Soar-Dream-France

When the Mood Hits!

 

Cut the grass! That is, if it isn't or hasn't been raining. Lately, I'm finding myself anxious to get out on the land and get busy. Warm sunshine and a melodic lavoir add to the pull. With some of the grass almost a foot high, doing what I can do now will make next time much easier. 

It also gave me a chance to sit with my poor wagon a bit and wander around to see our different angles of spring.

Honestly, it doesn't get much more beautiful and special than this. Yesterday, I stumbled on some videos of properties available in Umbria, Italy.

 

 

 

The views were gorgeous and the properties spectacular, but I came away with...

...but nothing like this gem and place of my heart that I have here in Cadrieu!

My next couple days are going to be busy so probably no grass cutting.

Heading into Cajarc with Christiane this morning and then tomorrow...a real adventure.

I have a meeting in Cahors at 10:45am that can't be missed.

I've got myself set to take the early bus in so I can be there on time, even if I have to wait. I did actually get to set up a short visit with a friend who lives very near Cahors, so that's going to be fun.

 

 

 

 

Then, I may do a couple "essentials" like pharmacie and special groceries or office store after my meeting and before I head back down the hill to the Gare de Cahors to catch the 12:30 bus back to Cadrieu. The little trick to this will be making sure that I have my Attestation to be out before curfew starts at 7:00am...I'll be leaving the Chatette around 6:15am to make my way up to catch the 6:45am bus. My mid-day return won't be a permission problem!

 

 

Because of the pandemic, I haven't taken the bus anywhere since my arrival 7 months ago. Tomorrow will be my first bus ride in 7 months. Maybe it won't feel like such a production and I'll decide to do it again, but who knows? For someone who rode the bus regularly for years, no bus has been quite a change in my life here.

 

 

Wish me well!

Happy Wednesday!

 

Inside and Outside???

 

 

Over my years of 4-egged children, inside and outside has always been a dilemma.

In New Orleans, dogs and a nice fenced in yard was great.

 

Not so great for cats.

 

But, I never had a problem with the cats being outside until I heard the wild neighborhood dogs attacking one of ours and watched Dali mourn at her demise under the house.

From then on, once Sammie Cat arrived she became an inside cat. 

 

 

Here in France, the issue is cars. I began letting Sammie Cat come out with me once I realized that the sound of the cars scared her and she probably wouldn't go near the road if I were with her. She had a pretty exciting outside life on the terrace, running the tracks, sneaking inside the barn, and  always coming when I called her. 

I kept her collar on all the time, until I noticed that it was permanently marking her pretty tiger fur. From then on, I left her collar on the staircase.

 

 

 

Anytime she wanted to go out, she'd go and sit by the collar, I'd put it on and out we'd go together.

I was always with her whenever she went out!

I'm hoping for something similar with Lola.

Although I got her collar and ID tag back in December, I haven't put them on her until recently.

She is micro-chipped as well.

She also hasn't gone outside at all.

 

 

 

 

I'm breaking her in to wearing the collar.

She isn't too happy about it, but we shall see.

I'm still a little wary about taking her out.

She'll be with me almost 4 months mid-April, so I think she knows where home is and should be okay. 

 

 

 

 

The other thing is that I really enjoy leaving the doors and windows open in the summer when I can. Maybe this will be our April Project!

 

 

 

I'll keep you posted!

Happy Monday!

 

Marathons, Madness, and Moons

 

Every weekend my sister and I tend to have a marathon telephone session. I love that I can be in very good touch from here. After yesterday's wander and "repose" on that garden carpet, we agreed on a time to call.

I'd gathered up some flowers, did a few inside chores and got ready to head upstairs for our session.

 

 

 

I had never seen this Laurel tree/shrub flower before and it was gorgeous. Funny, I didn't even notice the flowers until I was laying down on my dandelion carpet. I had my buddleia babies to plant and then picked some of these to blend in with some of my roses and just generally enjoy!

Kat and I once more attempted to solve all the pressing problems in the states together, while trying to be realistic. We end every call with hoping we are wrong. Sadly, we aren't.

Last night she asked me if I'd seen the moon yet?

I was talking to her from upstairs in the bed, and I hadn't.

 

 

 

Going  back to the guest room to put the portable phone in the charger...there she was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was a beauty and reflected gorgeously into the Lot, giving me one of my Moon River moons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turns out, tonight is the full moon, so I'm going to have to pay special attention when I head up later on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get very different shots depending on which of the porte-fenetres I use upstairs.

 

 

 

My room has screens, but the guest room is screen-less. The river reflections are different too. These last two shots are cropped and filtered. The one above these is only cropped.

I'm looking forward to see what I have waiting for me upstairs tonight.

 

 

 

Maybe I better pay better attention before I go up to see what I can see and hope for a clear, cloud free, full-moon night tonight!

 

Happy Sunday!

 

Lavoir Love

 

 

What a treat to be able to pull up a rock and dangle your feet beside the rushing lavoir!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The water dances melodically in the sunshine; offering diamonds, textures, and moss that is as soft, thick, and silky as my Lola's coat!

 

Lola and I are spoiled girls!

 

 

 

Today, we are loving on our lavoir!

 

 

Happy Saturday!

 

A Day in This Life

 

 

There is a flow to these days that I seem to struggle to harness.

Arriving here in August, the heat here and the sadness of virus and violence in the states had me immobilized.

I'd been happy to read, watch Hallmark movies and just do the very minimum of chores.

Petit a petit, my days ease into form and sometimes even routine.

I find routines comforting!

 

 

I realized this week that I should do my writing and inside stuff in the morning, and head out around noon to do outside and yard stuff when the sun is high and at its warmest.

 

 

I was excited. I thought I'd found my formula, but then it hit me...it will have to be the opposite during the high heat of the summer...out early while it's cool and back in the house when the heat becomes unbearable.

 

Paying attention to the seasons is just part of living in the country. Such is life-ha-ha!

 

Once I discovered that the big lawnmower in the garden had continuing electrical issues, I decided it was time to go get the back up lawnmower I keep in the barn. There is a method to the madness.

 

 

I don't have to hump one back and forth if I have one on each side of the tracks. Well, best laid plans.

 

 

I hadn't been to the barn since right before Christmas when I'd decided that lighting it was going to be difficult and having to turn the electricity on and off from there was going to get complicated. So, I will have a plan for next holiday season for sure.

 

I'd cut a little grass over there then, but not enough to make it easy to cut now. Still, I began and have decided to get this done before I take it over to the "other side" to fine tune and finish up over there!

So, I did a little cutting and pruning, felt some accomplishment, and decided I'd start fresh in just that spot today. 

I had a nice lunch on the terrace, where I decided a glass of red wine on the swing while finishing my novel would be a perfect end to my outside activities for the day!

 

I was right.

 

 

 

Happy Friday!

 

From theTerrace

 

Before I went to work on the land behind the barn and the terrace over the weekend and earlier in the week, I took a couple before shots to compare and FEEL my progress.

I knew that if I didn't get out there soon it would all get away from me again.

 

I got busy with the land and the grass cutting! In some places the first step was desherbant (weed killer) on nettles and other runamuck growth!I began behind the barn, ran up the hill, came back down and then did a little vine removal and pruning on and around our beautiful stone cliff back there. I didn't have all the tools I needed, but I got as far as I could.

Lunch on the terrace redirected my focus when I was moved to begin clearing that tiled ledge.

 

 

 

 

There's nothing like sitting on the terrace and being able to enjoy the view that you're working so hard on and NOT have to keep looking at all the unfinished things you still want to do.

This back terrace that is half covered and half uncovered, has been a wonderful spot in almost all seasons.

Whether I'm having lunch at the table on hanging out on the swing, the peace, birdsong, and heaven of this place are everywhere. 

 

 

The problem has been that since the fire, I had overwhelming amounts of other things that needed to happen on the terrace. I hate to say it, but I just worked around all of the broken glass, items stored on the terrace, and other dead stuff, till now. I want my terrace back. It may be three years going on four, but I have a plan. Doesn't that cleared tile wall look pretty?

I can now look out from this table as I write and work from inside, and enjoy the view, the rose garden, the birds and other glories of this place. 

 

I continue!

Happy Thursday!

 

Sweet Return Discovery of 2014

 

 

Being gone from this place of my heart, is always difficult!

Of course, there's the peace, silence, history, romance and pace that I have been unable to duplicate in total anywhere else.

Here, this very spot, is the total package for me.

It's not all sunshine and roses though, catching up with mother nature on the run can make returns after long periods of time difficult!

 

 

That May of 2014, I was so happy to be here. I'd been out to the barn to see what needed to be done and began pruning/shaping that buddleia to the left. I found a nest and didn't want to disturb it. I'd already pruned some around it, before I peeked in.

 

 

Here was this little guy, one of 4, in the process of hatching from the shell! I stopped and decided to disturb them no further, but decided to come back out to check from time to time.

On my very next visit, there was that little hatched, big-eyed, gaping mouth bird face, ready to eat already, and asking: "Are you my mother?" I had to get a shot and then kept an eye on them over time.

 

 

They seemed to grow by leaps and bounds. I could watch Mom's returns and checked in from time to time.

Everything just seemed to happen so fast!

One day they had all hatched and grown to the point that the nest was very crowded.

 

 

And the next, the nest was empty with nothing but a little left over breakfast worm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I missed them. I had empty nest syndrome, and they weren't even mine!

 

 

What a treat, gift, and grand welcome home for me.

 

 

I'll never forget them and love them always!

 

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

My Lo

 

Where to begin the story of my Lola? Ever since I lost my Sammie Cat in the fire of 2017, I have struggled about getting another 4-legged child. I struggled mostly because I returned to the states for often months at a time while Dad was still alive. That changed during my 2019-2020 return and then COVID-19 hit. After the fire, I did foster Ollie and Opie, and then Steve Loria and I "co-parented" Annie and Mozart until I returned to France early last August, 2020.

 

 

 

Once I knew I was planted, I was ready. I explored lots of options that were made close to impossible with lockdown restrictions in France.

When I saw there was a family looking to rehome a 5-year old Siamese cat on a local community web-site, I inquired.

 

 

Everything was perfect, except that we really couldn't get Lola to me till the lockdown was over on December 15. What a Christmas present she was for me!

 

 

 

I tease all the time that she is a much "swankier" cat than I'm used to.

Her markings are a work of art in and of themselves. She is as lovey and affectionate as was my Sammie Cat, AND loves everyone. As they say, Lola doesn't know a stranger. Any lap has her name on it! Where Sam sighed and blew, Lola sighs and sings! 

Lola has all her own moves. Of course, I talk to her and she listens. We still haven't tried to conquer outside, but we shall see.

 

 

 

 

In the meantime, she has gorgeous open windows to the river and a very special pillowed window seat in the upstairs bedroom to catch the sunshine. Sunshine and warmth are the operative words.

Even more than all my others, I enjoy having her in bed with me at night and in the mornings. She may decide to curl up on top of the covers between my legs, or as the night goes on she crawls under the covers to spoon against my left-side sleeping self and rest in my arms. First, I was very touched when she began resting her very soft silky front paws on my wrist under the pillows. Imagine my surprise on the morning that she first patted my cheek with her paws a couple of times. Now, she sometimes sweetly rests her paw right there.

If it sounds like I'm "in-love" with Lola, I must confess that I am. Of course, she is the company and touch in my life during these pandemic times.

I am weary.

 

 

I miss more regular human touch and contact, but Lola has enriched my life and helped me to hover in that gap until we can all be MORE together again!

 

 

 

I love Lola!

 

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Happy Grass Cutting Endings

 

 

Who am I kidding? "Seriously Overgrown?" We are a jungle! I did do a lot more than just haul the lawnmower downstairs and clear the way through the lower terrasse to the tunnel so we could plug in.

 

 

But, I only managed to cut the border of grass along the road.

 

I began with the mailbox side up and back and then went as far as I could go with the length of the electrical cord on the point side. I truly believed that I had 2 cords on the mower, not only the one. So, I did my up and back in that direction and then stopped. 

My plan was to cut a path across the grass in the garden to the plum tree and then park the mower there at the ready for when the next mood hit.

About halfway there, I stopped and just pushed.

 

 

 

The grass was so high, it needed to be attacked when I was "fresh." So, I came on inside resolved to get back to it this week, since we can't cut grass on Sundays.

Relaxing inside, I heard some noise.

I looked out, but didn't see anything.

 

 

 

As it got closer to my bedtime, I looked out of Lola's window seat window and my lawn mower was gone!

At first, I thought I'd go out and look tomorrow, but when I thought about the cords, the tunnel, and other things that might be at risk; I decided to get redressed and go check

From the top of the steps, there it was parked beside Monsieur Columbus, my locked up bike.

 

 

 

 

But, that wasn't all...all of my grass in the garden had been cut.

I went over to the swing and so had the side with the gas tank.

Boy, did I jump to the wrong conclusion! 

Turns out my wonderful neighbor was out with his riding mower and decided to finish up mine after he'd done his by the river!

Now, I can return and fine tune the edges and prune other things that are on my list. 

 

 

How lucky am I?

 

 

Happy Monday!

 

In Charge

 

While I will always be true to the St. Aug Marching One Hundred, this Marching Band from Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama had my heart as well.

They were lined up on Royal Street the Friday before Mardi Gras 2020 and hadn't yet begun to march when Joan and I arrived.

We were on our way from Le Booze in the Royal Sonesta over to the Napoleon House, and had to stop to see them.

It doesn't take much to figure out who is in charge.

 

 

 

Those Drum Majors with those huge hats, stand out and command respect!

 

 

As much as I enjoy the music, movement, and excitement; catching up with a marching  band when they are not marching can be a treat too.

There are so many shots you just can't get as the whirls of limbs, hats, instruments, and feet are flashing by.

I had some fun.

It was the first time I could get close and everything wasn't just a passing, pulsing blur!

 

I enjoyed the people. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed the instruments at the ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed the movement and the fun, with just a touch of impatience for everyone to be able to be on their way.

 

 

Soon they were moving and the Napoleon House was calling to me and Joan from only a couple blocks away. 

 

 

Our day marched on as well.

 

 

Once again, when I got home and could look at my photos; these guys and gals were spectacular! I don't know why I didn't write about them sooner and share the photos that still take my breath away.

 

 

 

As I've said before, with this pandemic everything takes on a whole new depth of meaning these days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My gratefulness to the Talladega College Marching Band is profound.

These memories mean even more to me today!

 

Happy Sunday!