A Near-Perfect Morning

 One thing that I have tried to learn from the time of enforced lockdown the past year is to enjoy the moment where I am.

I may not be with my parents or my kids or my friends from home, but I have some marvelous friends here in Quillan and I live in a place that is beautiful.

This morning, when I woke up and went to the bathroom, I realized that we had a rare snow in Quillan. Even though Earl was still asleep, I threw open the shutters so we could see the snow fall and cover the cars, streets and mountains. In spite of the lovely white stuff, the temperature was barely below freezing, -1 in Celcius, 30.2 in Fahrenheit. 

It wasn't long until we were out of bed and having a lovely walk through the snow and up a nearby mountain (with a gentle slope because of my injured knee). 

Snow on the palm trees too. 

Usually when we climb the mountain, there's a beautiful view of the surrounding peaks, but today the sky was gray, blocking the view and promising more snow. 

I made a snow angel.

The snow was good for packing, but Earl knows better than to pelt me with snowballs. I'm sure he wished that our sons were around for a good snowball fight. 

Snowball threats

An arch of snow-covered trees

The snow was more prevalent up the mountain and heavy enough to cover the branches. Only a few walkers and dogs had been up the path before us. 

We came upon our favorite donkey and Earl felt super guilty about not bringing him a carrot as he stood in the falling snow.

He found some dry grass and offered it to the donkey. 

When we returned home, we noticed that the snow was much more melted, but it continued to fall.

I made myself a mocha and a crumpet (Thanks, Derrick for supplying them) with apricot jam for breakfast. Work was looming, but I stayed a minute more at the table enjoying breakfast and time with Earl before I jumped in the shower to start teaching. 

And I'll take a minute to remind myself, no matter what or who I am missing today, this has been a near-perfect morning.

My Morning at the Market

Saturday morning is one of the market days in Quillan and although I’ve been home for nearly two weeks, I hadn’t had a chance to shop at the market, being preoccupied with work.

This morning, Earl was working on the house, so I ventured out alone. Here’s my haul this morning. 

This should get us through the weekend.

My first stop was the butcher

We're having friends for dinner tomorrow so I bought 4 entrecote

Next the fruit and vegetable stand

Pears, clementines, carrots and courgettes (zucchini)

The woman at the vegetable stand often gives us free herbs or a lemon as we check out. That lemon in the corner by the pears was a freebie. This pile of fruit and vegetables cost me 4.80 euros. So much cheaper than what I would pay in the grocery in the States. 

From the cheese stall. 

Next I picked up a small Camembert cheese, brebis or sheep's milk cheese.
I had to stop at the bakery, of course. They didn't have my favorite pastry, chausson framboise, a raspberry turnover, so I got a muffin instead. The French pronounce it "mufeen." This is a red fruit muffin. I got Earl a Jesuite, one of his favorite treats which has a licorice flavor. Not something I like. The baker is going on his required vacation for two weeks (congé) starting Monday, so we need to stock up on our favorites. 

Quiche for lunch, pastries for breakfast

Finally, I went to the coffee truck, where the young Frenchman who runs it is celebrating a year in business. He makes me a white mocha even though it is no longer on the menu.

My carry out cup

The truck has become quite popular, even with the French who don't walk around with coffee to go. He is opening a second truck this spring.
I returned home to eat my quiche and begin teaching again. When I finish teaching around 2, I'll join other townspeople in a clean up along the river where flooding left trash.
I figure if I'm going to enjoy the views, I better help take care of the place.
Hope you all have a relaxing weekend. 

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

"Oh, the Places You'll Go!" as Dr. Seuss might say.
Yesterday I went on an 18-mile bike ride (that's 28 kilometers for those using metric measurements) with a French friend. It adds an element of skill to try to maintain a conversation in French along with riding up steep hills in the countryside. (She speaks excellent English so we only speak French to help me practice my language skills.)
The places we came across within a 10-miles radius of my adopted home. I had never been to the village of Montazels, but a climb up a fairly steep hill took me to the charming village. My friend pointed out a former chateau, but all I saw was a petanque pitch. Apparently, you can only see the chateau from below.
We stopped for a picturesque selfie.

That's the chateau behind us up on the hill and you can see mountains beyond in the split of the nearby mountains.
Next we coasted down the hill into Couiza where I caught a glimpse of another chateau I'd never seen. Duc de Joyeuse is a bed and breakfast now.

This isn't a great picture, but the sky sure is beautiful.
And in the other direction is the expected row of plane trees.

We saw so many gorgeous landscapes, but I couldn't stop all the time to take pictures.
I did get a shot of some poppies blooming. Yes, it's the beginning of poppy season here.

And this garden is very well maintained.
We stopped for coffee and pain au raisin, because what's the point of riding through the French countryside if you can't enjoy a pastry and coffee.
What a lovely morning exploring and enjoying life in France!