Soar-Dream-France

Visitations

 

As I wrote to my family..."OUI-it is truffle season, but I had many more reasons to purchase these postcards than truffles." Look at that dog. Look at that nose. Look at those paws! That dog could be our Dali. It took my breath away.

 

I laughed because there were many times before Dali, Sammie Cat and I became French Girls together, that I teased with friends that Dali would be a great truffle dog with her big nose and huge paws. We painted pictures of her running through the forest with her beret, searching for black gold. 

It never actually happened, but it was sure a great story and lots of fun to think about. After seeing this card...maybe we should have tried!

 

 

What a wonderful way to stir the memories of our time together. It's only right that since Sam and I are sharing lots of gardening time together, that Dali should make herself present again.

Although Sam has a spot all her own, our Dal is riding free in the universe. Her ashes survived Gaston's breaking of her urn, but the fire cinched the deal. I like to think that she is EVERYWHERE-Sunday proved once again that she is!

 

 

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Springing into...

 

 

...wood, grass-cutting, memories, overalls, and learning to go with the flow! After shopping with Jane on Thursday and "de-Christmas-ing" inside the Chatette on Friday, yesterday loomed as a day of getting as much work done outside as possible.

 

 

I sometimes start out with a mission and a lofty goal that seems to eventually turn in to go with the flow and just do whatever I feel like doing. Yesterday was no different.

 

Knowing the grass was high and the heavy lawn mower is on this side of the tracks, I was prepared to do what I could and stop when breaks were necessary. I managed to get the length of the road side edging all the way past the point and onto the triangular piece of department land done.

 

Tackling the inside yard was another story...high grass, damp grass, sweet wildflowers, and monster dandelions made cutting difficult for different reasons.

 

Those sweet wildflowers were my first distraction. How could I just roll over them with my lawnmower? So, I got out some broken coffee mugs to try to replant some and to press some in my journal. They are so pretty and delicate...still, all the little petals spread through the grass as I continued.

Between flowers, Sammie cat's spot, heave ho pushing exhaustion, breaks for reading, lunch, and my daily call to Dad...

 

...I still managed to get most everything done from the steps past the plum tree AND rid the rose garden of it's high grass up on the terrace.

 

I probably took my longest break when I stopped for Sam. Every time I walk past her spot I'd think it needs to be weeded and I want to plant her Columbine seeds. It felt good to sit and kneel there and pay homage to our girl. We had a few chats. I told her how much I miss her, and I discovered that I'd forgotten that I had laid a pretty stone border around her spot.

Maybe today, I'll get the other side weeded and cleaned up too!

 

Just another excuse to wear my newest garden overalls!

 

 

 

I think I'm learning to savor the process! I'm amazed that I still felt accomplished at the end of the day! Maybe today will be a repeat performance!

 

Happy Sunday!

 

 

To Blog or NOT to Blog

 

 

A lot has happened since I last actually blogged. I just looked back to see that it was prior to leaving Cadrieu to head to the states in December.

Having been a daily blogger to that point, it has been an interesting evolution for me for many reasons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't enjoy blogging when it feels like something I have to do. I don't enjoy blogging when there are so many technology problems that the barriers feel insurmountable. I don't enjoy blogging when it feels stressful and overwhelming.

 

 

 

I've come to the conclusion that my blogging needs to happen more easily within the flow of whatever and wherever my life is at the moment. Maybe I'll blog...maybe I won't. Interestingly, blogging began to feel like work. Instead of blending blogging into the flow of my life, I was often squeezing my life around my blogging. 

 

 

I'm pleased to be back to blogging...blogging with no expectations...blogging that adds to and enhances my life as it goes and flows.

That said, I'm back in whatever way presents itself to me as I go.

Happy Friday!

 

Lumberjack or...

 

...Jill, Jane, Joan, Jean etc?

Dad and I had a laugh yesterday when I told him my 4 estaires of wood that I had been waiting on had been delivered that morning. I told him I was feeling like one of those lumberjacks. He said: Or more like a lumberjane! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was good to "giggle!" He also reminded me how I had a similar conversation with my friend Vann. When I told Vann I was feeling like Paul Bunyan, he very quickly said: you mean Paulette Bunyan!

 

I didn't think I'd have to order more wood this season since I had so much left over from last year.

Here I was, a few weeks away from the end of the year and I was almost out.

My four estaires are in their usual place. It's always a race to get thrown, sorted, stacked, and covered with plastic before it rains.

 

 

It's a lot of work, but I'm going to do a little bit each day here.

In the past, I'd haul it up to the covered terrace. This year, I just go down each day and get what I need. It doesn't feel like such a big job when I'm not hauling it all up the 10 stone steps at once.

 

 

I better get busy. I leave for Paris and then on to the states two weeks from yesterday.

I've teased that with the new poele au bois, double glazed windows, and roof insulation; the Chatette is warmer than it has been in 800 years. 

I'm not sure if I want to be a Jane or a Paulette today! I can tell you that I'm putting on my Grandpa Pidgeon's red long-johns, my overalls and my hiking boots to see how big of a dent I can make this morning!

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Katrina and Overalls

 

 

During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the tumbling of the levees, my overalls were essential! I did seem to live in them during those times.

The shot above was taken in Armstrong Park, shortly before Dali and Sammie Cat and I were going to be heading out to France. Wynton Marsalis was playing and a friend and I decided to take a break from working around our places and head down to hear him. Armstrong Park is always a fun focal point for events and music, even though it is a location that had a horrid history of slave sales and uprisings within.

 

 

I often had conversations with friends post Katrina about how we survived. We could point to the support of friends and family, neighbors, and that sometimes getting away from the devastation helped.

We often needed to know that there were other places in the world that were still "normal"...or at least the normal we used to know. I got tired of hearing about the "new normal," and even more tired trying to live it 24 hours of every day. 

During a particularly bad spell for me, I went off for a weekend or so with my friends Keith Landry and David Zielinski. Keith had this fabulous place that I'd fallen in love with in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.

 

 

 

Going there was always a treat. 

After being wrapped in the nurturing arms of my friends in Cajun country, I'd return to Columbus Street in a better place to continue to attack problems or new crisises.

The aura didn't last long.

In no time, I was back and moving and trying to fight the good fight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, it was a fight.

 

Through life's celebrations and challenges, my overalls have been with me every step of the way.

 

 

Happy International Overalls Weekend.

Happy Sunday!

 

Me and Dali and Overalls

 

What a girl my Dali was. She lived with me in overalls most all of her life. She and Sammie Cat became French Girls with me here in Cadrieu back in 2006, and when we had to return in 2013 our overalls saga continued. We lost her in New Orleans in 2013. I lost Sam last year in the fire.

 

Actually, I've come to the conclusion that Dali's perfection has ruined me for other dogs. I miss Dali and Sammie Cat desperately! Both were a perfect fit with me!

 

 

Dali was even at our first International Overalls Party here in Cadrieu. I did put her in overalls for the event...somewhere I have the photos! She was a tolerant and patient girl who enriched every moment of my life. Ah, here's a collage...I've teased she looked much better in them than I did.

 

 

 

Happy International Overalls Weekend in heaven to

Dali and Sammie Cat. 

 

Happy Saturday!

 

From the Canyon to Cadrieu and Cajarc

 

 

Yesterday I posted this shot of me in my overalls after a hike in the Grand Canyon back in 1978.

It evoked a lot of comments from friends and family.

It also gave me pause to reflect on those times and how they impacted the last 40 years that brought me here to this spot.

In many ways, the canyon brought me to Cadrieu and Cajarc.

 

 

 

I learned a lot about myself on this trip. I love to travel. In that love of travel, I learned that I prefer to travel alone and truly explore the places I go and the people I meet along the way. Even though I travel alone, I am rarely alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On this particular trip, I met 3 women on the bus to Flagstaff. Two were Australian and one was Swiss. We got a hotel together in Flagstaff and then took another bus to hike the Canyon together.

 

While we were reserving the van to the top of the South Kaibab Trail, there was a group of guys from Philly who were going too. We ended up taking the van and hiking together.

 

 

My friends and I only went down to the five mile mark and then returned. The guys went on to the bottom of the canyon.

 

Before we parted, Ed (sitting on the ledge in the photo above) and I agreed to meet at the bus station in LA on Saturday night at 6pm. I went on to Las Vegas and then LA.

And, yes...I was at the bus station early.

I'll never forget how happy I was to see Ed running down the staircase to get me.

We spent a little LA time together but then they headed back to Philly and I headed on to visit a friend in San Francisco.

 

There's something to be said for falling in love at first sight in the Grand Canyon, even if it can't last forever.

We managed to do long distance between Philly, St. Louis and New Orleans for almost a year. I guess I should have known that when I chose New Orleans over Philly during the summer of '78, that was the kiss of death.

 

 

I am convinced that I am here today because I reach out and talk to people. We get to know each other. Relationships develop. We end up staying in touch...sometimes ending up in interesting places all over the world.

 

This last one, just happened to become home.

 

 

Even in 1978, I was celebrating the beginning of a truly international life in overalls. Don't forget to begin celebrating today!

 

Happy Friday!

 

# One Overalls Guy

 

 

 

While most of my sentimental things did NOT survive the huge fire at the Chatette last November, I was very grateful that ALL of my dolls made it out alive.

That doesn't mean that they weren't the worse for wear.

Many required:

 

 

trips to their bleach spa and hot tub; clothes soaking; hard scrubbing; and, sometimes body repair and reassembling. It was quite a site around here in the early days of my return to the Chatette at the end of April this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buddy Lee was one of the survivors.

You can see the soot on his wrist and elsewhere.

I believe that he had been a sample doll for Lee Overalls. He'd be taken around to show people an example of Lee Overalls.

 

 

Buddy's been here with me since 2006. I've brought him out for all of the International Overalls celebrations that I have had here.

 

 

He cleaned up well, but he had to run around naked for a while because it took so long for his overalls to dry!

He makes me smile.

Celebrating life in overalls with Buddy Lee.

A girl couldn't ask for a more perfect overalls mascot!

 

 

 

Today, he holds a place of honor in the new enclosed bonneterie between the two girls formerly known as the "Smokey Girls!"

Happy Thursday!

 

It's Coming...International Overalls Weekend

 

I can't believe that it's already time for International Overalls Weekend this coming weekend. I'd pondered party, but have decided that a small get together chez moi is going to have to do this year. That said, I've been thinking about what I can do to join in the fun and celebrate! 

So from today through the end of the weekend, I'll be sharing some of my history in overalls through photos. I have my favorites over the years, even though some of you may have seen them before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also committed to wearing my overalls every day this week.

 

 

Which I confess to not doing as much as usual.

How do you plan to celebrate? 

I'm starting off today with a couple of the earliest photos I could find of me in overalls (as you can see I had a very early start) and the invitation I sent out for our first International Overalls Day and party in Cadrieu.

Happy Tuesday!

 

Hubert Henry Bohland-Our Hero

 

 

Our Papa was an amazing man. We loved him to the moon and back.

These are two of my favorite shots of Papa and me and Papa with me and Jim.

He deserves even more love, kudos, and special attention today on this 100 year anniversary of Armistice Day.

Hubert Henry Bohland fought for us in France in WWI.

I continue to marvel and what did and didn't survive last year's fire here at the Chatette.

It is the mementos that are priceless.

Most of the photos (but not all) had been saved to the computer.

Everything else in today's post was in an envelope in the upstairs bedroom, hanging from a collage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can tell from this photo of the envelope, it was a pretty close call.

 

While the antique postcards are my favorites, they managed to capture something even more special.

One must have been a "carte postale" that Papa had written to Nannie. He calls her "Funny" and tells her about what actually happened in this particular postcard. 

 

 

On one of the photos that I don't think survived, Nannie wrote "My Hero" on the back. Every time I looked at that photo, it made me grateful that "Our" Hero made it home.

 

 

Who'd have thought that on the 100 year anniversary of the end of WWI, I would  be living in France.

It is an honor and a privilege to be able to live here. 

HUGE MERCI to our Papa, and all those who fought and died during WWI.

I will be walking up the hill to the church today, to honor these men and say thank you to the strains of our village of Cadrieu singing the Marseilles.

 

 

 

Armistice Day 11/11/1918 to 11/11/2018!