The Winter Solstice and Christmas. My Christian Perspective

The Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will soon be here! After a few days of sunshine, the sky clouded over again with that unique Parisian steely grayness, that the impressionists painted so well, and my heart is filled with much gratitude for my blessings. The winter solstice is the day before our sun starts …

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Restorations: Notre Dame de Paris, a Medieval Monastery and Me

Restorations take place all the time in Paris. One of the things I admire about French culture, is that old edifices are more likely to be restored than torn down and replaced with some modern building. That certainly is the case with Notre Dame and a recently visited medieval jewel in the Marais.  On a personal …

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Bony Blues

Some of you may have noticed and questioned why I have not been posting regularly for a while.  Not out of choice, mind you. Instead, I had been called to do a new modeling project. Since April, I have been hanging around white-coated photographers, posing for rather shadowy black and white photos.   Unfortunately, I wasn’t …

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In France, a Hot Debate Over a Cold Topic

As I write, there is a patch of hot sun slowly creeping across my back.  I am sitting at my dinning table with the balcony door open for the last few drifts of early morning cool air before I have to close the door. If I had shutters or even a curtain, they would be …

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Catherine de Medici, Her Obsession With Astrologers And The Occult

Queen Catherine de Medici paced nervously back and forth along the majestic eastern gallery of the Louvre palace trying to keep her wits about her. She had a hard time thinking of anything else but what Cosme Ruggieri, her favorite astrologist had just told her. As her eyes nervously scanned the outlines of the church …

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La Conciergerie Where Marie Antoinette Spent Her Final Days

It is so ironic that la Conciergerie, the medieval prison where Marie Antoinette,  spent her final days being insulted, taunted, humiliated, and hated has been the star draw for this haunting yet stunning edifice! Advertised as Marie Antoinette’s prison, I decided to go back again after several years.  The first time, years ago, I felt too …

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Sun, Snow and Healing Waters High in the Pyrenees at Cauterets

  Look toward the Light when the shadows of life pull you down.  Offer gratitude for your blessings and the breath of life.  Bathe others in kindness and love and seek joy wherever you may find it. I am grateful I finally made it to Cauterets, a picturesque jewel of a ski village graced with …

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Herculaneum, In The Shadow Of Vesuvius

An eerie quietness enveloped me as I passed through the gate high on the hill overlooking the blue sea below and descended the pine-lined winding pathway to the entrance, pieced only by a few chirping birds that seemed to welcome me. As I quickly gazed over the site, it was like a still-life, devoid of …

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Christmas Trip To Amazing Naples

Since holidays are always difficult, especially Christmas, after the death of my son, I chose a pre-get-a-way trip for some distraction, colour, and upbeat energy to soften my grief.      Naples was just what I was looking for! A big plus was that I left a sub-freezing Paris, down to -5 C.,  covered up …

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Ancient Fish Road With a Sleazy Squalid Past, Now Vibrant Food Rue Montorgueil

Before the break of day, sounds of horse-drawn wagons brimming with freshly caught oysters and fish from the coast trotted along to be unloaded at Les Halles, whose stalls lined the street, now metamorphosed into lively Rue Montorgueil. Unlike humans, whose psychic infrastructure generally remains the same, streets and neighborhoods change over time.  Of course, …

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Bubbling Waters of Baden Baden

I started writing this post in February and then felt uncomfortable publishing it after the war in Ukraine broke out as I wanted to address that first.  So here it is, my trip and reflections on grief. Very sadly this war continues adding thousands of others who will have to learn to live with their …

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Staring Into The Evil Reign of Putin’s War

I am sorry that I have not posted for a while.  My heart is heavy for the suffering of the Ukrainians.  My words seem inadequate to describe the anguish I feel for the people of Ukraine. I wish I could do something more that would ease some suffering. I wish I could cradle and comfort …

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