video vendredi (villars edition) -

this friday,
some peaceful moments to still your day,
from the heartland of france,
i bring you
video vendredi (video friday):

the abbey in brantome -




the river dronne,
rolling along under you -



the poolside field,
edged in lavender and bees -

random moments from a country home in france -

from the outside,
everything seems normal,
right?


but in the seedy reality,
there were players who resorted to
"augmentation"
to win at games:


dogs who preferred gravel to butt rubs:


tour guides after the sun had set:


hearts of stone,
turned upside down:


villars was an amazing week.

the cats of le Chateau de Vilars -

ok, here's the thing.
i'm not that into cats.

it's the two DOG blog for a reason.

but at the chateau, the cats were freakin hysterical:



they lurked everywhere, waiting to make you their prey:



like when "Red" laid so precariously on the edge of the porch,
FORCING me to come over to make sure she was ok:



i mean, look at that FACE!
she knew exactly what she was doing!

Lauren did no better with "Rouge", who followed her everywhere:


that was some well executed lovin', kids.
we will all miss you . . .


and, ok,
kitty viddy:

La reve de Le Moulin de L'Abbeye -

our last night together in the countryside,
we returned to Brantome,
as predicted.

on the banks of the river Dronne,
sits Le moulin de l'abbeye.




where lauren and hollis and tim and i
took mom
to thank her for the trip,
the memories,
the dream.



there were amuse bouche moments:


there were flavors unseen, and til that moment,
unknown:


sweetness for the woman who knows how to find it
in every part of life.


who has had the strength to turn her life's conflicts
into moments like these.


dreams on the banks of a river
in a village from a dream,
made real.


love,
maman,
from your lambs . . .


(a moment of peace, the waterwheel at le moulin):

landis and tim find their home. in Bourdeilles. in france.

look,
i didn't come to the french countryside LOOKING for property.
sometimes these things just happen.

it started off as an ordinary day, no big deal.
i opened my window, and as always, saw this:


yawning, we staggered out of the chateau:



and drove to bourdeilles,
yet another flawless,
limestone-ridden,
dream envoking,
french village along a river:



hollis,
get out from UNDER the bridge:


that's better:



i think it was from this vantage,
ABOVE the bridge, note,
that hollis found his and lauren's new abode:


yep,
yet another river-wrapped cottage made of stone,
nestled at the edge of the village.

luckily
(for tim and i)
there were gates up ahead:


behind which laid:


NO,
not stately wayne manor,
Chez Landistimgrravec:


the grounds are adequate for the dogs:


tim and i seemed to take to it,
instinctively:


i could,
maybe,
get used to the views:


we don't even have to install that meditation maze
that susan and diane are always recommending to us.
this place ALREADY HAS ONE:


inside?
modest.


oh,
there was a TWO DOG DOOR.
kid you not.

destiny.


aren't the little crowns a nice touch?
grr will like that.

it comes with central heating:


you can see the house maman picked out for herself
from our bedroom window:


it gets good natural light:


ooh,
there's a bridge.

i likey bridges:


and oh yeah,
there's a tower.


lauren and hollis climbed the whole damn way up:



cray-Z.
i figure if they like it that much, we'll turn it into the guest room.

mom agrees with me.
no need to over-exert.
there is decorating to be done. . .


and here,
a view from our new home: