in color

A moment

I may have once posted this photo taken at The Hemlocks on Lake Memphremagog in 1953, but it is so good, it is worth repeating.

Left to right: Aunt Peggy, Aunt Barby, Betsy the irish setter mix, Donny behind tending to three month old me in the wicker basket between the trees, my grandmother Ruth, and my mother, Martha. Mom was thirty seven. Brother Don was twelve. Where were Ruthie and John?  No one seemed too concerned.

What were the two generations of women laughing about? My mother, is of course, wiping her eyes. A good laugh always brought tears to her eyes. Eliza and I have inherited this....trait.

Lake snob

I am a lake snob. I admit it. I grew up on the most beautiful and elegant lake in existence; Lake Memphremagog, otherwise known by native peoples as "beautiful waters."  This lake stretches across the US/Canadian border. We lived on the Canadian side. After ten blissful summers on this lake, I attended summer camp on the second most beautiful lake in existence; Lake Champlain. I have had a charmed life and I know it.

When I met David, he told me of the lake his mother's family had gone to since 1900 called Lobster Lake in northern Maine. I was skeptical. The name alone was off putting. I soon learned that it was shaped like a lobster claw but it still seemed hokey. Nothing could be as good as MY lakes!

When dating (I knew this was a test) we canoed to Lobster Lake on the West Branch of the Penobscot River in the rain. On arriving at the camp the caretaker had made a roaring fire and the propane lamps were blazing. I felt at home. No electricity? No problem. I grew up this way at the Hemlocks! The hum of propane was music to my ears. I still kept comparing this wilderness lake to my Canadian lake and soon realized they were both special in their own ways.

We were at Lobster this summer. The beavers have been active with damming up the river, the road is flooded but the caretaker Woody kindly drove his pick up truck out to get us and our gear. I was glad to be back to the quiet of no electricity. Above are clues on how we wash our dishes (three pots to boil water and one pot for tea....) and how we make toast. I did not photograph the gas lights but they are exactly like the ones we had in our house in Canada.

I have come to appreciate this wilderness lake far up in the Maine woods. It is one of the few places in the world that is truly quiet.

Next week I will be returning to Lake Memphremagog with my sister, Ruth.  Returning to a real lake. To my first lake. I was three months old when I my mother rigged up a basket between two hemlock trees to create an outside cradle.  No wonder I am loyal to this piece of ground.
It was my first wild place.

Melodies Graphiques lettres

Postes

Country postes- Limousin

City Postes- Paris

me in France

I had the great pleasure of traveling to France in June.

The main focus was a writing retreat in Limousin, an area in the middle of the country few people outside of France have heard of. It is a fertile area, not unlike Vermont but without the mountains. The teacher I study with in New  Mexico has found a farm/retreat center  in France and chooses to teach there now.  Her European students are elated! She has quite a following in Europe. For me, this was a long way to go and though I got a lot of writing done, I will not be going there to study again. It may be time for me to lead my own retreats in the United States!

My students are asking for this and I think I am ready!

Paris was wonderful. Laura and I rented apartments from friends and had the freedom to come and go as we pleased. The flowers in the Tuillerie Gardens were in full bloom in June. I enjoyed seeing Monet's large three part canvas paintings of waterlillies displayed in the newly renovated L'Orangerie.  I visited Mona Lisa at the Louvre as well as two Vermeer paintings. A Vermeer was stolen from The Gardner Museum in Boston, so I felt particularly grateful to see two original Vermeers in Paris. 

The stationery store, Melodies Graphiques, was a high point of the trip for me. It was filled with hand made paper, books, cards, pens, pencils and related objects of beauty.  We just stumbled upon this shrine to all things paper. 

Paris is a walking city. There are parks and surprises around every corner.  There is so much else to tell, but I will leave you with the photos of me in France!

a few more

A few more Colorado images to share before we headed home to sea level.

Colorado!

Rocky Mountain National Park

Hike to Ouzel Falls

A stop in Lyons on our way from Allenspark to Leadville

Frisco

Allenspark cabin and view

Leadville, Timberline trail

Boulder and the most amazing brunch ever with Don, Susie and Ruston

Summing it all up in car magnets.

The Leadville 100 MTB!

Note Minnesota license plate. 2,000 participants represented all fifty states.

What? We have to wait in line for coffee at City on the Hill, the local coffee shop? 

What? Nowhere to park in town? 

Leadville was hopping last weekend due to the Leadville 100, a 100 mile mountain bike race that took riders on and off road. 100 miles at 10,000 feet of elevation!

The fastest time was six hours and they ended the race at 13 hours to complete it.

We stood at the finish line and cheered on the intrepid bikers ranging in age from 16 to 80.

It was heart warming to see children of bikers run beside their parent as he/she crossed the finish line.

Next weekend there will be another Leadville 100.

This one is a running race.

Phew.

August update!

Eliza turns 27 on August 4, 2013!

Here at work at the High Mountain Institute in Leadville, Colorado.

Happy Birthday to Sylvia on August 8!

Welcome back to the East Coast and 

Happy 6th Wedding Anniversary to the Elmers, August 4. 

Jessie and Ruston have August birthdays as well.

So many lovely Leos in one family!