When Kevin and Molly asked if we could stay with the boys while they were at a wedding, we didn't hesitate! And it was delightful in every way!
We arrived on a gorgeous September afternoon. The weather couldn't have been nicer -- sunny, warm (but not too hot), not at all humid. We stayed home for a bit while Rick and the boys played checkers.
It has been many moons since I attended and posted about our wine tasting gang, the Cork Poppers. Covid put a halt to our gatherings, and even after vaccinations and lifting of restrictions, we were hesitant to gather into a potential super spreader. But after many moons, we are together again, this time to sample the wines from the Bordeaux region.
We met at the home of Roger and Meredith during a rainstorm (which put a stop to the anticipated boat ride up the Grand River!). No matter. The wine was flowing, the food terrific!
While Kate and I were at Art Camp we decided (for the first time in all our art camp years!) to do a road trip. And it was a very special occasion.
We were off to the charming town of Harbor Springs, Michigan, to meet up with artist Elizabeth Pollie -- whom Kate hadn't seen since she babysat for her decades before! It was an afternoon filled with fun, laughter and a delightful visit to a charming town.
My fellow Artist-in-Arms Kate and I wrapped up our annual Art Camp in mid-September, having not only have a marvelous time, but perfect weather! We also celebrated both our birthdays very belatedly and did a good deal of art! No arguing with that! We even got in a road trip!
For those who haven't followed me long, art camp is a week period time when Kate and I head to the cottage and focus on our art. But there is also time for long walks, swimming, books, Britbox and Acorn, good wine and great food. It was also the only truly relaxing time I've experienced all summer.
Like many around the world, I am mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II -- expected, but never expected at that moment and time. And during these days leading up to her funeral and final rest, it has caused me to think about my own relationship with the Queen and the British monarchy -- how it evolved and why, in these days and times, it remains so strong.
I am neither British (save for some great grandparents and beyond) nor have I ever encountered the Queen or any of her family "in person," even from afar. Why does that relationship remain strong for me and so many, while others might like nothing better than to see the backs of the royal family and their palaces and press?
One of the things I learned when I visited the Lavender Hill Farm -- and the thing in the post that so many readers commented on -- was that they cleaned their large lavender still with catsup.
I had too much company to get much reading done in August but the books I read were worth the time and the late nights! They include a political thriller, three mysteries (set in England, Florence and Venice), a non-fiction look at how a London writer adjusts to small town life on the coast of Denmark and a short book of poems by cats!
We came back to Lansing from the lake so I could go to some doc appointments and that Rick and Kitty could prepare to go meet the grands (and her great grands) over the weekend. But it was a lovely day and a good time to take Kitty on a walk through the beautiful gardens at Michigan State University.
Every summer when I was a kid, on a lovely evening, my mom and dad, her two sisters and
their husbands, and my three cousins would pile into the old station
wagon and go "elking" in Michigan's north. This activity found the six adults on
the bench seats in the front and back and the four of us kids in the
rear end of the car. It was close.
We arrived at the farm and checked in at the gift shop to book our inexpensive golf cart tour. Within a few minutes, our guide, Emily (an elementary education student at Michigan State) drove up in a golf cart and off we went.
It has been a month of house guests and the most recent has been Rick's mom, Kitty, who is visiting from Texas. She picked a good time to leave that hot state in the south for our much cooler Michigan summer.
It seems to be feast or famine for spotting birds here this summer. Most of the songbirds are high in the trees and the water birds, while my favorites to view and rarely tire of, do get redundant!
Everything this summer has been more than a little topsy turvy with a few big monkey wrenches thrown into the mix. Would my birthday be the same? Nope! It was terrific!
When we last left our family and friends, Rick had set off from friends Anne and Clayton's home to attend a memorial for a cycling mentor. He would ride the fifty or so miles and after the event, return to their home for another overnight and then take off on a bike hike. I, on the other hand, would skip the memorial, enjoy time with our hosts and then head home to enjoy two days of just-me time before the next round of activity.
Oh, the things we think we are going to do.
Summer is a time for friends and family and we've had both to enjoy this year.
Through no specific plan, it seems as though the books of July focused on three topics: Paris, New York and England (specifically, London and Penzance). They include a guide book, three mysteries, a novel of historical fiction, a chick-lit novel and a non-fiction history of a renowned hotel. It's summer -- and the reading is fun and easy!
It has been an odd summer, one where we aren't quite sure where we are going or when we are going there -- or are we just staying put for a bit? You know what this one would like!
Walking in Paris -- or any city -- is filled with surprises. Look up, down, behind you, to the left and right. Into shop windows or lesser known attractions. Inside, outside. All times of day. Some of these will mean nothing to anyone but me. But I hope some of these take you a bit off the well-beaten paths! (Although I couldn't resist my favorite Eiffel Tower photo!)
Summertime and the living is easy. So they say, at any rate, but this summer seemed decidedly odd. There is a hint of instability, melancholy and uneasiness in the air, a sharp contrast to the blue skies, puffy clouds and stunning sunsets.
If I am at home, I will visit the Ditch. And if I visit the Ditch, I will probably encounter my Big Bird buddy, Harry the Heron.
He was in a particularly lovely setting in one of the most recent visits.
If I had to sum up "The Paris Key" by Juliet Blackwell in one sentence it would be "It was a good book to read while suffering with a moderate concussion and cut up face."
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| The Gargoyles of Notre Dame |
Which may be damning with faint praise.
A year or two ago, a blogger friend gave me several partially used and very lovely sketchbooks that had been passed on to her. There was a hitch to it -- She said, "you must use them and fill them up!"
It has taken awhile. The paper is beautiful and the artist who started them was very good and I didn't want to just doodle in them! But I've finally filled the first of them (and worked in others as well)! And I've been rather pleased to open them up and see progress and diversity within.
You may have noticed there haven't been as many postcards from the lake as usual. It's been an odd summer.
During 2014's Paris in July, I did a post on some of my favorite guide books and maps to Paris. Those remain some of my favorites and you can find that post HERE. (Photos in this post are mine.)
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| The antique market at Vanves |
But what about a more recent option? I have found it in the very delightful and well organized and illustrated "Paris," a Curious Traveler Guide by Eleanor Aldridge. The back of the book blurb calls it "An Insider's Guide to Paris without Pretension." It lives up to that hype.
Time for the June book review -- a bit late this time! There were some good ones -- a mix of mystery, fiction, bio-fiction and history! From England, Sweden, and Paris to Berlin and Italy, pre-WWII to the present, there should be something in this list to appeal to any reader!
Some days are good. Some days are not-so-good. You may have read about our fun day with the Little Guys, our own Dynamic Duo. It was fun in the sun, summer food, good times.
Then they left and things went downhill from there.
Our grandlittles had a grand time at the beach when they came to visit us last week. The boys hadn't been to the cottage for a couple of years -- Covid did that to our gang! So, we were thrilled when they finally arrived! The weather couldn't have been better, which made outside time absolutely perfect!
I recently read the book "The Bridal Chair" by Gloria Golderich, about Marc Chagall and, equally and perhaps even more so, his daughter Ida, and the role she played in saving his art and getting it out of Nazi-occupied France in World War II.
(Most of the photos in this post, unless otherwise credited, are those I've taken at Art Institute of Chicago, Paris Opera Garnier and on the Chicago streets at Chase Tower Plaza on Dearborn Street.)
Our first few days here were quite lovely -- warm temperatures (but with a breeze and little humidity so it wasn't oppressive), sunny days (for the most part), pleasant evenings and settling in.
I keep the watercolors I haven't framed for sale in page protectors in some big, thick binders (along with the practice work in my sketchbooks). Every now and then I look through them, partly for a little boost to see how I've improved, and sometimes, to see how I can improve upon the original work. The ones below date back to 2016.
Sometimes it improves -- and sometimes, I'm not so sure it does. So I do it again!
