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22 January, 2009

Un Petit Voyage...and... An Award

Ohhhhh!! Don't ask me to explain anything about France or I'll blab your ears off!
The French teacher in me just can't be controlled! But here goes...
My friend CC Catherine at Catherine de thé Cups has tagged me with the 6th Picture Meme! Be sure to drop by to visit her blog! It's filled with beautiful photos of her tea cup collection and lots of information about tea and tea parties! Here are the rules:
1.Go to your Picture Folder on your computer or wherever you store your pictures.
2.Go to the 6th Folder, then pick the 6th picture in that folder.
3.Post that picture on your blog and the story that goes along with the picture.
4.Tag 6 other people that you know or don’t know to do the same thing and leave a comment on their blog or an e-mail letting them know you chose them.
So when I opened my 6th folder, I found this beautiful photo of Fontaine de Vaucluse, France! This is the view across the river basin of the restaurant where we had lunch.



We visited this picturesque medieval village during my retirement celebration /trip to France. It is a wonderful little collection of very old houses and shops nestled at the foot of a cliff and is best known for being at the the source of the Sorgue River in Provence.


You meander along a little path beside the river bank past numerous little spillways and rapids...


... to find the spring that feeds the Sorgue River....the largest spring in France and the fifth largest in the world! It is so deep that no one has ever found the bottom, not even with modern technology! But if nature is not your thing, don't worry!


There's plenty to do! There are wonderful old houses with interesting architecture! Can you see the bunches of grapes decorating this house? Remember that you can click on any picture to enlarge. And please do enlarge this one! This house is a visual feast! Be sure to check out the door knocker!

There is a very old church to explore which features this statue of Saint Véran defeating the dragon that lived in the spring. Aren't you glad he did, so you don't to have to worry about that?


There are the ruins of the château of the Bishops of Cavaillon perched on the hill above the village. You will find numerous museums as well...including one dedicated to the Italian poet Petrarch located in the home that he had here in the 1300's!


There is also a museum featuring a gorgeous collection santons, the French nativity figures of Provence. You may remember that I gave you a little peek inside of it in my post on santons.


There is even a working water-powered paper mill which still produces paper! I had to pose with this sign, being a gal who grew up in a paper mill town!


The water wheel powers these huge noisy hammers which pound the wood into pulp. It is then pressed and dried on large screens...making a paper similar to home-made paper. You can buy all sorts of pretty stationary and beautiful prints in the gift shop.



But my favorite purchase is this provençal table scarf that I keep on my breakfast room table! It came from a little shop there by the river that specializes in table linens, particularly those made by Souleïado. The word Souleïado in old Provençal means "a ray of sun shining through the clouds after a rain." Appropriate, isn't it?


I love the blue and yellow flowers! They always remind me of my visit to sunny Provence!
I think that so many of you have been tagged with this meme, that I will invite those of you who have not to try your hand at this! You might find a surprise waiting for you in your 6th folder!
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My friends Melissa at Melissa's Heart and Home and Ann at Life at Ann's Place have honored me with this wonderful award recognizing mothers and grandmothers! Please be sure to visit them because they are very special ladies with amazing blogs! I do qualify as both, but Melissa has assured me that my fur babies count, too, which is a good thing since I am the only mother my Baby Kitty has ever known, having been abandoned by his natural mother at birth! I would like to pass this award along to two wonderful women who are terrific mothers and grandmothers...
Sweetie at Sweetie's World
They are inspiring examples of motherhood and grandmotherhood! If you have not visited their blogs, be sure to do so! You are in for a treat!

36 comments:

  1. Debbie, Just stopped by to thank you for the sweet comments you left on my blog recently. You are so funny...I totally enjoy anything you write to me. I finished a new post tonight and decided I'd take a little blog ride, and here I entered your door and I find my name, SURPRISE! ;) How sweet of you to list my name and link to Catherine de th`e Cups! I revamped my background today to feel more "Francais et Chic"...I say it often enough, I felt the blog should look it! HA! Hey....I'm SOOOO glad I tagged you as one of the 6th Picture Meme's. What a lovely visit to France you just took me on! When I was in France in 2000, I was in Paris and Dijon...oh my, I wanna go back! ENJOYED immensely my visit with you tonight! Stop on by and say hi when you get a sec! ~Au Revoir ~CC

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  2. Are we twins? No....I guess no reasonable mother would name both their twins Debbie :)
    But I do LOVE plates (which is what drew me to your blog...) and I am a Grandmotherx4 -
    and now I want to go to Paris.

    Beautiful blog! I want to come back when I have a spare afternoon (or week!)

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  3. Oh my goodness, why don't we all live in France! These are such gorgeous photos. Thanks for sharing them with us...so jealous!

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  4. this will fill my evening and satisfy the blogger itch....



    thanks hon
    stop om over

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  5. I just love these mini vacations that you provide for us! That church, I think I would have spent the entire time there. How gorgeous. I think I'll try the 6th photo tag, I had pretty good luck with the last one, we'll see what's hiding behind door number 6. It will probably be another picture of Cait, I have ALOT of pictures of Cait haha. Hugs, Kathy

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  6. Congrats on this award! Your pictures are lovely! I think you should go back & bring us back more! :O)

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  7. Oh Debbie... you have done it again....whisked me away to beautiful Provence. With that lovely music playing, and oh that
    architecture. Grapes cascading down the side of building, such skilled hands. I love the colors of France, the deep blues and sunny yellows. Thanks so much for sharing. Love your blog!

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  8. Hi Debbie! Fab-u-lous!!! :)
    The places you have visited in your life so far most of just dream about. You are a blessed lady.
    How stunning!
    The greenery... the water... the grapes...Sigh..LOVE IT ALL!
    Please call me next time you are leaving. I'm jumping in your suitcase. LOL!

    Thanks for posting the special award so quickly. Well deserved my friend.
    Have a wonderful evening.
    ~Melissa :)

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  9. All of the pictures are wonderful, and make me dream of far away places. My absolute favorite is the one that shows the flowers in the windows on the side of the building with the grapes.

    There is beauty to be seen, no matter where you look in these pictures. You and your companion/s are excellent photographers.

    With that gorgeous scarf to greet you each morning, you have to start the day with a smile.

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  10. Debbie, I loved the pictures of France. That's about as close as I'll ever get to being there. You are a very lucky lady. I adore your
    provençal table scarf. The colors are so pretty. Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs, Terrie

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  11. "L'amour m'a trouvé tous désarmés et trouvé le chemin
    était clair pour atteindre mon coeur à travers les yeux
    qui sont devenues les couloirs et les portes de larmes."

    Alas poor Petrarch !

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  12. Debbie, what a treat to get to tag along on your wonderful trip to France. I love everything you have shown us. How fabulous that you took so many wonderful pictures, it just really gives me a sense of being there. I can't wait to go on the next trip. Congratulations on the award. You really are an extraordinary mother and grandmother. Hugs, Marty

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  13. Debbie, I've had another wonderful little trip with you! This are getting to be a fantastic habit of mine. What beautiful pictures. I'm so glad you suggested (very strongly) that I enlarge that picture. It is amazing! Those grapes; that door; that door knocker! Wonderful. I enjoyed every minute of my little trip, and you already know that I love your provencial scarf on your table. laurie

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  14. Dear Debbie,
    Thanks for visiting me at shadeoftheoak. I took a little break this evening to see what you have been up to. What fun! Your pictures of France are beautiful. I have family there but have never visited. My daughter finished her PhD at Oxford this last Spring so we found several excuses to visit her in England and did some exploring in Wales and Ireland as well. Now I am convinced we need to put France at the top of our list of our future vacation plans. Thank you for the peek into your photo album! Paula Bee

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  15. Congratulations, Debbie! And I love your pictures. Your discussions of France are always wonderful to me! Am all ears! :-)

    XO,

    Sheila

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  16. Dear, Debbie, I hope this finds you doing well. I can't read your words without the greatest of day dreams. Ah France, and it's beautiful countryside. Such lovely pictures, I've really enjoyed the trip. Love, Cindy

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  17. Good evening my friend, What a wonderful virtual trip you took us on. Your smiling face shows what a great time you had. This is something I can only dream of..and what sweet dreams they would. I enlarged the house with the door knocker..The urns along with the door knocker is just gorgeous. Thanks for another enjoyable trip.. hugs ~lynne~

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  18. What wonderful pictures you have to share and the way you describe everything makes me feel like I was there with you.i am so glad you are doing a blog and sharing all your wonderful experiences with us out here.I know how well deserved this award is,you are a wonderful mom and grandma and might I add a great friend,love ya,Kathysue PS I can just see myself having a bottle of orangina on your lovely cloth from provence.

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  19. Hi Glenda...Thanks so much for stopping by! Yes, I love that picture, too! Did you enlarge it? I added that little note after your visit. Even the door knocker is wonderful! And there are what appear to be olives and figs in the designs on the house. Don't you think that's what they are? Thanks for the compliments on the photos...it's either me or my friend Nan with my little digital camera! Now that I am blogging, I see I need a better one. Not any time soon, though! Have a great evening...Debbie

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  20. Hi Debbie,
    This is fabulous! I so enjoyed my tour, and I so want to go! That house, WOW I just am amazed. I also love that yellow/blue table runner--I need to take your home tour again. Well, here I am at 1:00 a.m. looking at blogs, I think I am getting addicted. I better head off to bed. Your friend, Cindy

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  21. OH, la douce France. I love all your pictures and memories. I also do love France especialy the Provence en the Ardèche

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  22. Hi Debbie,
    YOur pictures are so beautiful! I have never been to France - would love to go one day. Three of my children have been there and loved it.

    Your lovely tablecovering is exquisite! I absolutely LOVE blues and yellows together.

    Congratulations on your award. Yes, furbabies qualify as they require just as my love and time as children do. (if not more) Right now my dog is trying to get me to play with her bone. All I want to do is OOH AND AWE over your beautiful pictures.

    Thanks for sharing!
    Kymber

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  23. Chère Debbie,
    J'adore les photos - comme d'habitude - et je dois dire que je viens de lire Hôtel Pastis et
    je me rappelle le nom Cavaillon. Je voudrais sauter dans tes photos! bisous, Linda

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  24. Debbie, this was a beautiful little journey through your folder of photos...I would have loved to have gone inside that magnificent home, wouldn't you...It must have been exquisite judging from the outside...;-) Bo

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  25. Debbie,do you know what I see in my mind when I see your pics of France?I can see you and Vanna running,not walking down the sidewalks like little girls.Giggling and playing.Hurrying
    to see all that France has to offer.Speaking French to each other.Oh the laughter...Ann

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  26. I think the olive leaf is more oblong in shape. It could be baby grape clusters or more likely figs. It is a little hard to tell, even with the picture enlarged.

    I almost always try to enlarge blog pictures, due to my eyesight not being the best. The ruins of the château were very interesting when enlarged. I think your camera made wonderful pictures. They are crystal clear to me. Have a blessed weekend.

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  27. I am absolutely intrigued by the beauty of everything French. I can understand why you would love to reside in France. Your photos are beautiful and your descriptions vivid. Also, thanks for the award. I will post it soon.
    Hugs,
    Sweetie

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  28. I loved being an armchair traveler on your blog today! France is on my list of places to visit. Hope I get there someday!

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  29. Beautiful pictures, Debbie! Now, you are just making me wanna go back to France and to think that I have been discouraging dh from planning a trip there this summer. Isn't it beautiful there? Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures....Christine

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  30. Hi Debbie! Oh, I'm visiting your France pictures again! We've been a couple of times and it's beautiful. You've gotten some great shots of lovely areas! I have a tablecloth very similar to your table scarf - got it in Monte Carlo! Now, I am coveting, but in a friend kinda way, that beautiful covered bowl in the middle of the table!
    Be a sweetie and go to town with your lampshades,
    Shelia ;)

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  31. Good Mornin' Girlfriend...

    Just thought I'd stop by with a big ol'hug and a smooch for you...hehe...before I get busy today!

    What a beautiful little French village...I bet you just had the time of your life on that wonderful trip!!! I just love "old world" architecture...and that old french house with the grapes is simply divine!!! And...I have always admired that beautiful blue and yellow provencal table cloth...it's gorgeous!!!

    Well my friend...have a wonderful weekend!
    Love ya,
    Chari

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  32. Love your blog...those photos of France are awesome...your music is very lively....
    Keep up the good work!

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  33. Debbie, I saw that you put the kitty trivia on your site. I am so happy about that! I am so all about shelter cats (and dogs) finding good homes. I am happy also to hear that a shelter by you is a recipient of this. It is a wonderful thing!

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  34. Debbie, I just love your posts on France. It makes me dream of visiting there once again. I went to Italy for a week, and traveled into Chamonix only for the day.

    You were not joking about that house being a visual feast! Wow, it is beautiful!! All of your pictures are really nice, thanks for sharing them with us.

    Have a great weekend.

    Nicole~

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  35. Debbie,thanks for sharing these pictures.I really enjoyed seeing these ones.I've never been there and I may not ever get there but thanks to you I have got to know a little more what France is like.I'm glad we can make the pics bigger,sure can see a lot of detail. hugs,cyndi

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Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment! I appreciate my wonderful readers!... Debbie