Norman Inspiration

Good looking sweater. Normandy was the turning point, and many souls reside there for eternity. I shall be reverent, and with respect,refrain from flippant remark. My Dad was there,at the 'Bulge'. He made it home. My Mom said he wasn't the same guy that went there. I wonder how many people say that now, about returning vets.

An in law, served in the battle of Normandy at 18 years of age; he returned from the long war... deaf, confused...kind, but not very keen, but smiled alot and played a button-box, war is life changing is an understatment; " run as fast as you can for cover... carrying over 250 lbs. of projectiles, life support, and ammunition in your heavy backpack being prepared for surprize hand to hand combat as necessary...is a  army war challenge...that takes hard core superhuman strength....to go; comando combat rivalry duty..It takes years to feel normal after battle...wounded ....hearts, minds, and psyche....are damaged; makes me think about emotional..triggers for changing your thinking are important to be clarified in the mind..soundness of thought, etc. exits with a smocked wild red rose house coat with calico cat in arms, "saying, "darn garnit "wheres that Indian Summer comin..."  ****.Hazel Leeze ...liked you post on the Morgans of Wales...How about Morgan the University Colllege Librarian.of Pennsylvania... a friend of mine mothers' is a Morgan of Wales...so just thought I ask... and will see to it, this Librarian gets the message...he will be delighted...

Normandy~ those beaches that were once stained with blood and littered with wounded men and corpses are now beautiful. We Brits have never quite fogiven the Normans for invading us in 1066AD, so I suppose it's OK to reminisce about the events of WW2. Normandy is great, but the weather is unreliable. Good excuse to go into a cosy Cafe-Tabac and drink Calvados.

I love buttons and have a sweater with the wooden toggle buttons that I love. This is a beaut of a sweater and buttons made from a South American nut make it all the more peachy keen to me. Feet propped on the railing in a comfy chair with a steaming cuppajo in a sweater and my pajama bottoms taking in the salt air is the perfect way to start the day. Just finished page 2 of my sketchbook. I am stretching mixed media to the limits. Normandy...ghostly by gaslight...the longest day...PS- a certain PM needs to bone up on British History lest he be surprised by Letterman.

Haze- your last remark has one thinking that the entire world needs to take "the day off" with pay and no politics allowed.

TT===I agree!Posted just now on yesterday's, working so much didn't know what day it was, hey didn't they write a song about that. Anyhoo, the sweater is lovely, would wear one myself. off to work...

I wish my husband would wear a nice sweater like this. All he wears are NY Yankee and GB Packer sweatshirts.

I Marj- there's a great story of a husband that is trying to help his ailing wife by doing some laundry. From the basement he shouts upstairs "How do you wash these sweatshirts?" She replies"what does it say on the shirt?" And he anwers ...."GreenBay"

That sweater looks comfy.  It puts me in mind of winterizing the cabin, raking leaves, coming in out of the rain and warming up by the first, drinking cider, and walking the dog on a brisk and dark autumn morning.

RY, I can't complain too much.  My husband does the laundry. 

I've spent a little time in Normandy--we took a Seine River cruise from Honfleur to Paris about six years ago.  It was in fall, we were on the last cruise of the season and the ship was only half full. We were the only Americans on the ship, the rest of the folks were elderly French. This may surprise you, but in all our travels, we find the French to be the friendliest people. They are always so polite and curious--they love practicing their English with Americans. Anyway, there was an elderly gentleman, Pierre, who adopted us on the trip.  His English was pretty good, so he was our unofficial extra tour guide and translator.  It make the trip all the more memorable. Normandy was stunning, from the coastal cities of Honfleur andTrouville, to the center with the apple orchards (yes, calvados!) through Rouen, Giverney.  We entered Paris at night, cruising down the Seine through Paris all lit up. I hope to get back to Normandy sometime and spend a little more time there. 

The mention of Normandy brings to my mind a small cemetary at Unaka NC where many of my relatives rest in peace.  Particularly, my Uncle Charles who was killed at the Maginot Line in WWI: the other my Uncle George whose military tombstone bears the  simple inscription "DFC w/ OLC- 8AM"ie:  Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster (Second award)- 8 Air Medals. On the flipside my brother Charles served in a United  States Concentration Camp during WWII because of his objection to war and killing. And so it goes...

Ah, the beach at Trouville...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sISWPzEqHLQ

George the cemeteries at Normandie always make me cry.  You can't walk through them and not be affected.
 
Marjorie, I'm glad I'm not the only one!  I took french in high school and 2 semesters in college.  While still a teenager I was able to make 2 different summer trips to europe, spending the bulk of both trips in France.  Later when I lived in Ireland I often took cheap weekend flights on Ryan Air to France or Switzerland or Italy for the weekend.  I wouldn't describe myself as a francophile per say, but I've always enjoyed my time there and found the people interesting and charming in their own way.  And as Eddie Izzard says "I like the french, but they can be kind of french".  People (loud whinging americans especially) need to recognize that what we may perceive as rudeness is simply a different culture with different social norms. 
 
Anytime I would speak french, mention France, look at my photos from my trips there, make french food, or watch a movie set in France my ex would flip out and go on a bitter diatribe about how much he hated the french people, even though his only encounter was with 2 french tourists in Brazil.  He judges and entire country and its people based on one bad experience and it is really sad.  I wish I could have taken him there and showed him how lovely it can be, but sadly it was never an option.

Ok, a little off topic.  But what are the villagers favorite french movies or movies (or tv shows) set in France?
 
Mine are:  Les Choriste, Funny Face, A Good Year, Chocolate Midnight In Paris, and Le Roi de Coeur

The Red Ballooon!

N- good list...to which I would add A Good Year (love Albert Finney's work) and the movie A Man and a Woman...music comes into my head all the time. I have watched Midnight in Paris a dozen times. I adored Robert Morley in Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe a stretch for your list along with Hitch's Topaz but Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face talking about Mr P's type of costuming. Where's my beret?

N--as you can see from my posted link, Gigi! 

Can't let the Normans go by without a salute to their architecture. What wonderful cathedrals and churches and castles they made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMiCGOZVkgQ ; I think we need  a case of champagne on the sepia train tonight!

When I visited France long ago, I found my school French sadly lacking in conversational fluency, but could make out some of the written language and follow along in 1/3 ignorance when natives spoke. I was in Nice, Lyon, Paris, and a few small towns between whose names I have forgotten. I'd like to go back,a nd would definitely wear such a sweater as Jacque's, 'tho I surmise it is meant for the gentlemen.

Planted chrysanthemums today as the fall air is inspirational for autumn color. Put out my pumpkin and autumn leaves for decor. Hope my chard and lettuce will survive in big deck pots, as I know they would be salad for the deer if I put them in the yard. Merry day to all Villagers. Favorite movie: "Chocolat" with J. Depp.

Yes ML! "Chocolat" as well as "Lili" and "A Man and a Woman."

and "Funny Face" too NACHISTA, I agree. Je concurs.

RIght on CD http://youtu.be/483ilMmZbP0 Music updated to show that the Bohemian dance scene from Funny Face is timeless. Check out the male dancers. I bought that Picasso shirt from Mr. P's collection. Love that shirt.

Oh my gosh, how could I have missed Gigi and Red Balloon on my list?  Those are classics!  I also love both versions of Sabrina, as well as that Cary Grant/Walter Mathau/Audrey Hepburn suspense movie that I can't remember the name of off the top of my head (there was a recent remake with Mark Walberg but I haven't seen it).  I loved the book Hugo Cabret and when I saw the movie version I really enjoyed how Parisienne it was.

All this French Cinema Talk has me dusting off the black beret and restoring the pencil thin moustache- http://www.petermanseye.com/photos/580641

3coins in the fountain?wasn't that French?or Italian....long time ago, and Daddy Long Legs,too. I'm also a Red Baloon fan

Nachista, the movie you're thinking of is Charade--a good one!

I had no idea Charade had been remade. The new movie is called The Truth about Charlie. I'll have to check it out.

RY, 3 coins was set in Rome I believe, I haven't seen it in ages though.

A tattered copy of Eliot’s translation of Anabasis by St. John
Perse, Eric Satie on the phonograph including skips and scratches and a glass
of burgundy at castle temperature, watching from a weathered balcony the swells of the sea.  Ah oui, the French, they are a civilized
people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq7yGlT6_kA

Miss Nachista Le Roi de Coeur. Oui.

Paolos--It makes me want to don black tights and a black sweater tunic. a long wrapped scarf and boots.......and start murmuring while I smoke and drink my castle temperature burgundy.  (Yikes!!  I've never smoked in my life....wouldn't know how to go about it, but these make me feel I should.)

P-Satie. yes. Gymnopedie #1 has so much meaning for moi. So much. Want it played at my Memorial Service in the distant future....

Went for a quiet, romantic weekend in Giverny.  He bought a red balloon and tied it on the bed post.  Next morning we set it free out over the channel.  Beautiful memory.  Crisp weather, and we did wear sweaters.

Sailboats on the Seine

The sailboats are moored upwind from the smokestacks on this blustery day. The villagers are keeping indoors, a full shift is laboring at the factory, the shopkeeper is tidying her shelves and the schoolmaster is gazing out the window as the truant wind trespasses through his village.

The sailboats are moored and the clouds passing overhead herald an end to summer. The students are restless, their eyes wander from text to window, their minds wistfully reliving a lost summer revelry.

Only one desk is empty. Only one sailboat has slipped from her mooring. Only one villager is outside today, both body and soul. She allows that the wind will carry the clouds away. She is wearing a pullover filched from her grandfather and she is somehow wearing a smile from the same source.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairity/4317269178/

T ~ I am NOT trying to rush things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al5U1WJ48rM

Thank you sir.

To Uncle Lester, God rest his soul, who stormed those beaches and lived. Heroes can come in the form of a mild mannered cook in horn rimmed who smoked a Briarwood pipe and was a cook on a Great Lakes Freighter but as a boy laid it all on the line. And to Ike a warrior turned statesman who served his country so well.