Soar-Dream-France

Pyramid Orchid Love

 

 

Having discovered Pyramid Orchid happiness when I transplanted them from the yard to the terrace window box, I decided to go out and dig up the rest before I began to cut the rest of the grass furthest out to the point.

I managed to cut around them and then came back with my spade, so I could get them more easily out of the ground with the important soil still  around the roots. (Ah, that the volunteer bamboo was as easy to work around!)

It was a good day, actually morning. I'm at my best when I'm up, out, energized, and cool and comfortable as I work. The bamboo is still waiting for me, and I have some artistic pruning and major pruning to do too. Early mornings it is.

 

Happy Monday!

 

The Window on the Lot-A Gift for Dorian-#2

 

I am alive in le Lot. I feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my cheeks, and my toes tingle. I can hear the woodpecker tap on the bark of the tree. The owl hooting in the attic brings good luck to my friends' home in Tour de Faure. The church bells toll on the hour and the quarter and the half. They are the keepers of my lazy days of reading, writing, and wine. I have vacation eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A four-legged guy remains by my side. Lester is often better company than the two-legged variety. Resting his nose on my leg after a sloppy kiss, he looks up at me with his playful beckoning brown eyes, and I can't think of a thing that could make him more perfect. He is my French Professor.

 

 

I have learned that couche means lie down assis means sit, and arret means stop.

When I say bonjour, Lester gives me his paw.

Just when you forget that he is really a dog, you find him chasing the bumpers of cars at full speed down the dirt road of a nearby farmers land, swimming and fetching in le Lot, lifting his leg on the mailbox, and greeting you at the gate with is huge metal dish in his mouth. Lester is multi-talented.

I know he would say j'ai faim, if he could.

 

What do you see when you have "vacation eyes?"

Happy Sunday!

 

The Window on the Lot-A Gift for Dorian-#2

 

I am alive in le Lot. I feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my cheeks, and my toes tingle. I can hear the woodpecker tap on the bark of the tree. The owl hooting in the attic brings good luck to my friends' home in Tour de Faure. The church bells toll on the hour and the quarter and the half. They are the keepers of my lazy days of reading, writing, and wine. I have vacation eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A four-legged guy remains by my side. Lester is often better company than the two-legged variety. Resting his nose on my leg after a sloppy kiss, he looks up at me with his playful beckoning brown eyes, and I can't think of a thing that could make him more perfect. He is my French Professor.

 

 

I have learned that couche means lie down assis means sit, and arret means stop.

When I say bonjour, Lester gives me his paw.

Just when you forget that he is really a dog, you find him chasing the bumpers of cars at full speed down the dirt road of a nearby farmers land, swimming and fetching in le Lot, lifting his leg on the mailbox, and greeting you at the gate with is huge metal dish in his mouth. Lester is multi-talented.

I know he would say j'ai faim, if he could.

 

What do you see when you have "vacation eyes?"

Happy Sunday!

 

The Window on the Lot-A Gift for Dorian-#1

 

 

In the midst of the move, there were many special moments. Sitting in the living room on Columbus Street with my friend Dorian; I asked him if there was anything he wanted? He surprised me when he said: "You choose something that makes you think of our friendship!" I ended up giving him a long-vertical angel poster and a professional photo of myself that had been taken eons ago and given to my parents.

 

 

As we talked more. I remembered that the first time I met Dorian was when he came to the opening of my "Window on the Lot" photo exhibit at a friend's coffee shop near the corner of Canal and Carrollton  It was a few years before I purchased the Chatette.

 

Then, the perfect gift hit me.

I could have given him a set of photos and the essay I'd written to accompany them from the night of the exhibit. The only thing was that I had to wait till my return.

So, voila...over some of the next days, I will share the photos and accompanying words with you and as my real "gift" to Dorian from that May we met in the late 90's.

Here's a little tease to get us started:

 

 

WINDOW ON THE LOT-(La Fenetre sur le Lot)

Laury Bourgeois, Fall 1997

 

I used to think I was a city girl. I've always loved Paris. I have seen it in all seasons. I know that there is color there, but the Paris of my heart is a series of Robert Doisneau photographs set to the tune of La Vie en Rose. The lovers were always in love. They always kissed and touched. Life and love survived in a simpler time. My eyes chose to see and my heart chose to feel only the blacks and whites and shades of gray. I was once told you could find your heart in Paris. I did. It led me to my soul-le Lot. When I think of le Lot, I see only color. I can't remember a color so crisp or a life so alive as that which I first saw standing in  front of my window on le Lot. The sky was clear. The air smelled fresh and the sun always shown in my mind's eye.

 

Stand with me in front of my window on le Lot-Happy Friday!

 

A Last Day Magical Moment

 

On my last day on Columbus Street as I'd emptied out everything except the piano, one of my neighbors said he knew someone who would want it. He mentioned Doreen Ketchens. He plays drums for her. I told him I was a huge fan of hers, but the piano was a wreck. Many of the keys sounded like crashing plywood on concrete and the sound board was cracked. Of course, our "Violette" had quite a history and story all her own since she'd been my childhood piano. Some day, I'll share more of our story. 

 

 

 

Even so, Bootsie got Doreen on the phone and handed it off to me.

I told her who I was and that I was a huge fan. I told her about the piano and was honest.

I added: "As much as I would love knowing that my childhood piano was living with you, I can't in good conscience recommend it...

...I know what kind of shape it has been in ever since it sat in water after Hurricane Karina!"

 

 

She appreciated my honesty, and basically said that her husband had admonished her about taking it since she already had one that was in the same shape. We giggled a bit and I knew this was going to be one of the highlights of this trip.

I have this favorite photo above that I scooped when Doreen and the band were on the corner of Royal and St. Peter playing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow!"

I'd stopped to listen.

 

 

I cried. I left my tip. And then, I wandered through Jackson Square over to the Napoleon House where I was meeting a friend from graduate school. When I got home later that day and saw that top shot of her...it was better than anything I could have hoped for.

 

 

What a story of "stuff!" There are so many from this trip that are laden with so much meaning that I may share them with you over time.

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Wouldn't it be Wonderful if...?

 

I have often asked the question above out-loud over the years. Just feel free to fill in the blank with your own "wonderful!" The interesting thing about this is that my "wonderful" often happens. Big things or small things, it doesn't really matter. When I was getting ready to buy the barn back in 2010, I said "wouldn't it be wonderful if the dollar was stronger when I go to pay for the barn?" It was. That's a pretty large thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recently, I said: "wouldn't it be wonderful if all of my roses on the stem all bloomed at once?"

I'd already resigned myself to that not happening. It seemed impossible to me for lots of reasons.

But yesterday, voila! There they were!

Off to Larnagol on the bus this morning. It should be a nice day.

 

 

I'll visit with Jane at the epicerie and it's a first chance to see Anna's and Sid's cafe across the way. Of course, there will be photos!

 

Happy Friday!

 

Processing Through

 

It was Downtown Super Sunday in New Orleans.

Even though I usually catch the Downtown Mardi Gras Indians at Bayou St. John before they really get rolling; I knew that they would be passing by my corner of Broad and Columbus Street too. 

 

 

It was also the last day of the three days of what I've come to call: The Great Columbus Street Give Away! I'd planned to park myself on Columbus Street for those three days. People would know I was there and they could stop by to visit, or come by and grab a few treasures.

 

 

 

 

As a strategy, it worked well. I could keep working at my own pace, stop when people came, or just stop when I'd had enough and needed a little break.

I knew I had a lot of stuff, but really hadn't counted on quite so much paper! 

 

 

 

 

 

As busy as I was, there was very little time to think and feel anything other than whatever was right in front of my face.

 

 

 

 

This particular day, I took a break and wandered out into the backyard with my iced tea, cookies and book and just hung out. It felt good to stop. It felt good to enjoy the brand spanking new paint job on the house and it even felt good as all the memories washed over me.

I had a solitary orchid flower blooming.

 

 

 

Other flowers were beginning. The paint job was perfect and just a bit enticing.

I kept thinking how beautiful we looked, and had a moment of maybe I should just continue to split my time and go back and forth between Columbus Street and Cadrieu. I surprised myself. But, I also realized that it was part of the process I had to go through after the 42 years of "us!" 

I heard the police sirens, drums, and music, and knew the parade wasn't to far away.

 

 

 

I went in to put my stuff down and wander the half a block down to Broad Street to watch a bit and come back home to "continue!" 

Little did I know that when I opened the door, Dorian would be almost to my porch to visit.

His arrival changed the course of that day.

So much stuff. So many stories. So many memories, and so many wonderful shared experiences.

 

 

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Beginnings

 

 

Many have suggested that I set up a camera and take a shot of the same spot at the same time every day for a year.

This is way more than I'm interested in doing and/or committing to doing. Talk about rigid routine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I confess though, that I do think about it most mornings.

 

Those are the mornings when I have been through what feels like a dozen different views in moments! 

The changes in such a short period of time in just this one spot are astounding.

 

 

 

I think you can see what I mean.

 

Happy Monday!

 

Happy Together!

 

Today, I'm basically home two full weeks. I'm loving that I got back in time to rescue my roses from the jungle on the terrace and catch beginning buds everywhere.

Now, we have actual blooms in the front and one bud on the terrace about to bloom.

 

 

My cutting back, pruning, tending, and watering have paid off. 

 

There are times when I feel like the roses are an almost year long affair.

At least, I feel them with me all year long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm thinking more at some point.

 

 

I seem to know what to do with them and they are happy here.

That means I am happy too!

It's hard NOT to be happy here!

Once I have plans firmed up for the addition, I'll see about roses over that way too.

 

What do you think? Too Many Roses?

Happy Sunday!

 

An Orchid Girl?

 

Orchids are not a flower that I often ponder.

Interestingly, my friend Gary gave me an orchid when he came for a visit early on in my time on Columbus Street.

His only instructions were: "Give it to someone you love when you leave!"

Little did I know I was going to have to guard it with my life as it sat upon the piano...

 

...everyone wanted it.

 

 

 

It went to live with Eric and Steward on Dupre Street.

 

 

 

Then, there is a friend near here who is very much into local orchids. The photos Maggie posts are beautiful.

Most of them are wild and way more varieties than I knew existed.

Yesterday when I was out cutting almost thigh high grass in the big yard, I saw whisps of color up closer to the point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low and behold, it appeared I had a variety of wild orchids growing at the point in my yard.

Later, camera in hand, I scooped some shots of these "Pyramid Orchids!"

 

 

I googled them and returned to some of Maggie's posts.

There was no doubt that I had Pyramid Orchids growing in my yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apparently, they need to have a certain kind of mineral in the soil to bloom...

 

 

 

...AND the butterflies love them too!

I'm beginning to think I was lucky NOT to have cut the jungle grass out there yet, or I may have just roared straight over them!

I cut a couple and then decided to see if I could pull them out by the roots.

Thinking about the soil issue, I'm going to go out later on and see if I can dig a couple up and put them into a pot with their own soil and see what happens!

You never know!

 

 

Actually, I think the solitary guy I posted in the wood on the banner a while back was one too! I shall keep you posted!

 

 

Happy Saturday!