Images of Provence

I'm finally getting around to sorting through my pictures from Provence.  You sure end up with a lot more pics using digital, eh?  Here are a few pics to start.

This is the view of the Mediterranean Sea in the city of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.  It was taken from the rooftop of an old church.  Apparently, this is a famous vantage point, as people have been climbing atop this church roof for ages to see this view.  It's a little dangerous and you'd never be able to get insurance if you allowed visitors to do this in the US. 

Here's a shot of the famous wild white horses of the Camargue region, along the southern coast.  They are stocky and beautiful.

We took a short boat tour down the Rhone River out of Arles.  I love this beautiful old mill (vieux moulin), now functioning as a dining & drinking establishment (guinguette).

Here's a shot of the beautiful ochre cliffs of Roussillon.  Dyes are made from the ochre deposits, which are mined here.  I got my sister some to create paint for her artwork!

A Different Point of View

This morning, I was walking down the street, minding my own business, and was approached from behind by a guy on a bicycle.  He warned me that he was coming, so I said, "Hi," as he passed.  He stopped, looked back and said, "Can I ask you a question?" 
When I responded, he said, "What does it feel like to have a job to get up and go to every day?  How does that feel?"
I didn't know what to say!  I thought a bit, stammered a bit, and finally said, "Well, I complain about it all the time, so thank  you for helping me change my perspective." 
His name was Art.  I appreciate the emotional kick in the pants he gifted to me.

C'est tres Francais

It's difficult not to fall in love with this place . . .

Provence

I'm in southeast France, in the Provence region.  I have a girlfriend in Vienna who emailed at Christmastime to see if we could meet somewhere this summer.  We chose Provence, in hopes that the lavendar would be in bloom. 
Sieglinde found this beautiful old stone homestead in the tiny hamlet of Les Martins.  There are three homes contained within high, stone wall; combined they create the place the Dutch owners have named Villa Daesch.  Our house dates from the 1600's and we are in the 2nd floor space. We share a beautiful courtyard with the main house and the other rental home.  It's not uncommon to see these old stone farmsteads that have been fixed up by foreign Europeans or Americans being rented out to tourists.

So far, the lavendar hasn't bloomed, but we made it in time to see the poppies. They are exceptionally healthy and vibrant due to the abundant rain this spring.  

Northern Michigan

I headed north a couple weekends ago to visit a friend.  Northern Michigan has kitch like noplace else!  Check out the wonderful facade of the Rockin' Chair Gift Shop, complete with the de rigueur tee pee, native cut-out and fudge sign.  This is quintessential "Up North."  Inside, treasures await!

 

Check out the miniature Mackinac Bridge I found in St. Louis, Mich.

And this beautiful, abandoned log cabin.

Beacon

Wow, big news on my end. My sister had her second accident in six months, both the result of a seizure while driving. This one was defined as such by the doctors, so she has lost her driving privledges for 6 months. I feel so bad for her, not to mention my mom, who relied on Sal for all her transport needs. So, they'll be seeing more of me for at least a half a year. I hope they're prepared!

This has created lots of questions for all of us, so the title is fitting. Truly, the only thing to do, though, is to stay on course and get through this period.
This pic is of my new model reproduction of a Fresnel lens, which was designed for use in lighthouses. I'm so excited to get it, and hope to display it in a Michigan-themed garden that my brain is still developing. In looking for it, I learned that you can buy full-size, operating reproduction lenses, too; all it takes is $20K and a lighthouse to hold it.
I'm hoping for a less-eventful immediate future.



 

Raccoons

I have critter drama right now. It's my own fault, too. There's a gap between my roof and the outside walls just under the eaves for 15 or 20 feet on one side of my house. Butch had cut eleven boards to fit perfectly between the rafters, but I took them down to paint. And didn't put them back . .

When I checked out the noises in my attic, I saw two raccoons, so I called Critter Chasers. They came while I was at work, but they set some traps and told my roommate they didn't see any in the attic. But, when I started replacing the boards, tucking insulation behind a board, mama started growling and babies started crying. Uh, oh.
There were five of them, which the guys used as bait to try to trap mama. It didn't work; she tried to get them, but not from the inside of the cage. It wasn't pretty.
The babies are gone, but mama is still around, so I removed a board and sat up vigil the other night. Since they come out at night, I decided to postition the car in a place I could watch the hole, and just watch from the dark car. I was going to replace the board as soon as she came out and scurried off for her nighttime foraging in the woods.
She popped her head out not 60 seconds after my roommate shut the garage door and went in the house. It was really cute; she was upside down, hanging from the eave, occasionally looking from left to right. I was so lucky it happend so quickly. Now, just to wait for her to leave.
I couldn't see so well in the dark, but I was able to catch the movement of her head, looking from side to side, still hanging from the eave. So, I waited. And waited. In the cold, dark car. I grabbed a balnket from the back seat when I got cold, and she still hung there, immobile except for her occasional glance from side to side. What the hell?
After 90 minutes (!), I went back to the attic access and tried banging around to scare her out. I don't know if it worked, but I replaced the board and haven't heard anything. It's been three days. But, I'm betting she's still up there, waiting for me to try again.
Sigh.