my cozy book nook

TSS - 1.29.12

2012-01-29T15:45:00.003-06:00

Can someone please tell me where all my free time goes in the course of a week? I started off the New Year with great hopes of writing blog posts two to three times a week, and I find myself barely able to crank out a Sunday Salon post before the weekend is over. This cannot be the new normal, can it?!

Teaching:
I have started teaching Pride and Prejudice in the British literature course. This is the fifth time I have taught the book, and probably the seventh time I have read it. My own children just roll their eyes when I tell them that I "have" to read the book again. They don't understand my need to refresh my memory in the hopes of fully engaging the class in a lively discussion.

But this time around I have noticed something a bit different. Since I am already well versed in the plot, and I essentially know what is going to happen in nearly every chapter, I am finding that this re-read is enabling me to see subtle character development that I have missed before - particularly with the minor characters such as Mary Bennet and Charlotte Lucas. And I continue to marvel at Jane Austen's ability to weave each detailed description into the overall work as a whole. And of course, I am always anxious to come across my favorite lines of the book - it is as though I have run into a long lost friend whom I desire to visit for awhile.

"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents.—Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." - Mr. Bennet

One of the male students in the class remarked that nothing happens in this story, and while I disagreed with his statement I did add that this book is definitely not a plot-driven novel, but rather a character-driven novel. As a class we spent quite a bit of time discussing this subject and I proposed that while plot-driven novels are a lot of fun to read because they keep us at the edge of our seats, they are rarely suitable for literary study. Whereas, character-driven novels, and theme-driven novels, provide ample material for class discussions. What do you think? Was this too broad of a statement?

Personal:

The training of Feeny, our inherited basset hound puppy, continues at a very slow pace. I must say that I am pleased that he is now nearly house-broken - having an accident perhaps once every two or three days rather than two or three times a day. Of course, he still prefers to use our garage to the backyard, but I figure first things first. He still continues to bark when I leave the room, although it is not quite as immediate or as long as it used to be. I suppose I should not be too anxious for this new dog to learn new tricks.

He almost found himself on the streets this week, however, when he managed to jump up to the table and take my husband's cell phone. Before we could stop him, he had already chewed it to the point of destruction. Fortunately for him - those floppy ears and droopy eyes made it impossible to stay angry for long.

I have managed to take a picture every day this week - so the month of January only saw one missed day in the 365 Project. The pictures still tend to chronicle my week rather than focus on creative photography, but I figure there is plenty of time to work my way into that arena.

I spent my free Thursday this week trying to teach myself PhotoShop Elements. Oh boy, this is going to take some time. In the nearly three hours I spent with the software program I learned how to upload a picture, make use of the quick edits, and employ the basic concept of cloning. I tried to eradicate the "black scarf" from one of my Paris pictures (for those who are regular followers of my blog, you know to what I am referring). While I did manage to make the blemish "disappear" - I must confess that it is rather rough around the edges - literally. Oh well, I keep reminding myself that I am on a long journey here and I wish to enjoy every step of the way.

Reading:

Unfortunately, this continued fascination with photography has meant that I have failed the TBR Double Dare Challenge. Sorry, C.B. I have picked up several books from the library, and actually used my recent Barnes and Noble 20% off coupon to purchase two new books for my personal collection. To try to broaden my scope of potential pictures for the 365 Project, I purchased Jim Krause's book, Photo Idea Index. I like the fact that he uses ordinary cameras and lenses (available to the masses rather than just the professionals) and that he uses lots of pictures to illustrate his points.

And to continue to help me understand the fundamentals of photo composition I purchased Peter Ensenberger's book, Composing Photos. Again, this book provides lots of visual stimulation - as well as post-it note comments - to help me understand what I have read in several other books before.

I have continued to read - albeit rather slowly - the first book in the Harry Potter series. And while I am probably half way through, I am sure that I will not finish by the end of the month - which was my original goal. Oh well, this is another test in my resolve to enjoy the journey of life - and not be so intent on the end results.

Writing:
I continue to enjoy the Travel Writing course with Dave Fox - although this week I have not been able to motivate myself to write the assigned essay. I have received some positive feedback on the previous two essays, as well as some very good constructive criticism. Perhaps I am afraid that I don't have a third quality essay inside me? Or perhaps my travel journeys do not quite have the universal appeal as I originally thought? Or perhaps I don't have the necessary discipline to be a writer? I'm not sure....but I refuse to admit defeat - just perhaps a bit of writer's block.

I cannot that this week marks the beginning of February! Perhaps I will be able to do a better job of posting this next month.

TSS - 1.22.12

2012-01-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

It has been a good week. Although that is in large part due to the shortened work week due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. I could definitely get used to teaching just two days a week!

Teaching:
I have tried to keep relatively silent about school this year; first semester was difficult. But I just had to share the excitement in my yearbook class. I don't remember if I reported here or not, but somehow I consented to co-teach the year book class with the art teacher - neither one of us having any experience in yearbook whatsoever and with a staff of only three underclassmen who were equally inexperienced. It made for a stressful first few months of school. Fortunately I was able to negotiate a delay in the delivery of yearbooks until August, which meant that we had no deadlines first semester, This was indeed a blessing.

However the great news is.....we now are a staff of twelve students!! Many of these students are juniors and seniors - and two of them have actually worked on yearbook in the past. What a joy it is to arrive in class and see students working on assignments without having to be prodded or coaxed. I feel confident that we will meet our deadlines this year - and that the end product will be a quality one.

Photography:

photographs taken week of
January 15-21, 2012

I completed the Finding Your Eye online course this week and while I would love to register for the next session immediately, I am using great restraint. I have already registered for the Slice of Life project - which will begin on February 6th, and I think that is probably all I can handle this semester. I believe this new course will help me to truly find the beauty in everyday life - and I am very hopeful that I will continue to develop my eye for photography. Perhaps I will be able to take the subsequent Finding Your Eye course this summer.

I have managed to take a photo every day this month except for one. While it would be easy for me to declare an early failure in the 365 project - I refuse to allow my perfectionism to rob me of fun in this journey. So I continue to keep on keeping on....

My photographs are absolutely nothing to write home about, but they do represent what I have experienced each day. And perhaps that is what the project is supposed to do for me this year: serve as a visual journal. And perhaps next year I can focus more on creative composition.

Writing:

Nicki was the topic of my
travel writing essay this week

I am so far enjoying the travel writing class with Dave Fox. Last week we had to speed journal four different entries - and I chose to share two with the class. It is rather intimidating to put my writing out there for total strangers to critique, but I knew in order to get my money's worth for the course, I would need to be willing to take a risk. I was pleasantly surprised that others enjoyed the writing, and I received some positive comments from the teacher as well. It definitely encouraged me to continue.

This week we had to write a travel essay that focused on just one particular incident. The goal was to write an essay that was between 500 and 800 words. I learned that my daily blog posts during that trip truly helped me to recall details that have dimmed over time. I also learned that I need to work on prioritizing details - as my "finished" essay was about 910 words. I am anxious to hear feedback, but ready for some constructive criticism to help me move forward in my writing endeavors.

Reading:

Well, once again this has taken a backseat in my weekly activities. I am no further in the Harry Potter series (about page 50 of the first book), but I have skimmed some photography books, most notably Photo Idea Index by Jim Krause, and Exploring the Light by Rick Sammons. I also picked up a copy of How to Write a Sentence; and How to Read One by Stanley Fish. I can't remember where I saw this recommendation, but so far it is an enjoyable read - both as a writer and as a teacher of writing.

In Brit Lit we are beginning the study of Pride and Prejudice and while I have read this book at least five times, I am looking forward to re-reading this classic with the class. It has been a while since I have allowed myself to relax in Jane Austen's description of Regency England, and I look forward to reacquainting myself with long lost literary friends.

I hope that this week finds you well and warm. Our cold snap was apparently temporary, as we are now to have a series of fifty degree days. Hardly seems like winter this year, but I am not complaining.

A Photo Assignment - third time's a charm?

2012-01-16T19:30:00.001-06:00

I have spent a large part of this long weekend practicing photography. Yes, I finally got my head out of the books, took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather (Sunday = 55 degrees; Monday = 67 degrees!), and went for a photo shoot.

The assignment was to really spend time on one subject and photograph that subject from a varieties of different angles, perspective, etc. The first time I read the lesson, I interpreted "subject" in a broad sense. I decided that I would go to the local arboretum and photograph nature. While there was little floral vegetation, there were some variety of plant life and tranquil spots by the water. I took 242 pictures, of which I am willing to share three. Not great odds, but I did learn quite a bit about light and how the angle of the sun in relation to the subject can dramatically alter the mood of the picture. I learned to use my exposure compensation to help overcome my ineptitude of proper manual settings.

This is actually one of the first photos I took. I liked the way the sun provided the warm glow to these cat's tails. I had hoped to have the rocks a bit less in focus, so that the cat's tails would truly stand out, but my camera lens did not stop down far enough.

I experimented for quite some time with this subject, and in a couple of pictures I focused on just one of the stalks, but I thought this group of three made for a more cohesive shot.

This picture allowed me to play with depth of field a bit more. As I study it, however, I wish there was more of a contrast between the subject and the background. Oh well, I am definitely still learning.

After spending quite some time trying to take a picture of the rope bridge (to no avail) I looked behind me and noticed these benches next to the water. I thought it might be fun to take a picture of this spot in the middle of winter - and then return in six months and see how the tree has filled out and the grass has greened up.

While I don't think this is a spectacular photo (and I am sure many of you with far better composition techniques could give me a few pointers), I do like the idea that it could inspire a story. Who might walk into this setting and sit down by the water? A romantic couple? A lonely teen? A young mother with her newborn?

After this shoot I came home and read some of the message boards for the class. Apparently same subject meant, literally, the same subject. If I wanted to photograph flowers, then the same flower from a variety of perspectives, angles, etc. Of course, this makes more sense: if I am truly going to develop my eye for the beauty around me, I need to slow down and really see the beauty up close, far away, underneath, overhead, etc.

Occasionally Jude has to show
Feeny who's boss.

Ok -- so round two. We were encouraged to find a subject that evokes an emotional response from us - something that we find inspirational. Well, for me, that would be my dogs. So I went out to the backyard for about thirty minutes and took another 211 pictures (isn't it wonderful that we don't have to pay for the developing of film in this day and age?!). I tried to focus my attention on the newest member of the canine family, but it was impossible not to include the other three in this photo shoot. There was lots of sniffing......running....rough-housing.

In hindsight, this was not a great subject choice. Yes, they inspire me and bring me great joy. Yes, they are my most photographed subject by a margin of about 3:1 --- but to try for a variety of angles and perspectives is impossible. If I tried to sit on the ground, they were on top of me. If I tried to crouch in their face, they would attempt to lick the lens. It was definitely a humorous shoot, but not terribly productive for this assignment.

I did however find a couple of photos that are worth sharing....and again, I did learn a valuable lesson even if it wasn't the focus of this particular assignment. I learned that when photographing nature, I like to use Aperture Priority, as I prefer the control over depth of field. But when shooting dogs, particularly six month old puppies, Shutter Priority is the way to go. I set the shutter speed at 1/250 and the ISO to 200 (it was partially shaded), and I let the camera adjust the aperture accordingly.

So, I am wondering if perhaps I should try this assignment one more time. I am thinking of perhaps trying to photograph my nook - filled with shelves of books (my next favorite pastime to my dogs). Or perhaps I could photograph my car (now that would provide all kinds of angles for different perspectives) - or maybe my morning cup of coffee? I don't know....apparently developing my creative eye is going to take a bit longer than most.

Ithaka by Constantine P. Cavafy

2012-01-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share one more poem with you that I found particularly meaningful to me at this stage in my life. Perhaps it will resonate with some of you as well.

Ithaka by Constantine P. Cavafy

As you set out for Ithaka
hope the voyage is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
angry Poseidon --- don't be afraid of them:
you'll never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
angry Poseidon --- you won't encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets up in front of you.

Hope the voyage is a long one.

May there be many a summer morning when,

with what pleasure, what joy,

you come into harbors seen for the first time;

may you stop at Phoenician trading stations

to buy fine things,

mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

sensual perfume of every kind ---

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

and may you visit many Egyptian cities

to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.

Arriving there is what you are destined for.

But do not hurry the journey at all.

Better it lasts for years,

so you are old by the time you reach the island,

wealthy with all you have gained on the way,

not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.

Without her you would not have set out.

She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you.

Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,

you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

Invitation by Mary Oliver

2012-01-12T22:00:00.000-06:00

My retreat Thursday led me to pick up a book of poetry and to slow down long enough to savor the imagery and wisdom of simple words. Not exactly how I anticipated spending this retreat, but it was apparently what I needed. I wanted to share with you the poem that resonated with me all day:

Invitation by Mary Oliver

Oh do you have time

to linger

for just a little while

out of your busy

and very important day

for the goldfinches

that have gathered

in a field of thistles

for a musical battle

to see who can sing

the highest note,

or the lowest,

or the most expressive of mirth,

or the most tender?

Their strong, blunt beaks

drink in the air

as they strive

melodiously

not for your sake

and not for mine

and not for the sake of the winning

but for sheer delight and gratitude -

believe us, they say,

it is a serious thing

just to be alive

on this fresh morning

in this broken world.

I beg of you,

do not walk by

without pausing

to attend to this

rather ridiculous performance.

It could mean something.

It could mean everything.

It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:

You must change your life.

Retreat Thursday

2012-01-12T08:46:00.001-06:00

My resolution for 2012 is to make time for me. To transition from a Martha (a constant doer) and become more like Mary (content to be present in the moment). Not only does this require a change in mindset, but for me, it also requires a change in schedule. I was granted a sabbatical from one of my classes this semester which translates to leaving school by 2:00PM each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (typically I would stay until 4:00 or 4:30) and to have Tuesdays and Thursdays off. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I want to use Tuesdays as an at-home work day (catch up on lesson plans, grading, and correspondence) in order to give myself Thursdays to focus on spiritual renewal and creative endeavors. After reading Jennifer Louden's book, I became inspired to set aside a portion of each Thursday to relax with purpose in the form of a private retreat. Today is my first retreat.

But as is my typical MO - I have spent far too much thinking about the "perfect" first retreat: so many options and such a great desire to make every minute count. Apparently the Martha in me runs deep. But in thinking through the options I have come to discover (or rather admit) that I am an academic. I love to learn. And I am energized when I am researching a new subject. So it occurred to me that if this is truly what feeds my soul, why fight it?

The three subject areas that fuel this desire are travel - writing - and photography. And I am consumed by the idea that I can marry these three interests into one life long hobby. I find such pleasure in planning a trip - and sometimes I enjoy the anticipation more than the actual vacation. I have a burning desire to not only visit Europe, but to return to a few select locations multiple times. I want to experience being a true part of that culture and not just a one week visitor. I have several books on London (where I have been twice), Paris (where I have been three times), and Italy (where I have yet to visit). How delightful it would be to spend a few Thursdays as an armchair traveler to any of these destinations.

I am currently taking Dave Fox's online travel writing course, which will allow me to revisit my summer trip to Paris. I journaled about this trip on this blog, and I am now ready to take these "immediate" drafts and put them into more cohesive essays. I find that a few months' distance provides a new perspective and some hidden insights.

I am also tempted to register for Patti Digh's new online writing course: VerbTribe. Two years ago I read her book, Life is a Verb, and actually developed a few writing prompts that I shared on this blog. I like her writing style and her outlook on life. I like her sense of humor. I would imagine that she is a very kind and compassionate teacher who would encourage students rather than discourage them. I just don't know if I should add the class to this semester's schedule where I am supposed to rest and relax. Would that be another Martha move?

My photography obsession is slowly transitioning from head knowledge to practical application. There is something within me that prevents me from just going out there and taking pictures. Probably that perfection gene that I just can't seem to shake. But the 365 project is helping a little bit - and the Find Your Eye course is teaching me how to see the world up close and personal. I have also registered for the Slice of Life project that will begin in early February. Yes, I even pursue the creative subjects with an academic mindset - but I am learning to accept it. I recently found a book that I think I need to add to my personal library: Storytellers by Jerod Foster. How serendipitous is that? A book about photography that teaches me to view the picture as a narrative story? If that doesn't sound like the perfect marriage of writing and photography, I don't know what is.

So while it is nearly 9:00AM and I am still not exactly sure how I will spend this retreat Thursday, I do have a direction. And I am excited to see where the journey takes me.

Why Photography?

2012-01-09T11:30:00.000-06:00

Any of you who have visited my blog over the past year or so knows my new-found interest in photography. I have read many books on the subject (even posted a few reviews), shared my trials with a dirty sensor, and posted my goals of improving my photography in 2012. I've been a woman of many words but little action. But not anymore.

The last couple of weeks in December I decided to take some positive steps forward in making this dream a reality. I committed to the 365 Project - something I had contemplated for nearly 18 months but was too fearful to join. Of course, it helps that I have a close friend who is also committed to the project, and we try to encourage each other to take the required photo each day.

But I also registered for a couple of online classes, one of which is the Find Your Eye course by Kat Eye Studio. If you follow the link you can find a full description of the course, but the reason why I registered is because I want to learn how to "express my heart and soul" through photography.

This post is a response to our first assignment:

Why do I take photos? What draws me to photography? What are my motivations? What keeps me excited and interested?
Consider all of the reasons and motivations you have for taking photos, both internal and external.

I have always been interested in photography - but only as a memory capturing device. I would take pictures on special occasions, like birthdays and Christmas, and on family vacations. I believe this style of photography is referred to as snapshots - and while it continues to serve a purpose in my life - I have come to realize that I want to capture more in my pictures.

Since turning 50 two years ago, I have found myself struggling to know the "real" me. No longer entrenched in parenthood, I have now entered the realm of grandparenthood. Phasing out the career as teacher, I am now contemplating the life of retirement. I have graduated from being an eldest child, to being a matriarch of the family.

Somewhere along the way I have lost my sense of me. I have always referred to myself by the role I have played - not by the person inside. And now that those roles have changed - and in some cases, disappeared altogether, I feel out of touch. I have focused solely on raising a family and writing lesson plans - and I have forgotten how to be creative and have fun. All work and no play has made Molly a very dull person.

Photography seemed like an easy solution. I already owned a camera (point and shoot most of the time, but my son recently gave me a dslr) and I didn't think I needed any special talent to click a shutter. I naively thought that "anyone can be a photographer" But isn't it funny how the more you learn about a subject the more you realize you do not know? And while it is true that anyone can click the shutter - it is also true that only through practice can one hope to master the skill.

The above picture is a photo of my granddaughter Brynn that I took this holiday season. Yes, she is in focus, yes you can tell that she is adorable (no prejudice here - ha!) - but it is truly just a snapshot. Now compare that picture to this one here that my son took at the same time. He not only captured her face - he captured her personality. This is the true Brynn - my photo is just a two dimensional image. I want to learn to capture the essence. Not just the essence of people - but the essence of life. I want to learn how to S-L-O-W down and really observe life around me. I want to find the beauty in my everyday surroundings and I truly believe that in doing that - I will learn to find joy in life, no matter the circumstances. In addition, I hope to discover a means of self expression that will enable others to see the real me - the me on the inside and not just the role I fulfill in their lives.

Of course, I also have a heart for travel and I want to develop photographic skills that will not only help me to capture the iconic pictures of my beloved Europe - but I want to learn to capture the emotion and the atmosphere as well. And in the deep recesses of my imagination, where I sometimes allow myself to dream, I would like to marry my love of photography with my love of writing. I would like to not only visit these foreign countries, but also to write about these travels - if not for publication, then for a legacy to leave for my children to read. If a picture is worth a 1,000 words - then I want to accompany that photo with another 1,000 words to fully document the event so that others might know and feel exactly what I experienced.

That is what I hope to gain from photography.

1.8.12 - Sunday Salon

2012-01-08T10:06:00.000-06:00

It has been a VERY long time since I have participated in the Sunday Salon, and while I would like to promise myself that this is the start of a weekly habit, I know my track record too well to make that commitment.

This week marked the return to the routine. All the holiday decorations have been put away again for another 11 months, and the back-to-school regimen began in earnest. I have made good on a few resolutions, but I am trying not to overdo it. Slow and Steady wins the race is my new motto.

Teaching:
This semester will be a drastic change in schedule for me. Without going into too many details, I asked and was granted a one semester sabbatical from teaching my most challenging course: 9th Grade English. I think the stress and strain of last year (having 9 different course preps, taking care of my ill mother, and eventually dealing with her death) has taken its toll on me. I have little patience, and in this particular classroom, I had none. But I am indeed so blessed to work for a caring and compassionate administrator who saw my need and was willing to fulfill my request. It took a while to find a suitable substitute, but at 4:00PM on Thursday afternoon --- when classes were to begin at 8:30AM on Friday --- a final decision had been made. I spent Friday early morning gathering course materials to hand over - and for the first time in my life I benefited from my OCD organizational tendencies! In just one hour I had assembled 90% of all the handouts and lesson plans that I believe she will need.

In addition to that schedule change, my Tuesday/Thursday class dropped enrollment to just two students this semester. And as fate would have it --- all of us have first hour free on Monday - Wednesday - Friday. So what this means for me is that I will be done teaching at 1:30PM on these days and I will have Tuesdays and Thursdays totally free. And my schedule on Fridays is amazing: I teach Brit Lit 2nd hour and 8th Grade English 5th hour.

For the first time in the 8 years I have been teaching, I feel as though I can have a personal life during the school year - and I am so excited!

Personal:
So what do I plan to do with all this free time?

Well, for one thing, I hope to blog more regularly. I hope to start maintaining a list of possible blog post ideas and then cull from that list on a weekly basis.
I hope to develop an exercise routine that helps keep me fit. I am not looking to run any marathons or bulk up muscle mass. I just want to firm up the flab and walk several times a week.
I hope to not only write my daily morning pages, but I want to begin to hone my writing craft. I tend to use 750words.com as a journal, documenting life events and personal feelings - but I do not give much thought as to how I write. I want to work on my creative writing projects on a regular basis.
I hope to focus on photography as a creative means of escape. So far this week I have taken a picture every day for the 365 Project and I am glad to have persevered. However, the pictures are definitely more journalistic in that they document how I spent the day rather than creative expression. BUT...slow and steady wins the race and I have promised myself that I will enjoy the journey and not add undo pressure.

Reading:

In order to help me complete the above resolutions, I read Women's Retreat Book by Jennifer Louden. In that book she outlines some ways in which women can organize their own personal retreats that can last anywhere from a half-hour lunch break to a long weekend excursion. The greatest insight I learned from this book is that a retreat is purposeful. I have had plenty of days of alone time, but I tend to fritter the hours away. A retreat has structure - and intent.

So my plan is to reserve Tuesdays for school work: lesson planning, outside reading for certification (the topic of another post), and grading - but Thursdays will be a day off. A day for intentional retreat or fun creative play. I hope to scrapbook some more (I really enjoyed Christmas recipe album project) - perhaps try quilting once again - schedule my own mini read-a-thons - or conduct a nature photo shoot.

So while the end of the holidays is marked with a certain sadness that the celebration is over - for me, it is also the time for a fresh start. This week will be a full week of school - which is followed by a long weekend due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. For me, that will be a five day break and one in which I not waste away.

A Homemade Christmas

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

I realize that Christmas has come and gone - but I wanted to share with you the gifts that I made for each of my girls: my two daughters and my soon-to-be daughter in law. Our family Christmas traditions are many and run deep - filled with lots of routines and favorite recipes. I decided that I would create a scrapbook that preserved the top ten recipes that I make each year between Thanksgiving and New Years.

Each two page spread included the title of the recipe - the actual recipe itself written on a 3x5 index card and placed in a plastic sleeve that can be removed from the book and replaced - a photograph from years past that depicted our family celebrating the holidays - and a note that briefly told the background of certain traditions.

The project was more labor intensive than I had planned - but fortunately I started early enough that it did not prove too stressful to complete in time for Christmas morning. I hand wrote each recipe (x3), created page layouts (x3), copied pictures (x3), and added decorative elements (x3).

In the end, I think the books were well-received and I hope that they will be used in years to come.

While we will most likely always have the Italian Christmas Eve vigil at our house (traditionally the feast of seven fishes but done Totoro style includes baked salmon - boiled shrimp - and plenty of snow crab) - my eldest has already claimed that Christmas day will be spent at her house so the grandbaby can enjoy her Santa gifts. I don't blame her for wanting to adopt a new tradition - but I am a bit melancholy that our days of early Christmas morning risings accompanied with squeals of surprised glee are officially over. It was a wonder 25 years of fond family memories.

The newest addition....

2012-01-02T10:30:00.000-06:00

One of the changes that I alluded to yesterday has to do with the latest addition to the family.

Meet Feeny (as in Mr. Feeny from the hit series, Boy Meets World). Feeny was my youngest's puppy that she purchased shortly after obtaining her first apartment. Her theory - and one that I supported 100% - was that she would be lonely in an apartment by herself when all her friends were away at college. She wanted a puppy to keep her company, as well as provide added security.

What we both failed to realize was that the schedule of an 18 year old student and a basset hound puppy do not mesh well together. Mandy is the assistant manager at an upscale coffee shop where she works about 25-30 hours a week as well as taking about 15 hours of credit per semester at the community college. If she wasn't working she was studying and if she wasn't studying she was going to class. Feeny is a great dog - but he is definitely a puppy and needs far more attention than our three yellow labs. Both of us forgot this key ingredient.

Mandy's frustration got the better of her and she was ready to give Feeny up for adoption. Well, for those of you who know me, you know that I could not allow that to happen. He had become a part of our family and I could not simply discard him because of a bit of inconvenience. So the day after Christmas Feeny became my puppy. Not exactly the way I had planned to spend my Christmas break, but when duty calls....

He has assimilated well into the household - although the older dogs have had to teach him the proper pecking order - and he is about 70% house trained. He is a bit insecure and immediately barks when I leave the room, but we are working on those issues of separation anxiety. I have quickly learned that Basset Hounds are a unique breed - not just in appearance but in personality as well. I would welcome any suggestions for training dear Feeny (C.B. --- do you have any words of wisdom to impart?) - as he is definitely here to stay.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T16:29:00.000-06:00

I realize this is a bit late - but I hope that all of you have celebrated a marvelous start to 2012!

There are many changes taking place in my life right now - which is one of the primary reasons I have been absent for much of the month of December. I have to be careful that I do not divulge information too early for fear that certain readers might find out information prematurely. I promise to catch up very soon.

In the meantime, I will take this time to publicly announce (rather scary....) that I am going to take part in the 365 project. For those that might be unfamiliar with this concept, I will try to take a photograph a day in order to document a year in my life. One of my New Year's resolutions is to learn to slow down and appreciate life around me, and I think this might help me to accomplish that goal. So I am going to give it try - and if perchance I do not succeed, I will at least hope to take more pictures in 2012 than I did in 2011.

In honor of this new challenge I am posting the photograph of the day. We babysat our granddaughter last night while my eldest and her husband attended a few parties. This morning she entertained herself by reading a couple of books (following in her Ollie's footsteps????) and I tried to take a few photos. She is quite enthralled with the camera, however, so every time she heard the shutter click she stopped reading and started to crawl towards me. This was the best picture of the bunch.

I must go and attend to the black-eyed peas and cornbread - I figure any superstition that promises a year of good luck is worth my participation - but I hope to be back soon and far more regularly in the days and weeks and months ahead.

Challenged by Challenges

2011-12-11T12:24:00.001-06:00

I remember the first time I heard the term "Reading Challenges" It was in October, 2009, the year that I discovered book blogs. I was intrigued by the idea of setting reading goals for the year, and I was captivated by the number of different challenge themes to choose from. Since I have never had the opportunity to be a part of book club, I thought this would be a way for me to connect with an online community of like-minded bibliophiles. For the past two years I have signed up for several challenges, but completed very few. And I vowed several months ago that I would not join another one. I like the idea of challenges, but in the end, I miss the freedom of choosing what I want to read when I want to read it.

But since returning to the bloggosphere I have once again been tempted. And once again, I will cave in. But this time I truly plan to limit my enrollment to just two - and I have great expectations of completing both of them.

The first challenge in which I will take part is not so much a choice but a necessity. I am very much looking forward to taking part in C.B. James's TBR Double Dare Challenge, which runs from January 1 - April 1, 2012. The premise is simple: read only books that are currently in your possession as of January 1. Do not purchase any new books; do not put any new books at hold at the library. For three months just read books that you currently own.

I would say my current ratio to books owned that I have not read vs books owned that I have read stands at about 10:1 (maybe more). It is totally out of control. Although I have not felt like reading for the past nine months or so, that has not curbed by book buying habit. And the guilt is starting to overshadow the pleasure of this hobby. So I gladly join this challenge with the hopes that it will not only help me to make a dent in my TBR backlog - but also that it will jumpstart my old reading passion.

The other challenge in which I will participate with great gusto is the Finishing a Series challenge hosted by Socrates Book Reviews. I have started the Harry Potter series at least three times in the past two years. I originally started them in audiobook form, having fallen completely in love with Jim Dale's voice - and managed to listen to the first two books while cultivating a treadmill routine (something else that has gone by the wayside lately). Last year I started to read The Sorcerer's Stone again, but life seemed to pull me in a different direction. At this point I have 'cried wolf' so often that my youngest daughter, the Hermione of the Totoro family, does not believe I will ever follow through on my promise to read them. So, in an effort to prove her wrong - and to allow myself the pleasure of reading a beloved modern day classic, I have declared 2012 to be the year of Harry Potter. I currently have in my possession all but the first book in hard cover; all of the books on audio CD; and just recently purchased all eight movies in DVD Blu Ray. I hope to follow a routing of reading the book first (probably combination of audio and written word) and then watching the movie as a special reward. If I weren't so gun-shy of challenges - I would even consider starting a Harry Potter reading challenge....but I'm not sure that I can pull that off.

I am very optimistic that 2012 will be the year that I complete all of the challenges in which I have enrolled. Of course it helps that the two challenges can be completed simultaneously -- in that the books I choose to read will count for both. And while it is not overly ambitious --- only seven YA books in a twelve month period --- it is best for me to start with baby steps.

Photography Pastime

2011-12-07T09:09:00.001-06:00

I just completed an online course entitled, Photo Meditations: Infusing Your Images with Soul, taught by the amazing Susannah Conway. If you are unfamiliar with Susannah, you simply must visit her site. She is completely down-to-earth and has this magical way of transforming a purely cyber-relationship into one of intimacy. This summer I took her Unravelling 1 course which led me to immediately register for this photography course. She also plans to offer a course on Blogging this spring as well perhaps other photography courses. I have become a groupie of sorts.

But I digress. The purpose of this post is to share with you a "game" that Susannah taught us in the first week of the course. It is called a Photo Scavenger Hunt and I have become totally addicted. The purpose of the game is to build a collection of photographs that inspire you. Inspire you to do what? That's just it.....whatever you wish. Some photographs I have used to inspire me to take a better picture. Other photographs I have used to inspire me to slow down and enjoy the moment. Some photographs I have used not to inspire but just to enjoy for the vibrant colors - or the beautiful simplicity - or the magical mood. Well, you get the idea.

The rules of the game are simple. First, you must have a Flickr account. If you don't have one, it is easy to establish and free to start (although I will warn you that once you start taking lots pictures you will definitely want to upgrade to the PRO version which is a mere $25.00 a year).

After your account is set you can begin to play the game. There are several ways to start. You can either go to the Flickr home page and begin viewing the most recently added photos. OR...you can input a search term to focus on more specific photographs (for example - conduct a search for Christmas Lights) OR....you can visit my flickr favorites and preview a few of those. Once you find a photo that you like - click on it. A larger image will appear and you can click the "star" icon above the photo. This will add that photograph to your collection of favorites.

One of my "favorites" from Flickr.
Photography by Diyosa

Now... to keep the hunt going, visit the photostream of the person whose picture you just saved. The link to that person's account is found next to their picture near the top of the right hand column. (NOTE: click on the photo to the right and it will take you to the larger image of this picture on my Flicker page. You will see Diyosa's favicon and link to her account on the right hand side. Click that link).

Once you land on their account page (in this case, Diyosa) - go to their favorites tab and see what images they have chosen to save. Browse through those photos and when you find one you like, click on it. This will bring up the larger image where you can add to your favorites by clicking on the star. Then follow the link of that photographer to their photostream....go to their favorites....browse until you find you one like....etc.

This can be done as many times - or in my case - as many hours - as you desire. And each time you play the game you will be led to different photographers who have different favorites from which to choose. It is a delightfully fun game which has helped foster my creative side.

At some point I plan to revisit each of the photographers from my favorites page and spend some time searching their photo sets -- other pictures that they have taken categorized by theme. I am sure that I will find even more inspiration.

I hope I have made these instructions clear. It is really not at all difficult and quite fun.

Perhaps in another post I will discuss how I am using Flickr to help me learn the manual mode setting on my dslr. In the meantime I'm gonna go find me some more pretty pictures.

Finishing what we start...

2011-12-05T20:43:00.000-06:00

I truly love December. I love anticipating the first snow - which transforms the bleak landscape into a winter wonderland. I love the festive celebrations and spiritual truths surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. And I love the peaceful rest that comes between Christmas and New Year's. It is a time for me to reflect on the previous year by fondly remembering the highlights, as well as evaluating some necessary resolutions for the months ahead. It is this anticipation of wiping the slate clean that energizes me - and usually causes me to take on more than I can handle.

The old saying "my eyes were bigger than my stomach" not only pertains to the dining table, but in all aspects of my life. I immediately start to think of a new exercise routine and how I can easily fit thirty minutes of aerobic activity into my daily life. And as long as I am at it, I could also add ten minutes of calisthenics before a quick shower. Of course, the stress level in my life warrants some attention, so some deep breathing and beginning yoga classes would be in order. Now I know many of you already follow this kind of healthy regimen and probably more. But this goal is too lofty for me and I know if I attempt to incorporate all this change into my life at once - I will fail before I even start.

But this year I would like to do something different. I would like to finish what I start. I hope to reacquaint myself with the treadmill - perhaps 20-30 minutes four or five days a week. Slow and steady wins the race, right? That will be the focus of 2012 and perhaps in 2013 I can add another exercise routine to the mix.

But eating and exercise are not the only areas of my life where I tend to overextend. I often manage to transform a relaxing pastime into a stressful event. I am enamored by color (probably because my own personal outlook of the world is so black and white - but that is the subject of another post). And while I really do not enjoy sewing - I love the patterns of quilt fabrics. I have already purchased material for holiday table runners (both Thanksgiving and Christmas, neither one made so far) - matching placemats and napkins - a girly quilt for Brynn consisting of bright pinks, greens, and whites - and a sudoku lap quilt for myself made with nine different batik patterns of varying shades of green and purple. I even spontaneously joined a quilt block-of-the-month group because the choices in patterns were either Jane Austen - Laura Ingalls Wilder - or Agatha Christie. How could I resist? That was in September. I have yet to take those pieces out of the packaging and have been too embarrassed to pick up the other three months.

In 2012 I would like to complete one of these projects - just to say that I actually quilted. I am tempted to declare that project will be the sudoku quilt, but it may end up being the 10 minute table runner (which took me three hours to make -- but hey, who's counting).

And then there is the photography interest that has yet to get off the ground. I have read numerous books on the subject and purchased several of them for my own personal library. I have taken a couple of online classes to help me develop my own creative eye - and yet I have taken very few photographs. There is fear lurking in there somewhere. Fear of what? I have no idea. But I would like 2012 to be the year that I actually get out of my head with photography and go out and actually take some pictures. I have no expectation of the quality of these photos - just that they represent my perspective of the world. Perhaps I will be inspired to write an essay or two from the pictures I take - or perhaps I will decide to scrapbook a few of them in a personal album. But those goals are secondary. I just want to feel comfortable behind the camera. I want to learn to document my life in pictures.

And then there is the realm of books. Since starting a book blog, my personal library has grown exponentially. I have not read a novel in nearly a year - and yet I continue to browse (and sometimes purchase) more. My most recent purchase was the entire series of the Harry Potter books in hard back for $40! And here is what I have learned about myself. The more choice I have .... the more paralyzed I become at making a decision. When my personal library was small, I was a voracious reader - but would rarely buy one book without having read one from my own personal shelves. Now that I have so many to choose from, I find it difficult to select just one to read for fear that there is another one that I might like better. It is a mental illness, I am sure.

So in 2012 I have decided not to join any reading challenges (as tempting as many of them sound). Well, at least I did make that proclamation until I caught up on the posts of A Novel Challenge. But even then I plan to only sign up for two challenges that I fully intend to complete. But that will be the subject of a separate post.

I have already rambled long enough here, but hopefully you understand my predicament. I do not want my energy and sense of anticipation to wane after January - but I want it to continue throughout 2012. I want to start new projects - and I want to actually complete them. I want to set goals for my life - but I want them to be manageable so that lifetime benefits can be realized. I have much that I want to pursue in the years ahead - but I need to learn to pace myself so that I can actually enjoy life itself.

It's Good to be Back!

2011-12-04T11:12:00.001-06:00

I simply cannot tell you how right it feels to be blogging again --- and your kind and encouraging comments yesterday confirmed that decision. THANK YOU!

I gave a lot of thought to reinventing "my" blog --- starting from scratch with a new domain, new name, new focus. But in the end I decided that this blog is truly a reflection of me. Three years ago my primary focus in life, outside family of course, was teaching and reading. Period. I was a two dimensional character. But over these past three years I have not so much reinvented myself as I have discovered new aspects of me. The butterfly is still the caterpillar - just in a different state. I am still Molly, but in a new (and hopefully improved) way. This blog will reflect that inner transformation.

So I decided to give the blog a new look - a facelift, so to speak. I had maintained the same blog design for nearly two years and it signaled to me the bookishness of my personality. I thought it might be best to change the outer design to signal to others that this blog is different - the same, but different. I even changed my profile picture - from the one taken nearly seven years ago to one that I took myself on Halloween. I have recently cut my hair from shoulder length to chin length --- and my costume that day was an authentic French beret. Not really a costume, but more an inner connection with my Parisian love affair and desire to revisit that city on a regular basis. It is not the most flattering picture that I have ever taken, but it is significant.

I currently have many posts ideas rambling around in my head - but I have promised myself that I will not stress posting every day - or even on a more modified schedule. I will post when I have the time - and the material. And I will thoroughly enjoy every minute of it!

Happy December to you all.

Rethinking

2011-12-03T10:09:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit

I have missed blogging. I have missed writing for an audience (I still write daily on 750words). I have missed the personal connection with my cyber friends. I have missed learning about myself by sharing with others.

So what has prevented me from writing? I could say the busyness of life (teaching six different classes each week; adjusting to life as a grandmother; preparing for the holidays), but that would not be accurate. I could say that I needed to take a break in order to recover from the life changes that I experienced this year (the loss of my mom; the birth of my first grandchild; the departure of my youngest for an apartment of her own). But that would not be totally accurate either. My primary reason for not blogging is because I have felt like an impostor in the book blogging world and I banished myself from the club.

Silly, I know. But when I first started My Cozy Book Nook reading was my primary leisure activity. And when I first discovered internet blogs, I was drawn to those that focused on books and literature. I joined several reading challenges, and made many online friends who were more voracious readers than myself. I owe much to these bloggers as they opened my eyes to new possibilities: new ways to connect with others - new ways to express myself - new genres of literature.

So this morning I researched the possibility of starting a new blog. A blog where I felt comfortable sharing all aspects of my life - not just books. Over the past two years I have experimented in several other activities that have provided me much pleasure: photography - quilting - scrapbooking (again) - traveling - writing. And I want to share these various aspects of me with others.

But I ran into several challenges this morning. For some reason I could not create a new blog using Blogger with Safari 5.1. So I rationalized that perhaps now was the time to switch to WordPress. But all of the domain names that I wanted to use (Beautiful Butterfly - The First Day of the Rest of Your Life - Free to be Me) were already taken. And then there was the decision whether to pay for self-hosting or not. I'm just not sure I am ready for that learning challenge at this moment in life.

Photo Credit

I was more confused than when I started the research, so I decided to take a shower. I do some of my best thinking in the shower and the thought came to me: I could still use My Cozy Book Nook for this new blog direction. Reading has not been eliminated from my life, it just isn't the sole focus of my life anymore. And many of the activities that I currently pursue - often take place in the Nook (it is now my craft space as well as reading room).

I know many of you have encouraged to me to do this for quite some time - but for some reason I held on to the artificial boundaries that I had set. So I thank you --- for your patience while I learned that this blog truly is for me and whatever I choose to make it.

So I am back. The posts will probably be rather eclectic and may not always resonate with you, my readers of the past, but they will be honest and they will chronicle the rediscovery of me. It's funny. This blog began on December 9, 2008. It is now reborn on December 3, 2011. A lot has happened in these three years, and I am quite excited to see what the next several years have in store.

Weekend Cooking: Sugar Cookies - round 1

2011-10-29T20:19:00.000-05:00

I can't remember the last time I participated in the Weekend Cooking meme sponsored by Beth Fish - but I have sure missed it! Along with not reading or blogging or writing - I have done very little baking these past few months. But I hope that I am coming out of the funk and will soon resume my normal pleasurable pastimes.

I don't know about you, but every year I vow to start Christmas baking and holiday crafts early so that I can enjoy the festive spirit for a longer period of time - and so that I am not stressed to complete everything at the last minute. And every year my good intentions never materialize. Today, however, I decided to experiment with sugar cookies in the hopes that I could overcome the learning curve before December rolls around. I have always loved a decorated cookie and have often looked with awe - and a bit of jealousy - at these edible works of art. I have subscribed to the Decorated Cookie Blog for several months now and she has inspired me to try my hand at a simplified version of these artistic treats.

A couple of years ago I purchased a delightful little book, Cookie Craft Christmas, which I reviewed here. In that post I discussed my problems with the flow technique of decorating. Since that time, I have purchased some plastic squeeze bottles to help with the icing mess - and I must admit that they work very well IF I have the icing at the right consistency. That was learning curve #1: the flow icing needs considerable more water than the original recipe calls for. I must admit that the transfer process of icing to bottle is rather messy and time consuming, but the ease in decorating the cookies makes it all worth it.

I really enjoy the sugar cookie recipe that is included in the book: the dough is not too sweet and very easy to handle - and I LOVE the suggestion of rolling the dough between sheets of wax paper. This helps maintain a clean surface and a clean rolling pin. The dough is the perfect consistency and after just 30 minutes in the refrigerator it is ready to cut into shapes. I decided to go with a fall theme, and the recipe made about 2.5 dozen leaves and a dozen acorns. The perfect amount for our small family. I would anticipate that the recipe could be easily doubled to accommodate a large holiday get together.

It was a good thing that I did not have any other plans today, as I spent most of the afternoon (12:30 - 5:30) in the kitchen. The cookies were neither difficult nor time consuming, and clean up was a breeze, but it took a bit more time to make the icing. The piped icing recipe was fairly accurate - although I had to add a bit more water, and it made more than enough icing to pipe outlines on all the cookies.

However, I failed to read the directions closely - which stated that the flow recipe made enough to decorate 2-3 batches of cookies. Needless to say, I had LOTS leftover. But I decided to go ahead and pre fill containers with Christmas colors in an effort to save time and frustration in December. I should think that it would be safe to keep around that long as the only ingredients include water, meringue powder, and powdered sugar.

Anyway, it was fun experimental day and I am now excited to have a family baking day when both my girls will come over and help decorate these traditional Christmas cookie treats.

Apple Season

2011-10-23T16:26:00.000-05:00

While I most certainly enjoy a good glass of cider this time of year, I must admit that the title of this post is my feeble attempt at a play on words.

Over the past six weeks or so I have totally converted to Steve Job's innovative computer technology. It began over Labor Day weekend when my son and I went to the Apple store. The purpose of that trip was to help me discern which product I might choose for my Christmas wish list. Needless to say, two hours later I left the store with a new MacBook Pro. Brian's rationale was that I wanted a new computer that could handle PhotoShop editing, and I should seize that opportunity now while my interest in working on the Paris pictures was still high. In addition, the educator special which provided a $100 credit to the Apple Apps store would terminate at the end of the month. So.... I took his advice and used the store credit to download PhotoShop Elements 9.

I was afraid that the learning curve would be frustrating and time consuming, since I have been a PC girl for decades - but in reality, I have found the MacBook Pro to be quite intuitive. In fact when I now use a PC I become frustrated that I can't just swipe the mouse to move the page up and down.

While I haven't done much with PhotoShop, I have enjoyed using the iPhoto software that was preloaded on the machine. Again, it is quite intuitive and will allow me to quickly upload any edited picture into my Flickr account (my user name is Mstermind1 if you'd like to connect). So far I have whittled down my original 3,500 Paris pictures to about 900 and those have all been sorted and categorized in iPhoto. I have only edited a few, but hope to work on more in the upcoming weeks.

Now flash forward to a week ago. I have experienced problems with the tracking ball on my current Sprint phone - and I knew that I was due for an upgrade soon. When I checked my account I realized that I could actually upgrade now rather than in November - and I had the option of upgrading to the brand new iPhone 4S. I must confess that my attraction to this phone was mainly due to its powerful 8 megapixel built-in camera rather than its communication abilities. Once again I gave in and rather than wait for a Christmas gift - I purchased the phone. I ordered it on Friday night and was told that I should have it within 3-8 business days. It was sitting on my pouch Monday afternoon when I returned home from school. And that was the start of what has quickly become my iPhone obsession.

Fortunately I did not have a rigorous work week, because I have spent nearly every free moment on the phone - researching apps to download or features to try. While I did not think that I would use the Siri function at all - I must say that I am duly impressed with her assistance. She can type a text message faster than anyone - and her accuracy is about 90% (she did confuse iPhone 4S with iPhone 4 ass - but fortunately I caught the error before I sent it). And I love the fact that I can talk or text someone while driving without taking my hands off the steering wheel.

I have absolutely LOVED reviewing all the different apps available - especially the photography apps, but have only allowed myself to download those that are free or cost $.99 (although I have quite a wish list developed for more expensive ones). My favorite app so far is King Camera. It is amazingly simple to use and yet allows me to edit the picture in so many different ways. Of course, I have downloaded other apps as well, including a scanner which will allow me to scan a barcode and check the price at other locations online - the kindle app (still boggles my mind that I can read a novel on my phone) - and of course the ever popular game, Angry Birds (although I much prefer a word game or sudoku).

This morning I learned that the Scrivener writing software - which I was able to purchase at a 50% discount because I successfully completed NaNoWriMo 2010 - can actually be synced with a free word text app called SimpleNote. While it took me about an hour to navigate the intricacies of this partnership, the end result is fantastic. I can upload sections of the book that I might like to work on while away from my computer - actually use my iPhone to write a chapter - and then upload those revisions to Scrivener again. In essence, my iPhone can be a netbook computer. I'm not sure how I will enjoy using the touch pad keyboard for an extensive period of time, but perhaps I will figure out a way to have Siri be my scribe (while I am writing this "tongue in cheek" somehow I have a feeling that there is more truth to this statement than I realize).

While I am sure I have only scratched the surface of the wonderful world of Apple products, I want to close by saying the iCloud function is beyond comprehension. I can take a picture with my iPhone and it will automatically sync with my iPhoto folder on my mac. So not only will I now have a camera with me at all times, but I will be confident that those pictures can be easily found at the location that is most convenient for me.

So I am curious about those of you have been Apple fanatics for a while, what tips do you have to share or favorite apps that you would recommend? I am anticipating that my productivity will be once again curtailed this week as I learn more about my new toys.

Where's Waldo....

2011-10-16T08:52:00.001-05:00

....or as the case may be, Where's Molly been?

I realize that I have not posted since my trip to Paris, which was over two months ago - and this week two very kind considerate bloggers took the time out of their own hectic lives to inquire if I was still alive: Alyce and Catherine thank you so much for checking on me.

Let's see if I can give a brief summary of these past several weeks:

I finally arrived home from France about 9:00PM on a Sunday night - and had to report back to school the following Friday at 8:30AM. I barely had time to recover from jet lag when I had to jump into lesson plans and literary analysis. For a variety of reasons - not the least of which include the economy and the necessity for the school to move for the third time in six years - our enrollment dropped about 30 percent. This created quite a bit of anxiety for me as I am paid by the student, not by the class. However, all has worked itself out financially, so no worries.

My goal this year is to complete most of my school work AT school - so that when I come home I am free to pursue personal interests. So far, I have been able to keep this promise. Well, at least as far as doing school work only at school. For some reason when I come home I have had little energy or interest in anything else but sitting on the couch. I have not picked up a book for pleasure reading since last spring - which is very unlike me and quite frankly, not conducive to the reputation of a book blogger. So I have chosen to hibernate and not post or read blogs as I felt rather unworthy of that privilege.

Brynn at Pumpkin Patch
October 15, 2011

I wonder if perhaps my stressful spring - Mom's passing, the birth of my granddaughter, the high school graduation of my youngest, and the planning of my trip to Paris - finally caught up with me. Not only did it zap my energy and desires, but I think it also lowered my immunity. I rarely get sick, but I have had the same cold for the past two weeks: not sick enough to prevent me from teaching, but enough to keep me from doing anything else.

BUT...the weather is cooler now in Kansas City and the promise of a frost this week gives hope to those who suffer from allergies and cold-like symptoms. The fall colors and thoughts of holiday preparations always puts me in a great mood, and the start of NaNoWriMo in just two weeks has put a new spring in my step and desire in my heart. I plan to write a memoir of my Parisian trip - the thirty year wait for the adventure of a lifetime. And as luck would have it, Dave Fox is offering an online workshop on travel writing in January - which is perfect timing to help me revise this very rough draft.

While I have still not picked up a book for pleasure - I hope to do that soon. I truly missed participating in Carl's RIP challenge and the Dewey Fall Read-athon, but there is always next year. I have wanted to write for the Weekend Cooking segment, but quite frankly I have had nothing to contribute. This cooler weather, however, has sparked a new interest in cooking and an adventurous desire to find new recipes to test. Since Trader Joe's just recently opened in Kansas City, I am anxious to sample many of their tasty treats.

The DUST - or as I like
to refer to it: the black
scarf of death

For those who followed my Paris journal, I finally resolved my camera's pesky dust problem, and I am anxious to take it out and capture some of the vivid fall leaves before they all wither and drop to the ground. I have also signed up for Susannah Conway's online course, Photo Mediations, which lasts through the first week of December - perfect timing to help me capture the fun of family holiday celebrations.

So yes....I am still here and am slowly making my way out of hibernation and acclimating myself again to the activities that give me great pleasure. I shall be visiting blogs again soon and look forward to reconnecting with many of my online friends. I have missed you all.

Day 14 - Final Day

2011-08-06T13:23:00.002-05:00

Well, this is the final day of the trip of a lifetime. I knew that the time would pass quickly - so I tried to truly be present in each and every moment. That was one of the reasons why I chose to document my daily adventures on the blog - so that when I re-read this few weeks from now, it will confirm that all really happened.

I wanted to make the last day special - but I didn't want to put pressure on the day (I am pretty good at that). So last night as I was deciding what to do I realized that Paris means two things to me: the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre. So that is the way I chose to spend my last day here.

This morning I did not set an alarm but woke up around 7:30AM. I had a leisurely coffee and internet browse, and then I mapped out my course for the day: Cimetere Passy (near the Eiffel Tower) - Rue Cler (open air market that is also near the Eiffel Tower) - and the Rodin Gardens (if the weather held out). At that point my plan was to return to the apartment and wander the streets of Montmartre one last time.

my "home" metro station

I decided that I would record my "every day" life in pictures - as I truly want to remember and document each event - no matter how trivial. So I spent quite a bit of time taking pictures in and around the metro. I had to take the #1 train on more time - and when I exited at Concorde (my usual stop) I was a wee bit disappointed that my father/son duet was not there to serenade me. Oh well, I thought, it is the weekend and they deserve the time off. When I exited at my next stop however, there they were --- and what were they playing? My all time favorite, The Chicken Dance. I knew that it would be a good day!

I had no problem finding the cemetery this go around - it helps when you google the exact street address and then query map directions. I even located a PDF file of all the French cemeteries - although a map was readily available upon entrance. I wanted to visit the Passy cemetery for two reasons: it is in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower, which would give me a different point of view of her loveliness - and it serves as the final resting place for Edward Manet - Berthe Morisot - and Claude Debussy. I had no problem finding Manet's headstone - the map directions seemed just perfect. And while he does not have a bird's eye view of the tower - he is looking in her direction.

One of the many views of
the Eiffel Tower from the
Passy Cemetery

I didn't have such luck with Claude Debussy. I walked and walked and walked in the small circle that was supposed to house his tombstone, but I never had luck finding it. Perhaps it was because I didn't know exactly what I was looking for - or perhaps it was because I was getting tired and the gnats were driving me crazy (it never rained on me this morning - but the humidity was so thick you could almost gag).

After spending about 45 minutes at the cemetery I felt that it was time to leave. I decided to take the subway to Rue Cler - the open air market that I went to earlier this week, but several shops were closed for lunch (note to Americans: the French often take a two hour lunch - and 2-3 weeks off in the month of August. They are not afraid to relax and rejuvenate!)

What an absolutely delightful surprise the #6 train turned out to be. I caught the train at the Trocadero metro stop - but immediately after leaving the station it exits from the dark subterranean tunnels and travels above ground --- giving the passengers a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower along the way. Quite magnificent.

I was afraid that Rue Cler would be quite crowded this Saturday morning, but much to my surprise, it was relatively empty. There were certainly people milling about - several tourists but also many locals purchasing their weekend supply of fresh fruit, bread, and cheese - perhaps it was the uncertain weather that kept people away.. In any case, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to slowly meander up and down the two block roadway and even dare to take a few pictures (after the experience at Rue Montorgueil - I have been rather skiddish about taking pictures of local shops). There were several spots available at the famed, Cafe Marche - so I sat at a table on the front row, ordered a cafe creme, and enjoyed the view. Unfortunately I could not buy any food products, as today was my last day - but I did manage to find a chocolate shop that had some decadent looking confections that I decided to bring home to the family (shhhh....don't tell....it is a surprise).

The skies were still cloudy, but fortunately no rain, so I decided to walk to the Rodin Gardens - where I knew for only one euro I could eat my lunch in a beautiful setting. On the way there, however, I passed by the Hotel des Invalides where I noticed a lovely flower garden with lots of bench seating. I decided to go through and check it out. Such a unique setting with few tourists. The perfect place to relax with my bread and cheese.

At this point I had decided that I had seen all that I cared to see in "the city" and decided that the rest of the day should be spent in my own neighborhood. I went to the apartment to rest for a while - and then ventured back up to Sacre Coeur one last time. She is truly beautiful and I will truly miss her --- although I must confess that I won't miss the hoards of people that surround her on the weekend. It started raining around 5:00 and I considered that my cue to return to the apartment and begin the process of packing up.

Yes, this has truly been a trip of a lifetime - and I know I have been infinitely blessed. I saw more than I really thought I would see - and I experienced Paris as a Parisian - which was the ultimate goal. I learned that I can navigate a strange city on my own and I can converse in French "well enough" I may not be an adventurer - but this was a spectacular adventure for me.

Paris Day 13 - FREE

2011-08-05T11:41:00.001-05:00

As I write this pre-entry on the Friday before I leave (two weeks ago) I am already feeling wistful that time in Paris is quickly coming to an end. I intentionally left these final two days completely free: no tours booked and no expectations. I still have plenty of sights left to see and restaurants left to sample, but I want these last two days to be spent doing what I feel in my heart I need to do. It just might be that I am ready to see more and do more and add variety to my itinerary --- or it may be that I will want to revisit some new favorites --- or it may be that I just want to sit in a cafe, relax, and begin to process what all this amazing journey has meant to me.

Well, I definitely didn't sit and relax - but that may come tomorrow!

I had so thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate tour last week - and did not want "Tony" to spoil the Latin Quarter for me - so I decided to meet up with the same tour company this morning and explore the Mouffetard section of the Latin Quarter. Unlike the chocolate tour - I didn't have to pre-register. I just showed up at the assigned metro stop and participated. The fee was 12 euro for a two hour tour. It is billed as the Hemingway Tour - and the guide does discuss the author quite a bit - but really it was a tour of this particular section of the Latin Quarter. I would not hesitate to recommend this group to anyone who is looking for a way to discover a new region of Paris in just a couple of hours. The two guides that I had were quite knowledgeable - and passionate - about their chosen topic and so it was quite delightful to walk around and listen to their expertise.

Steps on the side of the church -
St Etienne-du-Mont
scene of Midnight in Paris

The weather was a bit odd today --- rain and cool and then bright sunshine, humid and hot. The coat came on and off several times - but mostly it was just cloudy and really didn't prevent anyone from having an enjoyable time. We saw two of Hemingway's apartments during his seven year stay in Paris - and we were able to walk down the market street of Rue Mouffetard. But the true highlight for me was when we saw the steps where Owen Wilson, in the movie Midnight in Paris, is transported back to a different era. It was truly magical and now I can hardly wait to see the movie again, now that I have seen this location.

The tour ended about 12:30 and I decided to take the metro to the Marais section and walk down rue Faubourg-St. Antoine to Place de la Bastille. I wanted to try to imagine what it must have been like for the DeFarge's - in Charles Dickens's, A Tale of Two Cities - living in this area during the time of the French revolution. Well, let me tell you it took some real imagination. The street is filled with as many American shops (Gap - Izod - Nike) as it is filled with French couture. I did manage to stumble upon the Marche d'Aligre - the street market that is touted as being truly authentic. The sign says that it is open until 1:30 and they weren't kidding. I arrived at 1:31 (I checked my watch) and all the vendors were packing up. I wandered up and down the street however and realized that this market specializes in fresh produce. It would be lovely to see at its prime, but I'm not sure that i would be able to purchase anything. I was thrilled to have found it though.

The last relics of the Bastille

I continued walking down the gentrified Faubourg-St. Antoine until I reached the Place de la Bastille and it truly took my break away. I spent a bit of time in the park across the street - munching on some bread and taking it all in. I then decided to walk a bit out of the way to a small park on Rue Henri IV to see the few remnants of the original Bastille prison. There is only a small plaque indicating their significance - and on the opposite side there is the space where the park employees store their equipment. Not much of a spectacle, but I hope that I can bring this experience into my Brit Lit classroom next year.

Interior Park at Place des Vosges

At this point it was about 2:30 (significantly earlier than I anticipated) and so I continued down Faubourg-St. Antoine to Victor Hugo's house. I had heard that it is quite a little gem in the city, as the fee to see the apartment is FREE and the views are spectacular: overlooking the Place de Vosges. I wish I knew the works of Hugo better, as I am sure that the apartment tour would have meant a bit more - but it was still fascinating to see how the writer lived.

Hard to tell the view - but
trust me - spectacular!

From here I caught the train home - although I knew it was a bit early to turn in (about 4:00) It then occurred to me that I had not really had lunch (unless you count those two pieces of bread in the park) and I was starving. I decided to treat myself to another Salade Nicoise at Le Relais de la Butte -- the first restaurant I visited when I arrived and the apartment was not yet ready. I sat in almost the exact same place - still had the spectacular view - and enjoyed a filling salad. As I was walking home (just a few steps away) I noticed a new sign for an apartment in the area --- similar apartment to the one I am renting --- and the price? A mere 359,000 euros (approximately $503,000) Hmmmm...I think I got a pretty good deal for paying 1,000 euros for two weeks and living like a true Parisian.

I am now glad that I called it an early day - it is down pouring outside! I think I will relax - perhaps organize souvenirs etc to pack tomorrow - and think about how I wish to spend my last day in this beautiful city of lights.

Paris Day 12 - Tour Eiffel

2011-08-04T12:04:00.000-05:00

While I have visited her before - and no doubt have seen her numerous times already this trip - I simply cannot imagine that a trip to Paris is complete without a formal rendez-vous with the Tour Eiffel. I fully anticipate doing such touristy things as taking loads of pictures from Trocadero Square, riding up to at least the first landing of the tower, and treating myself to a boat ride along the Seine. This is quintessential Paris - and I look forward to every minute of it.

I also hope to travel to the Ile des Cygnes (Island of the Swans) to visit the smaller Statue of Liberty that resides in France. I have only seen her quickly - and from a great distance - and I would like to visit her up close. It is my understanding that one must travel past several homeless areas in order to reach Lady Liberty - and I hope that I do not chicken out.

In addition, the Musee Marmottan is nearby this area which houses many of Monet's artwork as well as other Impressionist paintings. This museum was not included with the Museum pass, so I intentionally scheduled the visit a few days after that whirlwind museum tour.

Well, today was back to the walking tour. I got rather used to being driven around the French countryside - but the walk did me good today. I managed to drop my pedometer on Monday and broke the back off --- so I can only estimate that my step count today was between 12,000 and 15,000 steps.

I left the apartment around 8:30 so that I could travel around Montmartre and take a few pictures that I have meant to snap - but just have not taken the time to do so. I went back to the original site of the photography class and took a few pictures of Sacre Coeur in her entirety. I have retired the dslr until I get home - so these pictures were done with the point and shoot - but that is better than nothing. I then walked a bit around the area in an effort to retrace the Impressionists' steps. I walked to Place de Pigalle, where it is my understanding the origninal cafe Nouvelle Athenee stood, but now there is just an ugly fountain (with only stagnant water). I think there is currently another Nouvelle Athenee that has been built - but it is significantly further down the street.

The one picture that I knew I wanted to take was of Degas's last home where he lived: #6 Blvd de Clichy. It was so strange to see the door open, a woman mopping the sidewalk, and the door flanked by commercial shops on either side. I then went to find the door of Van Gogh (which I didn't knew existed until yesterday's tour) and it is still located in a very residential section: 54 Rue Lepic - which happens to be the same street, just a wee bit downhill, from the Moulin de la Galette.

It was then time to head out of the neighborhood and into the Tour Eiffel section of Paris. It seems that in order to get to anywhere in Paris from Montmartre (line 12), I need to change at the Concorde station and transfer to line 1. And every day when I exit the metro I hear this lovely French music echoing through the halls. I don't know if this is a father and son duet or not --- but the elderly gentleman plays the accordian, and the younger one the tuba. I decided to work up my nerve to take their picture today. I had planned to offer them a bit of money for providing my entertainment these past few days - but come to find out they had a CD available. PERFECT. I bought a CD and took their photo.

It was then on to the Musee Marmottan - which features mostly Monet and Morrisot. It was really a lovely collection and I thoroughly enjoyed walking through all the rooms. Of course, the most significant part was in the basement which housed several sketches and paintings that Monet did over his lifetime and which had been in the possession of his son Michel. There were also five portraits of Monet done by various artists over his lifetime. It was really a lovely museum.

I then caught the metro again and this time went to Trocadero Square - the heart of Paris if you ask me. This is where you see the Eiffel Tower in all her beauty and are able to take a great picture (if you are patient with all the other hundreds of tourists trying to do the same thing). After taking a few obligatory photos - I then walked down towards the tower and bought myself the quintessential - croque monsieur (basically grilled ham and cheese sandwich) and a bottle of water. I sat on a bench and enjoyed people watching while eating my lunch. This picture was my view from the bench - pretty amazing!

The one thing that I did not accomplish on my pre-write list was to go up the tower. The line was amazingly long (I would guestimate two hours minimum) and since I have already had that experience, I decided to forego it this time. Instead, I followed my trusty map and managed to find the Allee des Cygnes - which is a fairly long alley, I am here to tell you - and I found the Statue of Liberty. I had so hoped that it would provide a view of both Lady Liberty and Tour Eiffel (I know that there is a certain roadway where you can see the two together), but this was certainly fine. Not many were there (it is fairly off the beaten path) and so obtaining a few pictures was possible.

I had planned to walk from the Statue of Liberty to the Passy Cemetery - but I was having a difficult time finding its exact location on the map. It was starting to rain a bit harder and I decided to forego the cemetery in favor of returning to a more populated area. Perhaps if I have time on Friday or Saturday I will try to find it - as it houses the final resting places of Manet, Morrisot, and Claude Debussy.

Once I walked back to the Eiffel Tower I noticed that the clouds were rolling in. Rain had been predicted, and I did pack an umbrella, but the morning had been so warm and sunny that I left my raincoat at the apartment. Not necessarily a wise move. I did manage to walk to Rue Clerc (similar to Rue Montgorgeuil although smaller - only about two blocks long, but highly touted by Rick Steves) but several of the shops were closed. I'm not sure whether they were closed for August -- or just for lunch (many establishments seem to close their doors between 1:00 and 3:00) - but it was nice to look around a get a feel. I have pretty much decided to take another tour tomorrow that should travel to Rue Moufftard - where I am hoping to get a few pictures with some friendly shop keepers.

At this point it really started to drizzle and so I took out my trusty purple PARIS umbrella that I bought on the street - and it promptly blew upwards in the wind. Oh well, I suppose you get what you pay for. I figured I was too close to the Rodin museum to miss it, so I braved the now steady rain and walked the few blocks. I had to stand in line - but it wasn't too bad. The museum was very nice --- but it was sensory overload for me. I barely have acquired a little appreciation for paintings - I haven't quite worked my way up to sculpture yet (although it is a little daunting how a sculptor has to consider all sides -- whereas a painter is just working in two dimensions). If the weather were nicer I would have done as Rick Steves suggests and just paid the one euro for the gardens (which has to be one of the best deals in Paris). They are truly amazing and I am considering - if I have time on Saturday and the weather is nicer - returning to the gardens so that I can truly enjoy them.

I got home about 5:30PM and decided to call it a night. It was a good day - but I am ready to put my feet up and relax a bit. Like I said, I think I will do the "Hemingway Tour" tomorrow which essentially covers the Latin Quarter - I figure I won't have to be wary of "tony" if I am with a group. This is the same tour company that hosted the chocolate tour that was exceptional - so I have very high hopes. After that, I'm not quite sure what I might do. I think perhaps head over to the Marais section and check out the Faubourg-St. Antoine area. It is amazing hard to believe that I have but two short days left of this fabulous trip of a lifetime.

Paris Day 11 - Giverny

2011-08-03T11:36:00.000-05:00

Perhaps the visit to the Musee Marmottan filled my Monet void and I will not choose to travel an hour by train to his home in Giverny. Or...perhaps that museum visit just left me wanting more. Right now I have left this time free, but thought it might be nice to take the train from the Gare Lazare to Vernon and then on to Monet's final home. The town sounds quite picturesque and worth the trip. His home is open to view, and visitors are allowed to walk the paths in the garden and see his the famous waterlilies firsthand. I would try to leave on the first train out in the morning, however, in the hopes of avoiding some of the crowds so that I can actually take some floral photographs without the backsides of fellow tourists.

The town also offers an Impressionism museum that sounds fascinating, and having lunch in a cafe outside the city of Paris may be the perfect way to relax after a week and half of constant travel.

Ok --- well, there was a bit of adjusting going on here.

After the experience with Tony - my "pick up" guy - I have been a little leery to travel too far out of my comfort zone --- and getting on a train to Giverny at Gare St. Lazare was definitely out of my comfort zone. So over the weekend I decided to splurge and take my chances on another tour. I had found this tour some time ago. The negative side of the tour was the cost (169 euros) and the fact that it received mixed reviews on Trip Advisor. However, over the weekend I decided to thoroughly read the reviews and it seemed for every negative review, there was a response from the company asking to be contacted so they could make it right. This seemed like a step in the right direction. In addition, this tour not only provided transportation to Giverny (if i took the train I would have to catch a bus or taxi from the station in Vernon to Monet's house) -- but it also included a second tour to Auvers - where VanGogh spent his last days. I threw caution to the wind - once again - and booked it.

The tour was scheduled for Wednesday - so my original plan to do the Eiffel Tower and Marmottan museum beforehand has been switched to tomorrow (so stay tuned....)

Unlike the wine tour yesterday - this tour picked me up right outside my apartment. Again, they were only about 5 minutes later than anticipated, so that was perfect timing in my book. The tour guide was not as polished as Jean-Bernard --- and he was also training another guide, so most of his time was spent speaking french with her. There were only two others in the van, so we were a small group. Sylvain (the guide) was very good about pointing out areas of Paris that we might be interested in as we were leaving the city, and he provided good commentary about Monet on our way to Giverny. The others in the van were very quiet, so I assumed that this would be a very independent (and quiet) day. Which is not a bad thing in my book.

It took about one hour to drive to Giverny - but we were able to park right away - obtain our tickets - and enter the gardens by avoiding the crowded lines. It was beautiful - spectacular - in fact, I am not sure that I could find "le mot juste" to describe these gardens. Almost sacred. There were numerous tourists, but all were quiet and respectful. The rainbow colors of the flowers - the tranquil lily pads floating in the water - the majestic weeping willows all worked together to provide the most serene setting. I spent about 30 minutes walking the pathways and taking pictures. Quite honestly - we could not have asked for better weather. It was raining in Paris when we left - but had dried up with cloudy skies when we arrived at the gardens. I think if it had been a sunny day the crowds would have been fierce - and it would not have been as enjoyable in the rain. Simply perfect.

We then exited the gardens and walked towards the house. Flowers were blooming absolutely everywhere -- and in every color and size and shape. I am not even a flower lover and I was swept away by the beauty. We entered the house and were able to tour (although not take pictures of) the living room - the salon where he painted - the dining room - the kitchen - and then venture upstairs to see two bedrooms and a hallway. It was fascinating to think that Monet walked these same stairs that I was climbing. I must admit that I was somewhat appalled by the actions of other tourists. We were politely told not to take pictures inside (and there were plenty of postcards available in the gift shop afterwards) and yet people were clicking right and left. One mother had her toddler child sit on one of the chairs to pose for a photographic -- can you believe it?! I rushed out of the room before I was about to same something rather unkind.

We were then able to visit the Impressionism museum which was currently exhibiting a collection of Impressionism paintings from the Clark collection. They were magnificent - several Renoirs, plus Degas, Manet, Monet, etc. The ideal part of this tour, I think, is that we were allowed a full two hours to see and do whatever we wanted. If we wanted to stay in the garden two hours and forego the house tour and museum, we could. While the guides did not actually lead us through the exhibits - to be honest - there was no need for them to do so. It was the absolutely the perfect amount of time to spend - and I spent it exactly the way I wished.

We then climbed back inside the van and ventured to lunch at a lovely little restaurant, Le Moulin de Fourges, about twenty minutes down the road. The restaurant obviously caters to the tourist crowd - as we were placed in a separate building from the main house - but it was still very pleasant. Having led two student group tours to London, I must say I am accustomed to tour meals that are less than mediocre - but not so in this case. The three of us travelers were sat at a table together - and the two tour guides sat alone. This proved to be a wonderful idea. The three of us - all single women traveling together - opened up and shared a little bit about our lives. Chelsea was an Art History major at Arizona State University student who had just finished a four-week intensive language course in Lyon and today was her last day in Paris before heading back to the states. Margaret was probably a late 50s professor teaching art history 101 in Kuwait at the American University.

We had an absolutely lovely chat together over a simple meal of salad - chicken with mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes - pomme tarte - red wine and coffee. It is highly unusual that these kinds of mass lunches are as tasty as this one - nor as inclusive.

The next stop was Auvers - and Chelsea was a great admirer of VanGogh so she was able to share lots of information on the one hour drive. When we arrived we first visited his room where he spent his last days. Because others were superstitious of staying in a room of a man who committed suicide -- all the furniture had been removed and the room left exactly as it was in July, 1890. The holes where he apparently hung his paintings to dry were evident - and a portion of the 7 square meter room has been partitioned with the hope of putting the original painting of "his room" for us to view. It was a sober experience.

There was another room that we were able to visit where they actually have his iron bed and marble washstand set up the way they think perhaps it was originally placed. This room they have wallpapered in a sunny yellow and it is not nearly as sacred - although very interesting to view. The museum has also put together a fifteen minute video that chronicles the last few days of his life -- marrying photographic images of the area at that time with his actual paintings of those places.

We then walked from the restaurant above which he lived to the cemetery where he is buried next to his brother Theo. Along the walkway there are plaques that show a famous VanGogh painting next to the actual sight. One such place was at the "eglise" - and we were not only allowed to take pictures outside, but inside as well.

It was then just a short walk up to the hill to the cemetery -- very understated - where we found the two brothers' graves. We later learned that it was just across from this cemetery where VanGogh shot himself - which led to his untimely death. All in all it was a very worthwhile experience.

We then traveled back to Paris - only about 40 minutes away - and I arrived home a bit after 5:00PM. I am half tempted to go out and do something - and half tempted to stay home and relax, plan my last three days in Paris, and just relish the joy of these two tours.

Paris Day 10 - Winery Tour

2011-08-02T14:27:00.000-05:00

I have great expectations of this trip - and I hope that it does not disappoint. I had originally thought that perhaps I could visit the Beaujolais area of France (Lyon) as that is my favorite wine to drink and brings back such fond memories of living in New York City and celebrating the winter months with good friends and fruity wine. However, the distance between Paris and Lyon is just too great to attempt during this short trip. So that led me on an internet search for a wine tour that is within a day's travel of the city. One option was Riems, home to the great champagnes of the world - but I am not much for the bubbly, so I continued to search.

I booked with Wine Day Tours because they offer small groups (no more than eight) - private mini van service - visits to two local wineries who promise to take us out to vineyards and truly teach us the process from start to finish - as well as a sampling of their fine products - and a visit to a local farm that makes chevre (goat cheese - my favorite!). This is an all day affair (7:30AM - 7:30PM) and includes breakfast and lunch. I hope to document this unique educational adventure with lots of photographs. I only hope that I am not the only single in the trip and feel like a fifth wheel.

WOW -- what a marvelous day with terrific people and a wonderful tour guide!

I had to meet Jean-Bernard at an unfamiliar metro stop this morning at 7:40. He is happy to pick up customers at hotels, but for obvious reasons he can't be expected to make stops at every apartment. I arrived right on time and he was only about 5 minutes later than expected PERFECT timing!

The van was full - and all of South American decent. There was a couple (probably early thirties) from Brazil and very welcoming; two girlfriends on vacation from Brazil (probably mid thirties) and one was the life of the party - a real delight; and then two guys from San Francisco, probably mid twenties who were very nice but still dealing with jet-lag.

While Jean-Bernard has only been doing this tour a little over a year (he was let go from work about two years ago - spent a year deciding what he really wanted to do - and then started the company) - he is a top of the line professional. He schedules stops every hour - so those who have rather small bladders do not have to suffer. The first stop (just outside of Paris) he included hot coffee a croissants for us to munch on. The next stop was just outside of Pouilly - at a goat cheese farm: Ferme du Port Aubry. Absolutely delightful!!

While I could wax on and on about today's excursion - I thought I might allow my pictures to do the talking. I took over 350 photos today (with my compact camera - I don't trust my dslr anymore) and have really only briefly reviewed them. I was very excited to share the day with you, however, so here is quick review.

We were able to watch them make a fresh batch of cheese from the morning milking. The 400 goats are milked twice a day: once in the morning and once in the late afternoon.

After the cheese is properly made it is put in the drying room. How long it dries is dependent on how aged you want the cheese.

We were able to try 4 different agings: the "fresh" cheese which was only 6 days old; then another cheese with a slight bit of mold (we were assured it was "good" mold) that had aged about 3 weeks; another that had aged about 6 weeks; and the last that had aged about 8 months. I thought goat cheese was always soft - but I guess I have never had aged goat cheese. The 8 month old tasted similar to Parmesan to me.

After the tasting we were allowed to look around the shop (they not only had cheese --- but fresh creme - fresh butter - dried sausages from another local farm - several different styles of jam - fois gras - etc, etc etc. If I didn't have to carry it all on the metro - and if I were staying another week, I could bought half the store! We were then allowed to tour the farm a bit and see the goats. They were SO much fun!

From there we went not too far down the road to winery. In this area most of those who live in the villages are somehow connected with the wine business. This particular winery has been in business for hundreds of years - and her house was beautiful. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take many pictures as we were in a hurry to get to lunch. She only makes white wine, however, and we were able to taste all four different whites that are made. It was a very worthwhile tour.

Next we drove across the Loire River (which is VERY shallow -- quite surprising to me) to the Sancerre region. We had lunch at a lovely restaurant - where one side is a Michelin Star restaurant - and the other side is a bistro. We ate at the bistro, which suits my taste just fine. As part of the wine tour, we had a three course meal that consisted of a very fresh pasta salad, roasted chicken and potatoes, and fresh fruit with espresso for dessert. Simply perfect.

After lunch we went to the "old" town of Sancerre. We visited the wine museum, which was really quite informative ---explaining the difference of terroire and how the same grape grown in the same region can create such different wines. We were then allowed to walk around this quaint section of town for about 40 minutes before we had to board the van and head to the second winery.

As wonderful as the first part of the trip was --- the second was hand's down my favorite. The Wine grower was very personable - obviously passionate about his wine and willing to share any information (and wine) that he could. We spent over an hour in his tasting room - tasting 2 reds - 3 whites - and then he allowed us into the fermentation room to taste "straight from the vat". What a wonderful experience. I don't think any of us wanted to leave and all felt as though we had found a new friend in Michel.

And if that wasn't enough - as we headed out of town Jean-Bernard stopped along the side of the road and allowed us to walk through the vineyard and take a few pictures. OH MY - another truly great experience. In this picture I wanted to try to show what is meant by 'terroire' The soil in this region is not so much dirt, but rather limestone and/or flint. Look how rocky it is!

The grapes themselves are still rather small - and green. They should begin to change color in about 15 days. This year the harvest will be very early - probably the first part of September. While I have experienced mild temperatures, it was apparently quite warm in France in March, April, and May which has meant an earlier harvest than usual (it is my understanding that if you take this wine tour during the harvest - you actually get to go into the vineyard and cut your own grapes --- how great would that be?!)

As we were loading into the van we noticed that Jean-Bernard made a quick dash to the vineyard one more time. Come to find out he picked a few small berries for us to taste. The skin was still very thick - and the taste quite bitter - but I was amazed how the taste of the flint rock came through the fruit. I guess I did learn something today.

All in all an absolutely fantabulous day --- and I am now very excited to see Giverny tomorrow!

Paris Day 9 - FREE

2011-08-01T14:08:00.000-05:00

Most of the museums are closed on Mondays, which tends to open up the day for other activities. I have absolutely no preconceived expectations for today - and seeing how I am entering the second week of the trip, that is probably a good idea.

I have several possible options, some of which include a tour of the Parisian Canals - or a step back in time at the Jardin d'Acclimation nestled in the Bois de Boulogne (this was recommended by another terrific blogger, Virginia of Paris through my Lens) or perhaps just mellow out and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Paris Plage (the most amazing and creative urban transformation: tons of sand is trucked into the city and spread along the banks of the Seine to create a beach atmosphere for the people to enjoy throughout the hot weeks of July and August). I have not completely ruled out the possibility of staying in my neighborhood and strolling the streets of Montmartre, perhaps visiting its small museum and cemetery.

Ok - Well, obviously all that pre-planning is slowly going out the window!

I decided early on that the Parisian Canal tour was not a high priority item - so I immediately canceled that idea. While the Jardin d'Acclimation sounds fun - and the Bois de Boulogne a unique Parisian experience, quite honestly my run-in with "Tony" in the Latin Quarter has rather put me off going to totally unfamiliar places.

Instead, I decided to spend the morning close to home. I ventured out with my "good" camera and tried to take the pictures that I missed last Monday due to that pesky dust issue. I managed to take a few of the artists around the Place du Tertre (although some are very anti-photographs and others practically pose for you). I learned which two sides of the square I prefer - those artists who are working on original paintings - and which sides to try avoid - artists who wish to do a portrait of the tourists and charge a pretty penny. They can be just a bit too pushy for me.

After taking several photographs I decided to do some souvenir shopping. It was not yet crowded in Montmartre and I knew I wanted to take my time in selecting just the right gift. I didn't get much in the way of presents, as I sincerely hope that I can return to Paris with the rest of the family. But in the meantime, perhaps these little momentos will get them excited.

I took all the souvenirs back to the apartment - grabbed a quick bite to eat of some leftovers - and then decided to head towards Notre Dame and perhaps capture a few photos there. I challenged myself to take the subway that takes me right to the Ile de la Cite - which meant that I had to change trains not once but twice. I navigated the metro system well - but I'm not sure that it actually saved me much walking time. The line to get into the cathedral was much too long for me - so I chose just to take a few pictures outside and then walk along the Seine and visit the bouquinistes.

I was shopping for vintage postcards and while I found several - I couldn't help but think that these are probably manufactured in the 21st century but made to look antique. Oh well...in any case I wanted some semblance of what France must have been like around the turn of the century - so I chose some postcards that showed the street scenes - as well as some postcards that showed the people. I even managed to take a picture of a helpful bouquiniste.

At this point it was about 4:00PM -- too early to go home, but too late to take on another adventure in a different arrondissement. As luck would have it I was at the Pont Neuf and noticed a sign for a boat tour, Vendettes Pont Neuf. Well, this was not at all on my schedule of events - but I wanted to do something fun, and the thought of sitting for an hour on a moving boat sounded delightful. The cost was just 2 euros more than Bateaux Mouches (which I had planned to do late this week anyway) AND....I was the second person on the boat - which allowed me to go to the top and sit in the front row so as not to worry about anyone's head in my photographs. It was obviously "meant to be."

My "dust" friend - I
can't decide if it looks like a
dying black seagull -
or a runaway scarf

We sat on the boat for about 20 minutes before it "set sail" and I took several pictures to pass the time. Then on the way out I really began snapping. It was a marvelous excursion and I was so pleased that I had given in to the spontaneous. And then.....the dreaded dust appeared! UGH --- I really can't tell you how much I loathe this situation. I don't have to worry about dust with my point and shoot (and thank goodness I thought to bring that with me) --- but it is certainly does not provide the close-up shots I enjoy nor is it a "fast" as the dslr. What I have learned, after reviewing the pictures, is that the "dust" is not evident in all of the photos - it just depends on the composition. And I suppose that for many of these pictures (like the one I decided to share with you here) I could easily mask the dust spec out in post production (I guess now is the time to learn photoshop!). But that takes time - and it is not as easy to do on all the pictures - and doggone it, I really have tried to take care of my camera and I do not like feeling like a failure.

Once I returned to the apartment Itried t o do everything I know I to do and the dust still remains. Tomorrow I am supposed to go on a lovely winery tour - and Wednesday I am supposed to go to Giverny, Monet's home and exquisite gardens. I suppose I will take double pictures: one set with the dusty "good" camera - and another set with the reliable point and shoot. All I can say is....Zut alors!

Day 8 - Montmartre

2011-07-31T12:46:00.004-05:00

I didn't write a pre-post for today because I knew that I would set it aside as a free day. It has been exactly a week since I arrived (incredibly hard to believe!) and I wanted to reserve today to review what I have done - what I have left to do - and what I would really like to accomplish today.

Windmill at Moulin de la Galette

I decided that I would give myself a walking break today and stay close to home. I didn't even wear the pedometer --- but I probably walked close to 10,000 steps anyway. As I mentioned yesterday, I made a lunch reservation at the Moulin de la Galette for 12:30 and decided to truly pamper myself today. I wore nice pants with "real" shoes - not my walking sandals, and I only took my purse rather than my large backpack. I had originally thought I would visit the Musee Montmartre prior to lunch, but I got a bit turned around so instead, I meandered the streets of Montmartre taking a few pictures here and there. Since it was before noon, the streets were relatively quiet with few tourists walking about (not so after lunch).

I arrived at the restaurant right on time and after taking numerous pictures of the windmill (I have probably taken 50 pictures of this 'moulin' so far) I walked in and waited to be seated. They allowed me to sit on the terrace - at a corner table that was quite delightful. I just sat back and drank in the beauty. While I didn't understand every word of the menu, I could discern enough to know that I wanted to order a salad with goat cheese and violet mustard sauce (!) and then a fillet of fish with green vegetables. I had no idea what kind of fish it was - but as luck would have it, they were sold out and replaced it with Sole Mueniere - at the same price! It wasn't until I had already decided on my selections that I realized the English translation was on the back page!

The first course was simply exquisite. The tender leaves of butter lettuce was the perfect accompaniment to the creamy texture of ewe's cheese and the tangy touch of salad dressing. The slices of cheese were placed on toasted slices of baguette. I tried to take a note from David Lebovitz's book - which states that the French use a knife and fork with everything - and so I tried to cut the cheese crouton - which I managed to do but with quite a loud clang against the plate. I'm not sure that our eating by hand isn't more refined.

I learned quickly that a Fillet in France is not exactly the same in as it is in America. I am accustomed to the term meaning "boneless" but after one very small bite I quickly learned that was not the case. Fortunately it was only a small bite and it did not take me much time at all to learn how to gently cut away the delicate fish from its skeleton. I thoroughly enjoyed this light course, especially the freshly cooked vegetables - and it meant that I had a bit of room for dessert.

It is rare that I ever eat at such a fancy place - nor order a three course meal - but today I figured when in Paris, do as the Parisians - so I splurged and ordered the Millfeuille framboise with cassis sorbet. It was truly beautiful - and once again, presented a rather tricky situation regarding the proper way to eat it. I managed to use the knife and fork and enjoy every single light, refreshing bite.

As wonderful as the food was - and as delightful as it was to sit in the corner and imagine what life would have been like in 1875 and dancing in this (now small) terrace - I must confess that the absolute best part of this meal was the woman who sat next to me. She did not allow me to take her picture (her make up wasn't just right...so she said) but I would say she was probably in her late 60s or early 70s - but dressed to the nines. When she walked in she had her dog on a leash - a typical french poodle - and they sat her at the reserved table for three next to me: one chair was for her - one for her purse - and the other (I kid you not...) was for her dog. Nicki sat there ever so polite and she would occasionally feed him nibbles of her steak tartare. I was brave enough at the end of my meal to ask if I could take a picture "Bien sure" she said - and immediately had Nicki pose. From that moment on we started a conversation - en francais - that I was able to continue. It was absolutely delightful - and as eccentric as she seemed when she entered the restaurant - I learned she was as beautiful when I left. It is absolutely true - you cannot judge a book by its cover. And now I have learned that I can indeed carry on a conversation with someone and not worry about their ulterior motives!

Emile Zola

The rest of the day was spent going to the Musee Montmartre - where Renoir once lived - and then the Cimetiere where I found the final resting places of Degas and Zola.

All in all - it was the absolutely perfect Sunday.

I will spend the rest of the evening deciding what to do tomorrow. I think I might try to rectify the disastrous photography session of last Monday and return to all those lovely sights early in the day so as to avoid the tourists - and retake some shots using my dust free camera. Tuesday is a winery tour and Wednesday I have just signed up for a tour of Giverny - so my time is quickly running out.

Day 7 - Rue Montorgueil and Pompidou Center

2011-07-30T14:31:00.000-05:00

Many of the tour books that I have read tout the Marche d'Aligre market as being truly authentic - that is, more locals than tourists can be found here. I hope to get an early start to the day and tour the market in style. At this point I should hope to be a pro - or at least not so self conscious.

While I have no real plans for today - which is exactly the way I like to spend a Saturday - I thought it might be fun to keep a food theme going and visit Les Halles (I have linked you to a fabulous blogger who provides detailed descriptions as well as countless photos of the city of Paris). For those of you who are familiar with Zola's work, this is the Belly of Paris location (I personally have not read any of Zola's works yet, but this may go to the top of the TBR pile after the visit). In a former life ever so many decades ago - I dappled in the area of catering and I think deep down there is still a culinary interest. It might be fun to traverse this area pretending to be a chef and looking for that perfect ingredient or that special cooking utensil.

Entrance to Rue Montorgueil

Today was the last day for my museum pass ticket and I knew I wanted to visit the Centre Pompidou, so I reviewed my maps and decided that I would visit Rue Montorgueil (as per David Lebovitz's suggestion) and save Marche d'Aligre for later this week. On the one hand, this was a perfect morning. The streets were not terribly crowded at 10:00AM (I have decided that Paris does not really wake up until about 11:00 - perhaps that is because it stays light until after 10:00PM) and there were so many specialty food shops lining the pedestrian only roadway. If I lived in Paris - I would frequent this place at least once a month. On my way there I just happened upon the specialty cookware store, E Dehillerin, and enjoyed browsing the aisles of every conceivable knife, mold, and cooking utensil. There are no prices anywhere near these items however, so you really don't know what you are paying until they check you out. I am sure I am not the typical clientele, and they knew it, but I did buy a couple of pastry scrapers and a butter curler as souvenirs for a price of 13 euros.

The infamous sign!

I did learn today that the French shop owners are not like those in America. We think nothing of whipping out our cell phones and taking photos every where we go - and usually no one thinks twice about it. Not so in France. Now I can understand that they might wish to be protective of their shop interior - and the baked goods that are, in essence, their intellectual (and gastronomical) property. But one particular vendor became very upset when I took a picture of the sign outside his establishment. This made me rather wary of taking any pictures for the duration of my visit, which is quite unfortunate, because the entire walk is quite reminiscent of what Paris might have been like around the turn of the century. (of note ---- the same shop also has a cart in the Jardin Tuilerie - with the same signage - and no one cared if pictures were taken or not!)

Along the route I did buy a Poulet Sandwich and a Tarte Orange to eat in a local park. There were so many tasty sensations all along the way from arromatic fromageries to decadent patisseries, and I could easily have bought so much more, but I knew I had the rest of the day ahead of me and little room in my backpack to carry things.

The next stop was the Centre Pompidou - where I did indeed find a nice spot to sit and eat lunch and enjoy people watching. The lines were quite low at this museum - I don't know if it was still too early for the crowds (around 12:30PM) - or if the extremely nice weather (sunny and around 75) dictated outdoor activities rather than indoor museum visits. In any case, I was able to enter immediately and set on my way. Interestingly .... I have purchased audio guides at each museum (I really don't know much about art and can use all the help that I can get) but the Pompidou was the first time that I had to leave my driver's license as collateral. That was a bit eerie - but then again, the audio guide was essentially an iPod Touch and I am sure much more expensive than the others.

La Liseuse by Picasso

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this museum. While I have always suffered from the "I don't get it" syndrome of modern art, I allowed myself to just view the paintings and the photographs without judgment. Those that did not attract my attention, I walked quickly past --- and those that did attract my attention, I stopped and pondered. I didn't necessarily struggle with trying to find the meaning (although if the audio guide provided clues I was certainly willing to listen) - but I did try to discover what exactly drew my attention. Typically it is color - or simple form that attracts my interest.

I spent quite a bit of time in the gift shop looking at all the paraphernalia - but ultimately decided on just a few postcards and a fun writing notebook.

Taken on Pompidou terrace

I left the museum about 2:30 and wandered toward the Seine. I figure you can never go wrong going towards the River. I ended up at the Hotel de Ville which provided a lovely spot to finish my sandwich, and enjoy the sand volleyball courts they have set up in celebration of Paris Plage. It was then that I decided I will throw caution to the wind and take out the DSLR. I repacked my back pack - assembled the camera with the zoom lens - and got on my way. I am pleased to report that my walk along the Seine from the Hotel de Ville to Place de la Concorde by way of Tuilerie Gardens provided me with an opportunity to take nearly 150 pictures and not a single one showed any signs of dust. BRAVO!

I logged nearly 19,500 steps today and I must admit that I am quite weary. I have decided to stay close to home tomorrow - and in fact, I actually called and booked a lunch reservation at the Moulin de la Galette! To call and make a reservation in French was w-a-y outside my comfort zone - but I am so very glad that I did! I plan to also visit the Museum Montmartre and the Cimitere Montmartre - as well as perhaps the touristy Place du Tertre. it is very hard to believe that I have already been here a week - and I know that this next week will simply fly by.

Paris Day 6 - Chocolate Tour and Latin Quarter

2011-07-29T15:01:00.000-05:00

It is my desire to try to experience many different adventures while in Paris so that perhaps I can better serve others who may wish to travel here some day. With that thought in mind, I reserved in advance a spot on a local chocolate tour (significantly cheaper than the tour offered through context travel --- but we shall see if perhaps the old adage is true: you get what you pay for). The tour meets at 10:30 on Rue du Rivoli and lasts about two hours. Since I was going to be in this area anyway, I decided to make this the day to visit the Latin Quarter.

A highlight on my personal list is to revisit Notre Dame cathedral and allow my camera to capture the mental images I have carried with me all these years. Shakespeare and Co. is nearby and I may choose to revisit (or...if I chickened out on attending the reading Monday evening - then I will definitely stop by to see for the first time). The museum pass is good for the Conciergerie, which I may not normally pay to enter, but it sounds interesting enough to enter "for free" I am really quite excited to visit Luxembourg Gardens and really take in this idyllic setting and escaping from the city's cacophony for a while. I have read such wonderful reviews of the Cafe Soufflot - as a real literary cafe - that I hope to experience for myself by eating either a late lunch or an early dinner.

Well, as I look over this particular pre-write it appears that I accomplished all that I set out to do - and then some. I logged 22,300 steps today, so I apologize if this post is a little sketchy. For those of you who traditionally train for marathons or run 5K events, that sounds like nothing - but for a relatively sedentary being like myself, that is exhausting work!

My leftovers from the day!
Everything from basic chocolate -
to Ganache - to chocolate tartes.

The chocolate tour was nothing short of SPECTACULAR!! If you ever plan to come to Paris, I would not hesitate to recommend this tour to anyone. It is easily the best value for the money so far. We met Iris by the metro stop, Louvre - Rivoli, and I instantly knew that she was a winner. She is passionate about chocolate and her enthusiasm is contagious. We began our 2.5 hour tour by walking along the Rue St. Honore - which I learned is the oldest street in Paris and was used to carry the prisoners in the tumbrils from the Conciergerie to the Guillotene (this will be valuable information in my Brit Lit class when I teach A Tale of Two Cities). We visited a pastry shop on this street and sampled an Opera that was exquisite - and a Mint Eclair, equally delicious. We toured 4 different shops and sampled between 2 and 4 pieces of pastry and/or chocolate at each shop. I simply could not eat all of it and tried to save at least half of what we were offered. This may perhaps be a full post for one of Beth F's Weekend Cooking segments. But like I said - truly a worthwhile experience.

I went back to the Louvre and finished touring the exhibits that I missed on Wednesday. While I may not use my Museum Pass at many of the offered locations, I can tell you that it is easily worth the money if just to avoid the lines. When I showed my pass I by-passed what was easily a 45 minute wait and was instantly welcomed into the museum. Definitely worth the purchase- if you ask me. I saw the Mona Lisa - along with other 1.5 million visitors waiting line (I exaggerate - but only slightly) and I spent quite a bit of time admiring the Winged Victory. I am not much for sculpture - but I really love this particular statue.

After my stay at the Louvre I decided to rest a bit in the Tuileries Gardens and much to my surprise - and excitement - the bateaux were present. I had read about these in several tour books and did not see them yesterday - but today, the man was present. The first time I went by he had all the bateaux on his cart - but the second time they were all in the water - and apparently children purchase rental time for the 'stick' to push them around. It was delightful to watch and quite reminiscent of how I imagine the children at the turn of the century passing the time in the park.

At this point it was about 3:30 and I decided to walk to the Ile de la Cite and use my museum pass to visit the Conciergerie - where the revolutionaries kept the prisoners and where they have recreated Marie Antoinette's chamber. While I would normally not pay the entrance fee for this experience, since it was included with the museum pass, I was more than willing to make the time to go. Again, I learned some valuable information that I can use in my Tale of Two Cities literary unit.

I almost past by it....

I then walked along the Seine - on the left bank - in the hopes of finding the famous, Shakespeare and Co. shop. And I did. It was quite magical -- sort of hiding behind the wild flowers and nestled next to a quaint little cafe. At first I just sat there and soaked up the atmosphere. I then took a few pictures, and then returned later after dinner to take a look on the inside. I have a feeling that this will end up as a separate post once I return home (I took lots of photos), but suffice it to say, I thought it was appropriate that I purchase the anniversary edition of Hemmingway's, A Moveable Feast.

I then decided to walk to a cafe that I had high hopes for: Cafe Soufflot. It ended being a longer distance than I anticipated and the "literary" portion of the cafe was definitely limited to the inside; I sat on the terrace. I was absolutely starving since all I had to eat was the chocolate from the morning tour, and I decided to have une salade nicoise et un verre de l'eau. There was a young gentlemen, I would guess early 40s or so, seated next to me, and he surmised that I was a foreigner. He began a conversation in simple French and I was able to correspond rather well. In fact, I felt quite proud of myself that I could converse on a variety of topics in his native language. That is until he asked if I would like to come see his apartment which was just across the street. WHAT?! You've got to be kidding me. The one time I am outgoing and friendly - rather than my usual standoffish, impersonal self, and I am picked up by a strange Parisian?!

Paris Plage - around Pont Neuf

Well, fortunately I saw enough of the Latin Quarter to decide that it is really not my style. The clientele seems to be a bit too young (and pushy!) and the streets are a bit too crowded with trendy shops and eateries for my tastes. So I can say that I have been there -but I do not feel the need to return this trip. Although I may decided to visit Shakespeare and Co one more time --- and also the bouquinistes.

I ended the evening walking back to Notre Dame and taking a few pictures. While I do not think I accomplished my goal of capturing the emotional imagery of the cathedral, I did manage to take a few photos. I also managed to see the Paris Plage from afar - and know that I wish to return to this area for a closer look at this beach within the city.

Day 5 - Impressionism and Tuilerie Gardens

2011-07-28T13:58:00.000-05:00

The Musee d'Orsay is open late tonight and since this is myfavorite, I plan to spend several hours here - perhaps until they politely kickme out. The morning hours, however, I think I will visit another one ofRick Steve's suggestions and that is the market street, Rue Cler. He has made this sound almost perfect - with quaint specialty food shops,friendly outdoor cafes, and bustling local crowds. I can envisionspending several hours here as well - using those skills obtained from Tuesday's market class to perhaps buy some simple lunch provisions andhave a picnic in a park or by the Seine. Can I tell you how picturesquethis sounds as I write it from my 95 degree Kansas home?

While traveling from Rue Cler to the Musee d'Orsay, I plan tostop at the Rodin museum (which is also included in the museum pass). Ido not have much of a refined taste for sculpture, but I understand that thegardens are simply beautiful (which I witnessed second hand in the movie, Midnightin Paris). I alsohope to have some time to visit the local Bouquinistes. How I LOVE used books - and used books in Paris must bethe creme de la creme. I am also hoping to find some vintage Parisian postcardsto bring home and use in possible mixed media art projects, or perhaps aswriting prompts for future essays.

OK -- this is the pre-write that I did for yesterday - apparently in my excitement to write down my anticipations, I was off a day. And of course, I did not accomplish all that I set out to do today - but I gave it a valiant effort. I decided to postpone the visit to the Rue Cler - as that is closer to the Eiffel Tower than the museums. While I still want to visit the Rodin (which is a part of the museum pass that I purchased yesterday), I am really most interested in the gardens - which cost only 1 euro for entry. So...if I don't make it to the Rodin by Saturday, I will still have the opportunity to see the gardens from the movie, Midnight in Paris. Also....as a side note....I think the bouquinistes are closer to the Latin Quarter than the museums -- so that is definitely on my agenda for tomorrow.

I began the day by taking the subway to the Place de la Concorde (where I walked to yesterday) and I spent quite a bit of time walking around the entire monument and just soaking up the center of Paris. One of the unique aspects of this spot is that you look down one way and see the Arch de Triomphe - and then look up the other way and see the Louvre. Quite fascinating.

artist: Marie Laurencin

After reminiscing the fate of Sidney Carton from Tale of Two Cities --- I then entered the Tuilerie Gardens. It is amazing how the familiarity of this place comes rushing back, no matter how long it has been since the last visit. I loved the wide sandy pathways - and didn't even mind the bits granular pebbles that made their way into my walking sandals. I just took it all in - vowing never to forget. My first stop was the Musee de l'Orangerie and what an extremely pleasant surprise! I knew that I would enjoy the Monet water lily exhibit - Les Nympheas - but I had no idea that the other works of art would be so vast and spectacular. I found several new artists whose works I truly admire --- namely, Henri Matisse, Marie Laurencin, Henri-Julien Felix Rousseau, and Chaim Soutine. I may even go back there again before I leave Paris. The only downfall of this visit - and it was a minor one - was that the computer system went down for no apparent reason. This was probably most upsetting to those who were entering the museum, but I only suffered by having to pay for my souvenirs en espece rather than by carte de credit. (and that is the extent of the french lesson for today).

My view from the cafe

I had a lovely lunch at one of the cafes in the Tuilerie Gardens. The food was nothing to brag about: I ordered un sandwich jambon mixte (basically bread - butter - ham and cheese) avec un verre de gamay (same grape as beaujolais) and un verre de l'eau. A sandwich is about half the price of a salad, but at this point I think spending the money for some veggies is worth it to my diet. While the meal was mediocre - the view was spectacular! There was a slight breeze - but the sun was shining and the gardens were in summer bloom. It was delightful!

As a side note --- I decided to leave my dslr camera at the apartment today as it was much to heavy to lug around yesterday. I am glad that I did because I had to check my backpack at the Musee d'Orsay and no photography was allowed (most museums request no flash photography). However, after experiencing the beautiful gardens and lovely statues of the Tuileries --- I plan to return one day with my "good" camera and take loads of photos --- dust speck or not!

The next stop was the Musee d'Orsay. On the one hand I must admit that I was a bit disappointed. They are still in the middle of major renovations - so most of the Impressionism masterpieces (not all of them, for there is simply not enough room) are on display in narrow hallways and alcoves -- not the typical airy galleries. Tourists were bumping into one another and the air supply was rather sparse. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, don't get me wrong - but I do believe that this requires a return trip once the renovations are complete **insert huge grin**

What I believe to be 81 Roo Loo

I finished touring the smaller exhibit about 5:00 and I was not ready to go home so what did I decide to do? Why try to find the original home of Julia Child of course! I had done my homework the night before I knew that the Rue de l'Universite was close to the museum. I found it with no problem and I think I located her residence - 81 Roo Loo. Or if not -- I did find an 81 on what I thought was the Rue de l'Universite (on one side of the street the numbers read 102 and 104 --- on the other side of the street the numbers read 77 and 81. Who knows?) But in any case --- here is a photo of what I imagine to be her first Parisian apartment. Tres chic -- non?

All in all it was another good day with another 15,000 steps logged. At this rate I should be in pretty good shape by the time I return home!

Paris Day 4 - Markets and Museums

2011-07-27T12:44:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems that I changed my mind since I wrote this post. I suppose that's allowed on a vacation. I decided to wait and post that pre-write on the day that it actually happens. Anyway.....

Today was another fabulous day - with several worries being for naught. My concept last night was to leave the apartment around 9:30AM in order to arrive at the Paris Opera (Palais Garnier) by 10:15 when the box office opens and tickets for the English guided visit go on sale. I was a bit nervous because not only did I have to ride the metro (and ensure that my ticket worked) but I actually had to change trains. Now for those of you who live in major metropolitan areas - like I used to - this is no big deal. But since it has been since 1988 that I lived in New York City, and since I had to change trains in a foreign language, I was a bit anxious. But all fell into place perfectly. I was sitting on the steps of the Opera at 9:50.

At 10:15 I was able to secure my ticket for the tour that would begin at 11:30. I wasn't quite sure what to do, so I decided to walk and check the area. I walked in several directions and actually happened upon Place de la Concorde - the original location for the storming of the Bastille (if memory serves me correctly). Now there is a tall statue to commemorate the event - and the entire square is surrounded by very upscale shops. I thought I was on 5th Avenue in New York for a moment.

The tour of the opera house was delightful and while we were not allowed to visit backstage or the "lake" underneath the stage (this has been prohibited since 9-11), we were able to go in the theater, sit in the front row seats, and observe the opulence that ruled the day. We discovered that the Emperor's Box is actually the worst seat in the house - but he did not want the seat to see the production; he wanted the seat to be seen. We viewed the grand staircase - where even the spectators of the opera could be "on stage" and we were also able to see the Grand Foyer - where the abonnees - male season ticket holders - could go to meet the ballerinas between acts. It was a fantastic tour.

Afterwards I decided to walk to the Louvre, which is at the end of the Rue de l'Opera that you see here. Between the morning walk, the walk to the Louvre, and then walking the entire second floor of the Louvre --- I managed to log 15,300 steps. I don't mind telling you that I am exhausted! Even though the Louvre is open late on Wednesdays, I left around 5:30 for fear that I would not be able to get out of bed tomorrow. Obviously I cannot travel at the age of 51 the same way I could travel at the age of 35. I did manage to buy a museum pass (en francais) which means that I can visit as many museums as I want - as many times as I want - over the next 4 days. I will be sure to return the Louvre some day --- but tomorrow I have reserved for the Musee d'Orsay.

The last success story of the day was that I was able to find the Cafe Nemours (just around the corner from the Louvre) and order my lunch in French. This was a huge deal for me because I just can't stand eating alone in a public place. But you know what? Not a single person cared --- and I was thrilled! Now it probably helped that the menu was in French as well as English - but I pretty much understood without using the subtitles. I ordered une Salade Comedienne (greens - tuna - beans - egg - tomato in a light vinaigrette), un verre de bourgogne - et un verre de l'eau. It was refreshing and delicious and very Parisian. I loved it!

Paris Day 3 - Market Day

2011-07-26T13:03:00.000-05:00

Ever since I visited Paris for the first time in high school in 1977, I have wanted to experience the old world charm of the open air market. To me, this is quintessential Europe and I hope to visit several while I am here. While I know the markets cater to locals as well as tourists, I also know that the signage is all in French and that French food is significantly different from my supermarket in the Midwest. I knew I wanted to take a tour of a market first to learn the customs as well as the language, so that I could feel more like a true Parisian for the remainder of my stay.

Through Rick Steve's guidebook I found a tour company that offered such a market experience. For 70 euros plus a 7 euro tasting fee we would shop the Marche d'Aligre in the Marais - talking with local vendors and sampling their wares. Unfortunately, the tour required a minimum of three people and as of July 20th, there were none. On a whim I visited the website Cook'n With Class that was recommended by my "landlord" which advertised a tour of a local market (in Montmartre) but also included a hands-on cooking class to prepare a four course lunch using the purchased ingredients. It sounded perfect - but expensive: 185 euros. HOWEVER....I noticed a tab that indicated Last Minute Specials. I clicked. The special? That class on this date for a 20% deduction in price. I immediately contacted them to see if this reduced rate was still available. It was. I grabbed it.

This is an opportunity that I never dreamed that I would experience - and I am still quite nervous that my cooking skills will not measure. But the theme of this trip is, je ne regrette rien, and so I am going to throw caution to the wind and just do it!

Not sure how I will spend the rest of the day. I'm giving thought to making this a "food day" and perhaps venture to Les Halles - or I might wish to stay closer to the neighborhood and perhaps visit Place de Dublin, the sight of Caillebotte's Paris Street, Rainy Day.

OH MY - what a difference a day makes!

I thought that my long nap yesterday would interfere with my sleep cycle - but apparently I was just really tired (I suppose this is another one of those signs of aging....) Anyway, I went to bed around 10:30 last night, woke up at 7:00 this morning and fixed myself a cup of instant espresso (FAR better than the brewed stuff I tried yesterday). I was a bit nervous about trying to navigate the subway system, but I managed to comprehend the machines, purchase the carnet of 10 tickets, and did not panic when my ticket didn't work. I was able to ask the information guide why my ticket didn't work in French and while he never explained the reason, he let me through. Success!

I simply cannot say enough positive, superlative accolades about the cooking class today. It was a last minute decision and I was a bit leary about spending so much money on a "little" market tour --- but I would pay double again. (Note to my daughter Mandy - who plans to attend culinary school - we MUST do this together. In the next room they were making croissants and other such pastries and it smelled heavenly). Our guide was 28 year old Constance who may have appeared young but has a wealth of experience. She began profession cooking school at the age of 15 and has worked at such prestigious restaurants as the Bristol and the Four Seasons in Palm Beach. She was absolutely delightful! It is not always true that someone who is experienced in their trade can adequately teach that skill - but Constance was not only a patient teacher, but she was always handing out positive affirmations, "You did good" --- and her sense of humor was greatly appreciated.

We spent about an hour touring the various market shops. This was not an open air market, as I had thought, but individual shops located in the same block. In the Fromagerie she spent about 20 minutes telling us the five different families of cheese and how they differ from one another. At the Poissonerie she explained that round fish have two fillets whereas flat fish have four. At the grocer she selected some wonderful berries for dessert as well as radishes, peas, broccoli, and chanterelles. She had hoped to obtain Guinea Hen breasts for our main course, but the Boucherie was out, so she made do with Poulet (chicken).

We walked to the cooking school and starting cooking about 10:30. I was amazed how Constance kept track of all the various phases of each course with no recipe - no schedule - nothing. We started making dessert first - so that it could bake and cook in time to eat. It was a very simple cake filled with strawberries and served with a fresh fruit compote. She has promised to send us the recipes - as well as different adaptations for each one. Perhaps this is something that I can share with you when I return doing Beth F's Weekend Cooking meme.

We then began the preparation for the salad - which consisted of julienned cucumber - tomatoes - freshly blanched peas - all combined with an oil and balsamic vinaigrette. The salad was just the first layer of our appetizer. On top of this pea salad we placed a slice of baguette that has been toasted with a drizzle of olive oil. On top of that was placed a pesto sauce and then one sauteed filet was placed on top of that. The plate was then decorated with mini conchs, radish slivers, and calamari. While I helped to chop a few vegetables, Constance did have each us plate our dish - and this is my "creation" We had our choice of rose or gewurztraminer to accompany this course.

The main entree consisted of a chicken filet that had been quickly seared in the pan, then topped with a black olive tapenade, and then baked in the oven. We also had a chanterelle and broccoli saute to accompany the meal, as well as small new potatoes boiled with garlic and then sauted in olive oil. Again, we helped to chop - but Constance did most of the cooking. All of plated our own main course. We were offered a red wine to accompany this portion of the meal.

The next course was the cheese course. Constance plated the cheese and then explained the order in which to eat them (mild to strong --- so goat cheese to roquefort) as well as how to cut them (never cut off the tip first - for then the last person served would be left with nothing but the rind. Rather, cut a slice longways and each person gets only a small piece of rind). She had three different kinds of baguettes to pair with the cheese: a plain baguette, one mixed with figs, and another made with sunflower seeds --- or "sunny" seeds as she called them). She had also purchased a small sample of fresh butter with a bit of salt that was like no butter I have ever tasted. I plan to purchase some tomorrow and have it with my abricot confiture each morning I am here.

Well, I obviously wrote more than just two paragraphs today - but as you can tell, it was nearly perfect in every way. I took photos with my compact camera for two reasons. First of all, I wanted to be rather discreet in the shops and I thought this would be best, and secondly, I didn't want to be plagued by the return of the dust. This afternoon - after I allowed my food to digest a bit - I went for another walk along Sacre Coeur and I took my DSLR with me. I took about 50 pictures and not a single one had a spec of dust. Perhaps the problem has rectified itself.

Paris Day 2 - Photo Workshop

2011-07-25T14:35:00.000-05:00

I intentionally booked this photo class for my first full day in Paris. In this 3.5 hour class we will walk around my Montmartre neighborhood, giving me a good feel for where I will spend each evening, and the instructor will give me some terrific pointers on photo composition as well as manual settings that I can use for the remainder of the trip. I was thrilled to learn that another traveler from Brazil will be joining us as this will provide a synergistic learning environment (as well as a 50 euro discount!)

When I planned a family vacation to Walt Disney World about ten years ago, I used a travel guide to help me get the biggest bang for my buck. Consequently, we visited MGM studios and Epcot on the first two days because we were allowed early entry. It wasn't until the third day that we went to the Magic Kingdom, and consequently it wasn't until the third day that everyone felt that we were in Disney World. So....in learning a lesson from that experience, I know that I need to get out of Montmartre today and visit the lower city - whether it be a view of the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero Square or a glance at Notre Dame while walking along the Seine. I was THRILLED to learn that there is going to be a reading of Strangers in Paris at the famous Shakespeare and Co bookstore! I have wanted to visit this store ever since I read Jeremy Mercer's Time was Soft There (my review here) and to attend an author reading is truly the icing on the cake. I just hope that I don't allow my self-conscious anxiety prevent me from attending.

Well, the day didn't turn out completely as planned, but I rarely expect that to happen.

this is the half way point...

I managed to walk to the meeting place in about ten minutes - so I arrived quite early. The others came at about the same time and everyone was delightful. The other participant, Michelle, currently lives in Brazil but is originally from France. She is a doctor, about my age, and knew just about as much about photography as I do. We were evenly matched. Sophie was delightful - and spoke impeccable English. She brought along a new employee, Helena, who was quite young and oh so nice. I think Sophie was also training her on English skills because I noticed even when they talked among themselves it was in English.

I won't bore you with a lot of the details but suffice it to say....I learned a lot about taking pictures (as opposed to snapshots) and I learned that I have been changing my lenses incorrectly which is probably why a piece of dust on the censor ruined nearly every picture I took today. It was quite disappointing and given my jetlagged state, my emotions ran high. I felt like such a failure in many ways. Helena was quite nice and tried numerous times to help me relieve the dust - nothing works. She said that this happens to her all the time and would be happy to give me the name and address of a local shop who would help. That was nice as well.

This is what's left to climb!

So I guess I can view this as a two part lesson: one that I learned the elements necessary to take a good picture (which for me seems to be to get even closer to the subject and focus on one thing rather than several) and two....to learn how to use photoshop to mask the dust spot.

In all I had walked 12,000 steps by 3:00PM and I was exhausted. I allowed myself to take a nap, which I rarely do. By the time I woke up the reading at Shakespeare & Co. was already over. It was just as well, I did a bit of research on the book and rather being about strangers as in, not familiar with Paris, I think it was strangers as in the characters were strange. Probably not my kind of book.

I think I will lay low the rest of the evening and hopefully I will feel better and the world will look brighter in the morning when I go on a market tour and then take a cooking class!

I have read all your kind comments from yesterday and I wanted to address a couple of issues. Someone mentioned that I should not try to keep track of time in the states. Well, it isn't that I am doing that intentionally :) My computer does not adjust to European time for some reason, so I am always reminded of what time it is back home (for example it is 2:00PM in Kansas but it is 9:00PM here in France). I am not mentally exhausting myself here --- believe me.

Secondly, someone suggested that I post pictures of the apartment. Well, after I got home from the photo class I took my camera lens off and just blew and blew (I felt like the big bad wolf). I figured it couldn't hurt. I decided that taking pictures of my humble abode would be the perfect test shots. I'm terrible with guestimating space, but I would assume it is less than 500 square feet (?). Surprisingly enough all the apartment pictures are dust particle free. I don't know if i actually blew it out - or if I just blew it out of sight in the photos. In either case, enjoy these photos and pray that the dust stays out of sight for the remainder of the trip.

Paris Day 1 - Je suis arrivee!

2011-07-24T12:32:00.000-05:00

A midnight sunrise over Scotland

It is my goal to post a daily entry to the blog while on vacation. This is really to serve two purposes: to keep family and friends updated on my travels and also to help jog my memory for vivid details after I return home (I have great hopes of writing a photo/journal book of this momentous trip) .

To help me achieve this goal I have created a vacation post template. The first paragraph(s) has been written prior to the trip (and thus will be in a different font color), and per the suggestion of Dave Fox in his travel journal book, Globejotting, I quickly detail what I had planned to do that day. Each night I hope to update that post with what actually transpired.

Since my goal is to document this trip in words as well as in pictures, I have set a daily goal of 500 photographs. Even as I type this that sounds insurmountable, but if I truly want to capture the essence of everyday life in Paris, then I need to S-L-O-W down and I think setting such a goal will force me to do just that. I will only post one or two pictures to the blog, but I do plan to give a daily photo count in the hopes of keeping me accountable.

Another daily activity that I hope to maintain is to write reviews for Trip Advisor. I used this sight extensively in preparing for this trip and found others' reviews and suggestions to be immensely helpful. I would like to repay the favor and write some reviews of my own. If you have not used this site before, I strongly suggest you take a look around and develop your own account. It is fabulous!

My first cafe creme of the trip! It was
the perfect drink for the 55 degree temps

My goal today is to navigate Charles de Gaulle airport and make my way thtrough the apartment unscathed. After that, I want to try to stay awake until 6:00PM Paris time so that my internal clock will quickly adjust to the seven hour time change. I am quite excited to finally meet Isabelle in person (she has been such a fantastic correspondent via email) and to see "my" apartment. The only other expectation that I have for today is to visit the local grocer (the one made famous in the movie, Amelie) and obtain necessities for the apartment, like toilet paper and coffee. I have intentionally not made plans for today to allow myself to take it easy and recover from jet lag.

And this was my view while sipping
my cafe. Breathtaking!

Well, I made it! And all that worry was for nothing. The flight was 30 minutes early - there were no lines at customs - my luggage was one of the first off the plane - the taxi was immediately available - there was no traffic on the highway - and I actually made it to the apartment by 9:30 AM Paris time. The old tenants had not yet left - but they allowed me to drop off my suitcase and I went sight seeing for about two hours while I waited for the place to be cleaned.

Fortunately I had packed my Knopf map book and my memory served me well. I actually stopped and had a cafe creme at a cafe all by myself -- and I walked around exploring the winding, twisting streets. I must tell you that everything - and I mean everything - is hilly in these parts and my legs are already tired. BUT...I managed to find Place due Tertre - Sacre Coeur - the Moulin de la Galette (and I may even splurge and have dinner there some night) - and the metro station. I took about 175 pictures today - which is a lot for me.

I did manage to visit the grocer - as well as the boulangerie - and purchased some essential supplies as well as a light dinner of bread and cheese. Isabelle is simply delightful. She stayed about thirty minutes to answer any questions that I night have and ensure that the internet access was operating; and she even offered to call me a taxi for my return trip to the airport in two weeks. The apartment is very centrally located and spotlessly clean. While it is rather small by American standards, it is perfect for a couple and therefore suffiicient for me. I feel quite safe in this neighborhood. All in all - c'est magnifique!

It is now 7:15PM Paris, which is just after noon in Kansas. I am exhausted and plan to go to bed soon so that I am ready for my photography tour bright and early tomorrow morning.

So far - the trip has exceeded my expectations. It is glorious!

Review: My Life in France

2011-07-23T05:26:00.000-05:00

My Life in France
by: Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme
published by: Anchor House a division of Random House
copyright: 2006
rating: 3.5 out of 5

I am definitely an informal kind of gal: blue jeans over dresses; pottery over china; cafe fare over michelin star restaurants. So while I enjoyed this book from a memoir point of view, I must confess that the lavishly complicated meals that were gushed about - or the painstaking recipe research that was written in great detail did not hold my interest for long.

I absolutely LOVED the first half of this book - when Julia and her husband Paul have just been transferred to Paris with the US government. After she has set up house, she decides to educate herself in the art of French cooking. I was surprised to learn that Julia did not grow up in a gourmand family and it was actually her husband who had the refined palate for good wine and excellent cuisine. Julia is a perfectionist, however, and if she was going to learn to cook then she was going to learn from the best: Le Cordon Bleu.

I really enjoyed reading about these initial culinary lessons and I admired her adventuresome spirit by enrolling in a professional class where she was the sole female among eleven other GIs. While I often allow my perfectionism to get in the way of learning something new (I become quite discouraged if I don't get it right the first time), it was refreshing to learn that she made several mistakes along the way - but always took it in stride because she believed that the best education comes from failure.

The middle portion of the book, which focuses on the development of her chef d'oeuvre, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (volume I) provided real insight to her attention to detail. She would often prepare a recipe ten or even fifteen times just to ensure that the directions were accurate and any possible misunderstandings could be explained in full. She was on a mission - to teach American housewives that cooking authentic French cuisine is not an insurmountable task; and while it requires exact methods, it can still be fun and extremely satisfying. The book took years to develop, but was well received once published.

At this point in the memoir, however, I became a bit disenchanted. I don't know if it is because I like to hear the story of the struggle, and the fame afterwards is not as interesting to me, or if I felt that the tone of the story became more egotistical. In either case, I found myself skimming the last few chapters. Perhaps I wanted to believe my own fictional characterization of Julia Child - just a middle class housewife who would enter our homes via television once a week and teach us how to cook delectable meals - rather than the business-minded television personality who seemed to be a borderline workaholic.

In the end, I was glad that I read the book - and I am hoping that I have the opportunity to at least walk by 81 Rue de l'Universite (81 Roo Loo) -- her initial residence, and the Cordon Bleu in order to dream about what it might have been like to be Julia Child .....

As if I needed another reason....

2011-07-21T17:16:00.000-05:00

I know that I sound like a broken record with all my excitement about this upcoming trip to Paris - and I apologize. But I just had to show you yet one more reason why I am anxious to leave Kansas City and head across the pond:

10 Day Weather Forecast for Kansas City:

10 Day Weather Forecast for Paris, France:

On average -- 20 degree cooler temperatures for the next 10 days. I think YES!

Adventure Redefined

2011-07-20T13:15:00.002-05:00

When I begin my poetry unit in English 1, I talk about the denotative meaning of a word (dictionary meaning) and the connotative meaning of the word (figurative meaning). I believe this is essential to help students understand the power that each word carries in a sparsely written poem.

I also believe that word choice is an important trait of prose writing as well. Using one exact word, "le mot juste" as I call it in class, is far more effective than using a string of mediocre adjectives. It is important for an author to use precise words in order to convey the appropriate meaning to the reader.

So it has occurred to me over these past few days that I have perhaps held too closely to my "connotative" meaning of the word adventure - rather than be willing to embrace the other possible meanings. See, I have always considered myself a loather of adventure - but I recently decided to investigate The denotative meaning of the word gives a rather broad definition (as found in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary):

an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks
an encountering of risks (the spirit of adventure)
an exciting or remarkable or remarkable experience
an enterprise involving financial risk

For as long as I can remember I have only viewed adventure as "danger" and life or death situations. Neither of those parameters hold any interest to me.

As a child I remember watching Peter Pan and thinking "why would anyone want to remain a boy in Neverland when there were Pirates who threatened one's life?" This did not sound like fun to me at all.

Then in adolescence the Indiana Jones films taught me that adventure meant snake pits and tied to the stake and constantly being shot at from all directions. I would rather have a desk job, thank you very much.

My husband has always been intrigued by adventurous experiences like sky-diving and wilderness survival. Neither of these events sound appealing to me.

So through years of conditioning - I have determined that I am not adventurous. I do not like adventure and I therefore I am "boring"

But recently it has occurred to me that this is only one definition of the word. The other definition of adventure is exactly what I am doing this summer when I travel to Paris for two weeks on my own: an exciting or remarkable experience. This will be remarkable and it is not an every day event. I am surprised how many friends have said that they "could never do that" --- travel to a foreign country on their own. While I admit that I do have a bit of anxiety (especially with regards to navigating the Charles de Gaulle airport) I do not think what I am doing is "death defying" In fact, I think what I am doing is fun.

So it occurs to me that perhaps I need to rethink my connotative meaning of the word. I need to stop limiting myself to the box of 'safe and boring' and recognize that I do have an adventurous spirit. I may not like to take risks - but I do like to travel and pursue those remarkable experiences that reveal themselves through the immersion in a foreign culture. While eating alone in a restaurant is not a "life or death situation" - it is definitely an experience outside my comfort zone. But I am willing to risk this uncomfortable feeling to truly experience the French culture.

So today I have decided to call myself an "adventurer" -- maybe not in the league with Indiana Jones, but remarkable none the less.

TSS 7.17.11 - Countdown....

2011-07-17T09:31:00.000-05:00

It is very hard to believe that this time next week I will be in Paris, at my apartment, probably shopping at the Amelie grocer. I am sure that three weeks from today I will be saying I can't believe it's over. The passage of time is fascinating to me.

Aside from practicing Rosetta Stone and walking the treadmill to prepare for the trip, I have also been reading a few books to get me in the mood (as if I need more motivation). I selected three books that detail the lives of other Americans who lived in Paris for a length of time. I reviewed David Lebovitz's book, The Sweet Life in Paris, yesterday and learned some useful manners that will hopefully help me not be viewed as one of those "obnoxious" Americans. I also started reading Julia Child's, My Life in France. While I still mentally picture Meryl Streep as this iconic chef from the movie Julie and Julia, I distinctly remember the days before cable television when there was no Food Network channel and the only cooking shows were available through Public Television. I had just graduated college and would anticipate the airing of Julia's next installment of The French Chef. I even purchased her two cookbook set, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, although I was never brave enough to attempt any of the authentic recipes. I am enjoying reading about her humble beginnings in the foray of French cooking, and I love her sense of adventure in the City of Lights.

Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik is another book that I have started to read in order to experience the life of an ex-pat's life in Paris. While I enjoy his detailed essays of Paris in the late 90s, I find that I skim them more than savor every detail. Perhaps it is because he chronicles the adventure as the father of a young son, and I am no longer in that phase of life, or perhaps his interests are not as focused on fine cuisine like the other two books, which apparently is a dormant passion of mine. Anyway, it is a good book and is adding another dimension to my appreciation of this fascinating, cosmopolitan city.

The other genre of books that I am reading during this final week of preparation is art books - more specifically, Impressionism art and even more specific than that --- those that are geared towards teaching children how to appreciate these artistic masterpieces. I believe I was skipped over when it came to the artistic gene (my brother received my share though - so all is good). But couple that with the fact that my private elementary school did not even offer an art class puts me at a severe disadvantage when it comes to appreciating masterpiece paintings. In fact, when we used to live in New York in the mid 1980s I would joke and say that I could visit the entire Metropolitan Museum of Art in one hour. A slight exaggeration --- but only slight.

But I am a firm believer that learning is a lifelong pursuit - and about four years ago I decided that even if I did not have the talent to paint - I wanted to learn how to appreciate the talents of others. I tried reading very detailed (insert dry and boring) books on art history, but they were long on historical significance and short on practical explanations. The only exception to this, I found, was the book, The Annotated Mona Lisa by Carol Strickland, PhD. This book provides a general overview of each of the major time periods, and it is filled with lots of pictures - the perfect combination for a visual learner such as myself.

However, I was still struggling to learn how to appreciate the true works of art. So I decided to look in the children's department and what a treasure trove I found. The first book I came across was, appropriately titled, Looking at Pictures, created by the National Gallery in London. While the tag line indicates that this serves as "an introduction to art for young people" I would add that this is probably geared towards upper elementary to middle school students. It is a nice, general overview.of the artistic elements, time periods, and styles. Again, lots of pictures are used to illustrate the points made.

My favorite books, however, are published by DK Eyewitness books. There are two that I have found to be indispensable to me in learning how to really view a painting - what to look for - what makes it unique and worthy of museum status. The first is Great Artists Explained -- which details 50 artists and their works; and the second is Art Explained which details and explains the worlds greatest paintings. Both of the fabulous guidebooks are written by Robert Cumming.

I love these books because they are written for the "average joe" - using every day language that we all understand and not a lot of specific vocational vocabulary. Each painting is illustrated on a two page spread - so it is easy to see the details and provides a wonderful visual aid for the written explanations. The author then highlights certain aspects of the painting by zooming in and providing anecdotal as well as academic information. I find these books suitable for young children, who will just enjoy looking at the pictures and seeing what is they want to see --- as well as the neophyte adults like myself who wish to really learn WHY I like a painting.

I am especially looking forward to studying the works of art that I plan to see in person at the Musee d'Orsay. I think there is an added magical element of studying a painting in a book, and then facing the original work of art in real life.

It is oppressively hot in the Midwest today - in fact, we are in an excessive heat warning until Friday afternoon! It seems to be the perfect week to sit back with a glass of iced tea, a book of art, and enjoy the beauty. I hope that you are able to enjoy the summer weather this week as well.

Weekend Cooking: The Sweet Life in Paris

2011-07-16T07:54:00.002-05:00

The Sweet Life in Paris
by David Lebovitz
Published by Broadway Books
copyright 2009
rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I went the to the bookstore the other night with absolutely no intention of buying. The last thing I need is to bring another book into this house when I have literally shelves of books unread. But in browsing the front tables I was initially drawn to the title of this book because...well....my mind is rather preoccupied with this topic lately. I briefly skimmed the book and decided that it would be a good "research" book for my upcoming trip (I can rationalize just about anything under the guise of "research")

Anyway, I came home, started reading, and have not been able to put it down and while it has provided me with useful information prior to my adventure, I also know that I will re-read this book when I return with the hopes of recreating the taste of Paris by trying a few of the authentic French recipes.

Each chapter is divided into two separate parts: one discusses some aspect of the Parisian culture that an American living there might find useful, such as....Parisians use a knife and fork to eat just about EVERYTHING and they rarely use their fingers (even when eating a banana). Parisian shop owners would like to be treated with a bit of respect - a simple Bonjour Madame upon entering the store and an Au Revoir Monsieur upon leaving is just common courtesy as far as they are concerned. And when ordering in a cafe, never order cafe au lait (apparently that is only served in the home - never in public) but rather order a cafe creme.

Not only did I find each chapter filled with practical advice, but I adored the author's sense of humor and his unique way of observing life (you can also visit his blog, David Lebovitz for further Parisian reviews). It makes for a very pleasant read and even if you have no plans to live in Paris yourself, you may enjoy this literary escape to the culinary capital of the world. For those participating in the Paris in July challenge, I think this would be an excellent choice.

There are numerous recipes that I wish to try when I return - many are dessert-type recipes such as Chocolate Macaroons, Dulce de Leche Brownies, and Salted Butter Caramel Sauce --- but there are also several savory dishes that have piqued my interest such as Tomato and Sourdough Bread Salad, Braised Turkey in Beaujolais Nouveau with Prunes, and Bacon and Bleu Cheese Cake. Perhaps in the fall I can review a few of these for future segments of Weekend Cooking.

Until that time.....Bon Appetit!

Review: The Reading Promise

2011-07-15T05:26:00.017-05:00

The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared
by: Alice Ozma
Grand Central Publishing
Copyright: May, 2011
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I must confess I have not thoroughly read this book. My mind has been pre-occupied with Paris plans and I simply have not made the time to sit down and read it as thoroughly as I would like. Since it is a new release, I do not have the option to renew my hold because there are others in line waiting their turn. So I decided to skim the book quickly to see if it was one that I would be interested in checking out again when I have more time. It most definitely is!

The premise of the book, for those who don't know, is the real-life story of Alice Ozma and her father, Jim Brozina, an elementary school librarian, and the promise they made to one another the he would read aloud to her every night for a period of 1,000 days. Initially her father thought this was too lofty a goal, but they both made the commitment and in the end --- they read a little over nine years: every single night! No matter how late they got home - or how early they had to wake up the next morning - "the reading streak" was a priority in both their lives.

This book is not only a touching father/daughter relationship that continues to grow and prosper long after most teenagers distance themselves from their parents - but it is also a story that brings to mind personal regrets in my own life.

I began reading to each of my three children from the time they were able to hold their head up in the infant seat - about three months old. I had all shapes and sizes of cardboard books that they could "read" without tearing - as well as picture books that "mommy would hold" We had our favorites that we would read nearly every night, like Barn Dance and Goodight Moon, and The Tooth Gnasher Super Flash, and we always read at least one Berenstain Bears book that would give me the opportunity to teach a life lesson. We all fondly remember this nightly ritual.

But when my children entered first grade and were learning to read on their own, I decided that I needed to take a backseat. I mean after all, how could they learn to read on their own if they relied on me to do it for them? That was my belief anyway. And so I am the one who halted the bedtime reading routine. I am the one who said you are too old for this. I am the one who thought they were too lazy to read themselves - and I never gave it a though that perhaps they just wanted to spend that time together - bonding like we had done when they were younger.

Alice's book has shown me what a big mistake I have made. I did not have all the right answers, and this is one area where my answer was devastating. To this day, two out of my three children dislike reading and I take full responsibility.

So while I cannot rectify past mistakes - I will try not to repeat them. As Brynn grows up and we share our weekly visits to the library (yes, I have already planned these special outings) I will vow not to stop reading aloud to her until she makes that decision. And if she is like Alice --- then I will be reading aloud to her on the day of her high school graduation.

Photography Books

2011-07-13T05:24:00.000-05:00

As I indicated last week, I have been reading, although my reading these days tends to focus on the non-fiction, academic books of writing and photography. I spent the better part of this past weekend reading, skimming, and taking notes on a variety of photography books that I have obtained from the library and I thought I might share my findings with you.

Most of these books are not "how to" use a camera. While I am by no means an expert on the operation of my DSLR (I still tend to keep the setting on automatic for fear of missing of the shot), my interests in reading about photography is in learning how to truly accept the camera as a way of viewing the world around me - and trying to capture my perspective of that world. While this is not a difficult concept for some, this is an entire paradigm shift for me.

See, I have always enjoyed taking pictures - but in my black-and-white world, the camera was a memory keeping device. Plain and simple. I would take out the camera when we would celebrate birthdays, holidays, and vacations. Otherwise, it remained in the closet.

But I am learning that the camera is far more versatile than that - and the camera can allow anyone the opportunity to make a statement (with or without using words to clarify that statement) and can give even the most handicapped artists (which is what I consider myself) the means to express themselves in a creative manner.

I have had a vision of combining my love of photography, my passion for writing, and my need for travel. This trip to Paris is my first step into making that vision a reality. And these books are helping me to hone that craft.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am currently enrolled in an online class that encourages the exploration of self through photography and writing. I am thoroughly loving the format and the online friends that I have met these past six weeks. I have learned that Flickr is not only a great site to store photos, but it is also a fantastic way to journal. Anyway, to help keep the momentum of this class going, I have also discovered a couple of books that focus on this same theme:

Exploring the Self through Photography by Claire Craig. This book seems to be geared toward a group class setting, something that I am not quite ready to pursue. And I must confess that I have only skimmed it. BUT.. the first paragraph of the preface made me stop in my tracks and open my eyes to new possibilities:

My grandfather was a photographer. Most weekends he would be busy at weddings or christenings, preserving memorable moments in the family history. However, his image-making was not restricted to special occasions. Along with weddings and christenings he would photograph the familiar: objects, places, people; the first television he owned, the contents of the fridge; cards, trains, buses; the time it snowed so we hard we needed to dig ourselves out of the house. These scenes created a record of everyday life and were made extraordinary by virtue of their ordinariness.

He took pictures of the contents of his refrigerator?! This blew my mind - and made sense to me all at the same time. I hope to learn to slow down my life enough to realize that there is vitality in the ordinary.

A Creative Guide to Exploring Your Life by Graham Gordon Ramsay and Holly Barlow Sweet. I absolutely loved this book and have decided that I need to add it to my personal library. It is very reminiscent of Inner Excavation which I have discussed on this blog before, but it has a little more depth to it, I believe. Graham is a professional photographer and Holly is a licensed psychologist. Together they have created a series of prompts and exercises to help one discover the true north in life: what makes us tick; what gives us meaning; what do we hold near and dear to our hearts.

While I don't feel that I have the time now to devote to these exercises, I know that this is something that I want to find the time to pursue in the future.

Serial Photography by Harald Mante. This is one of those books that truly opened my mind to the idea that there is indeed beauty all around me - I just need to become more observant.

I have always been pragmatic and organized. In the days of film cameras, it was not pragmatic for me to take pictures of ordinary life because, quite frankly, it was not a priority financial expense. But with the advent of digital photography, the expense of developing is a non-issue. I can take hundreds of photos and only choose to print a few select ones. I think my brain understands the digital phenomenon, but my subconscious is still focused on the per picture cost.

So once I accept the fact that taking pictures is really a very affordable hobby, the question then becomes, what is worthy of a picture? As I have already outlined, I am learning that anything that I come in contact with during the course of the day is fodder for photo exploration. What I really like about this book, however, is that it has shown me a way to take the seemingly random pictures and put them into some cohesive whole. Couple the organization aspect with the very clever mosaic app and now I see how even I can begin to be creative with photography.

Some of the chapters initially are a bit perplexing to me. For example Chapter 3 is titled, Tables and Chairs. This does not really attract my attention as a photographic subject. However....when I stop to think of the fact that I hope to spend lots of time in a variety of Parisian cafes - sitting at an outside table --- all of sudden this now gives me purpose. I will be in contact with tables and chairs all week - and what a unique way to document this aspect of my trip. The subtitle of the chapter is Familiar Workday Objects - which should certainly open an entire world of potential still lifes in the weeks and years to come.

I have found that I am drawn to color above any other aspect of art (such as texture, line, shape, etc) but it has never occurred to me to take a picture of something because I like the color. However, Serial Photography has almost given me permission to photographic whatever I find pleasing to the eye - whether it makes sense or serves a purpose - for the simple reason that I like it and it brings me joy. So I think I will also be in search of the color Purple in Paris - as that is the color of the year for me.

For the second time this year I have skimmed the book Expressive Photography edited by Tracy Clark. For about six months now I have followed the blog Shutter Sisters. Each day they have an interesting photo and then a thought provoking post that coordinates with it. They ask others to comment, sharing their pictures on the thought of the day. I enjoy looking at all the different interpretations of the prompt, and the different photography styles. This book was born from that blog. The book includes quite a bit more technical information than the others and for that reason I feel that it is not exactly for me at this moment. Never fear, however, I anticipate obtaining it again for the third time this winter when I have a bit more experience under my belt, and perhaps a bit more free time indoors to devote to its study.

God is at Eye Level by Jan Phillips is another thought provoking book for me. There are numerous quotes scattered throughout the book that I have found worthy of writing down myself, and the author's compassion for the human spirit and the world at large is compelling. What I learned from the first quick skim of this book (it definitely requires a re-read later on) is that we can seek to find metaphor in nature which speaks to us and our own personal lives.

I believe I did that for the first time this spring when I went walking during Mom's illness and discovered the withering leaf hanging on to the tree (Mom) with with new Spring growth budding around it (the arrival of my granddaughter, Brynn). And while this metaphor may not be easily discerned by others who might come across the photo, it has a deep connection with me.

In fact the common theme that I have noticed from reading all of these books is that the photographer must be willing to slow down, live in the present and be mindful of the moment. The photographer must be willing to have his camera at all times and be willing to take pictures of any subject matter. The photographer must be willing to change perspective and see the object from various points of view, or he may just miss the meaningful shot. And above all, the photographer must actually take pictures. As with anything in life, if it is worth doing, it is worth practicing. And the more you know - the more you realize you don't know. And that is ok. Because the goal is not to take the perfect photograph - the goal is to enjoy the journey.

Paris Itinerary

2011-07-10T10:16:00.003-05:00

Two weeks from today I will be in Paris – tired, weary, a bit dazed, but I will be making this dream a reality. I have done so much research that I have "virtually" taken this trip numerous times and I think by the time I actually visit these locations, they will be familiar – like visiting an old friend.

I thought I would post my "working" itinerary here. If anyone has any suggestions for other "must see" spots, please don't hesitate to comment. I am constantly revising and tweaking based on new internet finds.

I apologize for the formatting. This was originally created as a table in Microsoft word and it doesn't translate perfectly to blogger.

Paris Possibilities:

Date	Activity	Cost
July 24, 2011	Arrive – take it easy – recover from Jet Lag Shop Amelie grocer – as they are closed on Monday	Food for apt.
July 25 Montmartre	Photography tour of Montmartre (morning) Maybe café and write in afternoon – stay in neighborhood	195 euro - ($290.50) Lunch/dinner
July 26 Marais	Open Air market tour (l'aligre market) - morning Perhaps Place de Bastille Fauburg St. Antoine afternoon Bistro Paul Bert for dinner (?) --- or Le Baron Rouge	77 euro (tour fee) lunch
July 27 (wed) Louvre	Museum Pass – Louvre open late Palais Garnier – English Tour (10:00am opens/11:30am tour) Tuileries Gardens and model boats (?) Café le Nemours for lunch (?) L'Orangerie (museum pass) – open late on Friday	50 euro (museum pass) 12 euro (opera) Lunch/dinner
July 28 (thurs) Cler and Orsay	Museum Pass – d'Orsay open late --- Rodins Gardens (museum pass) Rue Cler	Food for the day
July 29 (fri) Latin Quarter	Museum Pass - Conciergerie Chocolate Tour – metro Louvre- Rivoli (10:30 – 12:30) Notre Dame Shakespeare and Co. Luxumbourg Gardens Le Soufflot Café	25 euro (choc tour) Food for the day
July 30 (sat) Marais again	Museum Pass – Pompidou open late Pere Lachaise cemetery – opens 8:30am Le baron rouge for lunch (?) Victor Hugo house	Food for the day
July 31 FREE	Marche aux Puces – large flea market (RS 440) This may be the questionable area that Isabelle referred to… OR…Jardins d'Acclimations at Bois de Bourgogne
Aug 1 FREE	Canal tour (?) FREE	16 euro (tour)
Aug 2 Wine Tour	Wine / champagne - tour Wine tour confirmed – 7:30AM – 7:30PM	180 euro (tour) Food included
Aug 3 Trocadero area	statue of liberty Tour Eiffel --- eat again on rue cler (?) Musee Marmottan Bateaux parisiens (?)	9 euro (museum) 11 euro (bateaux) food
Aug 4 (Giverney?)	Giverny/Auvers sur Oise tour (maybe on my own) Train in morning to Vernon Monet house/garden --- Impressionist museum	No tour – 60 euro (?)
Aug 5 FREE	Hemmingway walking tour (10:30am) – metro cardinal lemoine FREE	12 euro (tour)
Aug 6 FREE	Perhaps walk the Champs Elyssees Visit Tuillerie or Luxumbourg gardens
Aug 7	Leave for home

Gare Saint Lazare – Place de Dublin (Caillebotte's Rainy Day) (Impression Walk #3)

TSS - 7.2.11

2011-07-03T05:35:00.013-05:00

Three weeks from today I will be landing in Paris and seeing "my" apartment for the first time. I am very excited, of course, but also a bit anxious. I was rather spontaneous when I booked the apartment, partly because I really didn't think that the trip would happen. When I booked the plane tickets it became more real, but it was still over a month away. Now I feel that there is no turning back.

I am nervous for several reasons. First of all, the Charles de Gaulle airport. I think I can make it through customs on my own, but there is finding the baggage claim area - lugging my suitcase off the carousel - and then trying to find the shuttle service to take me to the apartment. Once I get over that hurdle, I can breathe a sigh of relief.

But I am also anxious because I want to make this the best trip it can be. I don't want to come home and regret that I should have done more. Adventure is not normally a word in my vocabulary, but I want to try to embrace it this trip.

So I have spent this past week preparing myself. I have worked out every day in the hopes that I will be in shape to walk around the city without getting out of breath. Of course, I am not looking forward to this steep climb to the top of Montmartre, but I am hoping that it will become easier each day.

I have also persevered and completed the first two lessons of Rosetta Stone. I plan to complete Lesson 3 this week, and that will give me about ten days or so to learn as much of lessons four and five as possible. I have also downloaded all the audio CDs to my iPod and hope to listen to the "conversation" tracks on the plane ride over. Even if I doze a bit, I am hoping that subliminal learning will take place.

I have read numerous books on this fabulous city and spent countless hours surfing the internet. I have developed an account on Trip Advisor, which is a fantastic site for travel reviews as well as vacation planning. I have always enjoyed planning for trips - in fact, I nearly like the anticipation better than the trip itself. Some say I am organized, others say I am obsessed. But the more I visualize the trip, the more I am able to appreciate it once I am there.

So this weekend I developed a "loose" itinerary. While I have read numerous books, these three are my absolute favorite and I plan to take them with me on the trip. Knopf mapguides for Paris is fabulous! I happened to pick this up on a lark when our local Borders bookstore was going out of business. It is one of the best buys I have made in a long time. The book is small enough to fit in any purse, and the fold out maps are magnified enough that I can read the street names with no problem. While the publishers included many of the typical tourist sites on the map, there is plenty of room for me to indicate other, lesser known sites in the area. I combined all the information that I learned from my research and made my own handnotes on each of the maps. This is an indispensable help to me - and will provide a terrific souvenir once the trip is complete.

City Walks Paris is another delightful travel companion. The city has been segmented into 50 one-to-two hour walks and again, the maps are magnified to make it easy to follow the path. I plan to pull out those cards which match the Knopf map of the area that I plan to visit each day. Between these two resources, I should be able to stay on the well-traveled path.

Rick Steves' Paris was another spontaneous purchase at Half Price Books. True, it is a year old, but how much could change in a year's time? The city has been there hundreds of years, right? I really enjoyed this guide because it is an easy read - not dry or boring in the least - and there are hand drawn maps of several areas. While these maps aren't drawn to scale, they do give the reader a nice overview. I hope to scan these and print them off so that I don't have to carry the entire book, just the map of the places I plan to visit that day.

I then created a table in a Microsoft Word document that lists the Map number from the Knopf book, the number(s) of the corresponding city walks notecards, the key sites that I wish to visit in that area, and restaurant/cafe recommendations for that location. I am hoping that this will make it easy to decide where to go the night before - gather supplies together - and set off on a daily adventure without worry. That is the plan anyway.....

One real concern I have is about eating out by myself. I absolutely HATE it. I feel that everyone is staring at me and thinking what a poor pathetic soul I must be. BUT...I must learn to get over this. I do not want to sit in the apartment and miss the wonderful experience of Parisian outdoor cafes. So this week I plan to work on overcoming that fear. I want to go to local coffee houses here in town and sit and write. I absolutely loved Dave Fox's Globejotting and I want to do one of the exercises he prescribes: pre-travel writing. I have done the research, now I need to journal my anticipations and expectations of each location. I can try to hone my sensory writing while at the same time getting over my fear of dining alone. I am hoping that sharing these goals for the "world" to see will be the motivation I need to follow through.

This week will be spent maintaining the new habits for a successful trip: brushing up on French, walking on the treadmill, writing in the coffee shop, and experimenting with my camera settings. If there is time left over, I hope to continue reading The Greater Journey or if I need something a little less ambitious, Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik or My Life in France by Julia Child. I already have Emile Zola and Victor Hugo downloaded on my Kindle to read while traveling.

I wish all of my American readers a safe and festive Fourth of July - and I hope everyone can enjoy a literary vacation this week.

My Hallelujah Song

2011-06-29T14:01:00.001-05:00

One of Mom's many angels

When my eldest graduated high school I, along with the help of a dear friend, made her a dvd of several videos throughout her growing up years and we played it at her open house. When my son graduated, his skills in video post production were so far superior to my own that I decided instead to create a cd of meaningful songs - both those we shared while he was growing up, as well as though I wanted to share with him as he left home. When Mandy graduated this spring she requested a cd as well and it was a lot of fun trying to find songs that she might enjoy now and years to come.

One of my Google searches for "popular songs for 2011 graduation" led me to this one by Julianne Hough. Now I must confess that I am not a Dancing with the Stars fan, nor do I listen to much country music. However, when I first heard this song the melody was so upbeat that I could not help but smile.

As I shared yesterday, I tend to focus on beat and melody first in music, and it is usually as a last resort that I actually listen to the words (strange for an English teacher, huh?). But over the past few days I have really heard the words that are spoken here and I must say that they mimic where I am in life right now:

I think I finally made it here where I belong ....

Life is more than the breaths you take; it's the moments that take your breath away ...

It took some time but I was never by myself, there were angels helping all along.

It has been just a little over three months since Mom passed away. She collected angels.

Perhaps some of you might find this song as uplifting as I do.

What to post...

2011-06-28T14:32:00.001-05:00

I have started no fewer than five different posts over the past two weeks, but never felt comfortable enough to actually upload to the website. A part of this is due to the fact that I still think of this as a "book blog" despite the fact that I haven't written a book review in months. I feel as though I am not being true to "the blog"

But Molly, this is your blog...you can post what you want? Well, yes, but still. There is this marvelous book blogging community that I love and I am not sure that they have an interest in reading my personal dribble.

Another reason for my absence is that I think I have found the "scratch" to my "writing itch" in the morning pages discipline. Ever since I discovered the website, 750 words in April, I have written nearly every day (I have only missed 4 days and that is because we were on vacation with no internet access). While this kind of writing is not helpful in honing the craft, I have found it incredibly useful in ordering my life. It seems that if I write down a goal, I am far more likely to actually take the first step in achieving that goal. Funny how that works, isn't it?

So now that the writing itch has dissipated, I am left with making decisions as to what to actually post on the blog. Here are some possibilities that I have considered:

Rosetta Stone - I am working my way through the French course (at least levels 1-4) in the hopes of conversing with the locals in their native language when I go to Paris next month. Lately I am spending about two hours a day immersing myself in the language. I thought of writing a review of the software as well as my personal discipline.
Water - funny topic, huh? But I have resisted drinking water for years and I fear that it is now taking its toll. In an effort to develop healthy habits this summer that will (hopefully) remain with me once school starts, I have tried to drink more water. Two things have helped: buying a 32 ounce water bottle, and using a squirt of MiO peach/mango drops. I have thought of writing about this new lifestyle change.
Wine Tasting - yes, another new interest. I know that wine is more plentiful in France than soda, and I have always enjoyed pairing wine with food (although that interest was put on hold while raising a family). I have read several books on the topic and watched a few instructional videos. I thought of writing a Weekend Cooking post on this topic - which perhaps might lead to future food/wine posts.
Menu Planner at AllRecipes.com - while I have only had access to this tool for about a week, I must say that I am absolutely in love with it! At first I had to get over the fact that I had to pay for a website that I have used for free for years....but once I analyzed the benefits, I felt that it was well worth it. I love that there are hundreds of pre-designed weekly menus that I can choose from - but also adapt to my own taste. It is the jump start to getting back into the kitchen that I have needed. I thought of writing a review of this culinary find.
Playlists - when I was in high school music was a huge part of my life - but once I had children my rock and roll albums gave way to Barney cassette tapes. I am trying to reconnect with this side of me this summer and have developed a few playlists -- some based on beat and melody (what I tend to focus on most) and others based on meaningful lyrics. I thought of posting my playlists in an attempt to perhaps hear some of your favorite songs as well.
Photography - yes, this continues to be a focus, although I seem to be stuck in "head" knowledge and I can't quite seem to make myself go out and gain practical experience. I simply must change this before I leave next month. I have read several books (which I could quickly review) - but last week I took an online PhotoShop Elements 9 workshop that was FABULOUS!! I thought of writing a review and for those who might be interested, you could download the workshop at CreativeLive.
Unraveling - another online class that I am taking this summer. This class is amazing - although rather deep and introspective (which is what I was looking for). Susannah Conway has managed to create a very safe, compassionate Flickr group where we learn to get in touch with ourselves through photos and writing. My sister-in-law recommended this perfect class for me - and I have thought of writing reviews of what I have learned so far.
Writing - still a major interest of mine and I continue to read more about writing than do it (do you notice a pattern here). I have been focusing more on writing memoir (as I truly do believe that everyone has a story to tell) as well as learning to write with the senses. I would like to hone this craft so that when I eat those memorable meals - or taste that memorable wine - I can recollect it accurately in the written word. I have thought of possibly writing reviews of those books I have enjoyed most.
Paris - of course most of my free time has been focused on preparing for this trip. I have done quite a bit of online research, as well as reading a few travel books. Since we may choose to return to Paris for our 30th anniversary next year (hard to believe I have been married that long!) and have other family members join us, I have researched a variety of tours that I would not normally consider just for myself. I have considered posting links to those here - and I will probably work on posting a few travel articles while I am actually there.

So this is the way I have kept myself busy for the first month of summer. Yes, I am still here, but just not sure that the activities that keep me busy will be of interest to you. If you find any of the points listed above suitable for a full length post....please let me know and I will be happy to oblige. Otherwise, I hope that all of you are staying cool as we head into this Independence Day weekend.

Paris.....Je viens

2011-06-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

I realize I have been absent for far too long to truly call myself a blogger - but I am hoping to rectify that this summer. Rather than delving in the past and writing a litany of reasons why I have been absent - I thought I would abide in the present for now.

It is official....I am going to Paris for two full weeks this summer! As is my usual Mode of Operation, I conceived the idea, researched the idea, followed through on the idea - and now that it is set, all the anxieties of "what have I done?!" are starting to surface. While I am quite excited - I am also wondering how I could possibly expect to traverse a foreign country, where I know only the basics of the language, on my own? How will I get through customs by myself? How will navigate from the airport to the apartment by myself? How will I buy necessities like toilet paper by myself?

Taken from Isabelle's listed photos

While there are a million questions like this running through my mind at any given time of day, I can also attest to the fact that I am ready for this next adventure in life. I discovered this adorable one bedroom apartment in the Montmartre section of Paris on Homeaway.com in March. I contacted the landlord, Isabelle, via email and within minutes she responded with open dates. Since that time we have corresponded numerous times and she is always willing to share her expertise.

Taken from Isabelle's listed photos

I told Isabelle that I wish to experience Paris as a Parisian this time. I have had the opportunity to visit this City of Lights twice in the past: once in high school in 1977 and again for about 36 hours in 2006. I have seen most of the tourist attractions, and while I would like to visit the Tour Eiffel and Arc de Triomphe again - I really want to visit the out-of-the-way cafes and local street markets. She said that she will have three pages of her favorite spots ready for me when I arrive!

Over the past few weeks I have researched Paris day trips on my own as well as on TripAdvisor.com. I have found a couple of Photography courses/tours that I think sound perfect to do within the first couple of days: Photo Tours in Paris and Better Paris Photos. Not only would I have the opportunity to see some of the premier sites of the city, but I will also learn some valuable photography tips that I can use for the rest of my vacation. Of course these courses are rather expensive, but I think that the double benefit of a semi-private tour as well as practical instruction might make it worth the cost.

In addition I have investigated some possible side trips including a wine tour. I absolutely LOVE the wines from the Beaujolais region, but seeing how Lyon is about a three hour train ride from Paris, that will probably not be a part of this trip. However, the Champagne district is nearby (and who doesn't like champagne) as well as the Loire Valley. I am leaning towards taking a tour with Wine Day Tours which provides a 12 hour tour of the local wine region including visits to family run wineries and vineyards. Again, this is rather expensive, but I also view it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I just want to ensure that I go on a sunny day rather than rainy one --- and I will definitely have to overcome my shy, introverted way around strangers.

So after much deliberation and quite a bit of daydreaming - I finally booked the flight. I will leave the states on Saturday, July 23 and return on Sunday, August 7. There is no turning back now, so I best start practicing with Rosetta Stone in order to build my very weak confidence.

In the meantime....I just noticed David McCullough's newest book is now available, The Greater Journey, and while I have not read any of his non-fiction masterpieces in the past, I think this one is calling my name.

TSS: 5.22.11

2011-05-22T09:38:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since I have participated in a Sunday Salon - but it feels good to slowly add blogging back into my life. I have missed it and hope that this is the start of a new routine.

Reading:
I have spent the past two weeks or so acquainting myself with the poetry of Mary Oliver. As I have mentioned before, poetry has always intimidated me: I never seem to "get" the poetry studied in school, and long ago I decided to discount the genre altogether. However, as an English teacher, I have reluctantly consented to introduce (not teach) poetry in the classroom. The poem that I choose to analyze for students is Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth.

But I have decided to give poetry another try. I realized that it was quite judgmental of me to banish an entire genre from my reading repertoire based on a young teen experience. I have also tried to practice self-compassion - so that if I don't "get it" - which is still often the case - I don't beat myself up. I have learned that sometimes I may not understand the meaning of the poem, but I can still appreciate the beauty of a line or two.

After reading several Mary Oliver collections, I have decided that I really appreciate the poems included in Red Bird and Thirst. So when I received two coupons in my email this week - one from Barnes and Noble and one from Borders - and when I realized that I had Borders Bucks available to use and a gift card to BN - I decided to treat myself to an end-of-the-year gift. I don't know if I am more excited about these two purchases, or the fact that I spent a whopping $1.96 for both books! In either case, I look forward to quieting myself this summer by reading a couple of these poems each day.

Writing:
I am so excited to report that I have participated in Julia Cameron's Morning Pages via the 750words website for 31 straight days! This is the venue for me. I average 750 words in 15 minutes - which allows me to spill my thoughts and worries on a page without taking up too much time or cramping my hand.

I tend to use these pages as a journal - documenting my day, my anxieties, and occasionally some ideas to overcome the problem du jour. This is NOT creative writing - but I do think it is allowing me to free my mind to begin working on the serious writing that I desire to pursue this summer.

To that end, I still plan to walk to Starbucks several mornings each week - grab a latte - and practice honing my writing skills. Most notably, I want to practice travel writing so that I can try to capture the emotion of the trip to Paris rather than just the events. I have purchased two books on this subject, Globejotting by Dave Fox and Travel Writing by L. Peat O'Neil. While I read numerous books on this subject, these two books provided the best instruction coupled with terrific writing prompts that suit my needs and purposes.

I also want to try to cultivate some skill at writing about food so that I can bring home the experience of eating du pain et fromage avec un verre de vin - in a way that others can savor the meal as well. To help me with this endeavor, I hope to read Word Painting by Rebecca McClanahan. In this book the author instructs the reader how to incorporate all the senses in order to fully describe an event or experience.

School:
Finals were completed on Wednesday, grades were posted on Thursday, graduation was Friday. I have now officially completed the 2010/2011 academic year. While the classes were not difficult and I enjoyed each of them, the personal issues of second semester drained me and the emotional roller coaster really took its toll this past month. I am glad to have a full three months to rest, relax, and recuperate.

I also spent Friday morning packing up my classroom. It looks as though we will not be able to meet in the same location next year - although it is not yet certain where we will be. While this can be a bit disconcerting, it is the fourth move in the seven years that I have taught. I have grown accustomed to the transient nature of private schools and I have faith that the right building will become available in time.

Personal:
As most of you know, today my youngest graduates high school - and I have spent most of the weekend working on her scrapbook for the Open House. Fortunately, we have scheduled this celebration for Thursday evening, which means that I have a few more days to finish the task.

In scrapbook years Mandy is now in high school - this is a good thing! I hope to complete her sophomore and junior years this afternoon before going to the ceremony - and then I can complete her senior year on Monday and Tuesday.

I scrapbook what is fondly called a Toddler to Teen album. I do not try to incorporate every picture of every year of her life. Rather, I select only key photos and create a two-page spread for each year. When I am done there will be one very full album that documents all 17.5 years and it is a gift that she can take with her when she leaves home to pursue her own adventures.

So while I am officially on summer vacation - I do have one more busy week before I can truly relax. But it will be a fun, exciting week!

Whimsical?

2011-05-21T13:34:00.001-05:00

Whimsical is not an adjective that I - or anyone who knows me well - would use to describe me. Dependable - yes. Responsible - yes. Serious - yes. But whimsical? Never.

But as I got dressed today that is the word that popped into my head.

See, I have not exactly embraced the turning-50-and-becoming-a-grandmother phase of life. While I may only feel 35, the calendar - and my aching joints - keep reminding me that is not the case.

So I decided this spring to embrace the poem, When I Grow Old, I Shall Wear Purple. Not embrace it as in become a member of the garish red-hat society, but rather, I really like the last lines as they are paired with the first

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

....But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

In other words - stop caring so much about what others think and start living for me. So I have decided to begin embracing this new-found attitude by adding the color purple to my wardrobe. I needed some new t-shirts anyway (I think after five seasons I can safely say that I got my money's worth) - and so I focused on purple Ts rather than my traditional black and brown palate.

Yesterday I decided to treat myself to a trip to Charming Charlies in celebration of another completed school year. By adding all these purple shirts to my wardrobe, I decided that I wanted a purple watch to match. I found one (and a ring and a bracelet). So today when I got dressed I put on my purple T - my purple watch - my purple ring - and my purple bracelet.

Now this will sound silly, I know, but I have always admired painted toenails - somehow it signifies a lady of leisure to me -- which is probably why I never take the time to provide myself with that luxury. I mean there is the time it takes to actually paint - and because I am so inexperienced, the inevitable clean up around each toe - and then the added time to sit and wait until the paint dries so it doesn't smudge. It was just not worth the effort. But today....today I decided to treat myself and I took the time to paint my toenails --- PURPLE!

And when I finished I felt like a teenage girl again. So free, frivolous, and well....whimsical.

Yes, I am not yet old, but I shall wear purple and embrace this new phase of life.

A Glimpse into my World....

2011-05-16T20:40:00.000-05:00

So this is finals week; the week that I have dreamed about since February. Today I completed two finals and have all grades calculated and ready to post. Only four more classes to go.

Tomorrow is the final class for my college level English Composition class. Teaching a college level class has been a dream come true - and I truly could not have asked for a better group of students to serve as my guinea pig class. There have been a few bumps in the road - most notably our second semester is about 3 weeks longer than that of the college with which we are affiliated - and I have misjudged a few units of study. Irregardless, these have been valuable lessons learned for yours truly (I have many ways in which I plan to tweak the syllabus next year) and the students have been quite supportive the entire time.

These final four weeks have been spent filming narrative stories that the students wrote at the beginning of the semester. They quickly learned that filming takes much longer than planned - and so we have culled twelve stories down to three - down to just one. We finished filming last Tuesday - worked on edits in class on Thursday - and plan to show the final version tomorrow after the final.

In my own corny way .... I want to let the students know how much I love them, how much joy they brought into my life, and how I wish only the best for their future. So...I have decided to have an Academy Award presentation in class tomorrow. I found these lovely chocolate "oscar" lollipops online that I ordered in advance, and today I wrote award certificates to commemorate a job well done. I had asked students to brainstorm different award categories last week - and today I compiled the top three for each student (which they will read on the front of the envelope) and then I selected the one idea that I thought best epitomized that particular student.

I hope to stop by Walmart tomorrow and purchase a couple of red towels to serve as the red carpet (I have no budget - so I must try to make do and this way I can use the towels this summer). I can't decide whether to download Academy Award winning songs to play throughout the presentation - or if generic music would suit the mood well enough. I have time to decide - the final is not until noon.

Anyway, this is just a bit of insight into my wacky mind - and my ability to create more work for myself. I hope the students enjoy my insanity --- as it is truly from the heart.

The End of an Era

2011-05-15T00:26:00.000-05:00

This evening I attended my last high school choir concert. This is really the last activity except for the graduation ceremony next Sunday evening - and then my youngest child will be out of high school and ready to venture out into the world on her own.

And with that pivotal moment in her life --- my career as "mom" will come to an end. Oh, I realize that I will always be a mother, but the job description will definitely change. I will no longer be responsible for my children's well-being and teaching them to become independent; they have already grown up and become fine upstanding citizens who can make it just fine on their own. I will be trading in my role as disciplinarian for that of friend. And while I am very much looking forward to this new relationship, it is rather sad that my lifelong dream of becoming a "mommy" is now over.

I look back over these past twenty-five years and truly wonder where the time went. I remember when my oldest was three months old and I as I looked out our bay window in New York City and I saw a young toddler riding a tricycle I wondered aloud, Will she ever get that old? Will she ever be able to walk on her own and express her feelings in some other way than crying in the middle of the night? And here Megan is today waking up in the middle of the night with her own little girl. As I was raising my children, the days often seemed to drag, but somehow the years have passed much too quickly.

From the time they were infants, I tried to instill a love of music in each of my children. While I never excelled in vocal performance, being a part of the band was my saving grace in high school. It gave me a sense of belonging at a time when I often felt out of place - and I wanted my own children to experience that kind of acceptance. And each one of them have --- although none of them through instrumental music, but all of them through voice. My eldest toured with the Continental Singers the summer before her senior year, and she attended Belmont University for music business. My son enjoyed several leads in school musicals, and is currently living in Nashville and pursuing his career in audio engineering. And while Mandy does not plan to continue to study music in the future, she has definitely developed her singing talent over these past three years.

Tonight Mandy sang a solo - which she dedicated to her Gram, my mother, in front of a packed auditorium of over 500 people. My hands shake when I have to speak in front of more than three people, but Mandy was so well-poised and sang beautifully. I tried to videotape the performance, but due to my amateur status, the picture and sound did not mesh. Suffice it to say, she did great and has made both her parents quite proud.

So tonight signals the end of an era. The end to a great run as parents to three amazing children. And now as we close the chapter on this particular book of life, I look forward to seeing what other adventure stories lie ahead.

Photography Class

2011-05-10T18:14:00.001-05:00

I completed the last of the regular semester grading last night and I am giddy with excitement! I have classes this week, finals next week, and then summer is officially here.

I celebrated the advent of freedom by taking a photography class last night at our local library. It was a two hour class taught by a local photographer and it met all my expectations! He lectured for about 45 minutes, not really telling me anything I had not already read, but saying it in a slightly different way that made me take notice. He had plenty of examples - which is great for a visual learner like myself.

After the lecture we then went outside for about a half hour to practice what we had learned. The evening was beautiful for early May: clear skies, warm sun, and a temperature of about 80 degrees. We wandered around the perimeter of the library, trying to train our eye to see the beauty in every day life. While I have a long way to go.... I did enjoy trying to take an "emotional" shot of this park bench. I know that I want to capture the Parisian lifestyle this summer and anticipate taking several photos of local cafes; I thought this bench provided the perfect practice opportunity. (as a side note....in surfing the web today I discovered an amazing site: City Daily Photo. I plan to use the Paris listings to help me develop a list of photo opportunities for my summer trip)

As I walked around the building and through the parking lot, I noticed the flag - its bright red stripes flying in contrast to the clear blue sky; I noticed the vertical lines of the garbage can, although I did not seem to get quite close enough to make art out of trash; I noticed the city worker cutting the green grass atop his yellow lawn mower; I noticed the beauty in the rock formations that section off the parking lot. It was nice to slow down and appreciate the little things in life.

When then returned to the classroom for the final twenty minutes and some brave students shared their pictures. I was astounded at the differing perspectives we all brought to our photographs. Some showcased talent in framing a subject using an available tree branch, bike rack, or hole in a picket fence. Others zoomed in on an everyday bicycle and focused on the gears, or the handle bars, or the bicycle seat. At times I was intimated by their creativity - but I was also greatly inspired.

I know that photography is like anything else in life: it requires practice - practice - practice. Now that I am armed with some practical advice, I am ready to put in the work.

TSS: Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T06:55:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to those of you who are celebrating! It is a beautiful day here in the Midwest: sunny with a high in the 80s. The perfect day to celebrate life.

I have been in hibernation these past three weeks. Quite honestly, I am just trying to survive the next few days until school ends on May 20, Mandy graduates on the 22nd, and her Open House concludes on the 26th. At that point I plan to begin to focus on me. I am on automatic pilot at school - and I am comatose when I return home. I have not even had the energy to read blogs - one of my favorite past times - but I am hopeful that routine will recommence in June.

I have found a new website, however, that has allowed to me voice my concerns, frustrations, etc. without boring my blog readers with all those details. I have learned over these past two years that I need to write - that I need to get all the thoughts down on paper in order to make sense of life. Otherwise, I just ruminate on the same issues over and over again - treating my thoughts like a worry stone and wearing my mental state thin. In her book, The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron talks about the value of "morning pages" for the creative artist in all of us. Cameron teaches that dumping our thoughts on the page first thing in the morning - 3 pages worth of dumping - will eventually clear the mind and make room for creative inspiration to take a foothold, rather than being strangled by the concerns of life.

I have tried this method of journaling several times over the past couple of years, but I never last more than two or three days. Writing in long hand takes time, and in order to try to do it before the day begins, I either must get up far earlier than I desire (to the tune of 4:30AM) or I write so fast that the words are indecipherable and my fingers have cramped. But two weeks ago I discovered a site, 750 Words, that is an online community for morning pages. The average number of words on a double spaced, type written page is 250 words -- and the rational is that if you wish to write 3 pages each morning, you will need to write approximately 750 words. Clever, huh?

I have been faithful to write every day for the past fifteen days. The site will send a reminder email, if I so desire, and there is an automatic word counter that lets me know how many words I have left to type - and when I have achieved the goal. There are even badges that reward consistent behavior - perfect for the goal oriented writer such as myself. Like most people, I type much faster than I can write by hand - so my writing tends to stay on track with my thoughts - and I find that I finish these morning pages in an average of 15 minutes. A very doable routine that does not require me to set my alarm earlier than usual.

Anyway, that is how I have maintained my writing practice - even though it has not been visible here.

I have lots of plans this summer - which include developing new daily routines that help me to experience ALL of life rather than focusing on just one aspect which causes tunnel vision and resentment. I want to maintain a more balanced lifestyle and I anticipate my blog will reflect this. I will definitely begin to read fiction again - and write book reviews. But I also plan to cultivate my creativity with quilting, scrapbooking, photography, and writing -- and will blog about that as well. Teaching will continue to be a focus September through May, and I will occasionally update with antics from the classroom. I hope to reconnect with many of you, online friends, in the very near future.

In the meantime, I must now prepare for Brynn's dedication service at church this morning - and then the three generations will go out for a celebratory brunch. I hope that this day is as special for you!

Takin' a Dip

2011-04-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

You all have greatly encouraged me to take the plunge into creativity. Even though I am not quite ready to totally leave the dock - I am thrilled to report that I have dipped in my big toe and it feels great!

While I haven't taken a trip to Dairy Queen lately (where I need to report that my favorite blizzard flavor is Cappuccino Chip) - I did go to a fabric store and purchased material for the sudoku quilt idea. I am SO excited!

I new that I wanted to focus on purples because of the Grandmother issue and the fact that I have embraced the poem, When I Grow Old I Shall Wear Purple.....but I also really love soft greens and turquoise (which happen to coordinate well with purple on the color wheel). So these are the batiks that I chose for this first quilt.

I spent this evening pre-washing the material, ironing, and cutting out.

Now as my husband commented....this is not your grandmother's quilt - and it does take a bit of preparation and organization to complete. I have placed each of the nine different materials in baggies to keep them organized (and also identified them each a post-it note). I plan to take out only one piece at a time as I work on the corresponding block. I am hoping that this helps eliminate confusion - which at this stage in life, is quite a welcomed concept.

I then cut a swatch of each of the nine materials and made myself a cheat-sheet - so that I could properly follow the sudoku pattern without much mishap. Since the colors are very similar - I am hoping that this swatch card will help me to follow the "pattern" I envision each square as its own abstract painting - although a bit different from one another. Watercolors always seem so serene to me and evoke feelings of peace and relaxation. Who knows what I will actually end up with.

I googled searched "completed sudoku puzzles" and found this image. I think it will work as good as any. The concept is to use the same nine fabrics in a nine different combinations - thus creating a 'sudoku' puzzle out of colors and patterns rather than out of numbers. The possibilities are endless!

I also have an idea of doing a quilt for my son using only black/white fabrics with a splash of red. We'll see how this one works out first.

So there you have my quilt idea. Not quite a literary concept - but it has been influenced by my novel idea that focuses on the Impressionists.

I will also share a few of the poems I have found this week in Caroline Kennedy's anthology, She Walks in Beauty. I am thoroughly enjoying this book - and I appreciate that Ms. Kennedy is teaching me to s-l-o-w down and enjoy the language and images of these thoughtful pieces.

Dairy Queen Dilemma

2011-04-17T18:49:00.000-05:00

I had an epiphany this morning. Actually, I have probably known this for quite sometime but I just allowed myself to recognize the truth. Perfectionism is not all it is cracked up to be.

There....I said it. I have always thought that striving for perfection was a noble act - even one that should earn me extra points in life; but I have been deceiving myself.

I have lived my entire life following the adage If you are going to do something, then do it right the first time. As a young child this would apply to the chores that I was asked to do each week. If I knew that I had to vacuum the house - then I should vacuum the house right the first time. Otherwise, a haphazard job would require me to do it again - which would mean less time for fun.

As I grew older, Do it Right the First Time would have more pragmatic applications, such as, precisely follow the recipe for chocolate truffles or repurchase the expensive ingredients for round two.

Several years ago a group of friends took me to Dairy Queen for the first time (yes, I had lived a rather sheltered life). Some of the ladies knew that they were going to order their "usual" --- some knew they wanted to try the special of the month --- and some were pleased to develop their own concoction. I just stared at the menu in utter disbelief. I was told that I needed to order a blizzard - but where should I begin? Did I want to go the chocolate route - with chocolate syrup and candy fixings? Or did I want to appear more healthy by ordering a fruit blend with no syrup? The various combinations seemed too numerous for me to choose and so instead I chose to walk out with nothing. While I have since learned to navigate the ice cream menu, my first DQ visit continues to be the joke of the social circle.

But last night I realized that this is really not a laughing matter. As I was cleaning up the nook getting ready for bed I realized that I had no fewer than 8 different books on the couch next to me.

I started reviewing Inner Excavation in the hopes that it might jog my memory for a writing prompt (and my journal was next to me just in case inspiration came).
That then led me to read a bit more of Caroline Kennedy's collection of poems, She Walks in Beauty. While I enjoyed a few of these poems I remembered that ...
I had borrowed one of Mary Oliver's books on poetry from the library and I thought I might be inspired to write if I read a few of her poems as well.
So far, nothing really moved me to write myself so I decided to pick up Virginia Woolf's essay of women and fiction and began reading A Room of One's Own. I have never read Woolf and found the long paragraphs so dense that I could really only digest a few pages before I felt I needed to stop and mediate for awhile.
Well, what better way to meditate than with a magazine? So I picked up the latest edition of Writer's Digest that I had just purchased and began reading. The article on Food Writing with Flavor reminded me that ...
I had just picked up Molly Wizenberg's book, A Homemade Life, this week and that would be a great way to see in action what I had just read in theory. The thought of writing about food reminded me of my upcoming trip to Paris and the fact that I not only want to write - but I want to take pictures as well.
This made me select Rick Sammon's Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter off my shelf to educate myself on the proper composition of a good photo. Reading about taking pictures made me long for the day when I would actually get on the plane and fly to Paris so ...
I decided to curb that longing by reading about the locale in the Impressionists' Paris. By this time it was nearly midnight and I was exhausted.

As I was cleaning up all these books before going to bed I realized my problem. No, I am not ADD, in fact I am the direct opposite. I am probably the most singularly focused person in my household. BUT...I am afraid that the book I am reading now is not the BEST book to read. There may be one that would suit me better -- and so I continue to go in search for fear that I am settling for just mediocre.

I look at the bookshelves that surround me. My book collection has grown exponentially in the past three years - and yet, I find that I am reading less. WHY? I think it is because choice stymies me. I am afraid to delve into one book because there may be another that is better - that is - perfect.

This pattern repeated itself again today - in the fabric store. I went with friends to the local quilt shop. I had a great idea to make a Sudoku Quilt (I am in love with this concept) and went in search of nine different fabrics. I even had the idea of using nine different watercolor fabrics (or batiks) in honor of the Impressionists. I also wanted to incorporate a lot of purple in honor of my new grandmother role. I had lots of ideas.

And when we got to the store I immediately headed for that aisle. And there I stood - for hours (well, minutes anyway). Pondering all the lovely colors but totally incapable of making any decisions. I left the store empty-handed - much like I left Dairy Queen several years ago.

I am obviously missing the boat. I have taken this perfectionism thing much too far. I am denying myself pleasure in life because I am afraid there is a better choice out there.

Why must I think of this as an either/or decision? So what if the blizzard flavor today isn't exactly what I want? I can always return next week and try something else. So what if the fabrics selected do not render a Impressionist painting? What have I learned from the mistake? How much did it cost me --- a twenty dollar bill and a few hours time?

I think that I am on to something --- but I am not sure where to go from here. Obviously changes need to take place; shifts in thought processing are in order. I think it is time to stop standing on the shore of life - stop dipping in the big toe and just jump in with both feet.

Books of Interest

2011-04-15T09:04:00.000-05:00

I am embarrassed to say how long it has been since I have published a post that discusses books. I think my blog is evolving into something other than a book blog - but that is a subject for another day.

Today I thought I would share the eclectic assortment of reading material that I have gathered this week. It should be a fun weekend!

She Walks in Beauty: A Woman's Journey through Poems by Caroline Kennedy. This was purely an impulse buy - I had a coupon that I desperately wanted to use but refused to buy another fiction book without reading some of the many I already own. This book caught my eye, however, because lately I have this desire to learn to appreciate poetry. Part of the reason is because I think as an English teacher I should have a comfort level with this mode of writing, but the other reason is because I feel that poetry will force me to slow down and notice the details of life that I have raced passed all these years. I like this anthology because it was written by a middle aged woman for middle aged women. There MUST be some poems in here that I can relate to! I plan to spend a few minutes each day reading through a poem or two and savoring the images and messages that are conveyed within.

Knopf Mapguides: Paris While I am not certain that my trip to Paris will take place this summer, I am still having fun planning it. I found this little gem at the "going out of business" sale at our local Borders *heavy sigh* and knew I had to have it. I love the size - it would fit in any size purse or backpack, including the Vera Bradley mini-hipster that I plan to carry at all times. The 19 Arrondissements are divided into 10 pull out maps - so that I can actually read the street names without having to use a high-powered magnifying glass. Each section includes a list of the top attractions - as well as a few local restaurants and cafes. I have even added a few attractions of my own on the corresponding maps which I found in Literary Cafes of Paris (Noel Fitch) and Markets of Paris (Dixon and Ruthanne Long).

At this same book sale I found A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. JoAnn and Margot both reviewed this book a while back and I knew at the time that it was one I would enjoy. While my family would doubt that I truly have a love of cooking - given my lack of time in the kitchen these past few months (years?), I do harbor dreams of someday returning to gourmet creativity. The reason I decided to purchase this book now, however, is because I want to learn how to write about food before going on my Parisian holiday. I would like to know how to incorporate all the senses when describing the most simple meal of bread and cheese - in a way that would compliment my photos and create a fulfilling experience for anyone who cares to read of my adventures.

Finally I am slowly reading, digesting, and completing the exercises found in Inner Excavation by Liz Lamoreux. I found this book over the holidays while browsing the mixed media art shelves. I like that the author focuses on three aspects of the creative life in order to try to discover the person that lies within. She first focuses on photography and the idea of slowing down long enough to live in the present. She is teaching me to see beauty in every day life and to learn to be purposeful in my photography throughout the year, not just on special occasions. Then she encourages the reader to experiment with poetry - which can come from reading, journaling, or just allowing the mind to roam free. Finally she asks us to combine these two endeavors into a mixed media collage that offers ultimate freedom of expression through color, texture, words, images, .... well, you get the idea.

To celebrate this new inner journey I decided to treat myself to a new journal and matching pen: something in which I would normally never allow myself to indulge. In fact, after I bought these they sat on my table for weeks: I didn't want to write in it for fear of messing up something so beautiful. But as a statement of my new quest of adventure, I decided to just start writing - in pen of all things (I always write in pencil so that I can erase my mistakes). I have decided that it is time to start embracing my imperfections.

I chose this particular pattern for two reasons. The name of the pattern is Watercolor and it reminds me of the en plein air style of Monet. So, in honor of my upcoming trip to study the Impressionists, I thought that this would be a fitting companion. In addition, the predominant colors of this journal are lime green (my favorite) - violet and gray. Since becoming a grandmother I have decided to claim the poem When I Grow Old, I Shall Wear Purple as my own (although I can vow that you will never see me in a red hat!!). I try to wear purple most days of the week (my wardrobe is a bit sparse of this color now - but I will slowly add pieces as time progresses) and I am also trying to "live" now rather than wait until "someday" And finally, I think it is significant that the background color is gray - and not white. White is stark and sometimes cold - whereas gray is softer, as though the wisdom that comes with age has mellowed its temperament. I would like to think that is what my gray hairs symbolize..