Soar-Dream-France

Ebbs and Flows and Moving On

 

 

One of the happenings that I have most enjoyed over the years of here was once we began what I came to call: "Wine at the Wagon!"

It took a little more effort than something in the Chatette or on the terrace, but it was worth it.

Going through some old photos, I don't think we've had a Wine at the Wagon since I left to return to the states in 2012 with Dali and Sammie Cat!

 

 

 

 

Returns home to Cadrieu between 2012 and 2017 were sporadic to the point that keeping up with everything on the other side of the tracks became much more difficult and daunting.

We are swinging back.

 

 

 

The new roof on the barn and her other internal forthcoming repairs have me on the move again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is momentum, but in the midst of momentum I have another return to the states scheduled in mid-December for a few months.

 

Hmmm, maybe it's time to re-evaluate that length of stay.

 

 

As much as our place has changed, I'm reminded about the ebb and flow of friends as well. We all respond to the needs and circumstances in our lives.

We each do what we have to do to make it all work for us. 

Finding that last bottom photo from a 2012 Wine at the Wagon, drove that point home hard for me.

There from left to right are Evelyn, Jean and Joan (and of course my Dali!).

 

 

 

By 2012, I was no longer able to look forward to Joan's regular holiday returns. She'd moved back to England by then. Jean headed back to Ipswich in late 2016 early 2017. Now, Evelyn will be returning to the states in early November.

So much change, and I'm not even going to describe all of our 4-legged children who are waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge these days. 

My return in 2017 was back to more full time here for me.

 

The fire that fall was another big event. Accepting change, loss, and being able to move on is so important. It doesn't mean that I don't miss everyone and do my best to keep in touch where I can.

 

 

I know that there are surprises waiting up ahead.

 

 

 

Happy Monday!

 

Unpredictable

 

I am finding more and more that I am letting go of some routines and easing in to just doing what I love when I feel like it. This means that there are just some days that I don't blog. In the past, I'd post something to let people know not to expect anything. Yesterday, I just didn't blog. Something feels really good to me about not being a hostage to routines. I have been in the past and sometimes find myself responding too much to the expectations of others! Today, I'm feeling free!

Yesterday I threw all routine out the window.

 

 

 

Some of it was weather. Some of it was other things to be done. For this normally morning person, going into Cajarc for errands in an afternoon is unusual if done at all!

 

 

I chuckled when I saw the sign above at Lagarde's. I scooped a couple things there for my favorite pit stop on the way home. (If you're wondering, they were of course out of the best chocolatine in the WORLD.) 

When I arrived at Escrozaille's, Philippe wasn't there. BUT, I was actually able to get those amazing roasted potatoes on a Saturday afternoon instead of just on Sundays.

 

 

Since it was market afternoon, it was way too crowded for me. I did what I had to do and then hot-footed it home with a pause to sit at my spot, have a soft drink and shoot a few shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall is everywhere...it was even trying to sneak into the upstairs of the Chatette when I got home!

 

Happy Sunday!

 

Thinking Out of the Trailer Box

 

Looking at this photo above makes me smile!

Sure, it shows how much wood moving is left to be done, but that bike trailer makes it so much easier. (Look at that new barn roof!)

I'd be a liar if I told you I hadn't thought of other travel uses for this trailer. I'm still trying to see if there is a way to use it on my international travel.

I'd have to see if it meets airline requirements. I assume I'd have to take the wheels off to check it. Maybe not!

 

 

Now that I've also considered uses for it here around the Chatette, I realize that: it will be great to move the wood into the Chatette from the terrace this winter; it may work for moving wood and other items from the train tracks; and, it would have been and will be useful in the trips between here and Evelyn's as we move my goodies from her place here.

None of these possibilities even crossed my mind until the wood spoke to me!

Our options seem endless!

 

 

We are on a "roll," ...no pun intended!

 

 

 

Happy Friday!

 

Rapunzel and Romeo

 

We are NOT a chateau, medieval tower, or Juliette porch, but sometimes when I look up at this window from the street or look down from above; I say "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so I may climb the golden stair!" 

Of course, it makes me giggle. I love fairy tales and prince charmings of old. As I got older, I teased that all of my prince charmings in my life began rivetting and eventually turned into frogs.

 

 

 

Interestingly, it always seemed to be at 6 months in. My shrink used to tell me: "Anybody can be on their good behavior for six months!" He made me giggle then too, but later I came to see that he was on target!

Still, it didn't stop me from loving a good love story then and doesn't today.

I am reminded of Juliette's speech from the porch on high: "Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo..."

For me, Juliette will always be Olivia Hussey and Romeo will always be Leonard Whiting.

The two played Romeo and Juliette in Franco Zefferelli's 1968 film version of the epic Shakespere play. 

 

 

 

 

Checking back for some of the details of the film on line, I learned that Olivia was 15 at the time of the film and Leonard was 17. I was 14 in 1968, so it's no wonder that I could relate. In fact, our 8th grade English Teacher at Ferguson Jr. High took our class to see this film. Along with Bobby Sherman and the Monkees, I also had a photo of Leonard Whiting on my wall.

She also took us to see the musical Camelot, with Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero!

 

 

 

 

Hmmm, Mrs. Henderson had a theme going on!

"If Ever I Would Leave You" is still one of my favorite tunes to play on Monsieur Winkelmann!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I may not have had a lot of luck with "Prince Charmings" in my life, but: being open; reaching out; being positive; and, believing in magic; have brought me this charming life of mine!

 

Happy Thursday!

 

 

Mooning

 

The last three nights of the moon over the Lot and the causse have been particularly stunning.

Sunday and Monday night's moon blasted into the Chatette and lit up the place.

Last night was even prettier once you had the play of the clouds and color. 

I know. I have overdone it again with the moon. Who cares?!?

 

 

 

 

I just want to share it with you here today!

 

 

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

Living With It!

 

Mom's words still echo in my ears and heart: "Why don't you live with your place in France for a while before you make any decisions about what you're going to do there." I'm sure all the ideas I had swirling in my mind at the time made even my Mom and her own busy self tired. I took her advice. Feeling a place is important. Sometimes feeling your way through dilemmas is important too.

Even though I bought my bike trailer soon after my return from the states. I never quite got it on my bike. Good thing, since my bike was stolen in July. So, all of the new trailer hardware was installed by my friend on my new bike...Monsieur Columbus.

 

 

 

I haven't used the trailer for grocery shopping yet. I've had a little different strategy that hasn't required it, so it's been sitting beside the staircase ready to be used.

Last week I began moving wood from its spot up those 10 stone back steps. My technique had been (I hear you laughing) throwing the light ones up to the very top of the steps and then using two Aldi shopping bags to haul those that were too heavy to be pitched!

As you can imagine, this was not a whole lot of fun and also pretty slow.

 

Snuggled into my fireside chair with my latest book, I was trying to get excited about moving more wood. I looked at my trailer and the wheels and thought, maybe I should give it a try. Et, Voila!

 

 

The trailer is light enough that I can easily carry it down the steps and big enough to hold between 4-16 logs depending on size.

With the wheels, weight isn't really a problem so they are wheeled easily to the top of the steps and over to their resting place on the covered terrace.

I can now do in 30 minutes or so what took me an hour and a half before.

I even have a place for my work gloves!

 

Plus, it's easy!

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in "log" heaven!

 

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Proof en France!

 

It is absolutely beyond my comprehension that the President of the United States would speak at a political rally (I believe in Lake Charles, Louisiana) and state that USA will put a man on the moon! Considering that happened when I was growing up back in 1969, the comment is mind-boggling. Not only does this President ignore facts and lie like a rug, he is also in the process of rewriting history with ignorance and malice!

So today, I share one of the new French stamps  commemorating that fifty year anniversary of the USA moon landing and walk on the moon.

Even the French know we did it, AND celebrate the momentous event.

 

Hooray for France!

Happy Saturday!

 

Playful Pronunciation

 

I've always loved these shots of the baguettes that I took on a trip to Brussels when I was working contracts abroad. In Belgium, they speak Flemish and French. Here in France, "we" speak French.

Even so, I am frequently thrown into confusion here in the Lot.

The southern accent is the culprit! Moving from St. Louis to New Orleans, I confronted my first southern accents in English without a problem. Here in France, they can be daunting for me.

 

Parisian French is not Lotois French.

 

 

Once I figured out the difference in the pronunciation of the words, I thought I had it down. Wrong!

I've written before about my "pain" and "ping" story at the grocery store. While taking the scaffolding down, Didier and I were talking about what was left and when he'd be back to finish the clean up...he had me in stitches when I got the "deming" but not the "mating!" The light bulb went on and I want ah...deming mating-demain matin-tomorrow morning!

 

 

 

Tomorrow morning arrived and we were out in the barn looking at some other beam problems.

We chatted a bit about the weekend and I didn't totally understand about the vendage, but he explained it to me.

Wine-Vin is a word I use all the time.

I had never heard it pronounced "ving!"

It took me a minute, but I eventually got it. 

 

 

 

I'm getting better. I now have what I've come to call my "ing" overlay, but it sometimes requires that I translate a translation in my head before I get it!

 

 

 

Thankfully, we can giggle about it and perhaps we will...

...partagerons un verre de "ving" de Cahors!

Happy Friday!

 

Roving Red and Angling

 

Sometimes it helps to see your work from another angle. That goes for photographs too. Seeing the clean stone at the top of the barn back retaining wall yesterday, made me smile.

Ah, the short term rewards for all that work.

Yes, there really is progress!

As we unearth in the back, the Chatette and other spots along the road are slowly going red.

 

 

 

I always hope that one day there will just be a huge burst of red, but I have to remember that the leaves color based on the sun and each leaf gets different sun at different times. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm also having some fun this year because our red vine is roaming even further than usual.

 

 

 

The guest room banister is looking "frilly" and turning red too.

 

 

The tunnel is reddening quickly and lushly so! 

 

 

 

I know I'm easy.

 

 

 

 

 

This stuff makes me happy, and it doesn't cost a penny! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Thursday!

 

 

 

Stirring Stone Magic

 

Out behind the barn yesterday on a tiny piece of land that is bordered by the back of the barn, cliffs, the train tracks and Chatette; I went to work on the vines, but was quickly driven to the stone. Fortunately, this is not the first time I've cleaned up and attempted to clear this area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That means I know where most of the beautiful stone is located and can "rediscover" it once more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am finding joy in this rediscovery.

 

 

 

Touching stone calms and nurtures me. Good thing...it's a big job!

 

As I've mentioned before and I know you can see from my photos, the barn is set in the side of a hill and up against the cliff. There is a small stone stabilizing wall that runs from the cliff to the back side of the barn. When I walk from the tracks to the cliff along the back of the barn, it is all uphill. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday's dappled light between 11:30 and 3:30pm made for beauty, discovery energy, and even a few more visitors.

I often wonder if cleaning the stone, loving it and touching it is like rubbing a genie's lamp...it just seems like all kinds of magic, wonder, and spirits present themselves.

I believe our personal energy transmits to all we touch-animate and inanimate!

 

 

 

With the play of the light and the stone...Sammie Cat made a little visit. She wasn't alone.

 

 

Different faces emerged as the light, stone and magic branches made their mark on our spot.

 

 

It's was pretty and so much fun.

Happy Wednesday!