Just last Tuesday, I was here, with thousands of other humans, waiting to observe the fireworks displayed over the Eiffel Tower. Yes, I waited on a bench with a great view for nearly 8 hours. At some point I didn't even care anymore if I saw the fireworks, as I was hungry and tired. Somehow I knew that it wasn't going to be easy to leave, so it seemed that I might as well stay. I have to say that once they started, the fireworks were spectacular, perhaps even better than I had imagined. It was the leaving at the end of the evening that was bad. I suppose if I had been with someone else, it might have just been an annoyance, but being alone as the crowd pressed around me, I imagined that I might be trampled. Instead, I just spent 20 minutes pressed up against the vitrine of a restaurant until the crowd thinned enough to make my way to the metro, which turned out to be closed! Ah, the best laid plans...So, I followed the crowd to the next metro stop and eventually made my way back to my apartment. I was so glad to be home!
This is the lovely, and tranquil Canal St Martin, which turns out to be quite close to my apartment. While Jim was here, we spent a pleasant 3 hours on a canal tour, as it was something I had always wanted to do in Paris. I would recommend it! For the first hour you travel underground, which was quite fascinating in itself. When I need a little relief from the city, I can stroll the canal, or stop for a cafe creme, as I did today after I locked myself out of my apartment! Stay tuned to see how that turned out. I am still waiting to see that for myself, but in the meantime, I am SO grateful for the free wi-fi at McDonald's that allows me a place to camp while I try to figure out what to do next. I never thought I would be happy to hang out at McDonalds in a foreign country, but now I am!
I speculated on what this charming little cemetery angle was pointing to. I found him high above Trocadero, with a great view of the eiffel tower, when I was waiting for the fireworks. Whenever I discover a cemetery, I always wander through, because each one holds surprises and something lovely to photograph or sketch.
A week ago Sunday, Jim and I took the train to Vernon, then a bus to Giverny, an hour away from Paris,but worlds away from the city! We had been here many years before in June when the roses were blooming, and we thought it would be fun to see it at a different time of the year.
As always, it is a treat, and in spite of the crowds we strolled through and enjoyed seeing the waterlilies blooming. Someone asked for photos of dahlias, and this one was spectacular!

Ok,I feel semi successful getting anything published here at MCDonald's Paris, even if the image is sideways and not the one I wanted...Patience, I say. Neither of my technical advisors, Pia or Paula are here to help fix things. Too bad.
This is a sideways view of th elarge manifestation, or protest about the plan crash in the Comoros islands. This was someplace I had never heard of before now.

I spent last Sunday at Parc Floral, and was surprised at the large numers of people waiting in line, all with their picnics in various bags, baskets and coolers. The French do love le picque nique! There were hundreds of people, spread all through the park on blankets eating the most delicious looking feasts. I could imagine the same scene from Impressionist paintings, and theonly thing that had changed was the clothing.

These magnificent waterlilies were in full bloom.

There were many of these big nests spead across the grass. They were human size, about 5 feeet across or for very large birds! I do love a good nest!

Well, I have been experiencing techinical difficulties on my blog (user error!) and have even resorted to going to McDonald's france to try to do some posting. Yes, I am that desperate to send you some photos of France!. Well, perhaps I will try again tomorrow... Thanks, friends.

When we went house hunting in nearby towns, we saw this beautiful, classic French house for sale. The garden had great potential, but it was a bit out of our price range. But this is the house I would buy in France.
Here is the chapel, awaiting new windows, which will one day be installed. Perhaps Uncle Jim will dust off his stained glass making skills, and attempt this project. Something more modern, perhaps? But we would like to retain the sacred heart design that is there, of course.
These are some views from the many beautiful windows at Le Maffey. The poplars were there for the week I was visiting, however today they were cut down to be sold. It made us all sad, but we know that more trees will grow, and now the view is just different. This home, which was once a barn, now has lots of light from various windows, skylights and large glass doors. They were great for observing the torrential rain that came again, and watered the garden for us.

These are two sweet French boys, Martin and Gabriel, who played together in the field all afternoon, then came inside for some chocolate brioche that we had purchased fresh that morning. Some say that this is the "best brioche in the world" and I would not disagree. This is our typical french breakfast, good organic bread with hazelnuts, chocolate brioche, for a special treat for one day, and chocolate for Gabriel. Of course he must dunk his bread, as he is French!

I have had a little time, between making jam and picking the harvest from Pia's garden, to sketch around the property. This is my favorite view of her chapel, which will one day become a music center, with lots of love and attention. Perhaps it will also shine again with new stained glass windows that will be a focal point of this beautiful and ancient building.

Yes, it is true, I am off to France! I had imagined that I would write about my upcoming trip to France before I left, but with all that packing and planning, I never managed to let everyone know where I would be for the next 5(!) weeks. I am visiting my niece and great(really great) nephew in Feins, France for a week, and lest you imagine me strolling the streets of Paris, you should imagine a much more rural existence for this week in the country.
This is my sweet niece Pia and son Gabriel, all dressed in pink. They love their new country life, and have many good friends here who I have met. See next photo.
As I mentioned, this is the coutry life, and one of the goals on my "life list" has been to learn to milk a cow. Dear Pia remembered this, and arranged for me to go to a nearby dairy farm last night to do this. Wow, what an experience it turned out to be! We rode our bikes there, and got caught in a big thunderstorm, complete with lightening and hail. It poured for 45 minutes and finally the kind farmer,Jean-Yves, drove us home.
Today I went with Pia to Rennes and while she worked, I strolled through Jardin Thabor to see the roses, and I came upon this beauty. What is she thinking about, I wonder? The gardens are magnificent at this time of year, as they usually are. I also saw a wonderful exhibit of handmade books in the Orangerie. It was inspiring and I especially liked the work by Milena Moriani.

Menucha

We had a wonderful art weekend with Portland Art Collective at Menucha in the Columbia Gorge. The weather was perfect and so was the company. I got a chance to do a journal painting from the viewpoint.