Our destination? A carefree wander toward Normandy.

Sometimes you simply follow the breeze.

There are rooftops, streets that invite wandering, and views worth every step.

The air carries hints of salt, stone, and history. Hum, and butter in many forms.

We found places that feel both familiar and wonderfully unexpected.

It isn’t about checking off landmarks; it’s about soaking in the moment and creating shared memories.

A few days in France with my longtime friend, Erika.

Are you a traveler with a carefully planned itinerary, or do you prefer to follow serendipity? Erika loves having every detail mapped out, while I enjoy stepping out and letting the moment lead the way. This week, we decided to blend the best of both styles—and set off together to see where the wind would take us.

               

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We took the train from Marseille to Paris- on the TGV (bullet train).

Golden countryside from the continuous heatwave – we feel like baked apples.

Villages drift past like forgotten postcards.

From one end of France to the other, the train speeds through a living tapestry.

Mist lifts from valleys, villages appear then vanish, vineyards surrender to forests, rivers flash like silver threads.

Every window frames another fleeting story, inviting wonder and leaving you chasing the horizon beyond the next bend.

Have you traveled on the TGV?

                

Comments

• We once upon a time took a similar train from Paris to Avignon. ... by Marilyn Miller
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What to do with French linen?

Other than wrapping it around my body while walking in the garden under a full moon, singing a happy tune about how much I love linen? (While my neighbors sigh in disbelief.)

Other than using antique linen for what it was meant to be used for—collecting grain, drying dishes, covering a mattress or a bread bowl, or even wrapping up a dead pig?

I decided to stack mine and store it under a dome.

First, I washed the old linen with a tad of mild soap in cold water over and over again, until the water is clear. Then lay it out to dry. Washing in a machine, and drying in a dryer breaks the natural thread.

                

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• The natural fibers of the French linens is so gorgeous! I made ... by Marilyn Miller
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At a book fair the other day I noticed that most people there were looking for books because of the author, or the title, and or the value of such titles first edition pieces. Several dealers asked me what I was looking for…

I replied, “I simply judge a book by its cover.”

Or lack of one.

Well, the ones I “stage” that is. The older, ruffled page, worn through… but a certain worn through that is. Beat up doesn’t always add up to the top of my “love it” list.

Of course, buying a book to read is an entirely different conversation and selection. Buying books for an arrangement means never moving it about.

Books for all reasons

                

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The chair that I couldn’t leave behind—even though it’s uncomfortable because the springs have sprung, and its oversized presence means it doesn’t fit around any table. I also don’t have a grand entrance where it truly belongs.

One might wonder, 

“What was she thinking? Why buy it?”

Well, first, the faded blue patina kept calling my name with such desperation. Then I couldn’t bear the thought of it being destined to become firewood. So, it came home with me, where it now holds my favorite textiles.

It found a new purpose, while hogging up so much room.

                

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Every room, each entry, stone, beam, ironwork, handle speaks of a generation no longer living yet alive.

What will we leave behind?

A future of beauty I hope.

                

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