Birds needing identity

We've been watching these birds right outside of our window for a couple of days. I've been "stalking" them our cameras and have taken lots of photos. I think these three might help with identifying them. They are bigger than a Rock Dove (aka Pigeon) but may be a variety. The beak is a yellowy-orange. The breast is a pinky gray and the head a greenish-gray. It has a white collar that doesn't meet in front or back. There is a white strip and a black on the wings. The end of the tail is squared off and black. Any idea? Would love to know. They are so neat to watch. Right now, a pair of them are puffed up, and asleep next to each other on a very thin branch right in front of the window. THANKS! The commenter was right on! This is a common Wood Pigeon, columba palumbus, which is found in these places. Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia, Middle East, Afghanistan, Turkey, north-west Africa, Pakistan, India, China, Nepal! No wonder I didn't recognize it since we don't have them in the United States.

More Good Food

A first plate at a nice little restaurant in Grenoble was some salad with a little quiche. The main course was some fish, which didn't photograph as good as it tasted, but the dessert, yum! A pineapple clafouti. I like the way the plates were decorated.

Last night, we were invited to dinner at the home of a Parisian woman we'd met before. She served Mache in the salad. It's a green that is a fairly recent addition in the states and a bit expensive so I've never bought it. Well, I might now, as it's very tasty. We also had a tarte salee, a savory tarte made with lots of caramelized onions. The photo only gives a vague idea of this delicious food. Think of something really savory and delicious, there you have it. YUM!

Sculptures with light

Our friend in Grenoble makes amazing sculptures using items from the brocante, hardware, musical instruments, sheet music, and adds light to them. I think you might get some idea of what they look like and their size from my photos, but to see them in person is the best. He'll be showing some in a gallery in Paris this summer. Go here to see more.

Brocante, flea and antique market

On Sunday, our friend took us to a brocante near Lyon. We had to get up at 4:45 in the morning! But it was worth it to have the experience of driving through the dark French countryside at 128 Km per hour, to see all of the French flea market stuff, and eat some very, very nice French pastries. As I was taking a photo of myself with our friend in a mirror, the dealer came over to be included. How fun. The woman in the suit was very cooperative about having her photo taken, also.

Grenoble

Last Friday, we went by train (TGV to Lyon, connection to a TER) to Grenoble with a friend to stay at his place for the weekend. The train from Lyon to Grenoble was a slower train with some stops and it looked like those trains in old movies, with compartments. The landscape looked similar to areas in Virginia USA but the farms didn't, nor did the mountains when we came closer to Grenoble. I wasn't able to get any good photos of them, sadly, but they were high, with sheer cliffs, and some had snow on the tops. Our friend lives in the center of the city by the covered market (Les Halles) with a view of the morning street market. The city is located on the Isere river and, if one goes to the old fortress on the hill, one can see Mount Blanc (on a clear day.) It was nice to see a new place in France.

Diner Italien

This evening, we went by Metro to the 17th arrondisement to meet Sandy (the friend who lives in Grenoble) where he's been staying while in Paris. We went to a lovely little Italian restaurant called Fuxia L'Epicerie on Place du Docteur Felix Lobligeois. The food was SO good. I recommend this place if you ever get to Paris. Really worth the trip to Metro stop Rome. We shared a big salad to start and then I had a vegetable lasagna. The sauce was soooo yummy. Sandy brought this little wire suit jacket which he'd purchased at a broquante. I had to take a photo of it, of course. Tomorrow morning, we leave by train for Grenoble, with Sandy. We'll be there for the weekend. It's in the French Alps in view of Mont Blanc. When we return, I'll be posting but for now, just think about yummy food!

Old courtyard

The Cite des Arts has a side entrance from rue Geofroy Asnier. I like that entrance and use it whenever it’s convenient rather than walking around to the rue de l’Hotel de Ville entrance. It reminds me that we are in a very old neighborhood. You enter though a large, heavy door in an even larger door. To the left is a little courtyard and straight ahead you go through a passage to an open area, which then connects to the parking space behind the main building of the Cite (where our studio is located.) There is a water spigot that was use by everyone in the little courtyard as their only water supply, at one time. Because the wall needs to be worked on to stabilize it, there is this temporary structure to shore it up. This little balcony is intriguing. I’d like to go up to where it is but have no idea how one gets to it. Many people living at the Cite don’t know the code to this entry. For some reason it seems to pass from one resident to the other rather than from the reception to the new residents as they arrive.