Somehow, the dogs have figured out the concept of le weekend. I don’t know how or why but for the past few Saturday mornings, they have decided that a special treat was in order and it wasn’t me. So, when it was time for their walk, they would go to Remi and bark at him pointedly until he had no choice but to take them.
Now, usually I am grateful for the break. As I have said Kipling is a true handful, especially as our little village is home to so many cats. But last week, the sun was shining, it was warm and perfect, so at the last minute I answered Remi’s offer to join him with a yes. “But I am not responsible for them, you are.”…”Absolutely,” he agreed. I ran upstairs to grab my camera and we set off. Our version of a rambling family.
As Remi is (an exceptionally talented) professional photographer, I couldn’t ask for a more patient and helpful hiking companion. He waits when I fall too far behind – Ben does too – and gives me tips on how to shoot in manual when he thinks that I might actually listen to him for once. Soon, I was down the rabbit hole of the lens and lost in the looking. The walk was the same that we had taken several times before moving here and the landscape was a part of the package deal charm. It still sells me every time.
Once we were far enough away from the village, Remi let Kipling off the leash and let him run, something that I never do and hence his preference for walks with le maître and not la maîtress. Why my hesitation? Because there is always a moment when the hunter in Kip takes over and he bounds away like a gazelle, heedless to our calls. But he will – eventually – come back to Remi. So why did I continue to holler after our wild furry friend? Remi was in control, that was the deal. And yet…“C’est plus fort que moi!” When I worry, I can’t help myself. Eh, oui. After agreeing that this is something that I need to work on, I headed back to my task at hand, looking for autumn.
Now, I got the memo on instagram. It was the week where everyone was supposed to take a photo of their feet (sporting very cool shoes equals bonus likes) pointing towards a spread of orange, red and yellow leaves (more bonus likes for all three in one shot). But this year, the weather is just not co-operating. So far, we are in the midst of autumn dressed down in green with the temperatures that will only prolong un été indien. I kept on searching with each footfall and with the rare exception – which was immediately met with a photographic pounce – in vain. Tant pis…
…and tant mieux. It was a wonderful walk. It just goes to show, sometimes a little flexibility does a person good.
I think that it is from what I have been reading on other blogs. And you are going to give my Sister a heart attack, Edgar! All of the photos are mine, discovered and taken by me save for the last (and best) one. 🙂
Walking with Remi is like having a master class in photography.
Is autumn late everywhere?
But your photos captured the early signs.
Jeanne, I hadn't noticed that you changed your profile pic to the hat photo! Yay!!! And you know, sometimes I need to give myself the gift of shooting in program. I know you understand… 🙂
It is lovely seeing you here. Your blog has given me so much. And we don't get much of an autumn here either…but I will take whatever tiny little bit of it that I can get!
Jeanne, we tried to go yesterday, packed to the dogs into the car to have a change of scene – and it was SO crazily crowded everywhere…worse than High Season, worse than Christmastime …that we eventually turned around and walked them here!
I don't know! I stumbled upon him and the forest and then poof! He disappeared… 😉 Thank you for the kind words, beautiful Madame LA.