tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179135522024-03-19T03:07:56.897+01:00wcsanother american in francewcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.comBlogger6433125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-49847392000259533692024-03-18T08:30:00.010+01:002024-03-18T08:46:22.265+01:00The car<p>This is the car we rented for our 2001 Provence trip. It's a Renault Scénic, I believe. It looks pretty much like any car you can see on the road today. I don't remember much about it. I suppose that's a good thing. We rented it in Paris and drove it down to Provence and back.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIWAz64N50A1yndNl-PSbgkY-QNPpQYJdsczx5HB1JqC9hqgd4vjV8cXoliibmJxqAkI6QTlAmVK1-PeJK9QgjzUb8rqwz6Bg71khXAlk9cmGl2EciqK4jzoCVK2HNA9ETdfHoDtedfMNHkxxQBfggpIq6nqpMycqQknd8HtnBSXpwYJJvk3b/s1200/CAV%20115-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIWAz64N50A1yndNl-PSbgkY-QNPpQYJdsczx5HB1JqC9hqgd4vjV8cXoliibmJxqAkI6QTlAmVK1-PeJK9QgjzUb8rqwz6Bg71khXAlk9cmGl2EciqK4jzoCVK2HNA9ETdfHoDtedfMNHkxxQBfggpIq6nqpMycqQknd8HtnBSXpwYJJvk3b/s900/CAV%20115-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Today's cars have more pronounced front ends, as is the style. I prefer this style. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></div><p></p><p>Ken and I are more and more convinced that we've identified the house we rented for this trip in the photo I posted yesterday. With the help of Google Maps and our photos, we're pretty certain now. As soon as I figure out how to add an arrow to the photo, I'll post that. Please try to contain your excitement.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-4131654312544866762024-03-17T08:30:00.001+01:002024-03-17T08:30:00.134+01:00I think I can see it<p>I think the house we rented back in 2001 is in this photo. I can't be certain. We don't have, or can't find, any paperwork with the address on it, but I remember there was a field between the road and the house on the north side (toward the left in the photo), and an even larger patch of vacant land on the south side (toward the right in the photo). Using Google Maps helped me to locate what could be the place.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzDpmPCc9V-HGmfgOqvIsLDzW5X0R9qSXCcE3W-aWP3C2-KpwpogsCRjhi7EG1aZPmk6fQgptjPg8wAq3JKG1b2aIxFbA_WOSJCXqPA_tw-Nt2wMpuxoAZS-kK2Id-tcL0WzdT7VIRqkneYqzcE1d55KFU3iOSP88NiWMumph4qoExPnhGGMB/s1200/CAV%20117-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzDpmPCc9V-HGmfgOqvIsLDzW5X0R9qSXCcE3W-aWP3C2-KpwpogsCRjhi7EG1aZPmk6fQgptjPg8wAq3JKG1b2aIxFbA_WOSJCXqPA_tw-Nt2wMpuxoAZS-kK2Id-tcL0WzdT7VIRqkneYqzcE1d55KFU3iOSP88NiWMumph4qoExPnhGGMB/s900/CAV%20117-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Standing in central Cavaillon looking east toward the Luberon. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>The small city where I'm standing is Cavaillon. There is a high spot near the center of town with views in all directions and I think that's where this photo was taken from. <br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-84057356432990956402024-03-16T08:30:00.001+01:002024-03-16T08:30:00.139+01:00Nesque<p>Remember <i>les gorges de la Nesque</i>? I recently posted a view of a rock formation in the Nesque river valley that we drove through. This is a wider shot from the same viewing area with that rock formation visible in the lower right.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDUyXoR_f_4tQMzxwgFby5XMj_BkJj2DNjL227baT1_S-d1EOjPWi_EHVNqTc4Y9P_uNQl_QAGro95PKa-ENIMpykikj2O4RCmBBC9MBzNnIi7RFQhyphenhyphenAYyTEac3JFI7Qnzo_q5AuTtbGdTw6WERfuaOIItWbxepGtx2eW9-VRAuvcF976njbX/s1200/CAV%20111-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDUyXoR_f_4tQMzxwgFby5XMj_BkJj2DNjL227baT1_S-d1EOjPWi_EHVNqTc4Y9P_uNQl_QAGro95PKa-ENIMpykikj2O4RCmBBC9MBzNnIi7RFQhyphenhyphenAYyTEac3JFI7Qnzo_q5AuTtbGdTw6WERfuaOIItWbxepGtx2eW9-VRAuvcF976njbX/s900/CAV%20111-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Nesque River Gorge. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>Meanwhile, back at the ranch... I'm watching the grass grow with trepidation. It's really thick in spots. Big spots. I'm hoping for a dry spell so I can start cutting it. When it doesn't rain, we have heavy dew that takes a while to evaporate. I go through this every year. And every year it works out. Eventually.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-15387896370782970712024-03-15T08:30:00.002+01:002024-03-15T08:30:00.360+01:00Just one (more) look<p>I think the cherry tree blossoms have passed their peak now, so here's another view taken a few days after the first one. The white blossoms in back are on our neighbor's plum tree.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_lGA_kMpxhBXZdLZASvnlX5teg1U1rdI6JgB4aNfQ1SpMxdZnbUfpX99osFeAYx45FadwRJW_1YJnQK5gr8BBXTE9wtC-_CeM4bXbHS8-oJT01jtn3-slBr6L2otl9C469a6sWwtrtk4WOd0Ox8s4nkylIKoR8KnVuQttw4C273b-4GXd3a8/s1200/IMG_8416-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_lGA_kMpxhBXZdLZASvnlX5teg1U1rdI6JgB4aNfQ1SpMxdZnbUfpX99osFeAYx45FadwRJW_1YJnQK5gr8BBXTE9wtC-_CeM4bXbHS8-oJT01jtn3-slBr6L2otl9C469a6sWwtrtk4WOd0Ox8s4nkylIKoR8KnVuQttw4C273b-4GXd3a8/s900/IMG_8416-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Cherry and plum trees are early bloomers in spring. Seen from the deck.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>Today we're getting haircuts. Ken goes in first, the I go in later. Our new (to us) salon keeper is moving her business across town this month, so she'll be out of commission for a short time.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-13004201930497098442024-03-14T08:30:00.003+01:002024-03-14T08:30:00.129+01:00Le pont Julien<p>Just north of Bonnieux (Vaucluse) is a Roman bridge, built in the year 3 BCE. According to Wikipedia, the bridge has been in continuous use since. In 2005, however, car traffic was diverted to a new bridge built nearby to reduce wear and tear on the historic monument. Pedestrians and cyclists can still use the old bridge. We visited in 2001, so we were able to drive across. Still, we got out to take photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBbkhtzh0m80W6nZHquRfE07kCmr7kWhVNqjtoDeYU1R5d25bsOHB9K3dNZXobLGXypskjZ65GpBxx-HEZNMx0ROIUnF5pV4vgVtuaw4mZDY43koHH7owvMwpz6wAWcfetJd0ybxsJANK0gZjumQpibbf_Aa1l4ngwdv2y7H5FSSQ6haDTjWN/s1200/CAV%20112-2.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBbkhtzh0m80W6nZHquRfE07kCmr7kWhVNqjtoDeYU1R5d25bsOHB9K3dNZXobLGXypskjZ65GpBxx-HEZNMx0ROIUnF5pV4vgVtuaw4mZDY43koHH7owvMwpz6wAWcfetJd0ybxsJANK0gZjumQpibbf_Aa1l4ngwdv2y7H5FSSQ6haDTjWN/s900/CAV%20112-2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Le pont Julien outside of Bonnieux. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>We're socked in by fog this morning. Predictions are for a warm day (as high as 19ºC depending on which weather service you consult), but recent predictions of similar high temps have fallen short.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-40514864166837326612024-03-13T08:30:00.001+01:002024-03-13T08:30:00.132+01:00Documentation<p>I'm glad I took the camera out last week for these photos of the taking down of the "first row of trees," as we call it. The trunks got cut at ground level, then the branches were removed, and finally the logs were split (with the help of a big mechanical log splitter) and stacked. Yesterday, a tractor came by with a trailer and, after a few round-trips, the logs are all gone.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8g784VS_ARTUozpnVZ5GjjCDtWBbrYXq2BwNzrADkWGNLlfKNyXuSuBBIRcJSVcuNPRV0GKYASpHP8H-37qt_Hhsp-hp3ZMQ6pqhU7mRCs0iWoZhZZ1nEZF5dh9JG4rT3T5CJRUnCzjm_QgUsPSQyTW1xpocon7EXsuZ34uK1TRvYjojqrjP/s1200/IMG_8393-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8g784VS_ARTUozpnVZ5GjjCDtWBbrYXq2BwNzrADkWGNLlfKNyXuSuBBIRcJSVcuNPRV0GKYASpHP8H-37qt_Hhsp-hp3ZMQ6pqhU7mRCs0iWoZhZZ1nEZF5dh9JG4rT3T5CJRUnCzjm_QgUsPSQyTW1xpocon7EXsuZ34uK1TRvYjojqrjP/s900/IMG_8393-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Acacia logs stacked on the other side of the stream bed. They've all be taken away now.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>In the foreground of this photo, you can see the new vines that were planted last year. At some point, the big vineyard parcel in the background (behind the logs in the photo) will be prepared for new vines. I wonder if it will be this year or next?<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-12484666478374180452024-03-12T08:30:00.018+01:002024-03-12T08:43:28.619+01:00Traînées de condensation<p>These are contrails (short for condensation trails) made by jet aircraft engines. Water vapor in the engine exhaust condenses and freezes at high altitude, producing the thin white lines we see from the ground. From what I read (Wikipedia), the formation of the clouds depends on the altitude of the aircraft and the temperature and humidity of the air through which it flies.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKotwrfMPqRFSDp9iYsWghzp8lWfRYvyveGEuRt2j45IKqtzZleIOM29j_lMo0UO_S3GpKX-1ydXgQLMpvgT7DAksiA4mYamGw0l1CLWtRY5J5QwpQN-rn3aYcBe4bldLAI0YqVidfDcZ9h29JAnrBZLjRA022hsvQvMZNJiEttFDYcNzpna56/s1200/IMG_8406-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKotwrfMPqRFSDp9iYsWghzp8lWfRYvyveGEuRt2j45IKqtzZleIOM29j_lMo0UO_S3GpKX-1ydXgQLMpvgT7DAksiA4mYamGw0l1CLWtRY5J5QwpQN-rn3aYcBe4bldLAI0YqVidfDcZ9h29JAnrBZLjRA022hsvQvMZNJiEttFDYcNzpna56/s900/IMG_8406-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>I can often see up to ten aircraft at a time cruising overhead.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>We live below a busy north-south air corridor and, depending on the day, I can see many contrails streaking through the sky above us. Airports north of us include Paris, London (and other UK airports), Dublin, Brussels, and Amsterdam. Down south are destinations in Spain and Portugal, the French Mediterranean coast, Italy, and North Africa. And beyond!<br /></p><p>Thank you, Mister Wizard. Now for the weather. It's not going to get as warm as was predicted a few days ago. Par for the course. Anything can happen in March.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-44182938994323074292024-03-11T08:30:00.008+01:002024-03-11T08:30:00.144+01:00Late winter sunrise<p>Spring arrives officially next week. I'm looking forward to warmer temperatures and leaving the daily fire behind for another season. I'm even looking forward to spring cleaning. Sort of. The weather people are predicting a rise in temperatures through the week. Let's hope they're right.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtG_r-AttnrWdJ-Pp_oMHQ-2ljjUCxsQaNCmYjxF3v_Q_QHCM_JpQW2RfwzfE6jRwwqXxH64VQc4X93Y9aCrZ0p0PuChTPLaNVzkxVgQBFwXhNWTKW74qkkeqSHG7-a0zOnl3uQJMKWx4HcmIHKj93QFtyy_a32H-3TfHD767VbgLNh0hHKMab/s1200/IMG_8392-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtG_r-AttnrWdJ-Pp_oMHQ-2ljjUCxsQaNCmYjxF3v_Q_QHCM_JpQW2RfwzfE6jRwwqXxH64VQc4X93Y9aCrZ0p0PuChTPLaNVzkxVgQBFwXhNWTKW74qkkeqSHG7-a0zOnl3uQJMKWx4HcmIHKj93QFtyy_a32H-3TfHD767VbgLNh0hHKMab/s900/IMG_8392-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Sunrise over the vines last Thursday.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>The vineyards out back are showing signs of spring. Pruning is all but done and the support wires are back in place. The next step for the existing vines is to bend and attach their single remaining canes to the wires. Then there's the matter of the parcel that's being replanted. That could happen this spring, depending on how the clean-up goes.</p><p>And let's not forget our own back yard. I've taken all but three of the table grape vines out. They were never very productive and they made mowing around them difficult. The last three will come out soon. The <i>tilleul</i> (linden tree) lost a lot of small branches during winter's wind storms, so they'll have to be cleaned up. And the garden path is a mess with pine cones and sticks and little green plants trying to establish themselves in the gravel. Work to do, got work to do!<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-48481747172132575322024-03-10T08:30:00.002+01:002024-03-10T08:30:00.236+01:00The lone-ly walnut tree<p>A lot of harvesting took place this past winter in the woods and forests around us. Wood harvesting, that is. This walnut tree used to be on the edge of what we called "the first row of trees" that separated two big grape vine parcels out back. The trees, mostly <i>acacia</i>, grew on either side of a stream that drains the vineyards into the river below. Now, there's nothing left but stumps, except for the stacks of cut and split wood waiting to be carted away. And this lonely walnut tree.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMv_f5pTmuj0NKB3RAxGwmr0u-qZcDcvwlAF1B8hhVehqZl7G-kXOsVB9GR9FyXgG9I_JsPpnIlYZiAcI2bvAPUcOOXCs0R0BCS0tHgnm7Y-GN5GdgOcUBvSzOiz7j9wnwu_UUHDdXWU7KAh9jGmTv9N8rijPrgMGr4QBPYVpU8eYaUvrtLm2e/s1200/IMG_8391-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMv_f5pTmuj0NKB3RAxGwmr0u-qZcDcvwlAF1B8hhVehqZl7G-kXOsVB9GR9FyXgG9I_JsPpnIlYZiAcI2bvAPUcOOXCs0R0BCS0tHgnm7Y-GN5GdgOcUBvSzOiz7j9wnwu_UUHDdXWU7KAh9jGmTv9N8rijPrgMGr4QBPYVpU8eYaUvrtLm2e/s900/IMG_8391-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Back to front: grape trunk "volcanoes" in a vineyard parcel that will be replanted soon, stacks of cut and split acacia trees, the streambed filled with cut branches, the lonely walnut, and a renewed grapevine parcel planted last year.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>I expect, but am in no way certain, that the trees will be allowed to regrow to be harvested again in a few decades. Down by the river, a large parcel of <i>peupliers</i> (poplars) was harvested a while back. New trees have recently been planted to replace them, all geometrically spaced as is typical in France. Someone told us that the demand for wood is increasing in the form of heating fuel, both logs and pellets, and other wood-based products.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-18382359624637644272024-03-09T08:30:00.014+01:002024-03-09T08:30:00.125+01:00Ken's plum tree<p>The pink/white-blossomed tree back in the northwest corner of the yard is one that Ken grew from a plum pit. I've forgotten how many years ago he sprouted it before planting it out back. The tree has thrived back there but, unfortunately, the plums are small and not particularly good to eat. They're good for making jam or jelly, though.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGx9FfZJUobXIWEwL34t3zBPbfG5zR8kdkvOy4eORufBL4XO78dkDwpk-cxTlituwGjsvCTz2tO1wMk_FUOlTGS4FRNS7ITyUvmaXo5uVssU1xRneKBw3tcmfxa5YQCExhSrnrEslhMem7dBbtPhrCM_yKIp_fz0utghEzL3VsRbi-KGTBMxKn/s1200/IMG_8383-1-2.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGx9FfZJUobXIWEwL34t3zBPbfG5zR8kdkvOy4eORufBL4XO78dkDwpk-cxTlituwGjsvCTz2tO1wMk_FUOlTGS4FRNS7ITyUvmaXo5uVssU1xRneKBw3tcmfxa5YQCExhSrnrEslhMem7dBbtPhrCM_yKIp_fz0utghEzL3VsRbi-KGTBMxKn/s900/IMG_8383-1-2.jpg" /></a></div></b></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>We had a light frost last Thursday morning when I took this.</b></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b></b></i></div><p></p><p>You might notice how the grass is growing. It's even taller and thicker in other parts of the yard. I want to cut it, but it's much too wet to try that now. Patience. The first cut of the year is always a chore, but this year looks to be especially challenging, thanks mostly to a very wet winter.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-4600029824914986952024-03-08T08:30:00.001+01:002024-03-08T08:30:00.125+01:00Daffy<p>Here are some spring daffodils to brighten your day. It looks like we're headed for another rainy spell over the next few days. No freezes in sight for the coming weekend.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcf_ryw_HreA6NoAnnuXOgaO-KuO_rtmReLDxyiHQwr1cuiYei5SWzQfVb4dHipuyj1TOGOhlfz93Ti3ATRnlm1hX5nxQYVXL4p74JBw4K81K15dE7dAJWTkaPOLZxZDCWyQsE5FfziNqUIk40M_qfHOo9lhS8HZLG2DMZsDv5NjJbMy8afGFU/s1200/IMG_8382-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcf_ryw_HreA6NoAnnuXOgaO-KuO_rtmReLDxyiHQwr1cuiYei5SWzQfVb4dHipuyj1TOGOhlfz93Ti3ATRnlm1hX5nxQYVXL4p74JBw4K81K15dE7dAJWTkaPOLZxZDCWyQsE5FfziNqUIk40M_qfHOo9lhS8HZLG2DMZsDv5NjJbMy8afGFU/s900/IMG_8382-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>This patch of daffs comes up just outside the greenhouse.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>I've discovered that last year's oregano flower stalks make excellent kindling for starting fires in the wood stove. I add a bunch or two of dried stalks to my other kindling and whosh! they flame up like nobody's business, burn hot, and help the larger stuff catch. All these years, I've been cutting down the dead flowers each spring and mulching them. No more!<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-7494118435578188412024-03-07T08:30:00.003+01:002024-03-07T08:30:00.134+01:00Hello gorges<p>After leaving Venasque, I think we headed northeast to drive through Nesque River Gorge, <i>les gorges de la Nesque</i>. It's a picturesque river valley offering breathtaking views from a single road winding its way through to (or from, depending on which way you go) the town of Sault.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOEAQHFr_0sRGUsq_Cpg6bFKwST_7FYQmEiYoM_JSGkayhyphenhyphenOquRfImoFIKEROuc2Ldp_sVSVawIJ4r6zJsUwDTrIyf8I8Yl0YDSpeQB33XSlL2ROJE-Iy4CWyE88zflqM_JX3V-rHpp7y5QdxeoxUytPGuz36w5p7FXeadsIQ8gavPT3kJRCAF/s800/CAV%20109-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="551" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOEAQHFr_0sRGUsq_Cpg6bFKwST_7FYQmEiYoM_JSGkayhyphenhyphenOquRfImoFIKEROuc2Ldp_sVSVawIJ4r6zJsUwDTrIyf8I8Yl0YDSpeQB33XSlL2ROJE-Iy4CWyE88zflqM_JX3V-rHpp7y5QdxeoxUytPGuz36w5p7FXeadsIQ8gavPT3kJRCAF/s900/CAV%20109-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The road through the Nesque valley pierces the rocks in many spots. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>There are a few tunnels along the way, including this one. I suppose it's not really a tunnel, but it's pretty cool nonetheless. There are turnouts along the road so that visitors can pull over and enjoy some the better views. And to take pictures, of course.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-277137566646584112024-03-06T08:30:00.001+01:002024-03-06T08:30:00.126+01:00One last time<p>Here's a final view of the church of Notre-Dame in Venasque. Nothing much more to say, other than I must have found it fascinating.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZrNpze60Y03ZgiKo-I2nE7HTArSrcpk5E9t8nfSEWqCPEZReW_Iw0e40_a9TdqrxDcK1WveXjrFwVheSKdlKkl1WhLJ1O5pofgTcN1627VmWKQu14hqBSwhXEICnxo4_kHjq1CKsXkdNsYHP369MByuxKNsceKGVVU_K_8i-4LmyE3vm7XFs/s800/CAV%20107-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="567" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZrNpze60Y03ZgiKo-I2nE7HTArSrcpk5E9t8nfSEWqCPEZReW_Iw0e40_a9TdqrxDcK1WveXjrFwVheSKdlKkl1WhLJ1O5pofgTcN1627VmWKQu14hqBSwhXEICnxo4_kHjq1CKsXkdNsYHP369MByuxKNsceKGVVU_K_8i-4LmyE3vm7XFs/s900/CAV%20107-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Notre-Dame-de-Venasque. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>I didn't build a fire in the wood stove yesterday. Too much other stuff was going on and tending a fire was not high on the list. I'll probably build one today. This morning's low is around 3ºC. The log pile is getting smaller.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-85616032179112810252024-03-05T08:30:00.001+01:002024-03-05T08:30:00.132+01:00Early spring<p>Here's a view of a section of the north forty that includes two early flowering trees. The white blossoms are on a plum tree in the corner of our neighbor's yard. The pink blossoms are on a fruitless cherry in our yard. The sun made an appearance yesterday so I thought I'd snap a few photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_l4M5zIMm30F3pxZ_sRYzPWysvF19zXqw4rOfCO5H88AIgfrP4Os1HL02uGAu0mCEiA0AhHzdV_UVr5m8i8l76PHFd_2LOhmdDfAFq0a3ciRMCk6NqjL90JpbiMSsSrJfkT0qqmWPdjcSFzxT0bPDABYk-o6ArzTGprCH-HqkHXCEkY_s2F2I/s1200/IMG_8381-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_l4M5zIMm30F3pxZ_sRYzPWysvF19zXqw4rOfCO5H88AIgfrP4Os1HL02uGAu0mCEiA0AhHzdV_UVr5m8i8l76PHFd_2LOhmdDfAFq0a3ciRMCk6NqjL90JpbiMSsSrJfkT0qqmWPdjcSFzxT0bPDABYk-o6ArzTGprCH-HqkHXCEkY_s2F2I/s900/IMG_8381-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>All the rain has really greened up the "lawn." View from the deck on the north side.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>It's still chilly, but we haven't had a freeze. That's always a possibility in March and April and even as late as May. We had a couple of light freezes (not enough) during the winter, and since it's still winter for a couple more weeks, we shouldn't be surprised if it happens again, however unlikely we think it might be.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-57122307381692151322024-03-04T08:30:00.003+01:002024-03-04T08:30:00.130+01:00Crazy animule<p>This is a gargoyle on the church at Venasque. I hope.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGLTwLjERSdp8FOOmRSOHkEFFvM8nUSiSryxpdVn1mqwB9n5kmQ6YtWLnWoS-Z560XAP_rVYqY74g1koOSJHwDzCHKe7F5AsEQQ6G7DmzUGRlN9UqTffO_AZpyMVreTyJciWVJgVYubrv6YntiAd6G8PgigJi_2OXBKx2qsMO1XboO6lr-3pI/s800/CAV%20106-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="501" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGLTwLjERSdp8FOOmRSOHkEFFvM8nUSiSryxpdVn1mqwB9n5kmQ6YtWLnWoS-Z560XAP_rVYqY74g1koOSJHwDzCHKe7F5AsEQQ6G7DmzUGRlN9UqTffO_AZpyMVreTyJciWVJgVYubrv6YntiAd6G8PgigJi_2OXBKx2qsMO1XboO6lr-3pI/s900/CAV%20106-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Scary. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>It's down close to freezing this morning. We had a very clear, starry night and whatever warmth there was escaped. Brr. And Grr.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-78644551860826080612024-03-03T08:30:00.009+01:002024-03-03T08:30:00.137+01:00I dunno<p>This image of a bell is among the slides I took in Venasque, but I can't find (using the internet) a church or civic building in town that has a belfry like this. Perhaps the bell is in a nearby town. I'll keep trying (kind of) to identify it.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2Iuirx60U1mrr9ZSF_tB7vBD_1oyLwEofjXNLEb9xIVLwYdbueICI3DN4R8x7tQQNinF8uxX1RnMK3D1jH-2i9NfZ3VeCnFCO1d_HroHWA56m_jQd9QaN-LiT7hHpmtjqI35_GBFqctU3jXBVS-H8AP48IWFZHMFu0TVNu8jyCxrPKCWbcrm/s800/CAV%20104-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2Iuirx60U1mrr9ZSF_tB7vBD_1oyLwEofjXNLEb9xIVLwYdbueICI3DN4R8x7tQQNinF8uxX1RnMK3D1jH-2i9NfZ3VeCnFCO1d_HroHWA56m_jQd9QaN-LiT7hHpmtjqI35_GBFqctU3jXBVS-H8AP48IWFZHMFu0TVNu8jyCxrPKCWbcrm/s900/CAV%20104-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Somewhere near Venasque. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>I'm ready for the rain to stop. Walking the dog is soggy work. The ground feels like a damp sponge beneath my feet. Grass is growing like nobody's business (the first mowing is going to be a challenge). There's been a lot of wind and our temperatures remain in the single digits (celsius). On the other hand, trees are blossoming, daffodils are flowering, the days are staying lighter longer, and the birds are chirping up a storm. Such is the transition of winter into spring.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-84669424218043299522024-03-02T08:30:00.001+01:002024-03-02T08:30:00.132+01:00The way in<p>This is one way to get inside the church of Notre-Dame in Venasque. I don't know if there are other doors. I have no slides from inside the church and no recollection of going in. It may have been locked up the day we visited.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsU71JrMefLQtjWB2JqiWIlTiM0_NTagznkCjuDl3UCoWCzGa4qVHInTezLFWggOTEEbLGJaei3pTRNldugwRPNTm3QtMF-UhK8gcFiyIYv-GTSZVCe0QZ1t-FUFy8t92QN4sL1agSLN73e0CM2pz-dFr-OVdghVfNLSLmxfiMURDa9Exjh9my/s800/CAV%20105-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsU71JrMefLQtjWB2JqiWIlTiM0_NTagznkCjuDl3UCoWCzGa4qVHInTezLFWggOTEEbLGJaei3pTRNldugwRPNTm3QtMF-UhK8gcFiyIYv-GTSZVCe0QZ1t-FUFy8t92QN4sL1agSLN73e0CM2pz-dFr-OVdghVfNLSLmxfiMURDa9Exjh9my/s900/CAV%20105-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>This church has been worked on a few times over the centuries. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>I mentioned that my slides are kind of mixed up, a little out of order, and that I'm probably mixing them up a little more in the scanning process. Most of my slides are in Kodak carousels ready to be viewed with a projector. But my projector died about twenty years ago so, except for scanning, I haven't seen many of them for a while. Scanning slides and posting some of them here on the blog are giving them a second life. The slides in the carousels are those I felt were worthy of projection. I have boxes of slides that I didn't think turned out well, rejects, if you will. I'll probably never look at those again. Sigh.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-47799699854887605962024-03-01T08:30:00.001+01:002024-03-01T08:30:00.131+01:00Ding-a-ling<p>Here's a close-up of a bell in the tower of Notre-Dame-de-Venasque. There may be other bells up there, but I can't see any in my photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsjx4L2mAHE5dsGg_ttNdxAEsP_3j9293J00C36SM6ib6ZEOiblqTyzf7gRsKfZ9jkQZJIv-vdClv7qnELb4W-u8CME3ebqt_BC_ZQ9Dn8XVBsG0A-fAjkrP8ZmuPioWn_VewtLTfSIp1ghKt-RKgP_jqn-1LrPJQqfhJQyu0OmkbRbO-0Bsj/s800/CAV%20102-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsjx4L2mAHE5dsGg_ttNdxAEsP_3j9293J00C36SM6ib6ZEOiblqTyzf7gRsKfZ9jkQZJIv-vdClv7qnELb4W-u8CME3ebqt_BC_ZQ9Dn8XVBsG0A-fAjkrP8ZmuPioWn_VewtLTfSIp1ghKt-RKgP_jqn-1LrPJQqfhJQyu0OmkbRbO-0Bsj/s900/CAV%20102-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The belfry of Notre-Dame-de-Venasque. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>I mentioned that my slides are kind of mixed up. I think I'm contributing to the mixing during the scanning process. Good grief!<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-46453202253049880632024-02-29T08:30:00.002+01:002024-02-29T10:17:46.924+01:00Notre Dame de Venasque<p>I don't have any photos from inside the church at the top of the hill in Venasque, so I guess we didn't go in. The Wikipedia entry for Venasque mentions that the building is Romanesque in style, but doesn't say much else. I didn't do any further research.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0Rr7K9zCZRvX7-KmKUCsMy0fGensYcwBztPXWmPULBXiaYnWG6phyphenhyphenBFL-dBTSF4NpSB15PECx2rV-mcEDGiYkQoVYfrPYupFoUY5zg7jSoPkwR92YiscVaacQ5Zd2medSTf8D3VSawWIy7OgnhWv1kh_cnstz4qeiBKfgGhyP8HBVOyEvt_t/s800/CAV%20100-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0Rr7K9zCZRvX7-KmKUCsMy0fGensYcwBztPXWmPULBXiaYnWG6phyphenhyphenBFL-dBTSF4NpSB15PECx2rV-mcEDGiYkQoVYfrPYupFoUY5zg7jSoPkwR92YiscVaacQ5Zd2medSTf8D3VSawWIy7OgnhWv1kh_cnstz4qeiBKfgGhyP8HBVOyEvt_t/s900/CAV%20100-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>One of the key characteristics of Romanesque architecture is rounded arches.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Notre Dame de Venasque. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>So, today is Leap Day. Our temperatures are slowly going down again. I've had fires in the wood stove for the past few days, and I think there will be more to come. The wood pile is dwindling and I'm scrounging for dry kindling. Come on, Spring!<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-54562680147895536572024-02-28T08:30:00.009+01:002024-02-28T09:38:06.218+01:00Did you know?<p>If you've driven in France, you've likely noticed signs like this. They announce that you are entering a village, town, or city. And they mean that the speed limit is 50 kph, unless otherwise posted. In this case, drivers are entering the town of Venasque and the speed limit from this point forward is "otherwise posted" at 45 kph. If it were 50, there would be no speed sign.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mXxsa_N4T1C068d8D6n-xjW6txeYg89ZdUWpbm8QW9_YKpSqiNumF1UzPQ3waWlq3WOpLQTkGXUv1WnoEScn29ZcXIujylQVC5ouYDSVdRkgMwXKUeMjrcmDyYib_1q6GkEHG5QNlhSq3nXRdR6p04v2-oAZp0AN1lJAfHrwDW7mGTRszFI7/s1158/CAV%20101-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mXxsa_N4T1C068d8D6n-xjW6txeYg89ZdUWpbm8QW9_YKpSqiNumF1UzPQ3waWlq3WOpLQTkGXUv1WnoEScn29ZcXIujylQVC5ouYDSVdRkgMwXKUeMjrcmDyYib_1q6GkEHG5QNlhSq3nXRdR6p04v2-oAZp0AN1lJAfHrwDW7mGTRszFI7/s900/CAV%20101-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The yellow sign is the route number. Digitized color slide, Venasque, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>When drivers leave town, the sign is the same except for a diagonal red line (upper left to lower right) through the municipality's name. It also means that the speed limit from that point forward is 80 kph, unless otherwise posted. It's another thing I learned at driving school. And there were a lot.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-53075240044846865262024-02-27T08:30:00.004+01:002024-02-27T08:30:00.123+01:00A fountain in Venasque<p>My photos are kind of mixed up. This one was taken in a small town called Vénasque, not far north of Gordes, a little south and east of Carpentras. I was able to identify the place by searching the web for the restaurant in the photo, L'Auberge de la Fontaine. A quick visit to Google Maps street view confirmed it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_zSsk-GzWqNr_-OqUUJH7wCJywvDJyQbdeGBGOO3vzJkUCGWQHXMcmx0n2T1vknh-BAS7IhpaajmjzA5aFFzzX23jiDCE9NIhMNsXWkVQSxieNy0805Tek-Z6DepgU9p9VwOJ5iHcNEY9BGDER4ljP8vRwEIFz1GiACY3epzgaSOiPWqAXdT/s800/CAV%2092-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="503" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_zSsk-GzWqNr_-OqUUJH7wCJywvDJyQbdeGBGOO3vzJkUCGWQHXMcmx0n2T1vknh-BAS7IhpaajmjzA5aFFzzX23jiDCE9NIhMNsXWkVQSxieNy0805Tek-Z6DepgU9p9VwOJ5iHcNEY9BGDER4ljP8vRwEIFz1GiACY3epzgaSOiPWqAXdT/s900/CAV%2092-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Look at the doggies! I'm not sure what I was trying to capture here. Digitized color slide, Venasque, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>The restaurant seems to still be there, and it doesn't look much different than it did in 2001. I wish I had taken more photos there. Maybe I was getting burned out on tiny picturesque hilltop villages. Here's the fountain from another angle.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamGrvAqzEFBY2NsvuNml7h_ZkAK9upV0JzX37Q4aWp6iJ67I91qqYMKaJVNY440PMparBJ_BmoZ6E4YNCc-eNDP2lG3F-Ro06-uG4DE0CFBs7NmyACWHxDWe61_ioBwYUMpgXLlZQZtMdHH73Ct9-No6ahfW8R9y8lKU9xqzyGv4oT4w5q3PN/s800/CAV%2095-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamGrvAqzEFBY2NsvuNml7h_ZkAK9upV0JzX37Q4aWp6iJ67I91qqYMKaJVNY440PMparBJ_BmoZ6E4YNCc-eNDP2lG3F-Ro06-uG4DE0CFBs7NmyACWHxDWe61_ioBwYUMpgXLlZQZtMdHH73Ct9-No6ahfW8R9y8lKU9xqzyGv4oT4w5q3PN/s900/CAV%2095-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>A better, slightly, view of the fountain. Digitized color slide, Venasque, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p><br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-81910828111037114692024-02-26T08:30:00.001+01:002024-02-26T08:30:00.131+01:00Here we go again<p>So far, I haven't been able to identify the slides I'm scanning now. They are, for sure, part of the 2001 Provence trip, but I'm not sure which part of the trip. There are clues here and there and I'll try to pull it all together. Eventually. For now, I'm pretty sure that this is a view of the Alpilles mountain range seen from Les-Baux-de-Provence, a hilltop village built below the ruins of a medieval <i>château</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyidQ188I5kcR7_uVqgosM2eRxwWhznO_9fGcYAn4dZ0V2MoylSaJe19IC3vmOqI85cxQy99bsRo-NeyA6yu1JKb8czT4-yq8_KYZ7B-w1sy4KoUHi2j6DFzVmIGUCKiRnPE5aVfY0S_JuYRcndO1AK3dvwk-rcWnF0-a7hC1tRhJ6_RZDtA6R/s1200/CAV%2091-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyidQ188I5kcR7_uVqgosM2eRxwWhznO_9fGcYAn4dZ0V2MoylSaJe19IC3vmOqI85cxQy99bsRo-NeyA6yu1JKb8czT4-yq8_KYZ7B-w1sy4KoUHi2j6DFzVmIGUCKiRnPE5aVfY0S_JuYRcndO1AK3dvwk-rcWnF0-a7hC1tRhJ6_RZDtA6R/s900/CAV%2091-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Olive orchards proliferate in the lowlands just south of les Alpilles. View from Les-Baux-de-Provence. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>Les Baux is a big tourist draw and it can be very crowded, depending on the time of year that you visit. Cars are not allowed in the village itself. There are numerous parking lots down around the base of the hill. Bus after bus deliver visitors to the foot of the village to climb the one main street up to the castle at the top. Along the way are hotels, cafés, restaurants, galleries, and shops, not to mention view spots, all catering to the tourist trade. According to Wikpedia, the town's permanent population is fewer than three hundred people.<br /></p><p>Don't get me wrong. The place is definitely worth seeing. But if you're averse to crowds, it's best to avoid the peak summer season. </p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-38306478362538330282024-02-25T08:30:00.004+01:002024-02-25T08:30:00.131+01:00The rental house<p>I have some photos of the <i>gîte</i> (vacation rental) we stayed in back in September of 2001. They're scattered among the other slides that I still have to scan, so the ones I post won't be all together. The house was a <i>longère</i>, a long, often one room deep, building that faces south, with the north side pierced (if at all) with a few very small windows. They were built that way to maximize exposure to the sun and/or, especially in Provence, to turn their backs on the harsh Mistral winds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfd6-K25-ZMypevftf8ynwF05mwbSABSNnTpPGpE6YZnilT2u6zFd-0-jUnT3RiQp-_O4ZeRsLwCnq_sv2xRRCBk5RFsvZXCaJW0eGZYATX-X0jQpAj26-Z64CYUMwZDssUJnxn8fsT4DaOF6g_L8Er9Z4shbQIhsyO9JE5CMrzoKsADLfBsx/s1200/CAV%2087-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfd6-K25-ZMypevftf8ynwF05mwbSABSNnTpPGpE6YZnilT2u6zFd-0-jUnT3RiQp-_O4ZeRsLwCnq_sv2xRRCBk5RFsvZXCaJW0eGZYATX-X0jQpAj26-Z64CYUMwZDssUJnxn8fsT4DaOF6g_L8Er9Z4shbQIhsyO9JE5CMrzoKsADLfBsx/s900/CAV%2087-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The living room in our gîte near Cavaillon. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>The Mistral was blowing while we were there. I was afraid to barbaque for fear of the wind blowing embers into the field of dry grass in front of the house and starting a fire. That would not have been good. But our laundry did dry rather quickly, even if we had to chase after the stray sock or pair of underwear that blew off the line and took flight. As fellow blogger Dr. Spo would say, oh the embarrassment!<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-14137831805769187442024-02-24T08:30:00.001+01:002024-02-24T08:30:00.132+01:00Even more ochre<p>A parting shot from Roussillon, the village of ochre. Wikipedia says ochre is spelled "ocher" in American English. And so does Blogger's spell checker. I'll buck authority and continue to spell it ochre. And, just for fun, it's spelled <i>ocre</i> in French.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJQyweJD_etBa3EILQuiY3Oc8R5MvcvPmEF3Zb8VVAyDJaRuR8MWiIxWQDVdKEU3W1GGfLYjbshLyrzsrU7LD58-U2F8ILKxXEY25yWRKmpEXk8Bj-5NxHoCoJ3AVXxz32HmQAihVkuUSw8ISFH7PJoXrAhcuS_1eHlkfleIbWg2wzHmqkoO1/s800/CAV%2080-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJQyweJD_etBa3EILQuiY3Oc8R5MvcvPmEF3Zb8VVAyDJaRuR8MWiIxWQDVdKEU3W1GGfLYjbshLyrzsrU7LD58-U2F8ILKxXEY25yWRKmpEXk8Bj-5NxHoCoJ3AVXxz32HmQAihVkuUSw8ISFH7PJoXrAhcuS_1eHlkfleIbWg2wzHmqkoO1/s900/CAV%2080-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Clay rooftops and ochre-colored walls in Rousillon. Digitized color slide, September 2001.<br /></b></i></div><p></p><p>We're in a pattern of weather right now that's commonly called <i>les giboulées de mars</i> (March showers), even though it's still February. April showers come in March in France. And it's cold outside; 3.2ºC (about 38ºF) outside when I got up this morning. Tasha and I will venture out once it gets light.<br /></p>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17913552.post-60804461180553769632024-02-23T08:30:00.002+01:002024-02-23T08:30:00.155+01:00Happy Birthday, Tasha!<p>Today is Natasha's seventh birthday! In May, it will be seven years since we brought her home from the kennel. My, how time flies.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYDztFJgh4ACWImKr_im8KOR-AgFVsncq2uCwCrtlLiKkhlASPoL1yyYPaTi4JK6OkwrOdOh4xCwb2KcGF9dfHwjvnhpu6NBGfpc3N0Posts3j7ZxB55xq5TEWtFVIydW-e1dPoS_GL7L9tur1JqovbDrH83snn0lV7CuPSNmw9BiSfWmvuvx/s1153/IMG_8375-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYDztFJgh4ACWImKr_im8KOR-AgFVsncq2uCwCrtlLiKkhlASPoL1yyYPaTi4JK6OkwrOdOh4xCwb2KcGF9dfHwjvnhpu6NBGfpc3N0Posts3j7ZxB55xq5TEWtFVIydW-e1dPoS_GL7L9tur1JqovbDrH83snn0lV7CuPSNmw9BiSfWmvuvx/s900/IMG_8375-1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Seven year-old dog! Someone is due for some extra treats today.<br /></b></i></div>wcshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.com10