Here we are with our new friend Bob |
Bill hard at work finishing the painting of our shutters |
Here we are with our new friend Bob |
Bill hard at work finishing the painting of our shutters |
We started our journey to France by flying to San Francisco and then Paris. In the International
"Sun Bathing" at the San Francisco Airport |
Showing off my perfume creation |
The perfume workshop is given by Candora, a perfume company which specializes in a la carte perfume, Their shop is in the Marais and the perfume making classroom space nearby. I find the entire experience fascinating. Since I had just finished listening to my audio book, The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi, the class reinforces much of the information about perfume Alka Joshi provides. I choose Vetiver, Rose Peppercorns, and Oud. Oud is a kind of woody resin found in the Middle East. It is also the name of a musical instrument played in the region.
The owner of Candora is our instructor that day. He finds it a pity that in our culture, floral scents are meant for women and woodsy spicy scents for men. So he encourages us to smell outside the box or should I say bottle. I name my perfume La Puissance which means Power in French. It smells refreshing and somewhat masculine which suits me just fine.
I am back home in Beaverton now. My bottle of La Puissance reminds me of my amazing month in France, a month full of connections with friends, beautiful rigorous hikes, scrumptious food, laughter, and both the fun and challenging experiences of travel. It takes lots of stamina to travel these days. Much of what I choose to do in France requires courage and fortitude. La Puissance says it all. Thank you so much for reading my blog. I hope you enjoyed it.
The link to the perfume workshop is below. I highly recommend the experience when you travel to Paris
https://www.candora-fragrance.com/make-your-own-perfume-workshop/
The official colors approved by the Monflanquin mayor's office |
Pigeon Blue Shutters! Tres joli! |
A lemon tart on a cookie to celebrate a job well done |
Finally, after choosing brushes and a variety of painting accessories, it is time to choose a new color for the shutters. I actually feel comfortable choosing paint color because the colors are displayed very clearly next to the paint cans. But wouldn't you know it, Bill and I disagree about the new color for the shutters. While he goes off to find yet one more necessary item, I stand in front of the paint samples. Doubt fills me. Do I go with the color he likes or I like? After all, he is the one doing the painting. As I stand there, an angel appears in the form of my neighbor David who just happens to be shopping at E. LeClerc. He spots me and informs me that I cannot just choose any color. The color must be approved by the Monflanquin mayor's office. The approved paint colors are coded so they can be accurately reproduced at any shop where paint is sold. Brand does not matter. The paint must be mixed to conform to the approved coded color. See color chart above. Thank you, David! I almost risked being run out of town by choosing Breton Blue. David himself got a scolding from the mayor's office because the white he chose for his shutters is not "the right white." This makes me laugh hysterically, but I am no longer laughing when handed a 14 page document about shutter colors at the mayor's office. Apparently, the regional comune must approve my color request. Photos of the newly painted shutters are required as well. They must be joking I think. What is it about the French and documents? My hand ached after signing about 100 documents to buy my house. I kid you not. So what color did I choose? Pigeon Blue, probably impossible to decipher from the chart. You can see the color clearly on the repainted shutters. I fall in love with the color despite its name. I am not a big fan of pigeons. So many people stop to admire the color and praise Bill's amazing paint job, that I begin to feel like the village celebrity though do none of the painting. Bill's newly founded fan club passes by and praises him in French. He gets the gist of it. Bravo, Bon Courage! The job becomes infinitely more difficult when the upstairs shutters crumble in his hand. Now Bill must rebuild the shutters which consume a great deal of time and include multiple trips to the lumber supply store. Imagine Parr Lumber where all the wood speaks French.
Sadly, Bill cannot complete his project before his flight home. With the project two thirds complete, Bill announces he would like to come back in the fall to finish the job. This thrills me as Bill normally will travel to France only once a year. What a silver lining or should I say Pigeon Blue?
Since arriving in Monflanquin, I have hiked about 36 kilometers with a lovely group of people. The entertaining conversations push me to go on. At the end of the hike, we are greeted with coffee and cake made by one of the hikers. By hiking, I get to see so much more of the surrounding area that I would never even know about. We pass sheep, goats, horses, fields of wheat and corn. Along the way, the wild flowers delight us. Surprises await.
Hiking in the French countryside |
Crustless broccoli quiche |
View from my bedroom |
Pictures from my walk around the village perimeter |
The view does not get old |
What? Quelle horreur! |
Exercises posted at the lumber store before you start your project. |
Daniel enjoying local produce |
In the meantime, Daniel arrives in Monflanquin. As you can see, he adores the local produce.
Raptor Show at Josephine Baker's Chateau |
Josephine Baker's Chateau |
Roland Garros French Open Tennis Stadium |
Daniel and I enjoy watching a match |