Just a gentle reminder for those of you, like me, whose winter days are currently swathed in near darkness…Above the clouds, so close to Earth, is a shining sun-filled sky. It is just there, on the other side, lest we forget. I know that I can. But that thought came to me this morning while walking the dogs on the quay of the Rhone River and it cheered me immensely. It was like taking a plane from drizzly Paris only to pierce into the Great Blue beyond…
There is still beauty here.
More on Tuesday with a By Invitation Only post, until then I will send you off with some lovely Schubert to keep you company. As a bonus, you can imagine yourself walking along the beach below instead of the quay above.
Have a lovely weekend…
Heather, As always I love your pictures. We have had a cold winter here in Texas too. We are living in a rented space waiting for our house to be built. After forty years we have moved to a new town and left friends behind…was so sure of our decision …and then I have moments of panic. Maybe my sun will come out too,…Janey
It is a nice thought – something I always love about flying on a gloomy day. Pfff…we are so near Spring – let's hope the worst is done!
Oh how I miss to have a garden, Jeanne–to tell time truly, by the plants. Although I mentioned above that the almond trees are starting to blossom, early by two weeks this year. But yes, Spring is coming and I have seen the proof!
Gros bisous to you, friend.
Ahhh! TGV to Provence? After last week's grey we are in the clear blue, even if it is cold (for us ;). Or a charter to a Greek Island? Oooh…now you have me dreaming too.
Thank you bella Contessa! You bring sun whenever you are around. 🙂
I love that you appreciate your home town so much. Ah, as you should! Montreal is so beautiful. I used to love the same thing about NYC. Winters were often bitterly cold and yet with that big blue above, it was do-able. It was why I was so shocked by the Parisian winters afterwards! I'll take the cold, thank you, but not the grey.
And ps; saw my first almond tree blossom yesterday!
I saw Elizabeth's photos of a rain sodden campo del fiori! Stay warm and dry, Gillian!
Oh Jenny. I feel for you. That is going to be a big transition but if that is what needs to happen, I am confident that a sharp woman like yourself will find the way to make it work. Light lamps and excercise included. But I do understand. When we lived in Paris, those five months of grey skies were brutal for me. Keep me posted please.
Sending Good Thoughts.
H.
Oh that would be wonderful, Michel! My email is robinsonheather (at) yahoo.com but truly, don't feel pressured. If it is not this time, another soon. But oh there is much to discover here… 😉
PS. We ONLY eat red Camargue rice in this house. Once you have tasted it, there is no going back.
You are a provider of so many wonderful reminders that I am happy that I was able to return the favor!
Beautiful, Heather. You know, I have noticed the buds of our magnolia have a little greenish tinge to their gray, our earliest camellias have blossomed, and the days are certainly longer. Spring will come. Never fear.
And until then, we can find the beauty in winter, just like you did here! XO
I think we're going to be washed away by the rain here in the UK. Biggest rainfall for a century or something. I need some blue sky, some warmth – I'll go anywhere; I'm desperate, haha.
Yes hubby has family in Arles, Saintes Maries, Nimes, and Bellegard. Maybe one day…..meanwhile I will continue to go to Alliance Francaise and try and learn the language.
I did think the apartment in your secret location with the large patio had great possibilities. The outdoor space was amazing.
HANG in THERE GIRLFRIEND DIVINE……..The SUN will appear!
XOXO
The Shubert is a lovely gift for a sunday morning in Montreal…snow again on the ground…skies overcast…but when the sun shines here..it comes with a beautiful blue sky, so no matter the chill and endlessness of winter…I truly love being here.
Besides…February is the time ones starts to dream of Spring……
A welcome reminder as the rain in Rome continues to fall.
I would love to meet up. Yes we are headed to Provence at the end of the month. Heather, we have not spent much time in Arles or any time in the Camargue although red rice from Camargue is a staple at Bistro Des Copains. I say this to tell you we would be happy to come your way.
Beautiful walk with photos. I'm trying to decide if I can live in Holland 12 months fo the year. I usually spend 5 months in Texas in the Winter with my family. Hubby says we can't afford that anymore. I just don't know. It is soooo dark and wet there plus cold for a loooong time. But, I enjoy your blog so much. xo Jenny
Heather, that is a lovely reminder; that the grey sky is only a layer; that there is light on the other side.
When I opened up the shutters this morning there was-surprise!-sun outside! But cooold. So hang in there Lorrie and have a lovely Sunday.
Oh good, so glad to hear that Mrs. Abstract is home safe and sound–and that you no longer have to eat microwaved meals! And I really do think that you and Michel would get along–go say hi! I bet you would get a fine meal out of it to boot. But keep in mind that they are coming over here soon for a few weeks, so it might be worth a call to set it up. 🙂
So true and how fascinating! Well, the Arcadians did reach into New England as well but I am surprised that they would have an Arlesienne style of dress as from what I understood (we did a story on New Brunswick too–beautiful!) they were quite simple in their lifestyle…?? Curious.
It is slow going! Our budget is so limited that there isn't that much to visit here in Arles and we are still trying to decide if we should move beyond the area or not (more about that soon). Did I know that your husband is from Arles?? Does he still have family here? I would just say one thing about your house-hunt. As beautiful as parts of it are (including good deals for real estate), I personally wouldn't live in downtown Nimes. That is just me! But Uzes and Arles? Absolutely!
And Remi and I LOVE Vancouver. We did a story on it for the French magazine Grands Reportages about ten years ago. But the grey part? Not so much. 😉
Grey days, here, too. But it's supposed to get colder this next week, and thus, sunnier. Beautiful photos.
You had a touch of bright sun and we had a trickle of rain last Wednesday.
I'm warmer. Mrs. Abstract returned home safely yesterday afternoon.Michel and I pray for ample rain.Cheers.
Have not been to Occidental to visit Michel's Bistro.
Thank you for Schubert.
Cheers.
Seeing the note from Sharon reminded me that a friend posted a photo of some "girls" who had come from northern New England, perhaps from a Canadian family, to work in textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts. Their dress so reminded me of traditional Arles dress. I wish I could post it here.
How we and our cultures do travel.
We too are under cloudy skies. This time of year I dream of blue sky and search homes for sale in the Nimes, Uzes, and Arles area and email them to my hubby (He came from Arles to Canada as a child); I'm very disappointed to see that you too are in grey weather. Hopefully your grey weather won't be like ours in Vancouver, we are grey from October to May. ps how is your house hunting going?
Oh, I understand how it must be for you Loree! In summer time here I find myself hiding from it and yet on Malte you have that nearly all year around I would imagine. Plus…cloudy days (especially on the weekends) are a free pass to read as long as you like…
I would happily send you the rain that is falling in buckets outside of the window Michel if only I could! Such a terrible dry spell must have heavily hit the wine industry non?
I enjoy the grey days. I guess I am strange but, sometimes, I just need to be out of the sun, out of its harsh, blinding light.
A very nice way to think about those gray skies. Thanks for the reminder. Here in Northern CA, we are praying for some rain. Year to date (started on July 1), we have had 2.0 inches of rain when we would normally have had 18.5 inches of rain. Have a great week.