Time for Angels

I'm not the best time traveler...............................................

My lovely 'Paris' clock ~ a gift from sweet Vanessa at Vanilla Lavender.

Although I've crossed the pond dozens of times I'm never truly comfortable...........flying. I long to see my family and friends when I'm away from them, I delight in venturing to new cities, towns and villages to soak up the history of place, and the lay of a foreign land. Watching people go about their everyday life in another place is so interesting. Shopping for little treasures to bring back, picking out post cards to mail, are fun parts of a trip. Driving through countryside so different and beautiful it takes one's breath away. Eating local delicacies, sipping the wines made nearby, as you enjoy the camaraderie of friends, is as good as it gets.

It's just the actual journey, so high in the clouds for so long, cramped in a seat, blasted by stuffy air, being too hot or too cold etc. etc. Needless to say - dh forgot to purchase first class tickets, again! We fly across the pond tomorrow night to London and then on to Toulouse, arriving Thursday afternoon. Will try to post now and then as we view the Autumn beauty of the South of France, and visit with family.

I'm also planning to meet up with three great blog friends, Terri (Island Writer), Linda (Frenchless in France), and Corey Amaro (Tongue in Cheek) - I'm excited about this of course.

My angel will wait at home saying a prayer that the journey goes well, France will be kind to us, and then we'll return safely at the end of October to tell you about our adventures.
"Au revoir, mes amis."

Counting Down the Hours

Things are getting really hectic now. Leaving home for an extended trip means so many loose ends to tie up in a bow, some with everyday cotton string - mail, newspapers - others in silk and satin, family and dear friends.

I did manage a quick visit to SuzAnna's Antiques over the weekend - where I found this adorable crepe paper banner - to say goodbye to the gals, including lovely blog friends Deborah and Vanessa. Deborah shared more about her recent trip to Australia and fabulous Tahiti, and Vanessa told us of her romantic getaway with her dh to upstate New York. Thanks for all the well wishes and hugs girls. Vanessa the lovely shoe bags you made are already packed away in my suitcase ready for France - a lovely surprise gift, thanks so much.

Hope everyone is enjoying a beautiful early Autumn Sunday. Many thanks to all who've stopped by to wish me a safe, fun trip.

Shelter

At times it's just hard to leave home. Familiar shelter, a roof over one's head, the warm and cozy feeling as you step through your door ~ home sweet home.

Last night the very strong, gusty winds and pouring rain of the Nor'easter pounding the North Carolina coast, came inland and shook the cottage. This morning the garden is littered with leaves, twigs, acorns, even several large branches that fell from the trees, but all seems safe in the thin sunlight now washing over the drenched landscape. Still windy, more showers coming ~ being sheltered makes one so thankful. Leaving home can be hard.

So, back to the packing. Closet doors yawn, drawers gape open. "Take me, pack that, choose this" the contents say. Not decided yet, you say. Checking the weather for the South of France finds perfect days of sunshine, with cool evenings and early mornings. So back to the list with a few changes necessary.

France.......and Florida Friends

My Francophile friend from Florida, Terri, will be leaving for France a couple of days before me and will get to enjoy some time in her beloved Paris. She and her dh will then head South and arrive in the village of Caunes-Minervois just as we arrive following our flight into Toulouse from the UK. There will be no partying that night as I know we'll all be ready for bed - especially us having missed a night of sleep while crossing the pond.

Why the books? I have to tell you that Terri is an author with two wonderful books already published - I'm reading the second right now - and another soon to be on the way to my bookshelf. We are going to have much to talk about when we meet next week. Terri is from New England, and I lived there many years, so we know many of the same places in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. We talked on the phone this week and she already feels like a special friend. We've shared travel tips such as what to pack. I'm inclined to take too much but, by the looks of her small bag, she's got it down pat when it comes to traveling light. I've been able to share interesting places to visit in the Minervois region as I was there in 2006. She's invited us all over for wine and cheese. I just know we will have a great time.

Terri now lives on a tiny Florida island named Cedar Key. She also has a beautiful vacation property ready to rent if you need a break and want to live the island life. You just have time to stop by to wish her "bon voyage", tell her Mary sent you. Terri DuLong www.islandwriter.net

Village Friends in France

How exciting is this! Several months ago I discovered that a fellow blog friend, Terri in Cedar Key, Florida, was planning a visit to the French village where my family live. Even more surprising was the fact she and her dh would actually be arriving there the very same day as us! Needless to say, we have been in touch and arranged to meet for a chat and a glass of wine during the week they are there. When I told my sister-in-law where they will be staying, she said it was just a short walk.............across the square, past the fountain, under the plane trees to the tiny 'impasse' where their village house is located. Doesn't that sound like the perfect evening stroll?

Pull up a chair for a long-awaited chat with a friend.

Note: As I'm having major ongoing photo upload/post/save problems with Blogger, I'm hoping this will post. Is anyone else still having problems? It's been well over a week now and literally thousands of Blogger subscribers are cramming the message boards with complaints and threats of moving to other blog sites such as Typepad.
Edited: Seems to have posted but reverted to Sunday's date - oh well, hope you can see it - meanwhile the frustration continues.

Falling into Fall

To Autumn

Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
.............J. Keats.............

With just over a week to go before leaving for France, I'm grabbing every little moment of 'almost Autumn' here in the Southeastern US. My favorite season............with the evenings closing in earlier, the mornings fresh and slightly misty as the sun peeks through. On Friday I felt a breeze as I left the grocery store and stood in the parking lot watching puffy cloud formations skid across a Carolina blue sky. At last, the air felt clean again and I felt energized.

Dancing on an Autumn breeze.

The goldfinch on a thistle head

Stood scattering seedlets as she fed,

The wrens their pretty gossip spread,

Or joined the random roundelay.

........Jean Ingelow.........

The Old Ways

Just two weeks from today I'll be on my way to the South of France via England - crossing the pond to both my true home, then on to where my family lives now, in this small village in the Minervois near the beautiful walled city of Carcassonne.

Arriving in the village.

It's always great to return to the place where you were raised, for me that was England. The memories flood back, you feel that sense of belonging even though you've been gone for years. It's also really special to have another place to visit where you feel surrounded by the love only given by your family. How fortunate I am to have this opportunity.

Village street.

The vineyards surrounding the village in Autumn.

If possible, I'll post again before leaving. On my return I hope to have photos of the many places I visit while in France - may even try to post some along the way! Thanks for all the good wishes from those of you who know where I'm going. I wish you could all come along and enjoy time in this lovely part of Europe. My wish for you is that you can take such a trip sometime in the near future.