Cuppa...French Style

Espresso...in all the cafe's...the drink of choice for most French people...for me, it tasted like medicine.  I think I'll stick to my tea..but I do love how the French enjoy their day..outside, of course.

Goodbye Paris..Merci

The pace of Paris is whatever you like...certainly it is like any big city...teeming with activity and traffic...we found the best way to get around was to walk.  It's an easy walking city but if that's not for you there is always a bus or you can take the boat that runs up and down the Seine and stops frequently...hopping on and off as often as you like..or just staying on and enjoying the views and the ride...So we did both.  We walked in the morning and I loved the energy of this city.  If it started moving to fast..we just sat down and had a cappuccino and a French pastry...

Remember I told you on your last visit to Paris with me that spring was in full bloom.  The tulips were busting out all over and I was so happy  to see them all together in their stunning dress up blossoms.  Perhaps they spread their petals in full bloom for the hungry, starved Americans who had not seen the tiniest promise of spring back home...you give me hope, that when I return to American, your tulips in arms, will greet me there.

In the afternoon we toured, with our group of 44 new friends, and the most wonderful tour director...to the Palace of Versailles.  Such an incredibly impressive structure...and the history, so much history.   We toured the gardens, unfortunately not in bloom and then we entered the building.  Just amazing and with a local guide, we learned of it's history in these hallowed walls.

So many rooms but the one that most impressed me was the Hall of Mirrors..I really didn't do it justice. There were so many people in the room it was very hard to get a full shot..but I hope you get the idea.  An important room.  It is where the Treaty of Versailles, ending World War 1 , was signed in 1919.  The reflections were amazing and such classy materials and glass...I visited this room twice...it felt like a gift to me.

One of the hallways we passed through going from room to room..I choose this photo because of the columns leading my eye right to the ceiling...the paintings through-out the Palace were amazing and you have to wonderful, when viewing something this magnificent, how it could possibly have been done...and the workmanship is of the highest caliber..I doubt we could find anything, with the magnitude of this beauty, being done today...and let's not forget all the gold...

 After leaving the Palace it was back outside again to see what new was happening on the square...Lots of squares, lots of activity...and here was a young girl, gathering a crowd as she feed the little birds...it felt good to be in the sunshine again and move back into the 21st century...yes, comparing the very old to the very young, knowing that both have a place in our world is one of the gifts of travel...blue nail polish did not scare the birds away...as a matter of fact, I think they rather liked it...a tiny beacon to their food pantry on this day.

On our last night in Paris, I looked out the window of our room, and I saw this...each hour, every night, for five minutes, the Eiffel Tower is lit up with flashing lights...the top rotates sending out a beam of Light across this great city...it was the perfect ending to three full days in Paris...in the Spring.  I stood there for many more minutes to soak it all in, even after the lights went dim again...

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” 
― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

“I've seen you, beauty, and you belong to me now, whoever you are waiting for and if I never see you again, I thought. You belong to me and all Paris belongs to me and I belong to this notebook and this pencil.” 
― Ernest Hemingway

Friendship Has No Boundaries

Meet my friend Ria...I suppose to some she would be an unlikely friend for me, but not so.  She is the perfect friend for me. She is kind, loving, smart and very interesting and she is a wonderful photographer.  We met in the big blur of Flickr..and our joy in photography intoduced us but our joy in each other is what grew this unique friendship.  This Easter brought Ria and my family together.  A meeting that came full circle after my meeting her and her fiance in Chicago...her home town, a few years back. 

As I looked out over my dining room table..my heart was full as I observed how fortunate I have been in my life to have so much love in this tiny room...and this Easter I enjoyed not only the company of my own children, I had two warm and fuzzy little boys there, my sons lovely girlfriend Angela  and then the gift of friendship with  Ria and Nick joining us.  A full table..and so much to be thankful for.

So Ria came and she got to meet the family that she has heard so much about and witnessed so often in photo's on Facebook...she no longer posts to Flickr so when she moved to Facebook I soon followed her. Her connection to the boys was instant...of course she came bearing gifts..she knows the ways into little boys heart...

Liam was greatly impressed that Ria knew of his love of horses and especially that his horse Penny was white and so his smile tells her that her gift for him was perfect...

For me, it was such a natural feeling watching Ria, Nick and my family get to know each other so easily. I felt like a Mama Hen...as all these young Chicks communicated about their lives..and it is through this communication that I blend my young friend with my young adult children..so that as we move forward our friendship with each other continue to grow.

This is one of the photo's that I will frame from last Sunday...The Girls..How sweet and lovely they are. Their beauty brings such warmth to my life..and I love Mothering them all.  

You know that saying.."All good things must come to an end"...it's true..Once again I had to say goodbye to Ria and now, Nick ...Ria and I have a unique friendship..it has no boundaries, we surpass age, background, religion and distance, yet we continue to grow in conversation, photography and most especially in our ability to know that real friendship and respect transcend all that would make such a friendship unlikely.  She has made my life richer just in knowing her.  Since the early years of Flickr, Ria has never let very much time pass without connecting with me.  What defines a beautiful friendship is not the big things...it's all the little things that take time and attention.  It's like tending a garden.  I like to think that we both are good gardeners to each other...I look forward to my next visit to Chicago..perhaps it will be for a very special occasion...wink, wink Ria...

“Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.” Mary Oliver

Hooking up wth Kim Klassen (another Friend) at Friday Finds...

Springtime In Paris

I have never felt this love affair with Paris like so many other's have. This was not my first visit, I liked it, but it did not touch me like other places I have been...that is, until this time.  Springtime in Paris.. It has an energy all it's own..it grabs you and does not let you go...the air is palpable with it. It's in the people, it's in the flowers and the outside cafe's.  It is in the wine, the cheese, the amazing bread and oh my, the olives..olives that smell and taste so fresh, right  off the trees...and now, like so many before me, I am in Love with Paris...and apparently the love bug visits frequently and in all outside plazas.

Travel offers it own amazing gifts..in a country like France, in a city like Paris...there is so much history.  I have never been a very good student when it comes to book learning but I soak it up when I travel.  And later, after I've gone home, I still think of all I've seen and learned...the history of France is amazing.  Our travel guide on this trip was so knowledgeable and she was able to transfer her knowledge to us in an easy manner...and we learned a bit of French from her also.. She brought Paris and the rest of France to life for us. I was like a sponge this time, taking it all in. This is the view from our room..to the left.  It's a city like any other big city...separated by the the Seine River..

Directly ahead of us and within walking distance sat the Eiffel Tower.  Massive when viewed up close and a Paris icon.  We visited it several times while in Paris.  At night they light it up...amazing to see and for 5 minutes, each hour, the lights twinkle...

Paris is a walking city.  Easy to get around and by walking you don't miss anything...often you will find a musician playing on a bench.  I like this guy playing the accordion.  It has been awhile since I have heard one of those.  It's not so popular in the states now to see someone sitting on a bench with this lovely music maker.  I also loved that the people there still dress up.  Men in dress pants and jackets, ladies in every kind of dress up attire and always with the heels...I think they hold onto a certain pride in their appearance. Perhaps that is part of the reason that you don't see so much obesity there.  Of course the walking helps with that also...and the much smaller portion sizes.  There are lessons to be learned there.  

Paris really does have a spring...we have lost that here. A real spring..early April, flowers in bloom, tree's budding, some already with leaves..warmth, it felt so good.  Not a sign of winter.  They did have a very mild winter this year but still..to visit the open flower markets and see all the blooms and smell the fresh earth smells just filled me up.  The lilacs are one of my favorite spring flowers, a throw back to when I was a kid and we had them growing in our tiny little yard...so of course I needed to share them with you today...while we wait for ours to come..where I live, that could still be a little ways off..

Meet Mr. Van Gogh..his presence is everywhere in France...Paris street artist display copies of his work..bright, vivid and an icon of a life lived with brilliance and pain.  As we moved on to the South of France we were fortunate to visit where he actually lived for awhile and where his favorite cafe was...He is one of the many artistic voices of both Paris and France as a country.

Yes, I had heard about those outdoor cafe's but I had no idea how inviting they would feel...coming from winter to warm spring weather...I would have been happy to have all my meals at these wonderful cafe's.. we did have several outside and it's amazing how one feels inside their heart to be taking such a beautiful city in, while be allowed to share in one of their greatest pleasures...so many, sitting, sipping espresso, tea, wine, and tiny treats...some reading, most enjoying the company of a friend.  How civilized.   I'm going to be searching out more outdoor cafe's at home...and on another note, no one was in a hurry...I'm thinking about that also..

 Ladies, I saved the best for last...Paris...high fashion.  No where does it show more than in the shoes...it was a shoe buffet happening there and I was a goner...I love shoes to start with but theirs were so different, so stylish and youthful...so European.  Yup, I was hooked on a search for my own pair of shoes from France...My tour director, Raphaele..would show up each day with another pair of "to die for shoes"...always, when I asked, she would tell me it was all about the comfort.  Comfort and style, I need me some of those..She was so sweet, in one of the towns we visited in the South...she gave me specific directions to a shoe store called Camper's and that is where I got my French shoes...oh they are not high like these but they do have a bit of a little heal and the are the color of Provence...and they are COMFORTABLE..some day I will share them with you...I am keeping them forever...well unless I get back to France for another pair...

So I hope you enjoy the first of probably several tours of my trip to France...all of which is beautiful..but I do now, understands the love affair that people have with Paris...it's energy, art, food and cafe's...it's all about life and yes, love....especially in the Springtime..

Au Revoir...for today..

There is a song Paris in Springtime by Paper Moon but for the life of me I cannot get it to upload...youtube has changed their format...but if you like, check it out.

Cowboy or Polo Player in Training

I live my life by my lists.  Most days I know what I should be doing all week but even then, on a daily basis, I will write a list. It helps to physically write it and it also feels lovely to cross things off my list as I complete a task.  Some days though, in the process of working down the list, I will come across something on it that leads me astray.  That is what happened today..and so the day passed without completing my list.  What I did accomplish though was so much more fun and hopefully it will someday be a special memory for this little guy that I love so much.

On my list for today was to download all my waiting cf cards from camera to computer.  Well I made a good start but that was about it..first card in was of Liam yesterday at his riding lesson.  I just watched those photo's loading and they were so precious I had to play with them.  With him being sick a few weeks back and me being away he has missed 4 weeks of riding lessons so yesterday he was very excited to see and ride his Penny.  We went prepared with carrots for treats when the lesson was over and I swear this boy had a smile the entire time we were there.  It was very nice for him to be amongst his furry friends and it was so wonderful for me to see him in his element of joy.  Because I had so much fun playing today I thought I would share his day with all of you...in hopes it brings a tiny smile to your faces also..

Before Liam can ride his horse he has to brush her with 3 different kinds of brushes...He knows them all now and what brush to use when...then he has to help get her saddle, blanket, halter and reins...it's more work than I would be willing to do...at the end of his riding lesson, he has to repeat the brushing and returning of her gear.

Once Penny is ready Liam takes the reins and because it's still cold here he walks her from the barn to an inside rink where he gets to ride her.  Pretty cute to watch them go along...

 Off they go..Penny is a good follower and Liam is a great leader..not an ounce of fear in either one of them..

Time to ride..Liam's favorite part of course...He stands on the mounting block and now knows how to put his foot in the stir-up and hop over.  In just four months he's learned so much.  This is where his face really lights up..when that horse trots, he's in heaven..and I get the biggest kick out of him..I wonder already if this will be something that Jaxson loves also..

 Today was a good day...he did his first very small jump and trotted several times...trotting is his favorite thing to do..at the end he learns to put his leg over and slide down the horse, with help of course..it was a very good day for Liam and now he walks Penny back to the barn...brushes her and then like all of us...at the end of a task, we like a treat...Penny gets her carrot..but Liam being Liam..he brings  carrots for his two other favorite horses so off we go to feed his friends...

Liam leaves the barn with a spring in his step..feeling good about his time spent here at Myopia.  Who knows how long he will love the company of horses but for now it makes him happy and the horses seem to like him to...I do believe they know a kindred soul and Liam is that for sure...

So you know that list I started today and never finished.  It will be there tomorrow and perhaps I'll add a few more things to it and make some progress.  What I do know is that yesterday and today are the things that give real meaning to my life...and these "little boy" days are fleeting...so as long as I can...I'll keep trotting along behind these guys...just like Penny does.