It takes a blog....

It was delightful...

I had the very good fortune to meet a long time blogging friend last week.

Some of you may know Susie @The Mill House. We started writing to 

each other within a few weeks of creating our blogs nearly two years ago.

We connected on many levels, it started with our expat backgrounds.

We both travel long distances to be with our children. We both call more than one place home.

 We both have children of similar ages and our hearts are split between two hemispheres.

Early days...

I remember those early days in 2009. Susie had recently moved 

from Sydney, Australia to Bath, England. She wrote of her family, 

missing Sydney and getting ready for the Christmas holiday in Bath.

I loved seeing her Christmas wreath on her door and her tree strapped onto her car. 

I hadn't experienced a northern hemisphere Christmas in ten years. I was so excited for her.

She posted these photos on December 18, 2009.  At the time, I was sitting in Sydney

 airport with my family waiting to fly to London to start our new life in England.  

I was apprehensive yet so excited to read about her Christmas in 

Bath that I instantly felt heartened about our move. It was a comforting thought as 

I tucked myself into my airplane seat for the long journey to our new home.

Two English women...

Susie was a godsend. Being English herself she gave me tips on what to do and 

 and when I was feeling most homesick...she would have a way of touching base 

and saying just what I needed to hear. Through Susie I met Sarah @ Semi Expat, 

another talented English woman living abroad. They kept me well supplied

with tips of what to see and do in London. 

All this via two people I happened to meet through my blog.

Imaginary friends...

Susie and Sarah were the first of what my family called my 'imaginary friends'. 

They would look over my shoulder and give them nicknames... 

Susie from Bath, Vicki from My French Life, Sharon from the French Countryside, 

Pamela and the big white dog, Edward and Lisa from Vermont. 

Over the past year I have been fortunate enough to meet them all. With each one, 

it was like picking up a conversation with an old friend. Wonderful!

My family is delighted to see that Mom is not going crazy 

and that these women acutally exist.

Imaginary friends no more. :)

Back to school...

Susie has since started a University degree and has taken a break from blogging. 

I love that she still stays in touch, reads along and leaves her thoughtful comments.

I hope one day she will return to the fold and continue to write.

Making connections...

The connection remains and for that I am most grateful. I often think how nice 

it would be to put my blogging friends together with my friends from the 

different countries I have lived in. I know they would all enjoy each other's company,

so many brilliant and talented women with like minds in one place. 

A dream come true!

French thoughts...

Susie mentioned that she enjoyed the photos of the chateau we stayed

 in during our recent trip to the Loire Valley. As I wandered from room to room,

I often thought how much fun it would be to rent this house with a bunch of girlfriends. 

Women on a mission...

Just think, 

a few women,

with a few days to unwind 

in a French chateau,

before....

hitting the country roads 

of France,

en route to French markets and more.

Oh...the fun we would have!

Ready when you are... :)

It takes a blog....

for wonderful things to happen. 

:)

bottom images~me

two top images~susie

Magnificent Proportions

"Chambord is truly royal-royal in its great scale, 

its grand air, its indifference to common considerations"

Writer, Henry James

Chambord is one of the most magnificent buildings I have ever seen. If you are planning a trip to the Loire Valley, I recommend putting this château at the top of your list. Chambord dates back to 1518 and owes it's conception to François I. Leonardo da Vinci is said to have drawn up plans that were ultimately made into a model by Le Boccador.  Many famous masters of their trade had a hand in the creations of Chambord over the centuries. The château is a masterpiece of the Renaissance period and is rich in history.  

Love, war and much more breathed thru it's walls until it was sold to the State in 1932 for 11 million francs.  Every portrait tells a story and there are plenty of them with 440 rooms to fill. I could go on and on but I will stop there and let the photos do the talking for me. It was a challenge to get it all into a single frame, both inside and out, but I had fun trying. You can read more about Château de Chambord, here.

I just couldn't resist... :)

 Magnificent Proportions.

Text reference: Châteaux of the Loire

The Green Guide by Michelin

images~me

 PS..

Thank you for your words of encouragement regarding my bat story. (here)

I was heartened to hear that many are quite familiar with these

little night creatures and take them in stride. :)

Sunrise and Karen Blixen

Sunrise over the farmer's place...

I woke up early to catch the sunrise this morning. In the end, I decided it was easier said than done. In my pink silk pajamas and a well worn cashmere sweater, I set off in my black walking shoes to catch the sun.

I was ready to hop on a bike and ride past the farmers place and it appears they heard me coming first. The rooster, the horse, the hens, the dogs...the donkeys and even the cooing pigeons. I wondered how my family and the farmers family would feel if I proceeded on my journey....especailly in my pink and blue bedroom ensemble. I retreated with the pigeons (it appears we have a village worth of pigeons living amongst the roofing of the chateau.)

I sat at my little table by the window and came across this post from the very lovely Carina. She posteed on Karen Blixen ( author of Out of Africa), her home and her art of flower arranging. It was thrilled as it all started with a flower arrangement I posted a few months back.

You can read Carina's post here.

Of course, my next question is....have you met Carina @ We are all in the Gutter?  We have been chatting back and forth from my early blogging days...she has become a wonderful blogging friend. She lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a big fan of Oscar Wilde and writes the most curious and intersting posts. She is a keen reader and traveller with lots to share and think about.

I hope you stop by and say hello!

As for my sunrise....I nearly got it.

More beautiful colours from France.

In retreat with the pigeons...back to the chateau.

A new day has dawned.

I think it is Friday....we are on chateau watch again today. I am still deciding which one.  I am very excited about dinner tonight. We have had a local chef, Murielle, prepare all our dinners while we are staying here. She and her husband are chef's by trade. The food had been true to the local area, fresh and fabulous. My only regret is that she does not speak English and I do not speak French. We try....

Mr. H needs to communicate for us as he speaks fluent French. Murielle has offered to take me into the woods to pick mushrooms. I don't know that Mr. H is as excited as I am about that prospect.

Tonight Murielle is cooking a big feast. Her family joins us for dinner along with the local farmer and his wife. Murielle's husband and son speak English (phew). I hear he is an expert on wines in the region....I know where I am sitting tonight. :)

Mrs H. Sr. arrives tomorrow for a week. We have a room all set for her on the right wing of the house. We have migrated to the left wing. I am really liking this concept of wings in a house. 

A reader asked how we came across this chateau. Good question. Hang on a few more days and I will let you know. I want to make sure all goes off without a hitch before I recommend the firm we used. So far so good.....

Happy Weekend to one and all...( I would say that in French but it is too early in the morning and I have not had my first cup of coffee yet) 

Jeanne xxx

Playing Sherlock in the Loire Valley

I wrote about My French World, here, and discussed my struggles with the French language. I seem to have developed a language phobia which I am determined to correct.

"I think of my blogging friends, Sharon @ My French Country Home, Vicki @ French Essence and Ange @ Signed by Ange. They all inspire me. I admire them for their ability to live in two worlds, their English world and their French world. Being able to live within the language of another culture opens a door that you would never see as a tourist."

In the meantime, I am finding it very easy to slip into our French world. We are staying in the far corners of the Loire Valley. Last year, my dear Mr. H mentioned that he would like to go to France for a two week summer holiday. His mission was to be as far away from the crowds as possible. As usual, my thoughts were far far away (probably blogging) and I replied with a 'yes, dear' all the while thinking that I had a feeling a beach holiday was going to be out of the picture.

A few weeks later he told me he found the perfect spot...a chateau in the Loire Valley with 10 bedrooms and the ability to sleep 14. Again....my thoughts were elsewhere, "great idea" was my reply and off he went. I recall wondering who would sleep in the 10 bedrooms but left it for another day.

Jump ahead a few months later and here we are...five of us (soon to be six) in a 10 bedroom house with more tables, chairs and beds than I could possibly count. I am not complaining, it is lovely and quiet. We are within easy distance of all the sights, yet, we are far enough removed that we feel like we are in a world of our own. It works.

We spent Sunday unpacking and enjoying the amenities of the chateau. Today we managed a trip into the local village and an outing to Chateau du Moulin, an easy distance from where we are staying. We will be picking up the pace over the next few days but have agreed that we will leave plenty of time to make the most of our two weeks of French life.

I have to admit that it has been tough pulling me away from this chateau. Every nook and cranny is filled...I have the urge to dress up like Sherlock Holmes and explore. I think Mr. H is worried. :))

Oh yes, we did this too!

A trip to the local village in Romarntin-Lanthenay

and to Chateau du Moulin in Lassay sur Croisne.

and one more from the chateau...

Did I mention the donkeys?

I call them Thelma and Louise. :)

images~me

My French travels....

Crossing the English Channel

Mood Blogging: C'est si Bon

My French World

Playing Sherlock in the Loire Valley

Laissez-faire

Mood Blogging; C'est Si Bon!

A car to love, 1950's Peugeot, do we love the colour too? I say oui!

I have started noticing the various stages of blogging....

I liken early blogging to being like a child in a toy store. So much to see and do...you think, I will follow that blog and that one and then you find another and another. When the time is right you take a leap of faith in yourself and start your own blog and then...it is love at first touch (keyboard) You start to wonder where has it been all your life. If you are like me, you will wonder why you should stop at just one. Why not another? Fashion, photography, travel, health, life, lots of interests.... a blog for each. All I have to do is click the button and voila!

'Voila' is the operative word because I did just that. People often ask how I manage them all. To be honest, at the moment, I am not doing it that well....but that is ok. They are there when I need them, like an old friend waiting for a chat. I call it 'mood blogging'. If I am thinking fashion, I pop over to cashmerejeans...style and write a post, if I am having a midlife moment that only people of my age will understand, I hop over to midlife wisdom. When the photo bug hits in a big way, I pop over to one woman traveller and download to my heart's content. My travels around England and Europe make it onto Finding my Way in England and last not least I write here @ Collage of Life...with my thoughts on life. Everything floats back and forth...mood blogging. :)

Where am I today? In the Loire Valley for two weeks, hoping to take it as easy as it can get. So far... Se magnifique! I have time...something I have had little of these past few months. With that we plan playing tourist, enjoying great food and wine, reading books, taking long walks, bike rides, a bit of fishing, tennis, swimming and of course dear friends...writing to you. :)

Chateau tucked away in the Loire Valley. Volvo wagon came with us from New Zealand and has
now added England and France to it's mileage. :)

Large home away from a smaller home..

our two week hideaway in La Sologne. 

We have it all to ourselves.:)

Miss Christine playing Rapunzel above

and family strolls below.

I have so much to tell you...

I can't wait to show you the rest of the house. 

I will be doing a bit of 'mood blogging'

across my other blogs too...come and say hello. 

Just give me a day or two first. :)

Signing off with Eartha Kitt and C'est Si Bon...

Images:

Taken by me, around the chateau.

including a car to love at the top. :)

You Tube

Varoom....

PS
This car is not mine, it belongs to the owner of the chateau,
a very charming woman....it suits her perfectly!