Eric Clapton - Tears In Heaven

Autumn has arrived early this year, with cooler temperatures and soft rain falling on this late August day. Oddly, the sun is shining despite the nonstop rain. Somehow, this is appropriate.

A very kind young woman vet is on her way to my house to put Sheba to sleep.

For 17 years, he has been my closest companion, and the idea that he will no longer be accompanying the adventure of my life is unbearable to me.
His unique personality, amazing green eyes and bundle of warm love have gotten me through almost two full decades, pretty much my entire adult life. He has been a constant source of joy. Every day he has been waiting for me by the door when I come home, every night he has curled up beside me (or on me, depending on his mood). He is the smartest, most adorable, most affectionate and most beautiful cat I have ever known. To say I will miss him does not even come close to the truth.
My heart is breaking, a part of me is leaving forever.
My grief is boundless.
This is the worst day of my entire life.

Told you so, told you so, told you told you told you so!

After years of my raving about these wines, finally some experts are also starting to see the light. Unfortunately, this probably means prices will go up!
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/25/arts/trmacon.php?page=1

August already

Somehow summertime seems to speed by faster out here in the country, since there is always something to be done on the house and garden, in addition to a steady stream of houseguests and the usual July in-pour of work for me, and I can’t believe it’s already August. Right now I am drowning in fruit ‑ free «peche de vigne» (tiny red-fleshed peaches) and «reine-claude» (small, green plums that are very sweet!) for anyone who wants to come and pick them!! I can’t keep up. Even if I knew how to make jam or jelly and pies, there would still be too many, and since I don’t know how to make jam or jelly or pie, and don’t have the time to learn with my current workload, my garden overfloweth. I’ve even had the neighbours come and pick as much as they want (and was rewarded with a lovely reine-claude tarte in exchange!) and given some to my favourite local restaurant, but my fruit trees are like rabbits these days. The unfortunate aspect of this, besides my nagging guilt for wasting good food, is that the garden is buzzing with flies, wasps, ants and bees and other insects looking to benefit from all the spoilage, and walking through the grass is like trying to avoid land mines of rotting fruit instead of the pleasant, calming stroll it once was. There are obviously worse problems in the world, and really, I can’t complain. I’m so happy here that I’m seriously thinking about giving up the Paris apartment soon.

Very soon.
Meanwhile, some of the latest images from life in Cormatin.

Someday surely we will have the technology to upload scents the way we do images and sounds, and then you will be able to drink in the amazing perfume of this rose, or the unmatchably beautiful smell of the freshly rolled haystacks…

Until then, you can just click on the pics for a closer look.