where i live - périgord noir, france

mission MUSE: "where i live"

by guest muse andrée

Bienvenu en France! Welcome to France and in particular the Périgord Noir region. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Andrée and I was born in the US, but have lived all around Europe since 1992. My husband and I sold our last house in 2005 and have been renting short-term in many countries, but we are often drawn back to "La Belle France" (beautiful France). Currently, we are renting in the Dordogne region (about 300 miles/480km south of Paris). The Dordogne has four Périgord regions: Noir (Black), Blanc (White), Pourpre (Purple) and Vert (Green). The countryside is varied, stunning and untouched.

To share with you just some of my impressions of the Périgord Noir, I chose to describe it through the five senses and through texture.  I'm sure that if you visit, you will not be disappointed!
　
Hear...

...the breeze caressing branches of century old oaks, sparrows chirping to wake the world, a dog barks far away on another hill. It is early morning...hold your breath and you can listen to the details of tranquility...it is the resonant peace and quiet of nature.

From morning until evening, the Périgord Noir offers thousands of hectares of wooded countryside to explore; leave behind city noise and exchange it for the infinite sounds of nature.

See...

...if your eyes are not already saturated with the natural beauty of the Périgord Noir region: it's undulating hills, mixing dark forests and bright green fields, or the rich valleys sweeping down towards the Dordogne and Vézère rivers, then they will be by the architecture.

Impressive, elegant, graphic, useful and timeless are all adjectives my eyes register as I scan the roof tops of the Périgord Noir.

"Lauze", the heavy flagstone used for roofs, like giant thick scallop shells with its' rough surface and edges, assembled together take on a dignified appearance.

Smell...

...the Earth or "terroire" as the French say, with a simple fungi more commonly know of as truffles.
The odour of truffles is very subtle, not overpowering or pungent, but almost rather fragile. Inhale the scent and you breathe in the rich earth from whence it came.

Truffles are used in cuisine for paté, foie gras, to infuse oil or just fresh. The locals like to place them overnight in an airtight container with a couple of eggs, so that the truffles' aroma permeates the egg-shell. 

The next day: a savory omelette is enjoyed with shavings of the truffle itself. Et voilà!

Taste...

...not just the infamous "foie gras" (goose or duck liver) but the region's walnuts. Périgord Noirs' four varieties of walnuts have their own AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) or "designation of origin."
Bite into a slightly bitter fresh "green" nut off the tree, or savour the more classical dried variety. Drizzle golden nut oil over fresh steamed green beans, or toast to your friends' health with a "Vin de Noix" appéritif drink.

Touch...

　
...the relatively smooth stone: it feels soft under your finger tips, its warm golden color (a hallmark of the Périgord Noir), betrays its' strength.

The Périgord Noir stone, beautiful as it is, when used in construction protected man, his animals and harvested crops from the elements. Cut from local quarries or amassed from fields destined for cultivation, homes and structures meld harmoniously together with the natural environment.

Thank you for visiting where I live. Please feel free to visit my blog to learn more about my life in France.

A bientôt!

Andrée of On Linden Way

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We would love to see where you live. 

If you would like to join in, send an email to mortalmuses [at] yahoo.com.

where i live - novia scotia, canada

mission: MUSE - "where i live"

by guest muse martha

Above, Burntcoat Head, Nova Scotia.  Location of the world's highest recorded tides.  In a few hours after this was taken, billions of gallons of water would fill the entire area.

Below, Halifax Harbour at night with naval ships in port and the A. Murray MacKay Bridge in the background.  The Dartmouth waterfront is to the right.

I Am From

I am from two who love me

I am from the ocean and the trees

At the end of a family of five

And the others that came and went

I am from motherhood, surrounded by love and chaos

I am from hugs and kisses and school projects, trips here and there

  rubby fingers and prom dresses, cattle shows, encouragement, tears and 

  frustrations; dinner on the table.

I am from always trying to be

Here for you; trying to guide your way.

I am from unconditional love

From goodnight kisses and cuddles, holding hands

I am from big strong arms around me for no particular reason, safe and sound.

I am from you.

Above, Humpback whale breaching in the Bay of Fundy.  Humpbacks raise their calves in these waters in the summer. 

Below, Sunday afternoon on the Harbour in Halifax.

Thank you for visiting where I live. Please feel free to visit my blog to learn more about my life in Nova Scotia.

Until next time! Martha of Heartwork Photography.

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We would love to see where you live. 
If you would like to join in, send an email to mortalmuses [at] yahoo.com.

where i live - northern california, usa

mission: MUSE - "where i live"

by muse mosey

Where I currently live is across the continent from where I was born and raised.  When I think of "home", part of me stretches eastward to my first home and my family who still reside there.

But I have a second home and when I'm anywhere else, my soul stretches to be back here as well.  I don't live in San Francisco proper, but am within easy reach for a night out, or an afternoon trip to one of my favourite museums.

And no, I most decidedly do not surf in those chilly, great-white infested waters.  But walking by San Francisco Bay with the smell of salt in my nose, the bracing sea wind tangling my hair and the fog sweeping past like a damp wave through the warm air is like nothing I'd ever experienced until I moved here.

Neither do I hurtle down bumpy mountain biking trails at breakneck speed across the Bay in the county where (apparently) the birth of mountain biking took place a quarter century ago.  

But I love being able to spend a morning in the picturesque streets of the city, and an afternoon soaking in the peaceful surroundings of Muir Woods.  Not that I ever actually do it, but I could.

I do love to hike with my husband and daughter on the tawny hills of Mount Tamalpais, some days blasted with heat while we look down on the fog enshrouding the base of the mountain and the ocean for as far as you can see, some days blown sideways by shrieking winds, and some days calmed by gentle breezes and the call of coyotes.

When schedules permit, or when we choose to ignore them altogether, I pick my daughter up from school and we go to our nearest marina to look at boats, spot seals, and collect mussel shells.

And if by chance, even with all that surrounding us, we are in need of escape, we throw drinks and sandwiches and maybe some jammies in the back of the car and head for the hills - the real hills of the Sierra Nevada where we never fail to be rejuvenated.

I have two homes.  When I'm not in one, I'm homesick for the other.
Grateful?  You bet.

Looking forward to seeing where all of YOU live.

cheers,
mosey

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We would love to see where you live. 
If you would like to join in, send an email to mortalmuses [at] yahoo.com.