Soar-Dream-France: April 2017

« March 2017 | Main | May 2017 »

April 2017

April 19, 2017

Picturing Paris

Getting ready to head home again means another relatively quick trip through Paris. It's difficult not to remember last year's trip home. I was on my own. I had a whole day for me until I had dinner with friends and then caught the midnight train home.

This time Sam is coming too.

I doubt that I'll be wandering around taking photos much, if at all.

I tend to like to hang around with her and relax in the hotel.

So, I'm grateful to be able to relive last year's wander through these photos.

The memories rise and Paris is just a little bit closer for me today.

Happy Wednesday!

Enjoy!

Posted at 11:58 AM in Fabulous Friends and Family, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, Paris, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 18, 2017

Easter Egg-citement

I like to color eggs for Easter no matter where I am in the world. That doesn't mean that "the world" necessarily cooperates. I've already mentioned my hunt for white eggs to color in France. I didn't have that problem at all this weekend. I had white eggs. I had food coloring. I had vinegar.

I was ready!

The purist in me likes to have a few solid colored eggs, but then I tend to go a little crazy with more artistic, swirling, multi-colored eggs. I use the coloring in the cups, coloring right out of the container, and paper towels for texture and an element of surprise! Some are more pastel, others are brilliant! This one was my favorite...

It was like a tiny artist's palette all its own! These two weren't bad either...

They dried and went to the frige!

Getting ready to get my baskets together for friends on Sunday, the eggs came out of the frige. Brilliant and beautiful, I admired my handiwork and another successful Easter egg coloring event! (Ha! I was really pleased I took all these photos.)

In moments, my eggs were sweating and running. Color was everywhere but on my eggs. The brilliance disappeared. My masterpieces were pale incarnations of their former selves. I was bummed.

The baskets were still pretty, but the eggs weren't as bright and brilliant. I moaned:

"My eggs are sweating and my roses are wilting!"

Very much like me, in this hot and humid life we live almost every day in New Orleans!

And, it's only April!

Happy Tuesday!

Posted at 12:25 PM in Fabulous Friends and Family, Food and Drink, Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 17, 2017

Everyday Magic

This morning, I'm visualizing myself on this road...it's the road home. If you look at that white post smack in the middle of the photo above, that's the very spot where my wonderful Chatette appears before my eyes for the first time on the road home from the bus stop! It is always an aha moment for me.

Regardless of time, circumstances, politics, finances, etc.; this will always be home. That doesn't mean that I will always be able to be here. These last years have required me to be in the states more than here. To say this has been difficult; is an understatement.

This is were I belong.

Enjoy some shots of home!

Feel the Magic!

Posted at 01:33 PM in France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 16, 2017

With All the Frills Upon it

I'm not sure what it says about me, but my most memorable Easters are about goose eggs and fabulous friends in extraordinary Easter Bonnets. Friendships do not take a linear path. The fun thing for me about these photos is the constant reminder of these wonderful friends in my life...still. Although some have passed on, I'm still in touch with Sam and Jeff through the wonders of Facebook. And Steward and Eric, if you've been paying attention you know the rest of that story.

There's nothing like hanging out on a balconoy over looking Frenchmen street on a beautiful sunshiny day, brunching, mimosa-ing, AND being the only woman in the bunch.

Oh, I was "hatted", but just not with the same gorgeousness and flair as all the rest.

I think you'd agree that my wimpy little lace bow (while beautiful) could not begin to compete with the rest of these "in the spirit of the season" beautiful bonnets!

We do know how to do fun in New Orleans, no matter what the season.

It was the early 90's here.

Even though I rush to think of this as "the good old days," so many important things happened between then and now that I don't risk it. Instead...I'll wallow in the wonder of making magical memories with my fabulous friends who have and who continue to grace my life! There are many!

Happy Happy Easter to all!

Posted at 01:09 PM in Fabulous Friends and Family, Food and Drink, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, New Orleans THEN, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 15, 2017

Goose Egging

What a patient girl, that Dali! Here we were, as I was getting ready to make my Easter Basket deliveries during our first Easter in Cadrieu in 2007. Yes, it really was ten years ago now!

"Shocking" as our friend Jean-Paul used to say regularly.

Even more shocking for me at the time, was my hunt for white eggs to color. Have you ever seen white eggs so big before? Those would be goose eggs!

It was certainly fun and an unforgettable challenge. I haven't repeated it in all those ten years. Maybe it should be a goal for our Easter 2018!

We shall see!

Happy Easter Weekend to All!

Tomorrow...

...the Best Easter Bonnet Party Ever!

Posted at 12:58 PM in Food and Drink, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 14, 2017

Softness from Saujac

Directly across the Lot River from Cadrieu, rests the village of Saujac. We are in the Lot...they are in the Aveyron. What a difference a river can make!

I quickly discovered when I bought the Chatette those over 15 years ago now, that the view of our place from across the river is spectacular.

Happy Good Friday, and enjoy a little Saujac softness from both sides of the Lot!

Posted at 03:15 PM in France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 13, 2017

Averting Disaster

Under the best of conditions, preparing for international travel with your pet(s) across the pond, can be challenging. Silly me, Sammie Cat and I have done this a number of times in both directions and have NEVER had a problem. Until this week, that is.

Fortunately, our vet had asked me to contact the USDA office in Mississippi (Louisiana no longer has one) to make sure we had all of the correct and most up-to-date forms. It felt like no big deal. We'd just done this in 2014.

Imagine my alarm when I saw that the chip regulations had been changed in September of 2016. And of course, Sam's chip was NOT on the list of acceptable chips. I freaked.

Then, I thought I'd seen that there was a caveat offered that said:

"OR, purchase a microchip scanner/reader of your own to bring."

Needless to say, once our vet and the USDA said it was fine; Sammie Cat and I are now the proud owners of our very own microchip scanner/reader that will accompany us on our trip. It will be delivered sometime this week.

The alternative of second chipping Sam, meant: postponing our trip; payment to change ticket; loss of seat reservation charges; expense of blood work and anesthesia to second chip; hardship on Sam at her advancing age, etc. This option meant upwards of at least an additional $700 in expenses, mega-stress for me, AND delaying travel. Now, we're good to go for just another $99 and the usual hoops that must be jumped through timing-wise (which we were prepared for) for our May 9th departure.

As stressful as this all was at the time; is as grateful as I am to our vet Nicole Larroque for suggesting we be on top of things at this early date. We had time to trouble shoot, purchase the needed equipment, practice, AND have everything in order for USDA approval! Hooray! I bet my heavy sigh of relief was heard from all the way in France!

I treated myself to an $8 bouquet of Canseco's roses and spent yesterday in gratefulness and feeling more back on track!

It's time to go back to bed!

Happy Thursday!

Posted at 10:17 AM in Fabulous Friends and Family, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 12, 2017

Lot River Magic

Photo by Marina Gendel

Just sitting on the Lot River in front of the Chatette can be therapeutic. It might be a wine time, or just a lounging on the boat ice tea in the sunshine with a friend kind of time!

I'm in my visualizing home mode today. Although our return is just around the corner, I can't help but wish that it was as easy as clicking our ruby red slippers and Sam and I would materialize right on our front steps!

Ah, that it were that simple.

Wait for us...we really are coming!

Happy Hump Day!

Posted at 01:23 PM in Fabulous Friends and Family, Food and Drink, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 11, 2017

Chasing the Pink Moon

Sammie Cat and I have been chasing the pink moon from various locations on Columbus Street since after dark last night! As you can see, most of her "chasing" happened from under the comforter on the sofa. But hey, look at that excitement!

I got shots from the backyard

Then, moved to the porch for more shots before bedtime!

Hints of pink were coming!

But, Sammie Cat and I were BOTH ready for bed!

This morning, I got shots from the street. The clouds made for more dramatic and more beautiful. Even more color seemed to be coming through.

Who is that mad woman in her orange pajamas with that curler in her hair running around with her camera in the dark?

That would be me!

At 4am, I made one last run and got the shot below. It was still beautiful, but it seems for us that the earlier run around 3am captured the prettiest shots and the most "pink" of the pink moon. Or, maybe it was just the clouds!

Happy Tuesday-

Full Pink Moon Day AND National Pet Day!

Posted at 12:37 PM in Fabulous Friends and Family, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 10, 2017

An April of Amazement

So much is swirlng around here on Columbus Street these days. A huge part of it is that we're in that getting ready for departure mode. But, the reality is that the month of April is a month that can swirl and twirl all on its own with so much going on! This April is one of those amaing Aprils.

Everyone is smiling!

Everyone is dancing!

Everyone is eating!

...Food and Music Everywhere!

It began with the Downtown Super Sunday Festivities that first weekend.

This past weekend was the French Quarter Festival.

Next weekend is Easter.

The following weekend we March for Science.

The last weekend of April is the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival with the last weekend opening that first weekend in May.

Sammie Cat and I head home the Tuesday after the last weekend of the Jazz Fest!

Can you feel our swirling

and twirling?

As we get ready to head out, everyone wants to try to get together before we go. They know that this is the begining of more France than New Orleans. We are ready to really be able to BE HOME again.

Somewhere in between and amidst the days of Amazing April in New Orleans; I'll be having coffees, lunches, dinners, wines, milking wine boxes with Eric, last drinks at the Napoleon House, and maybe even an A Bientot Y'All Open House.

Better yet-living in the heart of the Jazz Fest Neighborhood-it might be easiest to just say...Come on over anytime for a bientot hugs and kisses y'all!

Stick with me...it's going to be a whirlwind of a month. I'm hoping we will all enjoy this ride!

Happy Monday!