud Emme and Bruno Boy. That handsome man in the Air Force uniform, with the great smile, next to Bruno, my Dad...is the only one still with us! Happy Memorial Day and Love 'em While You Can!

The Search for the Perfect Poppy

Always on the quest for perfect poppy pictures; I've discovered that the best shots are the ones that have a clean background behind them. They are just so delicate that they get sucked up in anything too busy. Stone walls are nice and work, but not nearly as well as blue sky. Then, on my way home I discovered another background that works nicely. I'm not sure what it is today about solitary poppies. They both needed to be my star!

 

 

 

Wild and Otherwise

Although I'd like to think the reason our roses are particularly beautiful this season is because of the very special fertilizer they received this winter; I discovered in Cajarc yesterday that all of the roses this season are prolific. My wild rose beside the barn takes my breath away, while the rose garden on the terrace has too many roses to count. The mixing of aromas makes them difficult to discern unless you just stick your nose right in the flower, but bringing them in the house helps. In years past, I hestitated to cut them to vase, but this year there are so many that we can be "rosy" everywhere. Even though I knew they'd be many and gorgeous based on the number of buds before I left for the states, I'd have to say that they are more in number and more in gorgeous! Have a Rosy Weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Centuries

While I was in St. Louis, our next door neighbors became a "Century Home" in Ferguson. The City of Ferguson comes out to present the homeowners with a plaque to hang on their home and gives a history of the home and its owners over time. It was fun to see John and Theresa and their home being honored. It's difficult to imagine Ferguson as a rural community where St. Louisans had their "summer" homes. Before the Sunday event, Theresa was out in the yard working hard to have everything pretty-she looked happy and lovin' it when I passed by and caught her in her hat and shades.

Mom and Michel and I went over to observe the festivities. We talked about when our home would be a century old-Michel said next year. Mom said maybe they'd be able to make one more year. It sounded like it seemed more doable than two. In their eighties now, they are approaching a century of their own. Reaching a century is easier for houses than for people. Here are a few more photos of the festivities. Congratulations to John and Theresa and their beautiful Century Home.

 

SOAR to Success in Supervision, Ethics and Cultural Diversity-May 11, 2012 Workshop Results

One of my main reasons for going back to the states was to offer a series of three workshops in conjunction with the Louisiana Association of Clinical Social Workers and the Tulane University School of Social Work. I am posting the Pre and Post Test Results by participant number, comments and session evaluation data (score 0-5 with 5 being excellent) here today for the first workshop. I'm hoping participants will stop by to see how they did. I'll be back with the other two workshops soon.

 

A Landing of a Different Kind

Landing in Cahors after a stateside trip usually means shooting into the Gare at high speed, jumping off the train, and running to my bus or rides home that may be with Jean, or Evelyn or sometimes both. Tuesday night was different. Just outside of Limoges, we discovered that there was a problem on the tracks somewhere between Brive and Toulouse and everyone would be de-training at Brive to be transferred to buses. SNCF provided a "direct" bus to Toulouse with the rest of us on the "milk run".

Our milk run stopped in Soulliac, Gourdon, Cahors, Caussade and Montauban. Fortunately, I didn't have to go all the way on the bus. I arrived in Cahors, a little more than an hour later than planned, but exhausted all the same. I'd been able to let Evelyn know what was up-so she didn't have to wait for me quite as long. Home by the hardest once more, but happy to be back in our heavenly place!

Sharing a Slider or Two

 

White Castle has never been on my list of "must" eats when I'm back in the states, but the rest of my siblings love it and always make a special point to go and have a "slider" or two when they are in St. Louis. Although I initially resisted White Castle and shopping with Jim, Joan and Kat; I had a change of heart and found myself sharing a 2 double cheese burger slider meal with Joan. Splitting it was definitely a good decision-we each got one and shared the fries.

But, it was about family and not the food. We had a good time all the way around. Jim and Joan had come in from Kansas City to see me. That means a lot to me because it's difficult for me to get very far afield from St. Louis or New Orleans when I come to visit. I particularly love this shot of Jim under the poster with the millions of tiny White Castles on the walls. Thanks to Jim, Joan and Kat for making White Castle memories with me!