Soar-Dream-France: June 2016

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June 2016

June 17, 2016

Gifts and Rewards

Skyping with friends yesterday, we were talking about our upcoming trips to France. They will be coming to stay with me at the Chatette in August for a bit before I return to the states. I'm so pleased. But then, we both bemoaned the fact that those two months are just not enough for me and their six weeks are not enough for them. Are we spoiled? We want more!

Our conversation carried me back to all of my trips to Europe and especially to France. When you're working like a dog, you squeeze out just enough time to be able to enjoy yourself...a week here, ten days there.

My trip in 1996 was three weeks long. Upon my return to the states, I remember thinking: You really need a week to decompress from work and all its stress; a week to settle in to vacation; and, that last week to forget that any of it exists and truly relax. That became my three week mantra when I was working for others and my life was not my own.

In 1998, my life became more my own. For the first time, I had two months in France. Five weeks in Tour de Faure at Wendy's place and three weeks in an apartment in Paris on the Rue des Petis Champs. The time I spent at Wendy's was truly a gift...a gift that changed my life.

I began to think about the difference between gifts and rewards. I tend to use "gift" on a regular basis. Since I purchased the Chatette in 2002, there have been many gifts that I acknowlege freely and embraced. A gift is given. It is put on your path. You have the choice to accept it or refuse it. Fortunately for me, I have accepted those many gifts.

Ah, but the reward. The reward is what you do with that gift. You take what has been given and make it your own. To reap the rewards, you must do...you must sow those seeds!

There was a time when a month in the Lot felt like forever. After living in Cadrieu all those years, a month is now gone in a blink of an eye. Once you've embraced life and living in another place, there are many ahas. Time is diferent. Experiences are different. Things that felt like a big deal when you were "dropping in" are now just a part of your everyday life. Dare I say, everyday routine?

I was making a return trip to the states and was on the RER B heading to Charles de Gaulle. The Paris Banlieu were zooming by my window and I thought:

This is what I do now. This is just a part of my life. And...I know I am coming back.

The reward is in the finding the way.

We find a way to do more.

We find a way to make it happen.

We find a way to reward ourselves with the gift of...

...MORE time in places we love.

Posted at 01:25 PM in Fabulous Friends and Family, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 16, 2016

Father's Day Windows or Doors?

WIth Father's Day being this Sunday, I went to work making one of my window cards for Dad for his Father's Day homage. This is the first Father's Day we're celebrating without Mom. I'm still observing how all of our relationships have changed since Mom passed in February.

I looked through some photos and narrowed it down to the three that you see above. Then, I searched for old meaningful photos to put behind those windows and doors.

Any bets on which card and which photos I chose?

I wanted one of me, one of Dad, and one of the two of us together. I love my passport photo from when I was a baby. I had one of Dad standing in front of his childhood home on Arabella Street. And then of course, my all time favorite of the two of us on the redwood bench in the back yard on Kappel Drive. You can see, it's no secret that I am and have always been a "Daddy's Girl."

As far as the card was concerned, craving that dancing diamonds view from one of my windows on the Lot won out over the other two.

I cut and hole punched each of the three window spots. Got the photos positioned and glued under their window, and then added on the special colorful ribbon to each hole. Et, voila-pull a ribbon...

...find a memory!

Posted at 01:24 PM in Fabulous Family, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, New Orleans THEN, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 15, 2016

Not Only...

...is the garden growing beautifully, but yesterday I had an amazing surprise!

I'd wandered out to dump some coffee grounds as fertilizer. I've been pitching them, but then I thought...why not take them out to the garden like you do when you're home? It's much less messy AND it makes the plants even happier!

I took a peek over at the milkweed I'd planted in a long window box. It looked like something had been eating on it. I'm thinking snails, slugs, and other creatures, but there it was...

A huge monarch caterpillar!

On my way back into the house I noticed that there wasn't just one, but 4 monarch caterpillars munching away. Two of them were resting on the little plastic plant identification signs. I went into action. I had a little idea about what to do, so I got my jar ready and took the big guy inside with some milkweed with the flowers and a very pretty buddleia sprig too.

My sister's tale of my brother-in-law watching a praying mantis eat one of the monarch caterpillars drove me to find more containers and go outside and scoop the rest.

Et, voila!

Two big lidded pasta jars and two lidded jelly jar/mugs later, I was ready. I got the air holes punched in the lids and went outside to scoop the rest of the guys. We are four.

Originally, I'd lined them all up on the kitchen window sill, but then brought them in to the table while I worked. They were fun to watch while they all munched away and wandered.Then all of a sudden, it looked like everyone was taking their after lunch naps (except me of course).

I had to smile.

I enjoyed the company while I worked on wrapping up some workshop reports. I'd take a break and see what they were up to, then back to the kitchen sill they went. So far so good this morning. I've lined up foster care for them should they not be ready to move on before I head home to Cadrieu. We shall see.

And of course, I'll keep you posted!

Posted at 11:58 AM in Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 14, 2016

Sometimes, Looking Closely...

...pays off BIG!

Posted at 10:35 AM in France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 13, 2016

The Morning After-Orlando

I want to go to a safe, dark, place.

I'm beginning to wonder.

Are there any left in my world?

Posted at 12:02 PM in Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 12, 2016

An Open Window...

...is such a treat in New Orleans this time of the year!

I am once again reminded that I am a prisoner on Columbus Street during the summer. AC on. Shutters closed. Not an open window to be found. Finding silence...impossible!

Although the rain has its sweet nurturing qualities, there is nothing nurturing about scorching temps and hundred percent humidity.

I am now out early in the mornings any time there is anything I need to do. It's a must!

Ah, but this summer I know that open windows, dancing diamonds, buddleia and butterflies are waiting for me just around the corner in Cadrieu.

Something huge to be grateful for!

Happy Sunday!

Posted at 01:34 PM in Food and Drink, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 11, 2016

Living Luxurious Life

...ain't it the truth?

Happy Saturday!

Posted at 12:10 PM in Food and Drink, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, Photography | Permalink | Comments (4)

June 10, 2016

Monarch Madness

I love butterflies of all kinds so when my friend Barbara asked me if I would take one of their four monarch caterpillars to feed a nurture a bit I said sure! They were leaving town for the summer and had these 4 humongous monarch caterpillars. Barbara was afraid they wouldn't have enough to eat, so we trouble shooted other options. I also called in my Monarch experts, Kat and Tom for consultation. I'd enlisted their support. I had a plan. I was ready.

The day before Barbara was leaving, she emailed to tell me that all of the caterpillars had left. Even so, she stopped by with 2 extra milkweed plants just in case.

The milkweeds are planted. We shall see if we have any success. Kat says that since we already have a happy monarch in the garden, the chances of getting more with the milkweed are even greater.

What makes me even happier is that our monarch is in love with our buddleia. That's no surprise. Our buddleia at the Chatette pulls hundreds of butterflies all over the grounds. I love hanging out my side window and watching them enjoy the buddleia on the lower terrace.

We have so few here, that I miss my guys at home even more!

It won't be long now!

Posted at 01:10 PM in Fabulous Friends and Family, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 09, 2016

My First Reason for Return Aha

As Dali and Sam and I were returning to the states in the fall of 2012, my heart was breaking. I did not want to leave Cadrieu, but Dali needed me to be with her as she aged and so did Mom and Dad. I love this photo of Dali and I above that Evelyn had taken. She posted it on her blog shortly after we departed, writing about the difficulties of hurried good-byes and what a difficult decision it had been for me. I'd struggled all year long trying to find a way that we could stay. It didn't present itself. Looking back, I believe that it didn't present itself for a reason...maybe lots of reasons. Beng stateside again was a struggle for me from the beginning.

Dad had fallen. Mom and Dad moved to assisted living the following February and we lost our Dals that April. Sammie Cat and I did our best to move forward on all fronts.

I wasn't hit hard by my first reason for return aha, until the end of the semester where I was teaching adjunct for the first time at the Tulane School of Social Work. On the last day of class, one of my students handed me a card. Her sentiments blew me away at the time, and I remember thinking: "This is another reason why I've returned." From that point on, I was able to much more easily see the reasons for return as they popped up everywhere.

Students graduate. Students move on. Some of them become colleagues. Some of them become supervisees. And then, there are those who become friends. (I'm very careful to keep those boundaries clear.)

Allegra and I became friends after she graduated. We get together from time to time to catch up on each others lives. This last visit was right around her birthday. She'd already told me that she was on her way to Peru with her brother and his partner. During our last visit I had a little brithday surprise and I asked her if they were going to go to Macchu Picchu? Yes! I told her that it was a dream for me-one of those someday bucket list kind of places.

She asked me what I wanted from Macchu Picchu? I told her: "All I want is a rock from Macchu Picchu." Rocks make me happy. I found out last night that thoughtfulness makes me happy too.

Tucked inside Allegra's birthday travel journal, I'd put a couple of photos I knew she'd wanted. One was of me that was taken during my photo shoot with Larry Graham and the other was one of Sammie Cat in Sepia that I'd done as Mom thanks yous. Last night, at the end of a more grueling day than usual, this was the thoughtful treat (Huge Merci-Allegra) I found on Facebook:

Laury and Sammie Cat made it to Macchu Picchu!

Posted at 02:00 PM in Fabulous Friends and Family, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography, Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 05, 2016

Meeting Up in Paris

As upset as I was when I had to push my trip home back a couple of months; is as grateful as I am today. As I get older, I have to remind myself that none of this is a race...let me see if I can squeeze everything that I need to do before I leave into that last month that I'm teaching so I can get home and have the most time possible. Talk about stressing myself out!

I am now loving this gift of time and the luxury to enjoy a process that is not a very mad dash to the finish line.

There have been many side benefits to this change. The one that pleases me most is that I am able to enjoy and ponder how I want to make the trip, more thoughtfully...almost leisurely.

Many of my friends don't understand it, but Paris is always on my way home. I have other options, but Paris is important to me. During 2014, I gave myself the gift of a day in Paris for my 60th birthday. It was essential, because even though I get a hotel with Sam I don't like to leave her alone for long to go off and explore. This trip, Sam will be with her Uncles John and Mike and I won't have to get a hotel on the front end or worry about her.

I'm going to make the most of this 2016 trip. Our 2017 return, Sam will be with me.

So, on this trip I will have more than a day in Paris. Arriving on the morning of June 29th at CDG, I have a whole day for me since I don't have to catch the train to Cadrieu at the Gare d'Austerlitz until 11:00pm. Even though I won't have Sam, it still means packing as lightly as possible. I plan to only bring my backpack. I think it will work. The other nice thing is that I am catching up with friends on both ends.

On the front end, I have my time during the day and will be having dinner with my friends Philippe and Catherine Jolly in the evening before I head over to catch my train. Even though I know I will be seeing Philippe and Catherine later in the summer in Cadrieu, being with them in Paris is always a special treat. Besides, Monsieur Winkelmann is waiting for Philippe to work his tuning magic in Cadrieu too

On the back end, I'm going to finally have the chance to meet up with a blogging/Facebook friend, Jennifer Borel. As it turns out, she is going to be in Paris when I'm on my way back to the states at the end of August.

My flight leaves on the 31st, so I'm looking at the train up on the 29th, hotel for the nights of the 29th and 30th, and then home the next day. That gives me a whole 'nother full day in Paris and a chance to catch up with Jen AND have some of that alone time in there to savor "my" Paris too.

When Sam is with me I like to stay at the Libertel near the train station. On other trips, it's been one of the Montmartre Ibis-s or the Hotel Eden Park. All are close to where Jen will be staying, but then yesterday some other hotels popped up as I was searching just for fun. There's one on Rue Tiquetonne that is very reasonable and directly across the street from where my expat love of the early 90's used to live in buildng #11.