Jan Hurst - Letterlady

Markets in Southern France

2012-01-18T11:18:00.004-05:00

From the small villages to the big cities, Market Days are big events in the south of France. We didn't get to many, but the offerings were diverse - from produce to poultry, from old books to organ meats and cheeses, from frilly tutus to sweet-smelling soaps and macaroons, from sausages of every description to octopus and other delicacies from the sea to panties, dresses and everything in between, you could probably find it at one market or another. Some markets were indoors, some out. Some were expensive and some were bargain basement. After purchasing peaches at a drive-by market on a highway, I later learned that the flat variety was the sweetest - like sugar in your mouth.
The sight of fish piled high and looking at me with dead eyes was at first startling, but I soon got over that after seeing whole hogs and chickens with heads poking out from under their breasts. These were, after all, things we don't see in the typical sanitized grocery stores in the US. Flies lighting on sausages and otherwise delicious looking pastries were off-putting. It was good for the diet. We only bought washable produce from that market. If it hadn't been for flies, I might have bought some of those colorful macaroons that France is known for. The only place I saw them was at an outdoor market near Narbonne.

Here are some photos.

Elmo!!!!! and Do You Think My Tractor's Sexy?

2012-01-11T21:03:00.003-05:00

Elmo!!!!! Or Where's Jace?

Jace's favorite character is Elmo. This Christmas everyone remembered. It was like an Elmo Shower! He is not unhappy about it.

It was a beautiful day. Jamma (now called Meemaw by little Jace-man, making me feel old, ha!) and Pappy were babysitting. Pappy took his little man outside. A tractor ride seemed like a good idea.

Start at the top of the hill, under close supervision by a doting grandfather.

Roll down - what a thrill! Do you think my tractor's sexy?

CRASH!!!!!!!
Well, he ran it off the road, but at least he didn't hit anything. Learning to steer hasn't come into play yet.

Joan of Arc, Martyr and Heroine of France

2012-01-08T13:18:00.005-05:00

I read an article in Louisville's Courier Journal this morning that reminded me I have a folder of photos from my French vacation of statues of Joan of Arc. The article told of celebrations around the world for her birthday, January 6th. It also said that the birthday was mythical (the date, not the woman) because birth records of peasants were not kept, and especially not of women peasants.

That Ste. Jeanne is revered throughout France is unarguable. Almost every church we visited had a statue honoring her. I took the photo above on a major boulevard in Toulouse. It doesn't do credit to the beautiful silvery sculpture. There is a beautiful golden statue of St. Joan in Paris, but I didn't get to Paris on this trip.

This statue is in a church in Cordes sur Ciel.

This statue against a yellow wall is in a small church in Villaries, a village near Gargas where we stayed.

This statue is in the ancient cathedral in Carcassonne.

This one is in Cathedrale Ste. Marie in Auch.

Joan of Arc dressed like a man with her hair cut short as a form of protection, allowing her passage through battlefields where her gender would have made her a victim. She was only 19 when England sentenced her to death, and her remains were burned. She would have been 600 years old. Though she died young, the legend of her bravery and faith lives on.

Doors and Windows in southern France

2012-01-05T12:03:00.023-05:00

There were beautiful doors and windows on every street in France. I posted a blog about the hand doorknockers and the lettres slots earlier - I love them!
Here are some more doors and doorways from various cities and villages, most of which I snapped as we walked along the rues and avenues.

In Cordes sur Ciel - a village in the clouds.

Also in Cordes sur Ciel.

Another in Cordes sur Ciel.

Yet another in Cordes sur Ciel.

Another from Cordes sur Ciel. (Maybe I used opportunities to photograph doorways in this uphill bastide - chartered in 1222 - to catch my breath from all the climbing, but it was one of my favorite villages, and interesting doorways were everywhere.)

This one is in Albi - home of Toulouse Lautrec museum.

I think this one is in Auch. You can't tell from this photo, but the green door is one of a pair that closes this alcove off from the main shopping street we were on. I'm glad it was open so we could see the pretty little flower-bedecked stairway inside.

One in Toulouse.

A doorway near Basilica St. Sernin Cathedral in Toulouse. I love the floral and wrought-iron trim.

Another in Toulouse. Isn't it sweet?

Another door near Basilica St. Sernin in Toulouse. (French pronunciation is a very soft eliding S in second syllable...two-looze. In my mind I can hear the French people saying it. I wish I had recorded it to add here.)

Number 55. It's in Toulouse.

A graffiti embellished door in Toulouse near colleges. Toulouse is, I think, the second largest city in France after Paris. Lots of varied big city sights there.

In Toulouse.

This one is in Toulouse.

On a side road in Toulouse.

Toulouse.

In Toulouse.

I think these Geraniums were in Moissac because I remember taking a photo of geraniums in a window over a narrow street there...but these may actually be in Toulouse. Toulouse has lots of wrought-iron trimmed windows and also lots of flower boxes.

Green doors. These were in a small village, the name of which escapes me, not too far from where we stayed 1/2 hour or so outside of Toulouse.

Number 11 - in Foix, near Niaux, in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains.

In Montauban.

In Carcassonne.

I know I took many other photos of doorways during my travels. Some may be in other blog posts since my return from there in late August. Seeing all of these makes me want to return.

I have market day photos to post, probably next week. Then I'll have to travel somewhere again. I think that will finish my three weeks in France. : ( I love to travel, to see especially how other people live, which is why I prefer self-travel to packaged tours. I'm sure I miss a lot that tour guides can relay, but I'm not a history buff, so much of that is too much information for my fact-confusing brain. Memories are my souvenirs, and the photos remind me of them.

Return Trip to France?

2011-12-30T13:06:00.003-05:00

It's official. I have to return to France.

Here is my favorite souvenir from France. A salt and pepper shaker set that I bought at Rocamadour. See my October 13th post about Rocamadour. Rocamadour was a difficult spot to get to...lots of hills, winding roads and hairpin curves that no tour bus could travel. The payoff was delightful...a wonderful ancient cliffside village that seemed to grow out of the rocks. Cute shops, ancient chapels, spectacular views. I purchased this set of 'sel et poivre' shakers there.

SOMEONE dropped the poivre! Someone cracked the pepper shaker. I am not pleased. Someone said, "I guess you'll have to go back." I guess I will!

Someone now denies having been the culprit. Maybe it was this guy?

Jace in the Box!

2011-12-25T09:49:00.007-05:00

Early in the shopping season, I was told that Jace had been stopping everything and dancing to the Rockin Elmo commercial every time it came on tv. Being the grandmother who wants to see Jace as happy as a little boy can be, I ordered it early from Amazon - full price. I had been warned that it could be the Cabbage Patch Doll or the Tickle Me Elmo, the X-box or the Glow-worm of its time and be impossible to find closer to Christmas. Couldn't let that happen, could I?

With today's economy, I needn't have worried about that, though I'm sure the toy company wishes it had. Last week I saw it at a local store for 1/3 less than I'd paid, but I'd purchased too long ago and Amazon would only give me an 80% refund and I'd have had to pay for shipping, and it was too much trouble for so small a return; so I was 'Jump-the-gun Grandmother' with an expensive full priced toy while a glut of lesser cost ones remained on the shelves. Will I learn from this lesson for next year? Buy local is one lesson. Don't jump the gun is another. There's yet another lesson, which will become evident within a few photos.
The Elmo wrapping paper (following the theme of his favorite character) let him know which packages were his.

Jace had a blast ripping paper from packages and opening them.

He loved his Rockin Elmo, he loved his family's love and togetherness, and he really, REALLY loved Elmo's cardboard box. (At one point he even pulled Elmo into it with him as he tried to close himself up in it.) (Yep - that's the lesson!)

He loved Elmo's microphone and immediately went into a Justin Bieber imitation...swoon, girls, swoon!

At home, decked out head to toe in Elmo gear - knowing exactly what to do with that mike. The kid has style! Now, if he can only carry a tune...

Mom and the kids were here for dinner and gifts yesterday, I went to St. Peter's Basilica for midnight Mass with the Pope last night (He called this 'The Feast of the Heart' - I loved that!), and today it will be family time at my sister's. (Pope Benedict XVI also decried the commercialization of Christmas, and despite the Elmo misadventure, our gift-giving was confined for the most part to gifts of love and practicality...not counting the bourbon balls, ha ha.)

All photos here courtesy of Sandy Wright Photography.

Jace the Face - December update

2011-12-14T12:17:00.002-05:00

We met Jace, Sandy and Steve at Bass Pro Shop to see Santa for a photo. This place has lots of interesting displays all year round, but at Christmas time there are even more, including a train, a carousel and Santa and his elves and reindeer.

Here, Jace sports his 'run-a-way style' in the parking lot.

Jace enjoying the unusual experience of being on top of Pappy's car.

Jace pointing to one of his favorite things - an airplane flying over. (Pappy is wearing his IU gear following IU's win over then number 1 UK.)

Jace with Daddy riding a polar bear cub on the carousel.

Jace with Pappy, riding a reindeer.

Boys do love trains.

And finally, Jace with the main event. He was not impressed.

Montauban France (in Tarn-et-Garonne department of Midi-Pyrénées region)

2011-12-11T13:56:00.020-05:00

Although our new-found friends had advised us that there was nothing to see there, we went to Montauban France anyway. It is the birthplace of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, and is home to Musee d'Ingres. We found Montauban to be a lovely city, though we probably only saw a very small portion of it. The shopping area had nicely patterned brick streets and lovely little shops. Unfortunately, we got about the worst meal (especially considering the cost) of our trip at a hotel restaurant in the shopping area we visited there. Darn shame too, because other restaurant menu boards and plates looked like they had really good fare - probably why they were so crowded! This one cost more and wasn't good. (Several menu boards throughout the region were highlighted in an earlier post on my letterlady's letters blog.)

Here are a few snapshots of Montauban.

I spied a pair of shoes drying on a clothesline on a porch. (Can you see them?) The shadow-image of the shutters demonstrates that the shutters on homes in France are not merely decorative, but are decidedly useful.

In one of the two ancient cathedrals we visited in Montauban I took this photo of a hand-lettered prayer (Our Father.)

The flower market was quite lovely.

Beautiful scene from the bridge. Note the flowers. In most places I've visited in Europe there are many public floral plantings, which really add a lot to the travel experience, and I'm sure to everyday life there.

On the bridge and near one cathedral, the rock sidewalks were laid in patterns...art for art's sake. Lovely touch!

It was lunchtime while we were there, so streets were fairly deserted - and most shops were closed. (A money saving tactic on our part?)

A shop window display.

We toured Musee d'Ingres, and two huge old cathedrals - one of which seemed especially active, despite a plethora of pigeon feathers on the floors near the entrances. The museum is located in a building which was once the residence of the bishops of Montauban. Most of the structure is of the 17th century, but some portions are much older, notably an underground chamber known as the Hall of the Black Prince (Salle du Prince Noir). There are many fragments of carved lettering and other relics of ancient times in the chamber. During World War II, a secret chamber behind a wine cellar in the chamber served as one of the temporary storage places for daVinci's Mona Lisa, which had been removed from the Louvre for safekeeping.

As a calligrapher, the lettering in a place always intrigues me. Here are some photos of centuries old lettering fragments in La Salle du Prince Noir. The chamber was dim, and my photos are not the best, but you can see the samples are very different from one another in style.

Due to a little mishap, we met a very nice young man at a service station in Montauban. I was able to polish up my French a bit with the two of us speaking our respective 'pigeon' languages to each other. It worked! His English was better than fair, and my French was getting slightly better than when I'd arrived in France, and our smiles helped a lot too. We met a few really nice people during our travels and they helped make the trip memorable.

French Doorknockers Keep Walking Interesting

2011-12-08T23:51:00.001-05:00

I still have lots of photos to share from my three weeks in France this summer. I even used one of them for my Christmas card this year. Today's post is about the door knockers that I found so interesting. I have lots of beautiful doors to share too, but for today...doorknockers. I almost bought a LETTRES mail drop frame at a flea market in Foix, but it was heavy and I had to think of the luggage, and my mail is delivered to a mailbox, not a slot in my door. We lose a lot of the nostalgic touch with our lifestyles. (I still regret that I didn't buy it and the ivory domino set as well!)

A Little Photoshop Fun

2011-12-02T23:48:00.004-05:00

Tonight while my husband and son cheered U of L's basketball team on to a win in OT, I played with Photoshop. I started with a photo I'd taken in Madison Indiana last Spring of pretty pink roses peeking through a black wrought iron fence.

First, I filtered the photo with 'glowing edges'. Then I adjusted the brightness. (Click on photos to make them larger.)

Next, I inverted the color. More adjusting of brightness. I think this one has a little watercolor feel to it.

I like all three versions. Of course, no one beats Mother Nature, but playing with the images is fun. I was having so much fun that I created a fourth image from a part of the photo...lots of filtering created the photo at the top of this post. I think it looks a little like a batik on fabric. It's been a long time since I've dabbled with Photoshop. It was fun!

Thanksgiving Day 2011

2011-11-25T16:35:00.005-05:00

Hiding in Plain Sight. We were delighted to see a Tom Turkey as we turned the corner onto my brother's road for our Thanksgiving feasting. Here's one who got lucky!

Here are two beautiful cousins and a beautiful mom. I was busy handling an asthma attack and didn't get many family photos.

Roger pointed out these birds nest mushrooms with spore 'eggs'. I may have seen them before, but I didn't know what they were called. He and my sister in law Wanda are quite the naturalists, and it's evident in their lovely surroundings.

On our way down the drive I spotted this farm equipment and took this quick pastoral snapshot from the back seat.

We stopped at the forestry where Steve, Sandy and Jace climbed to the top of the fire tower.

Jace and Daddy on the top level.

Jamma didn't make the climb.

Looks like there have been some naughty people on the fire tower. These undergarments are in a tree beside it. Santa knows when you've been bad or good...

After the fire tower, we visited a sliding board...the metal was COLD! The slide was slow. That didn't stop Jace from having fun.

My Jace is a well-rounded boy. Athletic, cute as can be, and well-read too.

Gargas, France

2011-11-12T00:33:00.005-05:00

During our trip to France this summer, we stayed in a small village named Gargas in the Midi Pyrenees region. The following photos are from Gargas and immediate area. Many are sights we saw every day. Gargas is probably a town you will never visit, but it is typical of many of the small villages in the south west of France.

This crucifix appears to be in a resident's yard and it is quite an elaborate and beautiful setting.

This flower buggy is in the little yard at the mayor's home across from the church.

This lock is on a garage near our home base.

This is the mayor's door.

In lieu of screens, draperies hang outside this door.

Someone's laundry hanging to dry in their backyard.

This sign indicates that we are leaving Gargas.

I love these rooftops.

Nearby sunflower fields and road signs.

Parishioners at the Gargas church. In most small villages there are gorgeous old churches, which are the heart of the village. Unfortunately the churches now must share priests and parishioners must travel to a different village each week to attend services.

This was a daily view from our yard.

The town's mail box.

Sunflowers and Roadsigns.

Waiting for a rider.

Town telephone cabine.

I think this is a well house.

Our lovely Gargas home-away-from-home.

Laundry day in Gargas.

This sign appeared a few days before we were to depart. The circus was the day after we left. We regretted that we had to miss it.

I miss Gargas. The people were friendly, the town was peaceful and pretty. Once we learned how to get around, the location was quite convenient - but the rental car was a necessity.
Thanks, Margaret and Bill for your incredible generosity allowing us this memorable vacation!

So, We All Went to the Park Last Night

2011-11-08T00:38:00.001-05:00

We went to the park last night, and followed up with Mexican food at Puerto Vallarta restaurant. Naturally, Jace was a hit at the restaurant, with all the waiters talking to the little muchacho. We had fun at the park too.

First Jace tried out the swings.

Then a slide. He LOVES the slides.

After that we hiked to the creek where I snapped this shot with his daddy.

Back to the slides.

And then we met Bubba who, when he saw my camera, asked me to take his photo. Bubba has fun!

Jace liked this flip puzzle toy on the side of the slide set.

Then we headed out at dusk, when I got this photo of the moon caught in a tree limb maze.

After eating at the Mexican restaurant, Jace played in the shrubbery.

Another fun adventure with the marvelous Jace the Face!

Booooo! It's Hallowe'en!

2011-10-31T21:19:00.003-05:00

Going out Trick-or-Treating with my grandson Jace in my Mom's neighborhood brought back memories of my own young years, tearing through the neighborhood on Halloween night. Such fun! And what a street to do it on! It and the neighboring street are blocked off on one end so vehicular traffic can only go in one direction each - and slowly. Very kid-friendly even after all these years. I think Mom went through ten bags of candy, doling out one little piece at a time!

Here I am with Sandy and Jace before we left. (Hint, I am not one of the pretty ones.)
=

One man gave his candy out dressed as The Rhinestone Cowboy.

I can only think this pair must have been dressed as Saint and Sinner.

Here's my little Yoda, having a great time! (He walked more than twice as far as we thought he would, and loved every minute of it.)

A very Big Baby and a Little Car.

A Cowboy and a HotDog.

A little Angel and Witch.

There were so many cute costumes. I couldn't take pix of all of them, and I missed many of the best ones. A few Supermen, Batmen and Spidermen, a couple of Marios, many zombies (I guess that's the new hobo and gypsy from my day - easy homemade costumes), a darling Tigger and ladybug, a few fairies, princesses, and scary ones galore. I think my favorites were the hamburger (a two year old who wasn't afraid of my green-faced witch though his big brother was) and the horse and rider. No pix. It was dark and folks were moving quickly. There were many witches too, including some pretty green-faced ones. We bonded.

A Derelict Poppin Fresh. What on earth was this Poppin Fresh cookie jar doing in such condition on this neglected front porch? Sort of fitting for Halloween, I guess.

Red Sky at Night - Sailors Delight

2011-10-28T23:23:00.001-05:00

A saying I heard in my childhood, "Red sky in morning, sailors take warning; red sky at night, sailors delight." Apparently a red sky in the morning bode ill for sailing ships, but a beautiful red sunset was a sign of good seas ahead. (If I knew a sailor I might letter that in calligraphy.)

Sailors tonight should have enjoyed the seas (does that apply to the Ohio River, do you think?) if this beautiful sunset was any indication. The only thing that could have made it any more beautiful, actually, would have been if I were viewing it from a beach instead of from my porch.

Some Additional Sights in Toulouse

2011-10-23T23:35:00.008-05:00

Imagine our surprise when we encountered this painting of President Barack Obama in the Galeries Lafayette on one of our first days in France. Sue's luggage had been lost so we spent a few days shopping. Quite fun to have this USA reminder there.

I loved this iris grillwork on a side street in Toulouse. Hated the poor situation it was in though.

Las Crosses was our major bearing street as we traversed the streets in downtown Toulouse.

Two shots at a small flower store on Las Crosses.

Beautiful stonework - including complete stone houses made of smallish stones - and grillwork and statuary...so many things to see if you just look around.

These two garcons were outside taking a smoke break.

Rental bike stands were a common sight in this college city.

Speaking of bikes...

This is Basilica of St. Sernin viewed from a side street.

Lovely flowers in the churchyard.

I think I spied this steeple during one of our 'we're lost' drives as road closings and one way streets took us on mini adventures.

This is the lobby of the Grand Hotel Du Opera on the Capitol Plaza. We ate a very expensive but happy lunch there on Sue's last day with us. We were joined by Saro and Gilles, the two lovely people who helped us find our way to Gargas when we got lost leaving the grocery near the airport. (We spent a fair portion of our first few days getting lost.)

This Happy Mannequin outside a shop on a side street was kind of frightening.

The Capitol.

A clock I spotted on a walking tour.

Loved this little fountain vignette in an out of the way niche.

A sweet shoppe in downtown near the Capitol.

This historic looking building now houses a shop for the championship Rugby team in Toulouse.

A train we never rode. Only saw it this once as we sat eating our cornettes on the Capitol Plaza.

Transportation and a movie poster. Does the movie look familiar?

Cathédrale Saint-Etienne de Toulouse.

2011-10-21T00:17:00.001-05:00

Beth and I happened upon this marvelously unusual cathedral during our explorations one day. It was built over several centuries and architecturally it is a mess - a very interesting mess. True to form, I liked it! It was difficult to make sense of, but there were lots of pretty parts! There were also beggars at the door that Sunday morning after Mass. A priest chased them away just as we entered.

Lots of gargoyles on parts of the exterior:

These pretty angels topped a nearby building.

Lots more photos from Toulouse yet to come. Toulouse is a really nice city.

Rocamadour France, August 2011

2011-10-13T11:33:00.023-05:00

I'm not saving the best for last. I have many more photos to share, but this is the largest set of photos from any town or village we visited. Rocamadour was my favorite, even though the day was murderously hot, driving to the town was treacherous and climbing in the heat took everything out of me. It was worth it! I hope I've captured a bit of the surprising beauty of this unusual place.

I have misplaced my journal and can't remember the name of the tiny village where we stopped for lunch, but we enjoyed the quaint beauty of our surroundings very much as we ate the lunches we had wisely packed that day.

"Mairie" is the name for the mayor's office. Almost every small village has a building with this name on it. We parked across from this one and picnicked in a little park-like area to its side.

Here is our lunch view.

If I see wash on the line, I have been known to turn around to take photos of it. I don't know why - memories of childhood, maybe. Mom always hid the 'unmentionables' between rows of towels, sheets or other clothing, but there is no such compunction here.

I was driving and couldn't stop to take photos of the roadway - a very narrow maze of S curves with blind spots at each turn. We were almost hit by a man pulling a trailer...much too wide for the conditions, and very frightening. The cyclists we saw included an elderly man who must have been in great shape to manage the hills. (Or maybe he was only 30 and many scares on this road just made him look old!)

The first sight of Rocamadour rising out of the cliff-side was magical. Thankfully, there were a few small pull-offs to allow for gawking and photo-taking.

Inside Rocamadour, the seven churches offered many treasures to see as well, and the touristy shopping area was fun. We climbed about half way up to the top, and despite the enthusiastic recommendation of two young people we'd asked about the value of climbing further, due to the heat and the fact that we are not eighteen anymore, we opted to forgo the view experience. This YouTube video shows that I probably should have acted young and climbed anyway!

Many of the buildings seem to be actually growing out of the cliff. Amazing place!

I liked the delicate leaf carvings and the lovely lettering in this arch.

Rocamadour is known for centuries of pilgrimages - pilgrims on their knees climbing to the top of the hill, resting at tiny stations along the way (which explains the shallowness of the steps), and for the Black Madonna, reported to have worked miracles. The crudely carved Black Madonna icon is in one of the smaller church chapels and was surprisingly diminutive.

I liked this angel inside the same church as the Black Madonna.

The Black Madonna.

My favorite shop had a grumpy owner, and prices higher than I wanted to pay for truly beautiful things. Airline luggage restrictions and shipping considerations would have made many purchases (china and objets d'art) ridiculously high anyway.

This fun pottery was at a friendlier shop, but the same restrictions apply - I have a feeling that many shop owners have seen a big reduction in sales of heavy objects to international travelers.

This church turret stood out so nicely against the beautiful blue sky.

The specks you see in the sky are birds. Notice the very Gothic steeple peeking out.

Imagine how much work this had to have been to build! This church is centuries old.

My telephoto lens allowed me to capture this view of a neighboring village.

Did I say, "I love Rocamadour"? I do. I doubt that tour buses could get there - at least not by the route we took, but it is well worth finding a way to visit if you are in the south of France. Here is a video produced by the tourism bureau there...some exquisite shots!

Yellow Sky; Taylor Swift in Louisville

2011-10-11T21:44:00.003-05:00

When I went to pick up carryout dinners tonight from a riverfront restaurant, I couldn't take my eyes off the yellow sky - it was right in front of me, after all! It was a stunning sight.

Also hard to miss was the line of traffic on the Clark Memorial Bridge. The traffic jam had two causes. First, one Ohio River bridge has been shut down, causing heavier traffic on the two remaining ones into Louisville. The second reason - and the most probable one for this beautiful night - is the Taylor Swift concert at the Yum Center just across the Clark Bridge. When she was last scheduled into Louisville, she became ill and had to cancel. Broke many hearts. Tonight is the reschedule date.

Click above photos to see larger version.

My Sunny-shine from Mexico

2011-10-07T17:05:00.000-05:00

Hecho en Mexico. The hubs bought this sweet handmade, hand-painted bit of Mexican sunshine for me today at Harvest Homecoming, a local fall festival. I love it!!! It's so sweet and happy-looking that it makes me happy to look at it. I was talking with the dealer, who spends three months a year in Mexico working with the people who make them, when Steve selected and bought it. Happy me!

I'll have a bit of Mexican sunshine in my family room all year long.

What Not to Do When You Drive a Diesel Car

2011-10-02T00:28:00.001-05:00

While in France we rented a diesel car, manual shift. I'd heard the fuel costs would be less. It worked out pretty well. We did witness an accidental regular gas fill up in a diesel car. That is what NOT to do! BUT, if you are going to do it, you'd better be at a full service station, and realize your mistake before you start the engine.

When the driver realized the error, she had not re-started the engine. I went back in and asked the clerk if this was a big problem. Uh - oui! It sure is! He had the mechanic drain all of that gasoline into jugs (two very large jugs, which were soon filled with expensive but useless gasoline), refilled the tank and charged only 25 euros for the service...plus the cost of two tanks of fuel. At that, they got off lightly. Had they started the engine, it would have been ruined and it would have been much more expensive.

At least there were many vistas of sunflowers to enjoy as they traveled around with that extra expensive tank-full.

Jace-in-the-Box

2011-09-16T23:26:00.003-05:00

Here's a little catch up with Jace post.
Toys out, boy in! Well, he's his Jamma's favorite toy. Jace in the Box!

Cans and bottles out, boy in - What do you think of that, Pappy?

Little Fishie - swimming in his pool - or drinking in his pool?

Jace after pouring a bucket of water over his own head.

Sud Ouest France Sights: Bocce, Warning, Pigeoniers, Homeless

2011-09-09T10:43:00.003-05:00

I spotted these gentlemen playing bocce one afternoon. I think it may have been in Castelginest. It was on one of the routes we traversed frequently (even when we weren't lost.)

Took this photo in Toulouse, but it could have been anywhere (except the little bit of litter we saw - not like in the US - was mostly around larger cities.) American cigarettes, French warning.

Pigeoniers are interesting structures that dotted the landscape in our area. A lovely artist in Cordes-sur-Ciel (see post on my Letterlady's Letters blog) had done a series of drawings and paintings of them and answered many questions for me about them. Read more by clicking on highlighted words here. In the early days before chemical fertilizers, piegeons were prized for both their guano (for fertilizing crops) and as food. Farmers and landowners had sometimes ornate pigeonniers built to attract and house them. Many times they were elaborate structures whose architecture matched the main home. Some of these remain, and according to some things I have read, some have been turned into mini-rentals for travelers.

And, not to end on a sad note, but Toulouse is not immune to the big city aspect of homeless people. I snapped this photo of apparently homeless men and their dogs one day in Toulouse.

Carcassonne - Medieval Walled City in Southern France

2011-09-04T10:57:00.014-05:00

Other than the terrifying experience of having lost my purse and a scary hour at the local gendarmes station, our visit to Carcassonne was terrific. (It also ended well, with the return of my purse, passport and all cash and cards...see yesterday's post below.)

Carcassonne is a medieval walled city - castle, ramparts, etc., etc. Verrry old, very picturesque, simply full of history - and tourist shops! I got my best meal of the trip there. No, it wasn't the wild boar or the cassoulet I bought my friends at the restaurant there when we celebrated the return of my purse. No, my best meal of the trip was a super fresh ham and emmental on buttered baguette at the patisserie just below the walled part of the city. Just delightful! 3.5 Euros. Simple can be best.

When you get to Carcassonne, before getting to the walled medieval portion, there is the working city (other than the old castle area.) In that section we toured cemetiere St. Michel. I was struck by the many ceramic flower arrangements on and around the tombs.

I devised a way to find our car if we got lost. I took photos of street signs - sort of like Hansel and Gretel's crumb trail. We didn't need them. We just returned to the car and followed our view of the castle top. Easy enough!

A good view of the medieval city from the park below its bridge.

The bridge we walked across.

A critter in the river below. Is it a muskrat?

In the little patisserie where I got the great sandwich, there were little pig pastries. I thought they were cute, but they took on new meaning after I heard the tale of Mme. Carcassonne. Some of the patisseries had elegant, intricate 'constructed' desserts, with ribbon-looking details of spun sugar. This one was no exception.

A touristy feel abounds as we approach the entrance.

Just through the archway you can see tourists lined up to get inside.

Madame Carcas, legendary namesake of Carcassonne. This statue is near the entry to the walled city. The story is that this woman held off invaders by stuffing a pig carcass with corn and wheat and throwing it into the river. The invaders, upon seeing this waste of precious grain, were sure that the town was wealthy beyond imagination and full of warriors - so they retreated. Mme. Carcas single-handedly saved the town. Read more about the legend here.

Sue and Beth headed uphill. I know the adage 'everything that goes up must come down', but how come everything seems to be uphill?

A cute little girl and her daddy. Chocolate ice cream cones are good, but messy!

Sometimes it's hard to tell. I thought this man might be a performer. I was wrong. He was simply another tourist - who probably did not appreciate my taking his photo. (If it looks like a duck, and dresses like a duck...)

Outside of the hotel near the basilica, I spied all of these happy faces.

Gargoyles on the basilica in Carcassonne.

Inside La Basilique de Saint Nazaire.

This quartet sang while we were inside.

This puppeteer was working outside the basilica when we exited. A semi-circle of children soon gathered and sat around him, but I didn't get that photo because I was distraught about the discovery of having lost my purse.

At the police station.

If you ever get to Carcassonne - this lady is an angel. Be sure to visit her shop, Aldenone.

Some views from inside the walled city.

How the view must have changed since the medieval days.

An old national route sign on a wall in the restaurant with the wild boar. -- I kid you not! Beth thought she was ordering a healthy wild mushroom dish. It was actually very tasty. I wish I'd taken a photo of Beth's face when the waiter explained what she'd actually ordered...by pointing to a wild boar's furry head on the wall behind us! Total shock!

The Best Shopkeeper In The World is in Carcassonne!!!!!!

2011-09-03T21:30:00.007-05:00

This lady - Jocelyne Godest - called the gendarmes when someone turned my purse in to her. I'd obviously lost it in the church in Carcassonne, but her shop was no where near the church. Thankfully, someone found it and had the great sense to know that she was the perfect person to turn it in to. She looked inside, found my name and called the Carcassonne police - thus saving my vacation. My passport, credit cards and cash were all in this little purse. I love this lady! If you ever visit Carcassonne, be sure to vist her shop and buy everything you can. She is AN HONEST WOMAN, and she was so happy that she was of help to me. I LOVE HER!!!! Her shop's name is Aldenone. (I wish I'd bought the painting behind her head.) Kisses, hugs and more kisses to her! I like that lizard on the wall behind Beth's head too.

Three Weeks in the South of France - Moissac

2011-08-27T06:55:00.010-05:00

I have so many photos, it's hard to know where to begin. So, for today, before I forget the artist's name, I will post these images of some very fun, Henry-Moore influenced (I think) benches that were in a public courtyard outside of the ancient Moissac church, and a few other Moissac moments. We visited Moissac early in the third week of our journey.

The artist is alive and presumably well in Toulouse, France. His name is Jean-Louis Toutain. I visited his website and found many fun sculptures and paintings. I applaud Moissac for having the forethought to so nicely blend the old and the new, the staid and the lively. Almost every person who entered the courtyard rested on the benches for a moment - it was hard to get a photo when they weren't in use.

Here is my friend Beth on one of the benches.

Here is a view of the two benches in the empty courtyard. Stores were closed for holiday and because it was midi (noon-ish). Cafes were open, and a few nice art and gift shops opened after lunch. I bought Steve a well-made tee shirt in one shop, and oohed and aahed over artist's pottery in another. Moissac is an 'art-town', and had we known the shops would be mostly closed for holiday we'd have tried this town on another day. Good stuff!

The Abbeye St-Pierre de Moissac here is full of marvelous statuary, trompe l'oeil wall paintings (looked like wallpaper) and fabulous carvings. The riverside boasts a lovely and welcoming park where we ate our lunch beside the many-arched bridge over the River Tarn there. I may use a photo of one of the statues for my Christmas card this year. (Click on the Abbey link above to see the photos I WISH I'd taken!)

The Abbey, built in the mid 600's.

The 'wallpaper' is Trompe l'Oeil. The crucifix is from the 12th century, and is either Roman or Spanish.

The stained glass looks so contemporary, yet is original to the structure.

Cobblestones were rough on the feet! These weren't as bad as many we encountered in other towns. Note the pigeon feather. Pigeons abound in the south of France, and there are lovely 'pigeonniers' from early centuries dotting the landscape. (More on those in another post.)

These terraced brick steps were easy-walking - and lovely.

The Cloisters of the Abbeye St-Pierre in Moissac.

A symbol of the town is this beautiful arched bridge over the River Tarn.

A canal with boat in Moissac.

This white with navy blue trim house along the canal in Moissac caught my eye.

Laundry Day for someone in Moissac.

Butterflies and New Baby Bean

2011-08-01T19:33:00.003-05:00

Butterflies are a sign of renewal. This butterfly (next two photos) in my backyard was a symbol of the new life in my family. Isn't he a handsome guy!

When Jace was born, my brother told me he was jealous. He didn't think he'd ever be a grandfather. What a difference a year makes! His son Justin and Justin's fiancee just became parents of a sweet baby boy, William Dean Reese. Justin's fiancee already has 5 children (with her late husband) so Roger is now the proud grandfather of not just one sweet baby boy namesake, but five other great kids.

Here are Great Aunt Angie, Great-grandma holding Bean and Grandma.

William Dean's older brothers and sisters lovingly call him "Bean" for the first image they saw of him - his ultrasound photo, in which they saw the image of a lima bean. Here Bean's smallest big sister Elizabeth taking a close look.

Here are two of 'my' great girls - Celeste and Sandy.

Here are Sandy and Natalie, another of 'my' great girls.

Jace is Cool

2011-07-21T22:54:00.003-05:00

No apologies. This post is all about my 'cool' grandson, Jace.

Jace is so cool as he goes to Cart Country in Louisville with his Mommy and Daddy and two visiting cousins, Shawn and Devin.

Here's Jace driving a car. He's not 16 yet!

Here's Jace driving a Harley. I don't condone this since my youngest brother - whom I still miss - was killed on a motorcycle. can't deny that he looks cool though.

Here are Shawn, Jace and Devin in the backseat - before Jace lost his cool and started pulling hair.

Does Jace equal "Cool" or what?

Summer Time!!!

2011-07-13T20:48:00.004-05:00

We had a good week. Here are some photos of Laura's Beautiful Garden. No pictures of the vegetables, but I hope to get some up close at harvest time. (Hint, hint.)

We went with Sandy and Steve to Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. The first person we saw was Summer Santa. Christmas in July! We had him all to ourselves, and Jace sat on his lap. Hmmm - I totally forgot to tell him what I wanted for Christmas this year.

What a handsome Santa he is!

Anthony rode up and down on this ride in the Christmas section of the park. It must have seemed pretty tame after the two humongous and wild wooden roller coaster rides we'd already had.

Jace was too small to ride on this one, so Alexis rode it without him.

Pappy took Jace on the carousel. Jace likes horses.

Sandy was so scared that Jace would cry and be afraid when she left him all alone on this ride. He fooled his mama! He loved it!

We spent most of the day in the Splashing Safari area of the park - swimsuits, hot sun, wave pools, water slides, etc., etc. My camera was safely stowed in a locker. No swim pix. Probably a good thing.

Holiday World was called Santa Claus Land in its early days when Pappy was a toddler enjoying it with his grandparents. It was still Santa Claus Land when our sons were small. The name has changed, the theme has expanded (as has the acreage and thus the walking) to include all the holidays, but the family nature of the park is the same. Holiday World has free soft drinks and water all day long, and free sunscreen in the water park. There is free parking too. In addition they have free-to-use swim vests for those who want them. We were totally worn out after 9 hours, but the kids stayed til the park closed and we took Jace home with us a few hours earlier. Everyone was happier that way. Jace slept most of the way home.

Due to a large 'rush' calligraphy job, I was forced to miss my high school reunion. Booo! Everyone had a good time though, I have heard. We were a good bunch - and we still are!

Jace Growing Too Fast

2011-07-07T18:29:00.001-05:00

Above is Jace wearing Pappy's shirt. A little too big for him yet.

Pappy has always told the story of his very young years when he lived with his grandparents. His grandfather used to play with the pots and pans with him when Grandmother was away, and scurry to put them away when they heard her come home. When she was there, it was forbidden. So, Pappy rearranged some cabinets the other day, placing plastic ware down low so Jace could play without getting hurt. Thinking he was doing something he was not supposed to do, he loved the treat.

Here are a few more photos of my little boy who is growing much too quickly.

Jace has cousins visiting this month. Lexie and Anthony are here from Mississippi. At 10 and 11, they are a lot of fun, and Jace is loving that.

Here are Lexie and Ant playing in Jace's wading pool.

And here is Anthony with Lorenzo, Sandy's Jack Russell terrier. Sorry about Ren's green eyes! Bad photographer.

We had a small fireworks display here on the 5th (the kids were enroute from MS on the 4th.) Here is the smoke from one of the big, beautiful explosives. It looked kind of eerie in the almost dark.

Backyard Activity

2011-06-29T16:48:00.006-05:00

Cardinal on backyard fence. The nest is in neighbor's tree. The song is lovely.

I found these shoes at a resale shop. They reminded me of the black "Granny" boots I saw filled with shamrocks on the front stoop of a little shop in Ireland. These aren't shamrocks, but I think they still look cute.

Anybody know which are weeds to be pulled? I can't tell what's what. I inherited this bird and butterfly garden when I bought this house, and I've let it grow into an awful state. I simply do not know what is meant to stay and what needs to go. Does anyone recognize some definite 'pull mes"?

I spent a long time taking photos of a feeding session in my backyard earlier this month. The activity wore me out! The house is now empty. The babies (three of them) have obviously flown off now.

Big hungry baby.

Hello-ooo! I'm waiting!

Still waiting...

Hey, Pipsqueak! I'm the dad here. I'm not listening to you. Learn your manners.

Mama's love is strong.

Listen to me!

Dad with two of the three.

Mama told me to lay low til she got back.

I'm hungry! Bring more next time.

Mama didn't tell me there'd be days like this.

Bourbon Trail Revisited - sort of

2011-06-26T23:44:00.004-05:00

Sandy and I made a Girls' Day Out of heading back to the Bourbon Trail. But we didn't explore distilleries. Instead we explored Versailles, KY's quaint historic area. Beautiful old homes and quaint shops. (Maybe quaint enough to be called 'shoppes'.)

Here are a few pix from our tours of the shoppes in Versailles (rhymes not with the city in France, but with Her + white sheet-like devices on boats that catch the wind and make hem go.)

The farm store - right in the heart of the historic district.

(No, we didn't go inside the farm store. we went to the antique mall across the street.)

The Pretty Pink shop - a boutique with fun jewelry and more.

Our lunch at Lite Side on Main Cafe. Half of a BLT and a lovely spinach salad. Not pictured, but definitely part of the deliciousness was the pumpkin bread with cream cheese. Yum! And bar none, the people in Versailles were SO nice!

My miscalculation enabled us to drive past "The Castle" - twice! (Sorry, Sandy, but you have to admit, it was worth the short detour.)

And here is our precious angel Jace the night before when we babysat while Sandy went to her photo-session. The boy DOES get in to Pappy's spaghetti in a big uninhibited way! (Even a messy mess, he is still his Jamma's dollbaby.)

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail

2011-06-13T23:37:00.016-05:00

Finally getting around to posting some images from our tour of three distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail on May 31st.

Beth Karecki and her sister Mary invited me to go on the Kentucky Bourbon Tour with them on May 31st, the day before they returned to Oregon. It's practically in my backyard, but I had never been before. We toured only three of the six, and it took all day. We started at Four Roses, which we easily deemed the prettiest with its buildings' Spanish Hacienda styling.

The Lady Mary enjoying a swing.

Here is an interesting looking tank at Four Roses.

A multi-lingual sign at Four Roses.

The tasting at Four Roses was the most thorough. I think we tried three or four. I worried about getting too buzzed to go on. Straight bourbon is not exactly my drink of choice, but - when in Rome!

Our next stop was the Wild Turkey Distillery. This bourbon was super strong. Not my favorite. I did like the bourbon liqueur American Honey. It's good enough to eat on ice cream. I also liked the chocolate and lemonade available at their tasting.

We met the Master Distiller, Jimmy Russell, and actually got to see him at work. We later heard that was a rare sighting.

Here is Jimmy flanked by Mary and Beth.

What a Job!

That's a lotta turkey!

Wild Turkey's robust yeast fermentation. Day 2.

We ended up at the smallest and classiest looking place - and the most expensive. Woodford Reserve, owned by Brown and Forman Distillers.

The brewer's sip.

Some empties.

Fat Cat at Woodford.

Here is a shot of yeast fermenting at Woodford. It makes a difference if it's day 1, 2 or 3. Quite a difference to the yeast we saw and smelled at Wild Turkey.

We had to pay for our tour at Woodford. The others were free. The tasting was only okay, but the bourbon balls were fantastic! Unfortunately, they'd closed the luncheon counter early and we missed lunch.

We met interesting people on the tour. Here is Tudor Clee from New Zealand. He had been in the US for the Ky. Derby, in Indy for the 500, and was waiting for the Belmont Stakes in New York. He'd toured all six distilleries and proclaimed Booker's, a small batch bourbon by Jim Beam, and Elijah Craig from Heaven Hill to be the best. His third favorite was the favorite of ours from the three we'd toured, Four Roses. He said he liked Maker's Mark tour the best. Looks like I have three more to visit!

These guys were at Wild Turkey. I couldn't resist asking the question, "What is Vragelism?" Their friend Vragel turned around to demonstrate the tee shirt image. Apparently he (Vragel) is well known among his friends for his witticisms or malaprops or something. "He just says funny things." He said he couldn't do it on command. He never knew they were coming until people told him they were there. We never heard him utter anything extraordinary, but they were three nice, good-humored guys.

Meet Jeremy, Dan and Justin.

We Got a Pool!

2011-05-30T13:14:00.008-05:00

A wading pool, that is. Here are some shots of Jace enjoying it in our backyard. Sandy and I bought the pool for only a couple of dollars at a Kidstuff sale, and decided it wasn't much of a loss if it had a leak. No leak! Hubs said it was the best $2 I ever spent.

Most kids don't like water in their faces, do they? The first thing Jace did was dunk his face for his daddy. (Isn't this a yoga position?)

Here's a shot of Jace and Pappy in the pool.

Here's Jace doing a bit of construction work. He is not yet 15 months old and weighs less than 20 pounds. This landscape stone was large and heavy!

More construction. Now Jace looks like a plumber.

Since everything goes into the mouth, it's understandable that when he got the waterhose, he took a drink!

I think Jace looks a lot like his Mommy in this photo.

He knew I was taking his picture and mugged for me.

Look at that physique! And the trunks that droop to the ankle. Right in style. (No, he didn't spray us, but I know that day will come.)

We did get way more than $2 worth of fun out of it in yesterday's extreme late May heat. (94F, I think.) Now everyone is clamoring for a 'real' pool!

Aunt Chris's 100th Birthday Party

2011-05-22T20:56:00.000-05:00

We celebrated my Aunt Chris's 100th birthday party with a big bash yesterday. Here are a few photos.

The envelopes:

The invitation:

The banner:

Bryan Jackson of State Farm Insurance with Aunt Chris, his oldest client:

The Birthday Cake:

Ready to blow out the candles:

Jace and Aunt Chris - the oldest with the youngest family member:

Aunt Chris with friends Dave Gibbs and Marilyn Rodgers:

Jim, Angie and Celeste Beatty:

Roger and Charlotte - his soon to be granddaughter:

The party was fun and Aunt Chris had a good time. Some of her oldest friends showed up, and many family members, including some from out of town.

For Sale and Not For Sale

2011-05-19T23:09:00.003-05:00

One day when I was keeping my sweet Jace Face we strolled past this house in the neighborhood. I saw a handmade "For Sale" sign and my heart sunk. Not another home up for sale! It sometimes seems that there's another one everyday.

The next day I realized that the house was not for sale. They were selling all the lovely baskets of petunias that lined the driveway! What a great idea to use them as landscaping in the meantime.

And here's Jace the Face chillin in the backyard.

Here are two photos I took to perhaps use as backgrounds in some digital art. The first is wood shoring up a railroad crossing near our first apartment.

This is a white wall (fingerprints included) outside a fastfood restaurant.

My Butterfly Garden

2011-05-14T00:08:00.001-05:00

My butterfly garden is chock full of wildness. I'm afraid I'm at a loss as to what to prune out. What I think are weeds turn into magnificent primroses and other specimens. If anyone can tell by looking, let me know and I'll pull out the offending stalks. All winter it looks awful, but finally I am rewarded with color. I do know the tall brown stalk needs to go, but how about all that other unidentified stuff? Is it supposed to be that way? Is it safe to tug it out? I get some yellow flowers soon, I know.

Here are some samples.

Coral honeysuckle - identified by some Facebook/art friends.

Clematis and primrose.

Automobile Quarterly Story Published!

2011-05-10T11:37:00.007-05:00

The story I wrote (with intern Jen Harrington) about Oregon photographer and digital artist Robert Michaels has now been published by Automobile Heritage Publishing. It is in Automobile Quarterly Volume 50-4, which is the current issue. Automobile Quarterly (AQ) is a prestigious subscription-based hard-bound automotive publication. AQ features an automotive artist in each issue, among many other stories. This was a big issue for me, as I also did some behind-the-scenes editorial work on the Santa Fe story and the Porsche Museum story for this one.
Here is a link to Automobile Quarterly.
I'm excited to have this published. Due to copyright, I can't share it with you, but in lieu of that, here is a link to some of Robert Michaels' car art.

Kitchen Countertop

2011-04-30T16:52:00.010-05:00

I had a granite countertop installed today. (Thanks, Rob and Laura, for the help and the recommendation!)

Here are a few snapshots of the before and after.

Now to tackle that horrid wallpaper!

Jace at the Head of the Class

2011-04-30T13:34:00.001-05:00

I went to the University of Louisville for a Father's Day photo shoot with Steve, Sandy and Jace. Steve had ideas for photos and Sandy took over 1000 shots! Here are a few I took before my camera battery died.

Jace in a bow tie and cap is just too precious!

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T16:26:00.004-05:00

I didn't get to take many photos this year - I was too busy and the house was too crowded since the weather didn't let us get outside much. Here are a few photos though. I didn't get to everybody.

Here's Jace with GGma.

Here are two photos of pretty girls.

Here's Jace hunting eggs - looks like the Easter Bunny really hid them, doesn't it.

Jenny and Braydon.

Braydon with his Granddad.

Bobbie Jo.

Here's Ray with Justin's Steven.

Sandy and Steve (caught with his mouth full).

Steve and Jace.

Mama and her boy.

100 isn't what it used to be! Here is Aunt Chris less than a month before her 100th birthday.

What a Difference a Year Makes!

2011-04-23T13:01:00.000-05:00

Sandy posted this dual photo of Jace - from newborn to just days ago. What a difference a year makes!

Baby Chicks

2011-04-19T00:26:00.007-05:00

Jace spent the night Saturday so we took him to the new Rural King store to see baby chicks. Steve saw them just a few days ago when they were new baby peepers. By Sunday when we went they were already getting their wing feathers. I think we got there just in time.

Here he is peeking into one of the tubs full of chick-lets.

Here he is with the haircut his Daddy just gave him, minus the usual gel. Even though the haircut makes him look older, he's just a baby chick himself (13 months.)

Jace at the Louisville Zoo

2011-04-09T23:45:00.003-05:00

Steve, Sandy, Jace and I went to the Louisville Zoo today. It rained this morning, but by the time we decided to go the sun was out, skies were blue and it was warm. Sandy bought a family pass so they'll be going back often.

Loved the black swans.

Jace got up close and personal with a friendly and curious gorilla...behind heavy glass.

A safer gorilla. He loved it!

Jace doing an elephant trunk with his arm.

jace leaning over big snake.

A rare white gator.

Smiling goat in the petting zoo.

Zebra.

Jace did a good tiger roar.

Black stone fountain - Jace loved it and got totally drenched.

A silverback.

Turtles in a row.

Jace was a pretty tough guy - scared of nothing - until we sat him on this stump in the petting zoo. The safety of daddy's arms was all he wanted then.

Lotsa monkeys in the gift shop.

What a great day for visiting the zoo!

Two Thank You Cards

2011-04-06T22:53:00.002-05:00

Took time from enjoying the beautiful sunshine and lovely warm Spring day with Jace today to make two thank you cards and address a few envelopes. These cards were simple and quick. Just cut base card to fit existing envelopes (about 3.5 x 5.5 inches.) Glued two strips of water-colored papers to each, one a royal blue and one a mottled green and blue. Lettered "Thanks!" on each with a Bic Mark-it fine point permanent marker in a pretty pastel green tint, embellished with a stardust pen - voila!

I love quick and easy, especially when they turn out well.

Jace in the Park - fears, tears, smiles

2011-04-06T22:46:00.001-05:00

I went with Sandy, Steve and Jace to a local park this week. Sandy wanted to take photos for a thank you card for Jace's first birthday. (He's now 13 months old...growing up way too fast!) I took a few snapshots myself. Not as good as hers, but here are a few showing Jace not enjoying being up in a tree (the better to show the blossoms) looking bear-riffic on a bear bench, and enjoying the sliding board under Daddy's supervision.

Rosie Kelly Book Workshop in Memphis

2011-03-29T13:45:00.007-05:00

What a weekend! I picked up a new friend, Shirley Sawyer, at her home in Louisville and drove to Memphis to meet other friends for a fantastic weekend workshop presented by the Memphis Calligraphy Guild. Rosie Kelly of Chicago was the instructor. It was the second or third workshop I've enjoyed with Rosie over the years, the other(s) being paste paper workshops). Paste paper, another subject entirely, is a great page maker for these wonderful handmade artist books.

This photo is of the books I made in class plus the two collage pages we made early in day one of the workshop. More can be seen on my Letterlady's Letters blog at: http://letterladysletters.blogspot.com/ and my website at: www.picturetrail.com/letterlady in my handmade books album.

Shirley, Deb Warnat and her daughter Cassie, Donna Hacker and I stayed at Donna's daughter's lovely condo in a very nice Memphis suburb. It couldn't have been a better situation for fun, camaraderie and art. Some good eating came in to play too, including daily breakfast yogurt yumminess Donna made for each of us from a bed and breakfast recipe. Here's a photo of my morning treat.

Near Emily's, we spotted this sign. We loved it and hope it did the trick.

Where else would a group of people attend a calligraphy guild sanctioned workshop and be visited by a Canine police unit? This workshop was held at a police station community room, and the police officers were curious about our activity. (Maybe they were curious about our frequent mentioning of our 'stashes' - which in our case was pretty innocuous - our beautiful paper scraps that we were using for the collage elements in our books.) When we let them look around at our book projects we asked to see the beautiful dog this officer managed. No touching allowed, but Dobro (?) was a beautiful animal and enjoyed his visit. Had the officer given the word, those powerful jaws could have done unthinkable damage. (That's Rosie seated at her desk in the background.)

See other photos on my Letterlady's Letters blog and on my website.

My Little Bluejean Boy and My Studio

2011-03-21T08:46:00.008-05:00

Here's my little guy - just turned one year old this month, but looking older in his blue jeans. I was trying to get him to take a nap because he was a little fussy and tired...and I had calligraphy to do. He didn't nap then, but the wedding calligraphy was completed in plenty of time and Jamma had a good time playing with her little man while his parents were away for the weekend.

Here's a photo of an addressed envelope set along with the invitation and dinner and dancing reception card from this wedding. Both the bride and her mother have sent me beautiful words of thanks, and I look forward to working with them on their very cool and out of the ordinary place card idea soon.

My studio is a part of my large family room, and my mess and tools are very accessible. This made good sense when I bought the house, but that was before our little Jace-treasure was part of our lives. Now I face the tasks of really cleaning and child-proofing my studio or moving it to the smaller, less accessible spare bedroom upstairs. Both ideas will involve a lot of planning, time and work, none of which I want to undertake right now. This shot was taken looking from the family room section into the messy studio on a 'good' day. It gets worse. Something is going to have to change, I know. Jace is so tempted by the tools on the desk/table just a toddler arm's reach behind the couch.

Decisions, decisions. Until then, I prefer to play with Jace every chance I get, and letter beautiful envelopes for weddings and other functions when he is not here. And Jace is coming over today!

Wedding Calligraphy Blog

2011-03-08T12:46:00.009-05:00

I'm a full time calligrapher in the Louisville, KY area, but with the internet, e-mail and shipping and mail services, I have hand written and lettered invitations and envelopes for weddings across the nation. I can't believe that I have a few blogs and only last night started a wedding calligraphy blog. It's a work in progress that I will be adding to as I gather my envelope images. You can click on this link to visit that blog. If you know anyone getting married, they should book their calligrapher early and order extra envelopes. If they are running late, often they can get the envelopes early so they may be addressed in time.

I took my first calligraphy class when my youngest son was two (I am now a grandmother!), but even before then beautiful writing had been practically a lifelong interest. I stayed with the classes, joined guilds and taught classes for several years. All the while I was (and still am) training with some of the best calligraphers in the world. Visit my website to see many examples of my calligraphy in the 'wedding' and 'calligraphy' albums.

Thanks for visiting!

Jace's First Birthday Party

2011-03-02T13:21:00.006-05:00

Today is Jace's first Birthday, but we celebrated on Sunday. Here are a few photos. I will add more later, so look back.

Here is the Smashcake; It was so cute. Adrienne and Co. created the cake using one of Jace's toys as a model for the monkey face on the top...perfect!

Perhaps disappointing his parents who were expecting a messy bunch of fun, Jamma was proud of her Jace-monkey for being so neat on his first few tentative pokes at the pretty confection. Finally he understood it was his and - it was good!

Daddy moved in to show him how it's done.

Pappy leaned in for a better look at his little man.

Mommy helped him open his presents.

Becky Korte and Sandy set the party table up very appropriately with stuffed monkeys, monkey party favors and chocolate and banana cupcakes.

Monkeys can also be princes, as designated on this first birthday by the princely "Number 1" crown.

Valentine Queen!

2011-02-16T09:30:00.002-05:00

My Aunt Chris was named Valentine Queen Monday at her assisted living home. Still a beauty at 99!

Jace Walking

2011-02-14T11:28:00.002-05:00

Check this out. It's Jace walking. Can he really be walking already??? (I hope this link to Facebook works.) If you're interested, copy and paste the link into your browser. If you know of a better way to do this, let me know. : )

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1297315690483

Sandy, Steve and Jace

2011-02-10T19:47:00.009-05:00

It's Date Night! Well, it was. Steve and Sandy went out with friends and Jamma and Pappy got to keep the little man.

Look at those EYES! Baby blues for sure!

Note what the pajama top says: Grandma lets me stay up late. I am unabashedly guilty!

Mommy and Daddy both have brown eyes, but Jace's blue eyes are found on both sides of the family tree (Uncle Mike, great aunt Lilla, Aunt NeeCee, and close-to-blue hazel eyes of Indiana Pappy) and are pretty identical to his maternal Pappy's. Though he has the best of both Mommy and Daddy, his great uncle Bob declares that he is "definitely a Hurst" and looks just like Pappy did when he was 11 months old and the "most beautiful baby in the world". Awwww. Jamma sees Mommy's beautiful lips and Uncle Mike's & Uncle Roger's hairline (so evident now that Daddy buzzed his head!), Uncle Chris's feet - wide and flat! - and Daddy's temperament to a T, so both Mommy & Daddy's DNA is very evident. Confession - if he looked like a little troll we'd still love him to pieces.

Byline!

2011-02-04T22:38:00.004-05:00

I get a byline in the next quarterly publication put out by the publishing company I work for! Once it's out I'll share more information, but for now I'm just excited to have this to share. The editorial intern and I shared the task, including interviewing the artist together. The editor decided to try to combine both versions of the story ...not an easy feat since our writing styles are vastly different. He did a great job! A large percentage of my original story was kept intact, and I added some additional bits after the fact. I'm proud of the final story, and the artist is practically ecstatic after having been given a preview of it.

I have been more and more involved with the publishing side of the business in recent weeks due to a few personnel changes. It's been quite exciting for me. I always like a new and interesting challenge.

Wishes for 2011

2010-12-31T22:06:00.013-05:00

As 2010 closes and 2011 begins, I wish you

Festive events once in awhile

A nap when you need one

A team to root for

Someone who can teach you a lot

Someone to talk to

Reliable transportation

Cute hats

New discoveries

Friendship

Love you can always count on

An escape route if you need it

All the fun you could want

Dependable family members

No load too big for you to handle

And no holes in your pants

Check these plates out!

2010-12-29T11:42:00.008-05:00

I have been approached by a few different companies to take my blog(s) "commercial". I have resisted. Today's offer was intriguing though, and I checked out one of the sites connected to them. Cool stuff! I have not contacted them, and have not 'gone commercial', but I do like what I see there. Take a look at the very cool plates I found: http://www.allmodern.com/asp/show_image.asp?pr=0&sku=non1390&imgs=http%3A%2F%2Fcommon2.csnimages.com%2Flf%2F1%2Fhash%2F1215%2F3497601%2F1%2FCity%2BOn%2BA%2BPlate%2B%252D%2BGift%2BSet.jpg 12 inch porcelain plates with maps of Shanghai, Brasilia, Cairo and St. Petersburg (Russia). This is not a paid advertisement. It is just something I think is tres cool. City on a plate. Black city map backgrounds on dishes. Fun!!!! I love unusual things like this. I will be looking at more of their things...right up my alley!

: j

Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T13:03:00.007-05:00

Thanks to Sandy for sharing the photos she took with her fancy schmancy new camera!

Aunt and niece - Janny with Celeste - a quiet minute.

Steve and Sandy!

Roger and Wanda!

Jamma and Jace.

Jamma reading Five Little Monkeys book to Jace. (Where's the wrinkle filter on that camera?)

Justin, Ray and Jenny downstairs. (Background is studio clutter...sorry!)

My cousin Ray's sweet grandson Braydon, intrigued with the bubble he has blown.

Natalie and Andrea - cousins extraordinaire!

Angie and Celeste - looking more like sisters than mom and daughter.

Angie reminding me very much of Diane Keeton - though she's much younger than DK.

Jace in his cool black leather jacket from Natalie, Marcia and Steve S.

Jace and GGMa - having a moment. So sweet!

Jace Ready for Trouble

2010-12-23T06:30:00.003-05:00

A couple of days before his first Christmas...looks like he's ready for trouble. Look out, Santa Claus!

A puzzle for you!

2010-12-17T22:10:00.003-05:00

Pat of Artkerfuffle shared this puzzle. It took me 23 stinking minutes to solve...average time is 9 minutes! I did have distractions, but doubt I would have been much faster without them. ; } Enjoy!

Actually, Pat's blogpost was such fun, I think you'd like to visit her blog and see it all! http://artkerfuffle.blogspot.com/

Jace About Town

2010-12-13T00:01:00.005-05:00

Jace went shopping with Mommy and Daddy today. Daddy Steve took this photo.

A few weeks ago, Jace helped his Mommy and Daddy inaugurate the new Yum Center for U of L's first basketball game there. Cutest little Cardinal I ever saw! Can't believe how fast he's growing. (Sandy took this one.)

Catching up with Jace, and a couple of birthday photos

2010-11-25T20:44:00.005-05:00

Thanksgiving...my brother tells me he hasn't seen enough photos of Jace on my blog lately. To rectify that, here we go! These are from October and November. On December 2nd he will be 9 months old. Amazing! Thanksgiving pix will be posted later.

Here he is all tuckered out in his bouncer.

Here he is with his Pappy at the Falls of the Ohio...where Lewis and Clark began their historic journey.

Bad Jamma let little dirty face fall asleep without washing.

The whole picture. Both boys sleeping.

Mama Sandy, Daddy Steve with their Jace Monkey at G-Gma's on Halloween.

My birthday was earlier this month. Here are pix of two gifts from my son and daughter in law and birthday cards I received...many from the wonderful calligraphy birthday exchange group I belong to online.

Jacksonville Beach, FL

2010-11-22T18:36:00.008-05:00

Took a business trip to Jacksonville Beach, FL last week. Though we were only able to have short walks on the beach in the mornings before our day long meetings, we did have Friday afternoon for beach-combing. (And I did go out one night by myself...the resulting photos look like they were taken in a snowstorm, but it was ocean spray.)

I'd been to Jacksonville's neighbor, St. Augustine, a few times, but had never been on the beach at Jacksonville. It was a pleasant surprise.

This was basically the back yard of the Marriott Hotel. Nice view!

What at first appeared to be a business meeting on the beach tickled me. When I got home and enlarged my photos I saw that it was actually a Bible study in progress.

Crab! Steve thinks I should have had crabcakes for dinner.

I loved walking the beach and seeing the many variations on the theme. Foam, sand shells and water ebbing and flowing around me. Loved it! Beachcombing was pretty sucessful. At low tide I found a sand dollar. Wading in the Atlantic Ocean in November...what a gift!

Our last dinner was at this 1974 restaurant chain, Mellow Mushroom. Decent pizza, but a bit loud and sports-bar for my taste.

More from Judith

2010-10-23T10:07:00.007-05:00

I rediscovered Judith Viorst this week. I found this poem "Mother Doesn't Want a Dog" which made me laugh. A friend and I had just been talking about our dogs having taken over our houses and having affected such decisions as, "Do I dare get hardwood floors?" This poem made me giggle.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/mother-doesn-t-want-a-dog/

If I remember correctly, Judith Viorst poems and musings used to appear regularly in one of the magazines I used to read each month - Redbook, maybe, or Good Housekeeping. Frequently her wry and pertinent observations seemed to be about my life as much as hers.

The photo is of our Max - perfectly at home wallowing on my family room couch, which, because he thinks it is his, I have to keep covered to protect it from his shedding. ("Oh," my husband said when he rescued this orphan, "he won't get very big, and he won't shed much." Not a bit of truth in either statement.)

The Pleasures of Ordinary Life by Judith Viorst

2010-10-22T14:21:00.004-05:00

I was thinking of a short, sweet poem today that I read as a young working mother. It was by Judith Viorst, and was merely a listing of her favorite things. It prompted me to write a similar list, which I turned into a poem. Not knowing how to find her list, I Googled her name and looked for her poems. (Among other books for children, she wrote "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-good, Very Bad Day.) I didn't find her list, but I did find this sweet poem which reminded me of a conversation I had at work today with some friends. It hits close to home for me. The accompanying photo is of my son and his son - 7 1/2 months ago. Time flies.
The Pleasures of Ordinary Life by Judith Viorst

All Better Now

2010-10-21T19:52:00.005-05:00

Jace had two firsts yesterday. Swinging on a park swing and playing in the fallen leaves. His mommy has a great knack for capturing Jace at the perfect moments with her camera. I'm glad he is feeling better!

Here he is enjoying Daddy swinging him in the park for the first time. Two peas in a pod. His daddy was a daredevil too.

This bucket-style swing looks like a good idea for active babies.

Jace's first experience playing in the fallen leaves.

And need I say more...Oh! Those eyes!

Dr. Pappy, Nurse Jamma

2010-10-19T22:21:00.004-05:00

Our little Jace was sick this weekend, but we helped get him well again. What a difference from Friday night to Sunday night!

Dr. Pappy taking his turn with the bottle of Pedialite.

Lots of rest was part of the healing process.

Ah! He's feeling lots better! This reminds me of the photo of his daddy at 21 months pushing his stroller at Disney World. This marked a first for Jace...he'd pulled himself up to stand behind his walker.

Happy Birthday, Mommy. Your baby doll is feeling a lot better now.

Fernando's Louisville Visit

2010-10-10T20:14:00.008-05:00

What sights do you show a world traveler who happens to visit you in Jeffersonville? The Harvest Homecoming Festival in New Albany, the Louisville skyline on a crisp, clear night, Churchill Downs (not a horse in sight, but there WAS Woody Z), St. James Court, U of L, Yum arena, Jean Dubuffet sculptures outside the KY Center for the Arts, Hillerich and Bradsby, The Ali Center with the cool icons visible only from a distance, my modest little home where friends and family shared food and a good time, Huber's Winery where we bought a pumpkin pie, a treat he'd never tasted - and loved, and of course Jace!

On Friday night we took photos along the riverfront in Jeff. Some of these are my pix, some are Fernando's. His are better.

We walked up Fourth Street Live in Louisville and visited the Rathskellar at the Seelbach Hotel.

On Saturday we did a mini tour of Louisville, visited Huber's Winery in Starlight Indiana, and Saturday night had a cookout on the patio.

The Thinker at U of L.

Steve and Fernando at Churchill Downs.

A mural painter at CD.

Gourds at Huber's.

A pumpkin-filled wagon at Huber's.

Fernando and Jace really hit it off well.

The plan was to eat our way through Harvest Homecoming on Sunday. Though it didn't quite work that way, he did try his first ever grill-roasted corn on the cob still in the shuck. We visited friends and searched high and low for picture postcards to send back home to Argentina. Who knew they would be so hard to find? (Thank you, Jeffersonville Visitor Center and Laura for looking up the number!) Sadly, he has left now, and will soon be back home in Argentina.

Jace Incognito

2010-10-04T17:50:00.004-05:00

Ever since Jace began crawling on his hands and KNEES last week, his mommy has had to be on her TOES! They spent Saturday baby-proofing the house so Jace wouldn't hurt himself or things like the stereo system. Maybe that's why he hid those baby blues and went incognito in the above photo.

2010-10-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

Jace with his Daddy and with his Mommy at Bernheim Forest, where they went for a picnic today. Jace is 7 months old now!

Halloween Preview

2010-09-20T21:00:00.001-05:00

Are you ready for this? Jace Monkey - a preview of his Halloween costume.

More from Canada

2010-09-19T23:21:00.007-05:00

Loved the look of this shop with its nifty parasol display out front. This was in Niagara on the Lake.

Also in Niagara on the Lake were many sailboats. We walked along Lake Ontario here and enjoyed some beautiful scenery.

My family looks at some of the photos I take and wonders - "Why???" The answer is that I use some in my digital collages. Sometimes the strangest of photos are the perfect thing. These are jars of specimens in the Royal Museum in Toronto. I took a disgusting photo of preserved birds - don't know if I'll be able to use it or not, but probably won't share it. Birds should be flying and singing, not impaled on a board with others of similar ilk.

Canada

2010-09-14T18:45:00.013-05:00

Here's the ever-visible CN Tower in Toronto. Not only can you see the super-tall structure from almost anywhere in the city, but on a clear day you can see all the way to Niagara Falls from the top floor. There is also a glass floor on one of the highest floors of the tower, which spooked many people out. Not Jace. He was a star attraction as he practically danced out of his mommy's arms on it. One woman laughed as she saw me snapping this photo and said, "That's the best photo of the day!"

At the Toronto Zoo...looks like the kangaroo is asking, "Can we talk?"

I didn't notice the crocs at first. Cute, huh! (Niagara on the Lake.)

Most of Toronto's Chinatown was a blur to me - literally. We didn't get out of the car and I had to snap photos from the back seat of the car. I love Chinatowns...lots of neat 'stuff'. Believe it or not, this was taken from the car. Darn good camera! We were many feet from the shop.

This butterfly practically posed for my new camera at Niagara on the Lake. Many colorful and well-tended flowers lined the sidewalks and landscaping in this pretty town.

I took many, many photos. I'll add more another night. Or two. I'm glad I went to Canada. My first visit to our neighboring country made me want to return. EXCEPT FOR TGIFriday's. More on that later too.

What is it About This Baby and Hats?

2010-09-09T23:04:00.008-05:00

What is it about this baby and hats? He looks adorable to his G-ma! And he seems to like them. His mama dresses him so cute!
We all joined the Y, and tonight was my first night. They provide two hours of childcare and Jace seems very happy in the childcare room. He loves meeting new people. I'll discuss a plan with a trainer tomorrow after work. I've packed my swimsuit, but I think the one hour orientation is all the time I'll have tomorrow. I have a rush-rush job on very teeny tiny placecards - difficult, to say the least. One trainer was surprised to hear that I hadn't worked out since I played basketball in high school. I walk a lot, but no cardio, and I need it! We ended our session by walking up a near-mountain of outdoor steps by the riverside. I did better than I thought I would, and the view was very nice from the top. (That reminds me -- I did do a lot of stair-climbing to prepare for my first European trip in 2001. I need to do more.)

Back to Jace - for those who haven't noticed, I became the total grandma (G-ma) when he was born. Everyone says it, but it's not real until it happens to you...having a grandchild is a wonderful thing. My friends have told me, but it doesn't have the same impact until it happens to you!)

Jace the Face - U of L football fan

2010-09-04T18:58:00.004-05:00

Mommy and Daddy took Jace shopping yesterday for his first U of L gear. Today was a big game. Mommy and Daddy had tickets...but G-ma had Jace! 6 months old on Thursday...time does fly!

Even though the whole family wore red, it was to no avail. At least they looked good.

Traffic and Signs Toronto

2010-08-31T15:54:00.007-05:00

I loved spotting these unusual traffic signs in Toronto, and wanted to share them.

I don't know how they do it, but by the looks of some of the traffic we were a part of on Toronto's highways, I hope it works!

How polite!

And while we're at it, here's a sign of the price of gasoline in Canada. No, it wasn't $100, but it was over $1 per LITER.

And here's my chance to talk about the unusual way of getting a traffic ticket in Toronto. The officer was standing (yes...STANDING!) with the radar gun and stepped out in front of us to wave Steve over to a parking lot. He couldn't have been nicer...really! We were impressed, and it was almost worth it just to experience the politeness of the officer and the uniqueness of the encounter. Not to mention that it was only $40 Canadian (less in US currency.) I've never met such a nice traffic officer in my life. When we saw it, this storefront was just a comical reminder to us of the incident.

New Calligraphy and Art Blog

2010-08-29T23:22:00.006-05:00

Because this blog has become so family oriented, I have a new blog for art and calligraphy postings. To view what's going on artistically, please see my new blog: http://letterladysletters.blogspot.com/ You can go to the links section below right and click on it there as well.

For those who want to see travel notes and photos, and keep up with Jace, this is still the place.
: )

I have a third blog too, Keep This Ticket. It contains essays on daily life. You can also reach it via the links on this page, or directly at: http://letterlady-keepthisticket.blogspot.com/

My website is: www.PictureTrail.com/letterlady, an archive with many albums of various art photos.

Thanks!