One of my favorite aspects of travelling is imaging myself living an entirely different life in my new found environment. And I like to dream big. It doesn’t cost anything does it? Just a dash of wistfulness perhaps. So be it…
The click of my satin court shoes echoes on the parquet running the length of the chateau. Back and forth I pace, pouting over a disagreement with my portrait painter. How many times must I tell him that I will…not…wear…purple!? I grab my cream silk morning coat and storm out into the labyrinth of boxwoods. He can wait.
From the cool shelter of my Renaissance cave, I turn the pages of an original Rimbaud manuscript that has been brought to me from Ethiopia in a gilded box, pronouncing each poem out loud in a rhythm that descends with the cascading waterfall. Gradually lulled, I curl up on the fur-lined blankets that cover the uneven dirt floor.
I fling open the shutters of my maison du village to twitter along with the birds outside my window and giggle at the burbling brook that spills over from last nights rain. “Bonjour, Madame Robinson! J’ai un colis pour vous!” shouts out the postman. When I open the beribboned box that he places in my hands with a short bow, I am overwhelmed by the perfume of three dozen roses sent all the way from Paris. I burst into song as I turn to close the door, like a joyous Edith Piaf.
My Sister is getting married today. We have opened up the chapel to air and brought the largest table out into the garden. Thirty bottles have been lined up for lunch. In the kitchen I check on les quiches and les gougères, I pour broth over les rotîs, I smooth out the purée. I have already lined platters with asperges, others with les huîtres, a long board groans with les fromages. Next to me, Amandine tries to roll out the dough for her famous millefeuilles while swatting away the minou, who leaves paw prints in the flour. We can hear the first car down the road as the family begins to arrive.
Or maybe I am content just in this little cabanon, working hard to bring the vines back to life, to shore up the beams under the roof, to splatter a fresh coat of lime-wash on its pebbly walls. I listen to the windmill crank, bringing up water from deep inside the earth and know that I have all that I need.
Hoping that you all let yourself dream a bit over the next few days, no matter where you are. Thank you so very much for all of your kind responses to my previous post and for your music as well…
Bon weekend!
I knew that I couldn't be the only one. And I know that you are a hopeless dreamer too! It doesn't surprise me in the least Clare. Thanks for all of your comments here. I always love hearing from you!
Oooh! Just got completely lost in your dream!
I do the exact same thing! I love to dream about what my life would be like if I lived in different parts of the world. In fact, it's a very favourite pastime of mine.
~ Clare x
Alright! I will do. I had so much fun writing them, now I just need to find the right photos.
What is amazing here Jenny is that you can really see the land the way that he did. The Mistral wind that blows so strong is such a key element in his work painted in Arles. I never knew what those swirls in the sky where when I would gaze on his paintings at MOMA or the Met–now I do!
See? I loved that too! Can't you imagine how snug as a bug in a rug you could be? With the big tree out front providing lots of shade, the work of bringing back the vines…I love it!
Love this!!
I'm with Judith- a regular feature!
xx
SP
How absolutely incredible. Yes, I can imagine. I do most of the time living in the Netherlands in the summers. I've never been to Arles. That must be fabulous because I paint a lot like Van Gogh (he is my inspiration in many ways). xo Jenny
I love this. I hope this "daydreaming out loud" becomes a regular feature! And while all these places look beautiful, I have to say that the final shot of the 'cabanon' really caught my attention.
Merci tellement Dash–I like the way that your mind works too! 🙂
Holy cow! Laura! You are NOT allowed to play this game then! :O Wow, Valencia…dreamy…