A Little Walk, A Little Hawk

Today I met up with Deb and Rich for some dog walking and chatting along the canal "park".

As we came back to the bridge they pointed out that a woman with a hawk was on the bridge and that she had been there earlier in the week as well.

We watched for some time standing along the rail.  She had a walkie-talkie communicating with someone nearby.  It turns out they were coaxing the hawk to fly over and land on the hotel roof to scatter the pigeons roosting there. The local school had a couple of classes there to observe.  It really was pretty cool.  There was a little bird on the very top of the roof with something in his mouth,  While the hawk was circling and landing, taking off and landing again, that little bird never left his spot on the top.  I guess he made up his mind he wouldn't be intimidated!  If you look carefully at the picture with the hawk on the corner of the roof, you can see the little bird at the very top perched on a little finial. 

What they call pigeons here look nothing like the pigeons in New York.  These are smooth and small and of course, "dove" grey.  To me they are doves.  But I guess they make just as much mess here as they do in New York,  I hear them coo-ing everywhere.

somehow I got a picture of Deb's hand.....?   haha 

Only a bit of Klute showing......a sweet "retriever" and Skippy with Rich hanging onto both while I get pictures.

I did get a few pictures, though they are hard to see.

Afterwards, I took a different path back up to my street as the usual path is shut down for construction.

Along the way I took a few more pretty shots. Oh, and a shot of those GI-normous leaves!! Some kind of rhubarb relative.  I always forget the name.

 It was sunny out today for about 20 minutes, then the clouds rolled back in.  A few drops but warm.  My first day of summer!

So, Until next time, au revoir!!

Ridin' the Mini-Bus to Super U

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Ridin' the Mini-Bus to Super U  (pronounced Super "ooo")

Nearly the Longest Day

 newly paved lane down the hill to the canal....at the end of my block

Beautiful lady on the mini-bus

The billiard hall

The lady's garden (the bus driver helps with bags!!)


June 21st is Summer Solstice.....longest Day of the Year.....and here in Josselin it doesn't get dark until about 10:35 at night.  It's nice to lay in bed and wait for the dark, wait for the streetlight to come on, listening to the never ending cooing of the doves.  Mornings here this week have been gloomy.  The pattern seems to be that the grey doesn't lift until mid-afternoon.  Around 3 the sun comes out and there is a rush to sit in the sun at the cafe for an hour or so.  At least for those of us close in.  Lots of tourists now.  People watching is good.

I've been a little under the weather over the past few weeks and made a couple of trips to the doctor.  On the mend now and so thankful the long winter is past. 

Tuesday was my first foray on the mini-bus.  After registering,(as a resident) one can ride free from various pick up points..mine is end of the block, to Super U and back.  I've been walking to Leclerc, but Super U is just a bit far and through the highway access.  Super U is much larger and you can find some electronics there and some hardware items.  Even some clothing.  The fish selection is better, too.
I've been told they rent cars there now, too.  I'm going to inquire whether an automatic is available.  Still can't do a manual.

Tuesday night I cooked some great cod, made some quinoa and a tomato-mozzarella salad. This was a bon voyage dinner for Lucile who left this morning for Corsica.  She is going to a family wedding there and is so excited.

Tomorrow I am going dog walking with Deb.  She and her husband Rich have been giving me rides to French class in Hellean and back each week.  Ann Bird is busy with the B&B this term.  Debbie and Rich are from Wales and have 3 grown boys "back home". 

On this posting I am going to list here a lot of pictures.  Shots taken around town, along the canal, gardens down my street....my rue....some beautiful stonework, French class and miscellaneous others.

  Some of them may be repeats from the winter, but Spring/Summer has created a whole new place.  I hope you enjoy them. 

This posting is dedicated to the memory of Robert McDowell, my son-in-law Rob's dad. My heart goes out to his family.

The view from the French Class window in the town hall (the Mairie) in town of Hellean

French Class every Wednesday morning!!

Niche in the wall near the Creperie

A pause that refreshed!!

 

Cinq Jours de Soliel !

Cinq Jours de Soliel......tré apprécié!!

Two weeks ago today I had traveled by bus to Rennes for an appointment with the Immigration bureau.  With a long-stay VISA it is required to check in for an interview and a medical exam.

Happy to say I passed both.  The anticipation and anxiety leading up to that appointment took a toll on me, I must say. 

My dear new friends, Ann and Brian volunteered to keep Skippy for me for the 2 days I was away. That went very well and Skippy didn't make too much of a nuisance of himself. Brian even dropped me at the Bus stop, and took Skippy on with him.  On return, Brian and Skippy picked me up again, so I didn't have to trapse through town with my rolling suitcase.  

 I had planned to turn the business trip into a site-seeing trip. My plan included walking all around Rennes, to enjoy the gardens, the museums and shops.  There are loads of those as well as that wonderful French architecture.  And I had a leisurely stay in a pleasant hotel.  However, the weather had different plans.  Oh, I did walk.  But I walked in 45 degrees, howling wind and pouring rain.  There were people in winter parkas with their hoods up.  Many inside out umbrellas! Ugh!!  Rennes seems to be a pretty city, with the Rivers Ille and the Vilaine running through.  It's a university town and oh so full of students.  There were even high-end shops like Prada and Chanel, which I didn't visit. I had a very nice chicken curry dinner there and got to watch a table full of university "geeks" obsessively playing a card game called "Magique".   I really did enjoy myself despite the red tape and the weather.  Really being in "the moment" makes it all worthwhile. 

Photos around Rennes, view from my room, card game:

I did make a video of the landscape going by out the bus window, but am not posting it here as I think that file may be too big.  The scenery is surprisingly very much like upstate NY or even southern Ohio, except there are no foothills or "mountains" in the distance.  But rolling land, fields and trees all in varying shades of green. An occasional farm or hamlet, albeit, a very different architecture. Think stone cottage. Shutters, blue hydrangea.  Or "Hortensia" as it is called here. The official flower of Bretagne.
It all looks very familiar to me. 

It was good to get back to Josselin and my little routine.  That mostly involves walking Skippy around town.  We have 3 different routes we take.  Straight up through the middle of town past the bank and post office.  Or west down the hill toward the "bins" to take our garbage.  Then back along the canal and back up the steps making a circle.  Or down to the East as far as Michelle's boulangerie!!  The best in town.  A baguette sticking out of my bag and back we go.

Today, after French class, I tried to have a little lunch at Luc's café but Skippy will not behave.  He howls and barks at people now. And goes crazy if he sees another dog.  So, I ran him home and came back to find my seat at the table filled by Frank!! Laughing, I did accuse him of taking my seat. Of all people to arrive just then.  So I joined him anyway and we had a leisurely lunch. And a good long talk about Ireland (he's Irish) and China and various world travels.  And the idiosyncracies of living in France. 

Last Friday, Sue took Lucile and me to Serent (a nearby village) for the opening of Tim Hebbard's exhibition.  He's a well known English painter here in town.  There are lots of artists here.  It was a beautiful evening.  Right through today the weather has been gorgeous, Warm, puffy white clouds and that deep blue sky. 

Sunday, Lucile and I had lunch at the Sarrazine and then walked along the canal.  I met Airwen, who is the head of the group that holds the Film Festival in Josselin in November.

 On Monday, I had coffee with Barbara in her garden.  When she bought the house it was a total overgrown disaster.  She has worked a miracle there.  I wanted to sit in that garden forever. 

Now and then, there is a little surprise in Josselin.  Something you'd never conjure up in your head.  Serendipitous.  This week I had two of those.  The knife sharpening man, who rang my bell and was so very charming.  And, the friendly goat, accompanying her guitar playing owner.  I have named her Josselin, or maybe Jocelyn. 

Last night I finished a book called The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan.  It is a novel that tells the story of the ballet girls in Edgar Degas' paintings.  And in particular, the girl who posed for the famous sculpture.  I keep trying to read French related books.  A mini-immersion. 

Well, it's 10:20pm now and almost dark.  So I bid you bon soir, bon nuit! Au Revoir, till we meet again.

Photos: views around Josselin, The Knife Sharpener, The Goat & The Guitar

The Cinema

The Affutage

Jocelyn

Airwen & Lucile,  Frank & Lucile  Luc at his café and Barbara in her garden