A Beautiful New Year
The parties are over. The dust of 2008 is largely swept away, the final load of holiday dishes is sloshing gently in the dishwasher.
The last crumbs of our gaudy and gay bûche de Noël have been brushed from the table.
The presents have been opened and admired. Not so many as in years before la crise financière, but enough to let us know we’re in someone’s heart.
Not every gift comes tied with ribbons, some are as simple as hearing the ones you love breathing softly.
The rich and gorgeously festive foods were a pleasure to prepare and serve. And to eat, of course, the annual headlong plunge into delicious abandon.
And now it’s time to embrace fruits and vegetables, the earth’s saving grace.
Welcome to our new year, open and bright. A hopeful time dawns once again. Everything good might happen this year. Let it happen to you. Let it happen to me.
Explore posts in the same categories: At Home In France
January 2, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Let your words of hopeful desire come to pass for all of us!
January 2, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Happy and Healthy New Year to you and Shel!
January 3, 2009 at 8:33 am
Happy & Healthy New Year to you both. I was thinking about travelling to France on vacation in April….would like to go to Southwest, Dordogne, Brittany….would you recommend those regions that time of year? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
January 5, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Well, I really only know Brittany, among those choices. It’s a lot like the Pacific Northwest, only different, and very beautiful. I would think the weather might be iffy at that time of year, but I haven’t done any research to bear that out. The further south you go, of course, the warmer it will be. The Dordogne is supposed to be lovely, and very gastronomic. It really depends on what you’re hoping to find.
January 7, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Happy New year Abra and Shel!
January 7, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Ray, I found the Dordogne valley beautiful, with lots of little towns and lovely little castles. I’d avoid the main touristy towns though. If you remember the film “Chocolat” with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, it was filmed in that area but I’m not sure you’ll find the chocolate “tetines” (look it up) that scandalized the local priest during lent. There are also quite a few good vineyards and caves to keep you busy. But do avoid the summer months.