Happy New Year from Paris!

Tonight is New Year's Eve and I hope to be in the midst of the crowds celebrating with champagne. What a delightful way to welcome in 2009!!!!!

Best wishes to all of my fellow bloggers and blog readers.

A bientot.

Posting from Paris!!!

Merry Christmas from Paris. It is beautiful here and all of the people I have met are lovely. Best wishes to all for a joyous New Year!!!

This is Shadow, who is not happy that I am leaving him.. He hates suitcases and right now there are three in the guest room.. The first was way too big and way too heavy so I dragged in an old one and went and bought another medium sized one.. so now I am taking two medium suitcases instead of one giant one that can't be lifted and didn't roll very well..

Coat was too long.. looked silly so I went & bought another... I don't think I'll spend as much in Paris as I've spent trying to get ready to go.. I can't wait to get there and rest up.. I'm tired. and a cold is grabbing hold of me in spite of orange juice and vitamin C... now I'm just wishing it away..

I probably will not post until I return or if I get to a cyber cafe and can log in and do a short one.

So until next year.. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all.

Still More Soreze

The Hydrangea seems to thrive in this area and the residents seem to love them for good reason. They are beautiful and lush in bloom.



Near the edge of the village we found a workman painting a lampost. We asked permission to photograph him and he graciously gave us permission.



Still standing in the same spot, I just turned 45 degrees and there in the distance was a field with cattle grazing and the rolling hills beyond. This is such a beautiful area of France. I would love to live here.




Countdown to Paris: 4 days!!!

Still Soreze

One of my classmates walking through an alley in Soreze.



A pretty little map of the area.



Can you tell I'm being lazy today? I've been getting up way too early.. My poor old body is trying to start living on Paris time a week early.. Only 7 more days until departure!!!

More Soreze

Soreze, like Durfort has many narrow streets of half timbered homes. On a hot July morning the shutters were closed to keep out the sun. The shady side of the street showed opened ones.



I think July must be one of the best times to visit this area. Pots and containers of all kinds just overflowed with flowering plants. The fields of sunflowers were blooming as we drove around the countryside. It was glorious.



Same street, different view.



Paris Countdown: 8 Days!!!!

Durfort and Soreze, France

This is a view of the back of the house in Durfort. The inside has been extensively renovated by Gwen Gibson and her husband with the help of some wonderful local craftsmen. Click on her name and it will link you to her site and her story of how she found it and some photos of the renovation.



The best part of the workshop in Durfort was the almost daily field trips to nearby towns. Our first one was to the village of Soreze. Larger than Durfort, it was still a lovely walkable village with much to see and do. Flowers were blooming in front of almost every medieval home on this street.



The hydrangea seems to be a favorite plant in this area. It was just everywhere and blooming beautifully in early July.



Paris Countdown: 9 Days!!

France

I went to France in July of 2007 to attend this class in Polymer Clay and Book Arts. Dayle Duroshow's Workshop in France. I had met Dayle years before at a doll workshop in Baltimore and really enjoyed her class and found her to be a wonderful teacher and a delightful person.

This class was held in Durfort, a small village in the Languedoc region.. I fell in love with the village, the house we stayed in, the area around it and the country of France. If I once left my heart in San Francisco, I left my soul in France.

Here is the street where we stayed.



This is the view of the waterfall and stream behind the house. Photo taken from the back terrace where weather permitting we ate lunch or dinner.



Gwen Gibson, another artist, owns the home and here is the story of La Cascade

Paris Countdown:10 Days!!

La Recreation

Since I am leaving for Paris in 11 days, I thought I'd do some posts of photos from my trip to France in July of 2007.

The first one is the restaurant in Les Arques, a small town in the Lot Region that was featured in Michael Sanders' book From Here, You Can't See Paris: Seasons of a French Village and Its Restaurant

I had read the book before going and asked Robin from the B & B in Albas to make us a reservation. It was so beautiful and the best meal I have ever eaten. We sat ouside near the lush wisteria vine that climbed over the front porch of the building.



La Recreation created not only delicious food but food that was beautiful in it's presentation.

Below is a photo of part of my meal.. the stuffed tomato and squash blossom were tiny but delicious.



I will put up a photo or two each day until I leave for Paris and if I can, I'll prepare some others to post while I'm gone.

Paris Countdown: 11 Days!!