Being "Non-Native"

Queen Anne's Lace is prolific along roadsides and in ditches this time of year. So prolific that many people think it's one of our native wildflowers; it's not. It was introduced from Europe as a medicinal plant and from it carrots were developed. As a 'non-native' it could be considered a weed, an intruder, something that competes with its natural surroundings. Queen Anne's Lace, however, has made herself right at home here and contributes most positively to any neighborhood she finds herself in. She's a beautiful flowering plant that welcomes bugs and butterflies, birds and bees.

When I think about my ex-pat friends who live both here (Randi) and abroad (Laury, Kristin), I think of this lovely wild flower. Non-native, yes. But living beautiful lives, wholly engaged and involved in their adopted communities, welcoming all the local flora and fauna and feeling right at home!

Victoria's Table

I helped my friend, Karen, set up her booth at the West Glen Farmer's Market yesterday morning. While Karen also sells at the downtown market, this one in West Glen is much handier for me. It's closer, and it doesn't open until 10am which works better for me as well. This is the second time I've been Karen's set-up assistant. It's an enjoyable 'chore,' and earns me a jar of jam in payment. Karen's jams and jellies are awesome. She currently has 34 different varieties in stock, every one a winner! Helping her has given me a whole new appreciation for people who make their living working the Farmer's Market circuit. It's WORK, and I've only helped with a tiny bit of it. Once we're set up, Karen's on her own for the selling and the taking down parts. And the cleaning up...see all those little jam-tasting containers? They all have to be washed and dried along with the spoons, empty sample jars and the linens once the day is done. Victoria's Table doesn't have a website, but if you're interested in what jam and jelly flavors Karen has in stock, you can email her at kvheege@hotmail.com What kind did I pick for my reward? Raspberry with Melange du Chamonix tea....tres yummy!

RAGBRAI Leftovers

Thousands of bottom-weary bicyclists dipped their front wheels into the mighty Mississippi this morning, grateful to have completed another RAGBRAI. What? You don't have a clue what RAGBRAI is?? Let me enlighten you...RAGBRAI is a yearly 400 miles+ bicycle ride across Iowa. In its 37th year, it's sponsored by the Des Moines Register newspaper...hence the name: the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It's a ride, it's a party, it's totally Iowa. It always begins at the Missouri River and ends at the Mississippi, but the route is different every year. This year it snaked through central Iowa, up my county highway and into St.Charles on Tuesday. Main street was closed off, there were port-a-potties on every corner, multiple food and water stands, and plenty of entertainment to spur the riders on to their destination for the evening, Indianola. This farmer's field along the way welcomed riders for water and a rest at the picnic tables. I understand that Iowa pie is a big draw for a lot of riders; others ride for the opportunity to meet new people or to party along the way. And for those who party too hardy...there's always the Sag Wagon!

Women Artists

About the time I think I'm done planning my September trip to France, I find one more thing that I HAVE to do. This time it's an exhibit at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. I went online and bought an admission ticket to the museum for September 18th so I can see this wonderful exhibit of art by women artists. As I read the explanation of the exhibit, it appears that this is the first ever exhibit of all women artists from the 20th century. It should be a fun exhibit and having a ticket in hand will keep me from waiting in a long line to get in. I love the Pompidou, the Stravinsky fountain, the little creperie on the corner, the Eglise St. Merri. It will be a fine way to spend a Friday afternoon in Paris!

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Can You Hear Me Now?

I just checked one more thing off my 'to-do' list for my upcoming trip. I am now the proud owner of a Motorola V197 quad-band unlocked international cell phone. And I now know more about cell phones and calling internationally than I ever thought I wanted to know. American cell phones, for the most part, don't work abroad. Since I'll be driving alone for most of my month in France, I thought it would be prudent to have a cell phone for all those 'in case' moments...changing a hotel reservation, letting someone know where I am, a traffic accident, etc. After researching both the rent and buy options at Cellular Abroad, I decided to buy for several reasons. I will be returning to France, I may actually get to spend extended time there at some point, and with the proper pre-paid SIM card, I can use this phone in the States as my personal cell phone. This is my SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card for France. That little gold square punches out and goes into my phone. It will allow me to have a French phone number, make calls in France for 19 cents a minute, call home for 18 cents a minute, and receive calls from ANYWHERE for free. That's my phone number..don't try to call me now, tho, as the phone can't be activated until I arrive in France. Mobiho is the French connection to Bouygues network which serves all of France. There shouldn't be any place on my itinerary where you'll hear me say..."can you hear me now?"

Dentelle

I taste colors. I taste fragrances. I taste things that I touch. I taste the essences of place. Sometimes I even taste sounds. The rosy-gold of angel wings, the fragrance of freshly mown grass, the feel of old stone, the sound of cicadas whirring in the trees, the essence of Provence with its lush light and lovely langourous lifestyle....all there, lingering on my palate as I taste Jean-Marc's Dentelle, a young rose perfect on this summer's evening. How does one capture the terroir of the vineyard, the feelings and emotions of the vigneron and his family? How do the bright yellow sunflower and the scent of lavender find their way into the bottle? Why am I able to taste the laughter of the children and the tears of their mother in every sip? Does love linger in that sparkly finish as I swallow the wine? It doesn't matter what kind of food I pair this bright rose with; every sip evokes a warm dusk in Provence, listening to the wind rustle the leaves of the plane trees and knowing that life doesn't get any better than this.

Mistral

I lifted the bottle carefully from its cradle in the cardboard insert. Its soft coolness caressed my hands evoking visions of Jean-Marc's cave and the time the wine spent aging in the concrete containers there. The cork pulled with a soft pop! and I could almost see tiny motes of Provencal essence drift out and up. The wine rested for a few moments before I poured a bit in the glass. Swirling it to release its fragrance, I marvelled at its plummy color, deep almost to the meniscus of the liquid. I buried my nose in the glass and inhaled. Hidden in the aroma of the wine I discerned the sweat and exhaustion of tending the vines, of harvesting the grapes. I heard the joyful laughter of Jackie and Max as they played with Braise. From the kitchen of the old farmhouse, I could hear the murmur of mother/daughter gossip as Kristin and Jules cooked and set the table for the group hard at work with the vendange. I sipped and held the precious liquid in my mouth savoring its flavor and verve. I felt the frustration, the worry, the sense of being overwhelmed that punctuated the lives of Jean-Marc and Kristin as they worked the vineyard, restored their 400 year old mas, made trips to the Emergency Room, entertained friends, family, and potential wine buyers, wrote, loved, and lived. But I also savored the joys in their lives as well...finding Braise, welcoming family, publishing a book, winning awards and producing some of the finest new wine to come out of the Rhone Valley. The wine warmed my tongue and my heart. While others may taste plum and fig, roasted meat with layers of mineral, granache, and chocolate, my sips of Jean-Marc and Kristin's lush and lovely Mistral gave me a taste of their love of family and of Provence. A votre sante, mes amis.

Road Trip

What do the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City, a Frenchman with connections to an organic vineyard and the famous Chateauneuf du Pape wines, and a 'desert rat' from Arizona all have in common? Well, these three wildly diverse things led me on a merry road trip today! My quest was a case of wine from Domaine Rouge-Bleu. And you can see from the photo I took of the side of the carton that I was successful in my day's adventure. The 'desert rat' is Kristin Espinasse, author of my first and favorite blog, French-Word-A-Day. If you're a careful reader of my blog, you've seen that I have a 'word-a-day' widget along the left side. I've been reading Kristin since before my first trip to France in late 2005. The French guy with the connections is her husband, Jean-Marc, whose passion for wine led them to buy an organic vineyard a couple of years ago. I've followed the trials and tribulations of Domaine Rouge-Bleu and watched JM, Kristin, and their children, Max and Jackie build a new life in northern Provence. Through the wonder of blogs, e-newsletters and emails, I learned from JM that his wines would be sold in Iowa at the New Pioneer Food Co-0p. I contacted Robert Morey, the Co-op manager who was kind enough to email me this week that the wines had arrived and were on the shelf....yahoo! Not even the severe weather that rolled across Iowa this morning could keep me from my quest for JM's wine. I waited it out and as soon as the rain stopped and the thunder was a mere rumble in the distance, off I went. Robert Morey couldn't have been nicer and as he carried my mixed case to the car, we talked about France and our love of it. He and his family are headed to an area just north of where I'll spend all of September. They leave Wednesday for a month as well. I love it when I meet a kindred soul! Come back tomorrow....I'll be sharing my thoughts on the wine I plan to taste just as soon as I post this blog entry.

Tiffany Exhibit

I am just totally amazed at what I can do on this computer! Today I booked train tickets, first class, from Cahors to Paris to see the Louis Comfort Tiffany glass exhibition at the Musee du Luxembourg. 60 euros...that's an awesome price. Then I bought a ticket to see the exhibit and printed it off. I checked on room availability at a hotel in the St. Germain des Pres area and also inquired about renting an apartment for the 3 days I'll be in Paris this September. I already confirmed a lunch date with Isabelle for Saturday. All from the comfort of my office and with my trusty little netbook computer. Is this cool or what!

Butterfly Weed

I moved to Red Bell Farm the summer of 2003. On my first trip north on Settlers Trail, I spied one of my very favorite Iowa wildflowers...butterfly weed. Here it is complete with the tiny visitor it was named for. That first summer back in Iowa there were only two small plants along the roadside; today when I took this photo, I counted at least 20!! I think that speaks well for Iowa conservation practices...no herbicides sprayed along roadways to kill weeds. The plant's scientific name is Asclepias tuberosa, and while it is a native wildflower in Iowa, it can also be grown domestically in your garden. It attracts bees as well as butterflies. I like to imagine what the Iowa tall grass prairie must have looked like before the farmers put plow to it...mile after mile of swaying grasses with these lovely orange spots of color tucked randomly throughout.

Happy 4th of July!

One of the things I love best about the United States is our diversity. This picture snapped the end of June in Vail illustrates that perfectly. There is Old Glory leading the parade of the worlds' flags atop a balcony loaded with flowers. This scene was at a local cafe, but it shows the international flavor of my favorite Rocky Mountain village. The sun didn't shine here in Iowa today...steady rain fell until mid-morning and it's remained cool, cloudy and breezy all day. The grey weather doesn't dim my enthusiasm for this holiday, though. I'll celebrate tonight with a glass of wine, a hot fudge sundae, and a multiple of sparklers on the back deck! Oh yeah...and the Boston Pops concert turned up full blast. Happy birthday, America!

Do You Know What I Am?

Here's a riddle for you...click over to Dona Nobis Pacem and read today's entry. Can you guess what the picture is? Do you know what the poem is about?

Dancing Diamonds

This blog post is dedicated to Laury who loves 'dancing diamonds.' I didn't realize just how hard it is to photograph these lovely light reflections on water until I tried to capture them last week in Vail. This is Gore Creek which flows through Vail Village. It tumbles and rushes this time of year especially since Colorado has experienced one of the wettest springs ever recorded. I loved how the sunlight danced over the water. Further on downstream and in the middle of town, Gore Creek becomes a playground for both man and beast. It hosts kayak competitions in the early spring and later on this summer, locals will bring their canine friends to play in the water and cool off from the hot mountain sun.

This waterfall is another one from the Betty Ford Gardens.

Still or Moving?

Yes, I know it's weird, but I frequently ask those close to me this question: "Which to you prefer....still or moving water?" There's no doubt in my mind which I prefer...moving water, hands down. This beautiful little waterfall is only one of several in the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, CO. It made my soul sing to stand on the bridge and listen to the rushing water and feel a tiny bit of its spray brush my face. I love moving water in all its forms...crashing waves on coastal rocks, the gentle lapping of the ocean on smooth, sandy beaches, the gurgling of a tiny brook through an alpine meadow or the rush of icy snowmelt over alluvial rocks left by glaciers long melted. Moving water refreshes me. It matches the restless nature of my soul as it seeks new experiences, new adventures, new ways of being. Which do YOU prefer...moving or still??