So sometimes it gets a little windy. The wind actually has a name: le mistral. It's all good - the wind blows away the clouds and that is what makes the Provençal sky that incredible deep blue.

One of our 2013 guests, Carol Newall, took fabulous pictures of our château so I will be posting them over the next few days. this is the tower. Climb to the top and the views are spectacular!

Please don't think this happens all the time in Provence! I must say though that Jim was in his element - surrounded by a bevy of beauties and the best of Bacchus!

Magical isn't it? Taken on the grounds of Saint Paul de Mausole, the psychiatric institution where Van Gogh committed himself for a year. He painted over 150 works while he was here, quite possibly this olive tree's ancestor. The big freeze of 1956 killed off most of the trees, but branches grew out of the roots.

Carol took this photo from the top of the tower. An easy climb up a beautiful (read restored & modern) spiral staircase.

Thanksgiving is coming up - necessitating automnal inspired recipes. Good thing I stocked up on these outrageously beautful spices at the Isle-sur-la-Sorgue market! Bonne fête de l'Action de Grâce!

Paris on a Sunday. Parisians stream out of a beautiful church after mass and head out to the cheese shop, the fish monger, the wine store and the butcher to get the fixings for Sunday lunch - a most important event. Then at noon, everything shuts down so all can enjoy said Sunday lunch. We promptly found a crêperie, sat down for a delightful 'déjeuner' and pretended we were Parisian!

This great fountain is in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, our Sunday market destination. On a hot Provençal day, it is a welcome sight.

This is how it all started: A group of friends came to Provence to celebrate one of Jim's 'important' birthdays. We had so much fun we've been taking groups there each year since that historic trip!