And now for something completely different! Paris to Feins

WeAfter Rita left Paris, I had a few hours before I needed to make my way to the train bound for Brittany. I wound my way through the Marais for one final time,in an attempt to find the Fragonard boutique where I had decided to purchase a reusable bag for putting all my stray bits in before my train trip. I had seen these bags in Monmartre earlier, but talked myself out of buying ( another) one. In spite of what Jim might say, I have really purchased very little over the 4 months, except for a few items of clothing, a few pounds of art supplies( not really) and quite a few paper goods. Oh, and those 3 pairs of fake Birkenstocks. Hmm, now that I list it all, it does seem to add up...BUT, my theory of shopping while traveling is that you generally don't regret the things you buy ( within reason) , but it is the things that you don't  buy that you regret. I used to have a friend who said that if you go back and look at something three times then you should probably buy it. On trips, you don't often have that luxury of time. And don't be fooled into thinking you'll see it somewhere else. You probably won't.

We learned this lesson the hard way on our trip to South America where we took a bus all day and arrived covered in fine red dust at Jipijappa. I have no idea how to really spell this town, but it is a very small town in Ecuador where the finest Panama hats are made. Jim really wanted one, and we bargained hard but we just couldn't justify the expense of $15. $15!! We had ridden a bus all day to get there and that just seemed like too much money! Those hats probably sold  for well over $100, even back then. We really regretted not buying that hat ever since.  So now that is our byword - "remember Jipijappa". 

The same can be said of travel in general- once we decide to embark on a trip, be it to Chicago or around the world, we really commit to what we want to see and do, and try not to nickel and dime everything. It's no fun to always be economizing. My mom taught me that, and the value of the occasional splurge. We always manage to pay off those trips eventually, and we have the memories forever. That is not to say that we don't economize, but we soon realized that we might get a decent room in Asia for $35-40 a night, but when we got to Europe we just had to spend a bit more. In Paris our room was pretty downscale for $100 a night(sorry Rita) but we had a great  location which made up for it. Ok, enough of my travel philosophy...on to the train.

I was fortunate that the bus for gare Montparnasse stopped just a block from our hotel ( location, location!) so I hopped on using what I think was an expired ticket, but the driver was nice, and let me get away with it. I could hardly believe how long it took in Paris traffic to get there, then we had to creep along behind some kind of construction equipment. In the middle of St Germaine! I made it to the train with only a short time to spare. 

I don't know if I have mentioned my dislike of trains, but it's true, I don't like to travel this way. I find it stressful and difficult. You're usually dragging a bag that is heavy and then checking to see which platform your train will be departing from, sometimes with minutes to spare to go down one level of steep stairs and up to another platform. Occasionally you do this in a panic, only to watch your train departing without you( this actually happened to us). It's just not an easy way to travel, and I feel so grateful that we have been able to drive through Europe in rental cars over the years, sometimes returning them in a sad condition. Of course for a lot of peopletrains are the best and most convenient way to travel, but that is just my opinion. I do love a nice long cross country trip on Amtrak in my own compartment, though! 

So I made it to the little hamlet of Montreuil sur Ille near where my niece lives. And so began my French farm stay, as Jim called it. I get room and board in exchange for child care! Lol. 

It is always a peaceful respite to be in the middle of the beautiful countryside spending time with my dear niece and my two fairy godchildren ( aka great niece Julia and great nephew Gabriel) who I adore. 

I just wish they didn't live across the Atlantic. 

Pia has lived here for many years, but finally found her life's work(?) restoring an old stone barn which once belonged to an estate, or was part of the manor. She has turned a dark horse barn and stable into a habitable, light filled home, with a lot of love and hard work. And she's not done yet! There is always another room  to be created. 

I think it was really the 16 th? Century chapel that sold her on the place. We always envision great things for this place. A wedding venue, music salon...maybe one day there will be stained glass in those windows again. 

I was lucky enough to see the poppies blooming two years in a row!

She gets her gardening talents from her mother, grandmother and great grandmother before her. 

This is the beautiful collection of some of the flowers from her garden whic we made for French Mother's Day this weekend. 

A toast to hardworking mothers with homemade elderberry wine.

Scallops and spinach soufflé 

Not pizza, but Swedish pavlova, with strawberries, mint and passionfruit. Yum. 

We think Gabriel might have a future as a t shirt model.

And Julia might be an apron model...

We did home style pedicures for Mother's Day and I decided to copy Julia

This might be my new style! 

We can't forget Stella, who is very 

sweet, when she isn't loping across the far field running as fast as she can away from you( and toward the cows!). 

Probably my favorite view, however is of " cow tv" in Pia's living room.

I may not be a country girl at heart, but it is fun to spend some time here in the country with my loved ones, feeding the chickens and living the simple life.