Soar-Dream-France: Fabulous Friends

Never Really Waiting

When a former student had called and wanted to get together yesterday, I knew that there was no sense trying to do anything remotely close to the hood. Where to go? She lives uptown. I live downtown. The Outlet Mall at the Riverwalk seemed the perfect in the middle kind of place. There was a very good chance that there would be NO crowds and she could actully find a place to park her car. Of course, I was correct.

We were meeting at the main entrance in front of the Hilton Hotel at 1pm. Dodging traffic, bikers, pedestrians, and honking pick-up trucks; I headed out of the hood on my usual teaching route. No sooner had I hit the Lafitte Greenway than the traffic stopped, there was parking everywhere, and there was hardly a soul to be found.

It was a comparative ghost town.

I arrived at the Hilton early. I settled in, but decided to get out the camera and have some fun. One of the big things I learned from Eckhardt Tolle's Power of Now is to enjoy the moment...you are never really waiting-at least you don't have to be!

I got in my share of people watching and wandered around in an area that I rarely frequent. I was surprised to find Winston Churchill there, and discovered that we actually have a British Place very close to our Spanish Plaza.

The International Trade Mart that has been a landmark for forever had a surrealist touch to it, and the red riverfront streetcars made it all the more special in some poignant kinds of ways.

Meaningful and Refreshing!

Posted at 08:35 AM in Fabulous Friends, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

Prunier Pleasures

A little bit ago, my friend Evelyn posted a photo of a plum tree budding into bloom. I asked her if it was from my tree. It wasn't. But, pretty soon she sent me these close-up shots that were.

Every spring I think about my plum tree blooming in Cadrieu without me. It is the central focal point in the garden. The first blooming I saw was an event. I told myself that I wanted to be there for every plum tree blooming. Well, we know what happened to that plan.

I'd promised Evelyn that I would take care of her Lucie dog for her when she went to the states. Until just last week, I'd have been there at the end of April...now it's looking like May or June.

When I called Evelyn to tell her about my crumbling plans, I was very bummed. I'm grateful that Jean will be there for back-up, but would have loved having Lucie dog with me. Evelyn and I chatted through all my issues and thoughts about the recent crumbling. I told her that I've tried to slow it down and move my focus to the bigger long term picture of 2017.

I'd forgotten about my plum tree puzzle piece until Evelyn said: "When you're making your plans for your 2017 departure, think about the fact that your plum tree is blooming right about now!" So as I sit back with my many puzzle pieces in hand, I've added a piece with moon pink, delicate flowers and sunshine. Thanks to Evelyn for these close up shots and for reminding me.

I don't want to forget...would you?

Posted at 04:05 AM in Fabulous Friends, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

Paws and Roses

Meanwhile, over at the Peristyle and my lion...I took a break and rested a bit. With so much swirling around in my life: Mom; work; and, sorting things out to be able to go home this summer-it feels good to sit with my pal, center, and remind myself to just take it all a step at a time. Some days I'm better at that than others.

The small hedge of roses is already starting to bloom. What a sweet accent for these huge and powerful paws!

What really caught my eye were the fountains. I'd seen them on previous visits, but this day there was something about the sunshine that made them even more spectacular.

Fun and whimsy await!

Happy Monday!

Posted at 02:52 AM in Fabulous Friends, Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (2)

Tempting Fate

Each morning that I get up and get ready to head out to teach, I plan to ride my bike. I rarely check the weather on-line, but yesterday Mike mentioned that I would be getting rained on in the morning. It wasn't raining on Columbus Street. I prefer my bike to the bus and made the decision to tempt fate.

I took my usual route in on the new Lafitte Greenway. It's a very easy 20 minutes to the Tulane School of Social Work. There were a couple of drops, but I made it. Morning Success!

I'd come prepared just in case-extra sweater and Tulane cap. Good thing. It was pouring when it was time to head home.

I've needed to choose a new route home anyway. I was told the other day that we're looking at one year of construction heading downtown on Basin Street.

So, I headed down into the new Bienville-Basin Development, to see what I could do. Easy enough-some construction-no traffic, and then it hit me...I could easily ride all the way from Canal Street to Esplanade under the expressway that runs over Claiborne Avenue.

I'll be filing this one away for future rainy days. To be honest, it might be just as good of a route when the sun is shining too. I love surprises and new discoveries...thanks to this rainy day!

Posted at 03:08 AM in Fabulous Friends, Just One..., New Orleans NOW | Permalink | Comments (0)

Angel Choices

In the midst of all of this perusing and sorting, sometimes there are decisions that just must be made. Both of these angels were living in the living room at 411. Since the tree was coming back with me, it seemed that WE needed an angel for the top.

I made my choice, but then...would you like to write this story for me?

I'll be back with more, when I'm not wishing that all I had to do was sit at the top of a Christmas Tree!

Posted at 05:27 AM in Fabulous Friends, Mélange-ing Magic, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

St.Therese of Lisieux

Little did I know, but yesterday was the Feast Day for St. Therese of Lisieux. My friend Theresa posted a collage of these photos that had been pulled together by a Bishop to celebrate her day. This one particularly grabbed me and I thought I'd share her here today. I may be a day late and a dollar short and not Catholic; but St. Therese and her focus on the small things and gratefulness carried me along my path to my place in France. I call her my Merci Lady. When I light candles I light them to her in gratefulness.

Posted at 02:08 AM in Fabulous Friends, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic | Permalink | Comments (0)

Labor Day Morning Light

Seeing the moon smiling down at me from the back yard this morning, reminded me that I had some new garden lights in the back yard making their way out for the first time. What a treat to see the hummingbird, dragonfly, and butterfly cycling through various different colors already, even after a very rainy and sunless day yesterday.

The hummingbird was recognizable from a distance but the rest needed closer up and special angles to catch their beauty. Each is really prettier than the next and very entertaining to sit and watch in the morning darkness with a pretty moon hanging overhead.

And then, they all became angels.

Happy Labor Day and a

Special Merci to Evelyn, for such a wonderful birthday gift!

Posted at 04:14 AM in Fabulous Friends, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Sunday Walk With Evelyn

I've written before how grateful I am to have Evelyn keeping up with the "bloomings" at the Chatette. Whether it's the plum tree, the wisteria, the roses, or now...the buddleias-it always makes me happy to get her photos and be able to see all that goes on without me. She recently shared this shot with me from her Sunday walk.

This beauty is in the flower box in front of the Chatette, living with yuccas and other buddleias. Considering how much I cut these babies back before I left last summer, the size is amazing! The two photos above will give you an idea of the exact location.

I miss my buddleias in Cadrieu. I've moaned about it ever since Barbara and I went to Banting's across the river. I didn't buy any, but have since gotten cuttings of every color at Mahogany Oaks from Mike and John. My cuttings are thriving and growing slowly, BUT the night we went to the world premier of The Upstairs Inferno, Mike, John and Carmen arrived with a full grown buddleia plant in tow for me.

Needless to say, I was ecstatic! Isn't it beautiful?

Who could ask for MORE wonderful friends on BOTH sides of the pond?

Posted at 04:19 AM in Fabulous Friends, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

A 2014 Love Affair

You already know that I'm a ravenous reader. Look closely at these titles above. And yes, I read most of them and more while I was home at the Chatette during the summer of 2014. Oh, I've fallen in love in France before...not only in France, but with France.

Last summer, the object of my affection was Chief of Police, Bruno Correges. My friends had been reading Martin Walker's novels in advance of my summer at home, and Evelyn provided me with everything that had been published so far. I coudn't let Bruno go. Every day we woke up together and went to bed together. Sometimes it would be where we'd started, and other days we'd be on to a totally new adventure and experiences.

If I had to choose only one thing that I loved about Bruno, it would have to be his deep understanding of the souls of women. Oh, he's a gourmet cook, lover, hunter, horseman, wine expert and so much more; but, I most enjoyed the mental conversations that showed me he was able to get inside of a woman's head. Don't ask me how? Maybe it was that he truly cared in a respectful and loving way, even when things were not always easy. He wore his heart on his sleeve and it was often broken. But, it all just made me love him more.

Evelyn and I have been talking about "The Resistance Man" long before I left Cadrieu for Ferguson at the end of the summer. With no France in my future this summer, I still have Bruno. I'll be embracing him in my bed, or you may find him resting and weary, and finished beside me! I have Martin Walker's latest edition ready and waiting. What a 2015 Summer treat! Since I can usually read him in a day, any suggestions for the rest of the summer?

Happy Reading and Happy Summer of 2015 ahead and coming up for us all!

ps-Looking at this tunnel on the cover carries me home!

Posted at 10:41 AM in Fabulous Friends, France Life, Just One..., Mélange-ing Magic, New Orleans NOW | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Foggy Day...

...in Old New Orleans Town-Pat, Graeme and I made a day of it out in the French Quarter yesterday. It's been unusually foggy while they've been here. These barges on the Mississippi River looked almost ghostly from the Moon Walk.

We started off from the Wyndam Gardens Hotel on Baronne Street, did just enough of Bourbon Street to know we'd had enough before we cut over to Royal Street, and then cut behind the St. Louis Cathedral to wander through Jackson Square, to the river, to the French Market, back up to the Square, to the Napoleon House and then our wrap of the day (or so we thought) at Cafe Du Monde.

Heading back to their hotel, I wanted to show them the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone. They enjoyed it so much that we sat and had a drink there. It was a good thing...we were able to sit and enjoy a huge downpour from one of the many gargantuan picture windows that look out on to Royal Street. Making the corner back to their hotel so I could retrieve my bike, Pat announced that we had walked 10,000 steps. Mon Dieu! That announcement made my poor pitiful feet hurt even more!

We'd shared quite a chock full two days together in New Orleans and points beyond. Here's a favorite shot from my favorite place. I don't think I'd even have to ask you to guess where this is! I'll be back with more tomorrow.