This and That

Every morning the bells ring again. They ring all day on the quarter hour.

Ding dong ding At quarter past the hour.

Ding dong ding, ding dong ding At half past.

Ding dong ding, ding dong ding, ding dong ding At quarter to the hour.

Ding dong ding, ding dong ding, lots of dinging and donging…

Then dongs for the number of hours it is.

Unlike the usual French time, it is not on a 24 hour clock. They go until 10:45 and then stop for the night. In the morning they start again. They’re very quiet. With the windows closed I can barely hear them. It’s probably digital, but it has the air of history and tradition.

I wouldn’t want to try to wriggle between these bars!

Having more time or space, less pressure, fewer “shoulds”, being on holiday, whatever, I’m finding meditation easy. I sit down and within no time at all it’s been an hour. Taking the time to reflect. Going through old pictures. Thinking about choices. Catching up on the last sixty years. Mental health here I come!

This red and black cushion has been a source of joy to me. It just about didn’t make it into my gear when I was packing. The plan was to put it in my backpack so I could have it on the plane, but it filled my backpack and left no room for anything else. So I put it in my suitcase (straining the zipper) until the moment came to check luggage, then I removed it from my suitcase and carried it onto the plane (where it was wonderfully soft, warm and comforting) and then back into the suitcase just before Customs and Immigration (the chickens had to go). Here in the apartment it’s a pillow to lean on while sitting on the couch, a cushion for the hard dining chair, a backrest while reading in bed, and a objet d’art when not in use. Thanks Bonnie.

My bed is so narrow that when you get in on one side you have to be careful not to fall out on the other side.

We had some fun today as it’s get clean sheets day. They took my used sheets but I didn’t get new ones. After dealing with the situation en française the new ones were provided but they were for un grand lit and mine is petit. Many laughs, mostly at my French. At the end of the day my bed usually feels like:

They say if you have puppies or kittens on your blog then your readership will go up. 😉

I went for a walk on the Prairie today, and found some art.

I also found another dream house. This one isn’t for sale but it has a pretty kayak!

Sometimes I head off the road a bit, or take the road less travelled. This started out as a road for cars and got smaller and smaller until I was ici, where someone had been collecting sticks (for firewood?).

At the bottom of this hill I came out in someone’s back yard just as he was coming out the door. I said bonjour and continue walking as if I knew where I was going, and it didn’t seem to bother him. Maybe it happens all the time.

In my travels I found this candy factory. It’s artisanal candy, but it seems pretty real to me. You can watch them making it if they happen to be making any that day. After Valentine’s Day and Christmas are over, and before Easter, seems to be quiet time for candy makers.