De l'Intérieur

The weather is changeable here, much like it has been in California. Temperatures dropped last night. I made breakfast this morning and sat in my cosy living room reading until mid afternoon, then bundled up to take advantage of the sun I saw shining on the patio by going for a walk. I had just reached the road that M and I call the "tour du pays" or country tour, when the storm blew in and I had to turn around and beat a quick retreat. Back to reading and writing.

Behold this Beauty of Storms

Clouds are taking on miraculous shape and color this evening.  Oh so cold, there have been hail flurries all afternoon, snow so low on the mountains, we can see the trees laden with snow.  Tonight predictions are for more snow, maybe, and as low as the beach.  We'll see.  Tonight the fire is warm and cozy.

Carnaval de Sorèze

I was up in the grenier writing and I kept hearing drumming. I had heard someone come to the front door of my neighbors not long before. I began to think, Maybe Elodie has started a drumming group? The drumming went on for half an hour, steady but not too loud. I continued working. Then there was a surge in sound and I went to the attic window and pushed the shutter open. There was a parade passing the end of my street, rue Ferlus. I ran down the stairs and out to the place in front of the brasserie to catch the students, teachers and assorted parents and grandparents of l'école primaire in their carnival celebration parading in a circuit through the town. I love this type of village ritual.

Platane Ancien

In the courtyard of the Abbaye Ecole beside the hotel in Soreze. The original abbey on this site was built in 756 AD. The abbey was built up and torn down several times over the centuries. The last of the building cycles began in 1636. There is a short allée of plane trees within the abbey walls and this mother of all platane (plane) trees. I am guessing ~400 years old. But she refused to reveal the date of her birth. You know how those grandes dames can be about their age.

Le Lac des Cygnes

Well, not a lake at all, but the spring fed pool on the Abbey grounds where only the swans swim. I was feeling a kinship with them as I had just come from swanning

about at Aqua Jeem in the indoor pool at the hotel, mere steps away.

A Lake Full

Two of the many reasons I have come to love Lake Sonoma.

xoxoLC

Un Bouquet Généreux

Saturday's purchase from the Revel market for 8€ makes for company at the table all week.

Top 'O the Ridge

Coming home from the Lake I saw a most glorious sight.  See the rainbow glow in the center?

French. Toast.

Which is actually called pain perdu (literally "lost bread") here in France. Made using Friday's market eggs and bio (organic) whole milk, yogurt natur from Marzac, the local goat/cow dairy, Boskop pear, The beurre (sweet with crystals of sea salt) and a drizzle of warm miel de tournesol (sunflower honey). My favorite, simple Sunday breakfast.

A Pile of Summer Bridge

Interesting concept to have something so solid one month, and piled up in storage the next.

Still Life

Sunny day at the table en Burg. I love this little monster.

He shoots sparks out of his mouth and his claws are painted red!

Winter @ the Summer Bridge

Loved this abstract found at the Summer Bridge.  I believe this is grounds for a painting!

Heart Color

Got an Amaryllis bulb in an after Christmas, sale so this was a late bloomer, just coming into its glory as I was packing up to leave CA. I gave it to a friend on Valentine's Day to brighten

up her desk at the office. Someone should and will be warmed by this blaze of color.

Rain. Sun.

Rain. Sun. Makes the Green Goddess Lilly grow and glow.

Blood Orange Juice

sangue succo d'arancia in Italian, brings memories of half liter tall glasses and a café in Trastevere, Rome.

False Spring...

or not, Daphne is flinging its siren scent into the yard. There's nothing like it.