inspiration everywhere

What is it about autumn?  So lovely and fleeting that makes it feel imperative to enjoy each moment that comes.   The vibrant hues of fall have slowly started to amplify across the hills and mountains. The first rogue leaves have begun to flutter across the road on my way to work.  And week-ends are filled with time outdoors a little too hot underneath a thick sweater but no longer warm enough to be without it...

I've been feeling so lucky in this season of our lives.  Félix has finished his Masters program and Clover started school.  Work is crazy. But I'm starting to be able to catch my breath every now and then. The days and weeks are flying by so fast that it feels even more essential to enjoy these sweet moments when they come about...


















We stopped at to the Barrage d'Emosson the other weekend on our way to meet up with friends. The Emosson dam is past Chamonix just over the border into Switzerland.

We didn't make the hike to see the dinosaur tracks but we marveled at the dam's engineering nestled in among the peaks...

We admired the view all the way down into the valley below.

And we made wishes on dandelions...

 

Really, all the perfect components of a fall outing.

Hope you are finding many beautiful and fleeting moments to enjoy this season.

still around

photo credit: the always amazing JYR

Hello! I certainly didn't mean to go so long without a word here.  I went back to work in April and the world has moved at hyperspeed ever since. It's a challenge but a new chapter that I am enjoying immensely.

The other weekend, I ran my first trail race.  We started in the village and then ran up and  flailed down the super steep paths all around the valley.  It was a lot of fun and pretty challenging. A12km race by teams of two was the perfect initiation into the excitement and adrenaline of trail races.   I had a delightful friend as my trail-running partner.  We had great encouragement from Félix and Clover and our friends. Such a fun surprise to come down through a trail and see everyone cheering.  It lifted our spirits every time.

During the course,  I had decided that I was most definitely not going to ever run a trail race ever, ever again.  Those hills were killer but, once we crossed the finish line and joined the festive post-race ambiance, that feeling was quickly forgotten.

an ocean away

The days like waves lap at the shore and melt away. My heart swells.

After an early morning phone call with my mom I am thinking of sunny, winter days on the beach in Washington. And even though land and sea separate us it feels almost like we live right next door to one another.   Talking with her is so restorative.  Our catch up sessions never fail to right a balance and buoy my spirits.  

Thank you, Mom!

birds of a feather

After reading through some of the archives the other day, I see that I repeat a lot of the same themes. Two things I mention often are appreciating the changing seasons and how much I love coffee.  It's true that sometimes I look forward to the next morning mainly because it means another opportunity for my ritual café au lait...or two. And yes,  I openly admit addiction but, now there is another reason to happily greet the first rays of the day aside from my latte. It's because the birds are back and chirping again. Such a joyful tune to hear!  Their sweet song is made all the more amazing by their prolonged absence during the winter.

In honor of their return, here is the best of the web-- all things avian.

1.  Birds with mustaches, no. really. They have mustaches and they aren't trying to be ironic. It's called an Inca Tern. Handlebar mustaches have never been so wonderful.

2. This Bird Ballet video is beautiful --so beautiful you get completely lost in the movement, the music, the sunset and shadows.  A must see! ( via Black Eiffel )

3. This clip of the finest bird song of 1890. Yes, 1890! It's amazingly realistic.  Created by Bontems, a noted Parisian specialist, maker of automaton singing birds. Genius!  (via Even Cleveland)

4. A fun DIY Bird Feeder to make with kids.  Easy and entertaining for all.

5. My glittering hibou above is from this outing.  I found it at the adorable shop, Sweet Bee,  if you are ever in the area, it's well-curated and worth a browse.


As always, these aren't sponsored links, just fun things I wanted to share. Happy clicking!

what the world needs

Today, the world needed me to go and ski with two, wonderful girlfriends.  I would like to thank the world for being so thoughtful and generous, especially for offering a bluebird day with 60 centimeters of freshly fallen snow and bright sunshine.  

I have come alive! 

Have a great weekend!  And if you feel like sharing, I would love to know -- what makes you come alive? 

To begin again

The start of a new year feels full of promise. Light, bright and exciting. Let's hope 2013 holds much adventure, prosperity and goodness.

Is there anything you are looking forward to most in this new year?

a snowy snapshot

And just like that, the ski season is underway. We've gotten so much snow the past few days and now the sun is out and we are being treated to a most magnificent start to winter. Hope you are enjoying the view of winter wonder, too! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since it's the Thanksgiving holiday in the states, we're doing our part as 'Mericans to celebrate over here, too. Our poulet rôti (rotisserie chicken) from my favorite stall at the market smells delicious and is ready as a stand-in for the traditional turkey. Side dishes are prepped.  Glasses are filled and the fire is crackling.

We'll be going around the table saying reasons why we are thankful.  They are numerous. We have amazing friends and family.  We have our health. We are surrounded by love.  We have much and I am thankful that we have the ability to appreciate all that we have instead of focusing the opposite.  It's a skill that we hone here at the hibou+heron household and I am so glad that we do.  It makes our existence so much richer. I am thankful for a wonderful husband.  I am grateful for our beautiful, little boy and the wonder and joy he's brought into our lives.

I'm thankful that you read what I write and that it's enough to keep you coming back again.   Your support and readership mean so much. Thank you for that.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving or, if you don't observe the holiday, just a really great Thursday!

thinking about holiday travel

the Alps as seen from our most recent flight to Nice

Will you be up in the friendly skies or out on the roads this holiday season? Clover and I will be heading to Seattle.  It's been years since I spent Christmas with my side of the family.  I am ecstatic, just buzzing with anticipation and I find it hard to concentrate on much else than thinking about our trip next month.  

It will just be Clover and me.  Félix will be working hard and studying harder amidst the holiday fêtes over here.  Needless to say my fear of flying still stands, especially since this time I'll be doing it solo. However, my trepidation has done nothing to overshadow the utter excitement for our stay in the states.  

I keep reminding myself of the quote above.  I find it applicable for this trip but also for making the most of the days until we are on our way and at cruising altitude high above the Atlantic.  I thought you might enjoy it, too?  

Wishing you safe travels, holiday or otherwise, wherever they take you and much happiness along the way. 

we need to talk about Corsica

Just after I waxed poetic about welcoming autumn, we did the exact opposite and jetted off to Corsica to catch the waning rays of sun and summer.  It was the perfect trip. The three of us, along with Félix's sister met up with Félix's cousin and his cousin's friend.  Can I just tell you that a ratio of 5 adults to 1 child is my kind of ratio? 

Our mornings would begin with the three of us sneaking out of the house for coffee and croissants in the harbor while the other housemates slept.  The citadel of Bonifacio loomed high above the small harbor below.  Sitting outside, sipping our coffee, Clover provided a constant narration of which boats went motoring by past the white limestone cliffs on their way out to sea. We'd head back to the house with croissants for the late sleepers and then we would all head off to the beach. It was a rhythm I could totally get on board with.

We stayed at Félix cousin's place in Spérone, at the southern most spot in Corsica. There was just so much to love about where we were.  It's rugged and gorgeous.

Hadri, Félix's cousin showed us a fun spot, a completely concealed beachside restaurant.  It was totally hidden behind the scrub oak until we were gazing at the sea.  We had a long, lingering lunch in front of that perfect view.  There are so many great hidden coves and secret beaches.

Clover didn't want to go near the water. Even so much as the tiniest drop would elicit squeals of distress. He would happily play in the sand and then all of a sudden on the second to last day he acted as if there was nothing he would rather do more than play in the surf. All fear forgotten. We could not get that boy out of the water. 

Which by the way, can we talk about the water? I've been to the mediterranean plenty but I have never seen it such a gorgeous turquoise, so clean and so clear.  Amazing. And I think another reason why I was so blown over by the place is that it is so close. By plane it's less than two hours but it felt a whole world away when we were there.

It was a fun, quick trip full  of lots of laughs, wonderful family and friends, great food, great champagne, and beautiful beaches, too.  Which really sums up my idea of a perfect trip in the sunshine before the cold autumn arrives.

I can't wait until we find our way back to the cobblestone streets, the golden sunsets and the silky, white-sand beaches of Corsica... Until then, I think it will feel like a dream that we were ever there. 

Do tell, do you have a favorite vacation spot? I find mine is changing all the time.

let's head for the hills

Last weekend, we decided to have breakfast at a higher altitude.  After picking up croissants from our favorite boulangerie, we high-tailed it into the hills. We opted for a short hike and decided to walk a small portion of the trek around the Mont Blanc.

Lots of hikers come through on their way around the Mont Blanc.  The trek usually takes about 7-10 days.  Although, some daredevils do it in under 24 hours but those are men and women running the UTMB, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc and they are very much exceptional human beings. This year's race was this past weekend. It's so exciting and energizing to watch.    Anyway back to our small, small endeavor, we opted for a very short portion of the same trail.

Nature brought out the bear in Clover.  Literally.  Out of the blue, he growled at some fellow hikers that walked past us as we were taking a break and sent himself into a fit of giggles.  Well, it made the passers-by chuckle, too. Not to fear though,  should you cross this little cub in the wild, I  have on good authority that he isn't very dangerous and can be swayed into just about any activity by offering a small square of cheese or chocolate.

We were rewarded for our early morning motivation.  The sun was just peaking over the tops of the mountains when we arrived at our destination, Le Sollié, a high altitude restaurant just off the trail.  It's usually a stopping point for a refreshing perrier on the way back down from a long hike, or a sweet crêpe to give a boost for that last bit of trail.  We ordered coffee and orange juice to enjoy with our croissants and soaked up all the sunshine we could.

Outside the small chalet that houses the restaurant, there are gurgling fountains. They have rabbits that happily nibble away on grasses and a big sand box filled with toys, in other words an endless amount of things to keep a little boy occupied. They did so very successfully.  But, lunchtime and naptime were growing closer and before those things could happen, there would need to be a hike down.

A tired out Clover got a fair amount of rides on our shoulders and a well-coiffed Félix got an even better hairstyle from his new, little hairdresser.   This breakfast in the hills was a great start to our day and a wonderful start to the weekend.

How was your weekend? I hope there was sunshine involved! Maybe some croissants, too?

you might want to stand up for this

I can't believe that we are staring down the final days of August.  Where did the summer go? I told Félix, rather urgently, that I thought I needed to up my ice cream consumption for the last of the hot weather. And I totally meant what I said.  We've really made the most of this summer though.  I think that is why it feels like it has gone by so quickly.

This past weekend, we headed to the Lac d'Annecy to do something that's been on my summer bucket list for ages. We tried our hand at Stand Up Paddling.  If you aren't familiar with it, the sport originated in Hawaii.  Waikiki surfers used paddles to get out past the reef break to surf bigger and better waves. Stand up paddling has picked up a lot of momentum all around the world and can be found in both salt and fresh water, now. It is easy to understand the popularity. It is so much fun.

It felt amazing to be out on the water.  The sun was shining. The lake was calm.  It was gorgeous.  We only paddled for an hour, but the time flew by. It was so peaceful.  Although I did get honked at by a lake ferry. I was in my blissful, paddling mindset when I half-wittedly thought the captain could steer his big old boat around me.  The horn blasts easily made it clear who would be yielding to whom. Félix and I braced for the waves while the passengers grinned and took photos. We grinned back.

We are officially hooked on this sport. Once we returned our boards, we strolled over to the old town for sushi in the sunshine. It was a completely dreamy day.  Have you tried stand up paddling? Or, maybe just standing up independent of paddling is more your thing?

In any case, I hope you are enjoying these final days of August!

weekend sunshine

The weekend is under way a little early over here. We started the morning with raspberry pancakes. I know that it's not the usual fruit of choice for pancakes but they are just a touch more tart than strawberries or blueberries. And I find it's that little bit that makes them even more delicious. What about you? What kind of berries do you go for?

The next couple of days look to be filled with lots of fun. The sun is out. The mix of snow and sunshine is hard to beat and it has me smiling and happy. I hope that you are feeling happy, too.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

on the mountain

I snapped this with my phone, which only gives a tiny glimpse of the amazing view where we ski. I'll have to work on getting a better picture.  Just imagine something like this, except more in all directions. It was a beautiful day on the slopes. Clover had a blast playing with his friends at the nanny and I had an awesome time skiing with friends and family. A fantastic first day of the ski season! So what do you say, want to come hit the slopes with me?

winter wonderland

The first snow of the season has arrived. The bunny hills in our village have a nice covering of white. My favorite thing about the flurries, especially at nighttime, is the quiet calm that a blanket of snow brings. All sounds are softened, muted, making everything feel a little more magical. Winter wonderland indeed.

the early light

I love the morning hours. the calm. the clarity. the potential. the endless possibilities of how a day may turn out.  the choice to open the door to new adventure or to welcome the easy comfort of regular routine.  the limitlessness of a fresh start. a clean slate. each new sunrise offering the sweetness of the unknown, the not yet created, budding with intention.

fever pitch

It seems like we are at the peak moment where the colors are so vibrant.  Little dots of fire are speckled across the hillsides. We took a stroll to Chamonix and had an amazing lunch on the Brasserie de l'M terrace. Even the vulgar service couldn't detract from the deliciousness of our meal, the Salade de l'M essentially a salade de gésiers, served with the biggest slab of foie gras and a sprinkling of rose salt. The presentation was beautiful.  And for dessert, since Clover was a little to antsy to stay on the terrace, we walked around Cham and stopped in for macarons.  A caramel au beurre salé marcaron was a perfect ending to a divine meal.  I love days like this - blissful family time, amazing food and ideal fall weather.