Those of you that have been reading along here for any length of time know that my companion, Remi and I are both inveterate dreamers. We can’t help it. It is a glowing ribbon in the bind that links us together. Perhaps because we are both nomads who grew up with a foggy sense of home for varying reasons, one of our favorite dreams is of the “We Could Live Here” variety. We do it all the time. The games people play (kind of like my favorite “What would you choose to eat if you could only have three ingredients?” Avocado, chickpeas and roasted chicken is today’s answer)…
And so I didn’t bat an eye when Remi got that far-away look after finishing off a recent picnic in a vineyard on the outskirts of Uzes.
I followed his gaze to the ruin in front of us and knew what he was thinking before he said a word.
I watched him dreaming with all of the internal fervor as our puppers do when they run in their sleep.
Yes, we could open up that doorway. What is it? Renaissance period? Possibly.
And then that rather large window too, big enough to make a doorway, perhaps a little balcony could be added, a beacon over a sea of vines.
Of course, the roof would need to be redone…always a pricy affair…
Tick, tock, tick until his imaginings pulled him up from our comfortable perch in the shade and drew him like a magnet to make a closer inspection.
The dogs followed. Nosing the ground as they padded along behind.
I stayed where I was for the longest time. Watching Remi stroll with a glass of wine in hand.
King of his imaginary domain.
Until I too was bewitched enough to wander.
Delight swelled, blurred my vision, then stilled it.
The surprise of happiness.
It might never be where you expect it but a little dreaming is fine fire to the flame.
Isn’t it?
Wishing that your weekend ahead is filled with good.
And speaking of, to read Laurie Anderson’s moving and very beautiful tribute to her late Husband, Lou Reed, please click here.
I could truly eat it every day. Am mighty curious what your three ingredients would be…
Yay Lorrie! Will try. 🙂
Wooo???? Really??? TGV is only 2 1/2 hours away if you need sunshine. And if there is any way I can afford it, I would love to come up and see you for girly time in Le Bon Marché! 🙂
PS. Something tells me that you are going to end up having at least a pied à terre in Paris someday…
This is a dream of a post. (sorry, couldn't stop myself). And those grapes! I could almost smell them. We often smell them before we see them here in Concord when bicycling or on foot. Concord grapes, you know.
Only David would have a giant knitted preying mantis. I first learned about them when we moved to this house and my 10-year-old son ordered some to put in the garden he was planting. Later, he kept bees. Anyway, I find them beautiful though I would also be stunned to wake up one morning to a whole kitchen-full. So thank you, David Terry, for a Friday morning laugh!
Dreaming is so important for all of us. It has always gotten me through the toughest times. We all need that mental vacation.
And yes, I read and loved Laurie Anderson's tribute to Lou — they had an amazing life together.
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Avocado! Ok, craving guacamole now.
I hope I'm never too old or too jaded to dream like this. The building you show is rife with possibility. The photos of the grapes – utterly magical. Dream on.
So lovely, Heather. Glad that happiness crept up on you in that beautiful moment. Dreams and imagination provide a wonder of riches, right? Keep dreaming, dear. XOXO
PS- My dreams right now are taking me to Paris in for a week in late January all by my little old self – Mr. H. has his annual ski trip, so why not spend my bachelorette week in a Paris apartment instead of at home? It's a lovely dream…
Yes! Oh of course you both are the same!!! It is a big part of what makes traveling so amazing, isn't it? And yes also to the "unloved" hotels–absolutely!!!! I go so far to redo the interiors for those. 🙂
Fingers crossed for staying young at heart…
We, too, are dreamers. . .forever finding 'our' perfect place on our travels. . .we've 'owned' tiny cabins in the Pacific Northwest wilderness and crumbling stone mansions on windy coastal lands, sometimes we've stretched ourselves and renovated unloved small hotels and other times found just the perfect live-above store front in some European village. Yes, Heather, as long as we have the ability to dream our world's will never grow old. . .nor, hopefully, will we!