All Things Sporting

Today is Rick's birthday. Double Nickels. 55. Stay alive.

Tonight we'll celebrate with our annual bike-ride/cook out. I shouldn't say "our" bike ride. He rides. I cook. And he brings back his biking buddies to enjoy burgers, salads, cake and all.

So, I thought I'd include some of my favorite Rick pix from vacation -- when it comes to all things sporting last week, it was mostly him being sporting! And a few from Paris, as I share another of his talents!

Now, he did most of the sport at the lake (Well, I did walk and swim!)

And of course, that sport is the bike. We have been totally immersed in Tour de France over the past couple weeks.

We missed many of the opening sprints during our vacation, and finally broke down on the last night to go to Big Buck Brewery and take a table in front of a telly with the Tour!

Sometimes I think Rick is doing the Tour every time he rides. Not the mountains -- none of those here. I envy the dedication, the drive, the physical stamina it takes to dedicate yourself to a sport so wholeheartedly.

But then, everything he does, he does that way. His work. His guitar. Biggest mistake I made last year during my trip to France was to buy him guitar music I hadn't heard.

I went to the music district, near Gare St. Lazare, where there was one instrument and sheet music shop after another on Rue de Rome.

(Gare St. Lazare was painted by Monet, and it was great fun to see both the "real" thing and his version in Musee d'Orsay. The area was a short walk from the Opera House and some of the more elegant Parisian department stores. Ah, a good day!)

He had mentioned a particular publisher whose house used to be on that street and wanted photos. Here's one of the front door. I stood in the middle of a busy street to try and get them, and after nearly getting hit, decided an off-kilter look wasn't so bad!

When I found music in a shop by that publisher, I grabbed it! Perfect gift!

It's the most discordant thing I've ever heard. I love classical music. Melodic classical music -- not so much those with complicated harmonies. This doesn't cut it!

(I will say, it's sounding better -- and when he described to me this past weekend that this is the music he hears in his head when he rides, and why, I could see the narrative and liked it a little better!)

But with dogged determination, he has been practicing it. He tries to practice an hour or two a day, and at the lake it was two.

(Still, I'm glad I also bought him another book of something more "traditional!")

Rick and I have been together now since 1996, and known each other longer. Every year I am more grateful to his mom and dad for having this first of many. He's shared his boys with me -- his young men, I should say. He's shared his life with me. We're so different, but it works.

Stay upright this year, Rick. That's my birthday wish for you. No more neuro-ICU -- this year, or any other. Ride far, ride fast. And keep coming home!

Happy Day!

(Coming next -- another "Paris In July" post!)

Paris In July

If you've been reading The Marmelade Gypsy (or my other blog, Chopsticks and String) for awhile, you know that I have trouble resisting anything about Paris. Ever since my first trip to this astounding city a wee bit over a year ago, I have been more than smitten with its beauty and architecture, the culture, the history, the food, and anything related to it!

So, when Ruth mentioned the "Paris in July" blog event hosted by Karen and Tamara this month, I not only had to start blog hopping (dangerous at best! Oh, the things you'll discover on these links!), but participate, too. (Below, l'Hotel de Ville, a painting during its construction. This city hall and "official" home of the Mayor - who actually lives elsewhere - is a gorgeous building that houses a museum, glorious rooms and has a wonderful location just across the Seine from Notre Dame.)

We interrupt this year's vacation for a look at last year's to talk all things French and particularly Parisian. Maybe some of the pix from the trip (just humor me, OK? Pretty soon I'll stop using them!), maybe a little art and maybe a memory or two.

Actually, this comes at a rather fine time, as friends of mine are planning their first trip to Paris this fall and we're meeting to talk! So, I'll be sending them onto the Paris In July links, too!

One of the museums I most enjoyed when there (and I have to confess, until several people said "you must go to Carnavalet, it wasn't on my itinerary) was Musee Carnavelet, which is located in a gorgeous hotel particulier that was formerly the home of Mme. Sevigne.

It is a combination of artifacts, paintings and drawings, and historic room recreations that tell the story of Paris -- it's famous and infamous, it's events, and its places, including Notre Dame, below.

(And, being as this is Tour de France time, which is taking an enormous toll on telly-watching time in my household -- I'm addicted, listening live at my desk at work, then watching in the evening!), I must share this entry from the art section!

Painted by Alexandre Ganesco in 1930, this is actually not the Tour, but it is a bike race!

These are others from those galleries that I've not posted on the Gypsy before -- some wonderful etchings from the days of big hoop skirts!

I love the humor, and the satire!

There was quite a selection of these witty cartoon/etchings.

I loved them all!

Please do stop by Karen and Tamara to see the links they've posted. And don't forget to check out Ruth's Paris Deconstructed (I found this indispensible when preparing for my trip, and delightful); Peter's Paris, with a wealth of photographs and history, and Vagabonde, who writes often of her native France for more things Francais!

(And I'll have another post or two as well on this before the end of the month. And, at Chopsticks, several books related to France can be found as you scroll through the older posts!)

Antiquing

Northern Michigan is loaded with great antique shops. Unfortunately, most of them are not in Gaylord!

While I had some good luck junking at some yard sales, my sole visit to an antique shop happened early in our trip when Bonnie and I hit Gaylord's cramped Do South.

And the operative term here is "cramped." I'm not even sure "antique" totally applies, as it's a combination of antiques and collectibles along with secondhand things and items imported from Mexico.

This would bother a purist. It doesn't bother me.

I fell in love with this cabinet, but it was so crowded in front of it, I couldn't get close enough to see how well it was made and/or holding up. The shelves seemed solid, given all that was on them!

I loved this arch and some others like it. Don't have a spot for it. I need to find one.

Which do you like best -- the pointy one above or the rounded ones below?

There were a few quilts -- and some very nice ones.

Some interesting old kettles and pans.

A bit of packaging here and there.

No great hats here, but some were kind of kitschy, and I liked the straw carrying cases.

And this tin bunny made me smile.

But if I had to walk out with something, it wouldn't be one of the old things (except maybe that cabinet. It would be this sink...

Or this one. Can't resist the wonderful colors. And yes, no place to swap that out, either!

As we left and walked down the street, I couldn't resist this photo. At first, I really thought the flowers were attached!

Perhaps later this summer we'll get to some more spots. But for right now, I'm pleased with the Fiesta plate, books, videos and button box I found along the way. And the prices were definitely better!

Art Every Day (Almost) - Part One!

Vacation. Time to do everything, right? Well, sort of right! Everything you choose to do on a given day!

I made a "rule" or goal to do art every day of my vacation. And I put out a pretty big definition of that, and some of you helped me by making it even broader than I started! I liked that!

And so, I did. Well, I think there was one day I didn't -- I couldn't count 15 minutes of knitting a scarf as art, even though I "counted" knitting. What can I say? It was a busy day and I was doing other fun things!

But yes, I did get in some time -- and here is the part of art that is NOT knitting!

I set up on my porch -- this was not an effective set up on particularly windy days (those days required painting, not cutting tiny bits of paper!)

It's a wonderful spot -- a lovely beach and lake when you look ahead, quiet on other side, as no neighbors were about (or obvious). Actually, Rick and I have different definitions of quiet -- I have a higher tolerance for boat/jet ski noise (though I still believe the only good jet ski is the one you are on at the moment!)

I'm not terribly fond of equipment noise, and I have yet to understand why people leaf-blow up at the cottage when there aren't all that many leaves. But, I digress.

Most of the time, what I heard was the lake, the wind in the trees, the sound of my ducks coming ashore. But I couldn't resist the idea of spreading out paper and images, paints and brushes and playing. No time schedule. No deadlines. Just fun.

The first day, I did little, I confess. Sitting in the sun with my very good book (which you will find discussed on Chopsticks and String and ties in nicely with the idea of art!) seemed an all too tempting thought. Especially when you don't really know how many sunny days you'll have! (And how was I to know that every single day would be glorious?).

So, I just took my pastel and color pencils, a watercolor-stock postcard and looked straight ahead. If you haven't seen this rowboat on my beach before, don't worry. You will.

The next time, I sat down to paint. I decided to paint miniatures. The first is another of my view as I looked straight out. That's the park across the lake, from where they shoot off the fireworks. This is about three inches wide or maybe less.

I had some tiny two-inch square canvases I bought in Paris. So, of course I had to make a tribute to Gypsy. I do this pose a lot. I confess -- sometimes it reminds me of when our Greg (who now is a wonderful artist) only drew cars. No. Car. The same car. Over and over. Yes, I understand.

Like that one? Hope so -- because the next day I did him bigger! And a little more "fantasy."

By then, I was obsessed with Renoir, thanks to Susan Vreeland's book, Luncheon of the Boating Party, so I did lots with little dots -- color and light.

Well, I'm no Renoir! I have no illusions about my skill as a painter or drawer, but I do have a good time! And most of these will be backgrounds for something else.

But this one sort of looks like a forest! (Truth be told, it looks better when you can't see all the canvas indentations!)

On another day, I took to tag making. And really, I cut through quite a lot, at least in terms of prep work. (And for whatever reason, Blogger is turning this photo sideways, and it's not on my computer. Argh!)

But of course, there are always supplies you know you have at home and I didn't want to "finish" with the wrong thing. So, those are in a state of "in progress." Coming soon.

And when all else fails, make cupcakes. (This is an in-progress, too! Needs more texture. More pizazz.)

Well, I did more than draw, cut, paint and glue. But the knitting and my class is for another post!