Virginie Heriot a “chic” french yachtswoman. competing in the 1928 Olympics in the 8 meter class winning a gold medal. As you can see she did it with style.
Category: france
TUCOU
Today was a difficult day for our family. Tucou, our dog, part of our lives for 23 years. a loyal friend and companion through all the events during every moment of that time had to be put down. Like any blow such as this, it is hard to imagine that we will recover, that time will soften the harsh reality of life.
MY MOTHER-IN-LAW
My mother-in-law, I am a loss for words to adequately express the depth and breadth of my love for her and the love she shined on me. I was accepted unconditionally the day I married her daughter, as if I were her own flesh and blood.
A woman of exceptional charm and grace and intelligence, who defended me even if she felt I was wrong, even when it involved her own daughter and would only tell me later that I ought to apologize. Every conversation I ever had with her is a memory I cherish.
Picasso et les Maitres
Sometimes fortune smiles on you. While in Paris, we had the the opportunity to see the exhibit “Picasso et les Maitres”. The curator, a friend of my brother-in-law, learning we were in Paris, provided tickets for the exhibit which allowed us to “cut the line” and enter directly.
This exhibit as I understand was the most visited anywhere ever. It was also one of the most interesting I have ever seen.
The exhibit was at the Grand Palais at the bottom of the Champs Elysees and as you can see from the photo of the line to enter, we were indeed fortunate.
style
I cannot explain my affinity for chinese style and in particular, trellis of this style. It is a recurring theme. these photos span 30 years of my messing about with wood.
The Boxwood in the photo of the arbor came from cuttings from Mount Vernon.
Honfleur
The theme of my blog would appear to be focused on sailing. As I wrote earlier, I am pleased to from time to time diverge to another aspect of life. at least to a point. Leave it to me to find a thread tying life to the sea.
I recently visited Honfleur, in Normandy at the mouth of the Seine river, which as one may be aware winds it’s way to Paris.
Honfleur’s location made it pivotal to the history of France; both as a trading port and as a point of departure for the French navy, particularly with it’s attacks on England. Colbert, in 1684 directed the inner harbour be built.
The 15th century cathedral of St. Catherine built in wood by the same shipwrights who built the French navy, the largest wooden church in France. Striking by its difference from the usual stone edifices found in France.
November 2008
I’m back. I have not made a posting since the beginning of November. I have been out of contact, so to speak, without a computer. I was in France; in the Pyrenees Mountains. I had not been there in perhaps 15 years. I was married there, my first child was born there. I am American, born and bred, however my ties to this part of the world are deep and strong. The sounds, smells and sights were all very familiar to me.
The Snow in the Mountains was already so deep that the danger of avalanche was already real. The Mountain in the photo is the Pic Du Midi. with an observatory at the top. Interestingly this peak is exactly on the Greenwich Meridian.
PARIS
I love Paris. The sights, the smells, the sounds, the food; even the language. French is my second language, I studied it starting at a young age and continued through college. I married a french woman, whose family embraced me wholly. I freely confess that I know France largely through their perspective, one I could never have known any other way.
How do I select the photos to represent this city where there is a new and exciting discovery on every corner.
The French love their language and enjoy playing with it, which they do well. The are proud of their country as well; that said the French have had a fascination with America since before the Revolution; which has never waned, despite the idea we have that the French do not like us.
1973 continued
I eluded to the breath of events for 1973, My wedding was one whose date was a established after consulting the sailing schedule. With Admiral’s Cup and the Fastnet behind me I could concentrate on my future wife. We were married in Aste, a small village in the Pyrenees mountains, which separate France from Spain.
Never has there been such a wonderful event at least as far as I am concerned. Not only was I welcomed into my wife’s family, It was the best party I ever attended. Since then I have come to know this region of France, and it has become part of me.
Although it is not near the sea, I brought the first windsurfer to France, sailing it in the lakes in the Mountains. At the time I was reviled by the fishermen, today the fishermen are gone and there is a fleet of windsurfers.
