Showing posts with label old buildings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label old buildings. Show all posts

Sunday, November 16, 2014

FRANCE - A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME!

Me + a Surgical Boot + France = 
Well, I'd like to go back when I can walk.
However, I was able to get some fabulous pictures of the south of France. 
I went for an art retreat being taught by my sweet friend,
Stephanie Rubiano. We traveled together to get there, finally ending up
in Darfort, France, a tiny village where we stayed in a chateau
on one of a few streets that made up the village. 
I'm going to share the trip with you in photos. 
Some explanations, mostly just the photos. Enjoy!!
(And I apologize for the crazy spacing - I can't make it change!)

Flying overseas isn't fun. I can assure you that when I go back
(and I sincerely hope to go back someday) that I'm flying 
business class. I will. May have to take out a loan. ;)
.

This was a little disconcerting. This was the Toulouse, France, airport. 
I was determined to get a picture on the sly. Done. 
Didn't want to chance being thrown into a French prison for taking covert
pictures of their machine gun totting military.




A wonderful gathering place at the bottom of the two or three
streets in Darfort.

Our street in Dufort. 



The living room of our chateau.


Staircase to second floor where we slept in amazing bedrooms.
Windows open all the way and there aren't screens in the whole of
the south of France. And, no, no problems with bugs.
There's also another staircase to the 3rd floor art studio.
Quite the challenge when you're wearing a surgical boot!


Tracy's crown for her project.


Working hard in class.


Marilyn working on her piece.


Stephanie, the teacher, is on the right.

The kitchen - notice how small the ice box is - 
that's because the chef goes to market every day and buys fresh.
It was so refreshing eating what she concocted with 
fresh fruits and vegetables she would buy.




I love the look of the whites drying against the stone wall.

Dessert - freshly made yogurt with fresh fruits. Delicious.


The waterfall off of the back of the patio.
It was such a beautiful sound.

Market


Homemade breads. A staple.





The street(s) surrounding market.

The houses are old, beautiful old, and built up (like 3 floors).

I love architecture - especially doors, old buildings and windows.
Me and my camera. #love




The beauty touched my heart deeply.

A flea. So wonderful.


My treasures start here. I found some things I absolutely loved!



A vintage child's dress. 
(Maybe one day a granddaughter's dress. The thought makes me smile.)

A lady's vintage nightgown. A gift to my best friend, Annette.


French kitchen towels. I LOVE THEM. The monograms; who owned them before?; what kind
of life did they live? I think that question about the child's dress and the lady's nightgown.


Wine was a drink of choice! This man is eating alone. I LOVED the people
and capturing their uniqueness with my camera.


Sunflower fields are abundant. We arrived at the end of the season 
but they were still beautiful!




Our hostess and chef in the red shoes saying goodbye to us all in front of our chateau. 
She was such a wonderful cook and a delightful hostess. 
She made our visit so comfortable!

I hope you enjoyed some of the hundreds of photos I took.
I hope you got a feeling of the south of France and my experience.
And, as you leave Durfort, and all villages, you see this kind of sign.
Love it.
          Love you,

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

DO YOU STILL LOVE ME?

I wonder.
Do you still love me?
I haven't posted since last month and every day that goes by without me posting,

I go to bed wondering if you'll still love me in the morning.
Aaaaaa! (as in "cat")
I try so hard to get everything done every day so that in the evening I can post,

but LIFE keeps getting in the way and I seem to stay behind!
Take yesterday for instance.
Phone calls to the pharmacist, the dermatologist, and my internet provider.
The call to the internet provider necessitated a house call *which will cost me money* to switch me from wireless to DSL because our renter's Direct TV non-English speaking idiot (did I say that out loud?) of a satellite man TOOK OUR HIGH SPEED INTERNET SATELLITE DOWN and used that bracket for a new satellite for the renter.
WHO HIRES THESE PEOPLE???
We finally discovered our stolen satellite sitting in the garage AFTER we had switched to DSL. (Trust me, this is not over. There's a phone call to Direct TV in my future and I'm afraid my nice voice is going to give away to my frustrated voice. I just hope that when I call that I'm not routed TO INDIA!)


Is it any wonder that I'm bald, have wrinkles, puffy under eyes, constipation, dry skin, weeds, a husband who can eat 1/2 of a 9 x 13" casserole in one sitting that was going to be tomorrow's leftovers, a studio that looks like a crack house, a dog that sheds, another dog that derives great pleasure in licking her privates in my presence, no ice cream in the house and hate to cook???

I'm so behind, and so afraid that you'll leave me in the morning without even a note on the pillow, that I'm going to post a fascinating group post here to get caught up.
Then, after I'm sure y'all have had time to read this amazing post, I'm going to post the next giveaway.
Oh, my gosh. You aren't going to believe what I found to give away. It will probably cause you to tinkle just a wee bit because you're going to be so excited!

So, on with the photos of my latest (even I can't remember what they are).......

First, let me mention once again that we are going to have the best little art retreat in Texas in June! And, boy howdy, would I ever love to see you there!!

On the trip down here from Kalamazoo in February, I kept my eyes peeled for these kind of soft serve ice cream dives. They have the BEST soft serve!
Did you know that ice cream "parlors" up north close during the winter?
What's with that???
We stopped in some town at the most precious shop as is attested to by their parking sign! Isn't it the best???
Another stop that I always make if I happen to be on I-35 in Ardmore, Oklahoma, is The Cloverleaf...mostly for ideas...they're a wee bit expensive!
If it was for sale, I'd probably have to rent a U-Haul and buy it. I know just the place for it...
I'll never understand why everyone doesn't drive the back roads when traveling.
The photo ops...........see the swans? I think they're real.
I love, love, love taking pictures of old buildings! ...The texture!
A PINK TRAILER with all of the amenities!! I'd almost live in it!
Have I showed you this yet? ...A HUGE Barbie tote! ...Still trying to decide if I'm going to keep it or sell it! I'm always amazed at how much I look like her...
Oh, these vintage hankies! I love them - check out the one with the lovely lace edging. Amazing!
A corner of a fabulous photo I found in Noblesville, Indiana. Look at those precious kiddos!
A whole bunch of vintage patterns and all were simply darling!
I've started collecting Bobbsey Twins books! They were one of my favorite series when I was a kid and I thought it would be fun to try and collect all of them. I'm well on my way - this is the first one.
A 1910 dance card! You don't find these anymore! I was thrilled to find it.
Okay, y'all, that's it! Whew! I'm going to look over at the pillow next to me and am hoping to see your head lying there! LOL
I love my readers - y'all are the best to stick with me when I'm lame! hahaha
.
XOXO,
. . .Jan

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails