Paris Parfait

Pink petals

Petals from pink blossoms scattered on the street where I live.

Breaking news: Senator Arlen Specter, a Republican since 1966, has just announced he is switching parties! Specter said he decided to become a Democrat because the Republicans had "moved too far to the right."

Meanwhile, Texas Governor Rick Perry called for secession from the Union; then appealed to the federal government for help, at the first sign of swine flu. Talk about an abrupt about-face! And the Republicans continue to try to block Kathleen Sibelius to head Health and Human Services. Seems like we need someone in that position at the moment, politics aside. Of course in this case, it's a little like casting pearls before swine. I'm so tired of certain politicans putting their own interests ahead of the people.

Speaking of swine (flu), I'm not exactly thrilled to be getting on an Atlanta-bound plane early tomorrow morning, especially after the European Union health commissioner cautioned against non-essential travel to the US and Mexico. But I suspect attending my daughter's wedding in Savannah counts as essential.

Thanks for all your lovely email and good wishes. Will catch up with you next week!

Scroll down the page for another post today.

Preparing for Bastille

Constructing the foundation for the main building at the Antiquites Brocante May 7-17 at Place de la Bastille, Paris. I shot these images last week.

Under construction: tents and other temporary structures are being erected along both sides of the Canal St. Martin, as well as facing Place de la Bastille.

Visit Toma at Antiques Diva to see my photos of last May's brocante at Bastille. The images she posted were taken at Sophie Pretalet's Anges et Demons stand. Stop by Stand 403 and say hello to Sophie - maybe I'll see you there!

Fatima launches Purple Gold Photography

Family honor photo by Fatima.

Recently I published a few of Fatima's stunning photos. Several readers wrote to inquire about purchasing her work. Fatima has now set up a website, Purple Gold Photography, offering selected photographs for sale. Many of you inquired about the photo of the row of arches reflected in water. That image is available for purchase, as well.

Go here to see photos currently available. All Fatima's photos are printed on museum-quality fiber-based archival paper.

Muguet des bois

The first Muguet des bois (lily of the valley) of the season are not quite at their best. In France, nosegays of this delicate perfumed flower are presented to friends and family on the first Sunday in May. But my husband got these early examples at the market today, as we'll be in Savannah next Sunday. Hope you are having a lovely Sunday, wherever you are!

Glimpses of history at Montreuil-sur-Mer

Signpost near the stone walls and bataillements of the ancient city of Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

Openings to view activities in the valley beyond the walled city. Click photos to view detail.

Grass now covers a former moat surrounding the citadel.

More of the moat, beneath the fortress on a hill.

More stone walls and the moat.

Path leading to the citadel.

The citadel's main entrance.

An historic thatched-roof building just outside the city's walls.

Another stone wall in gradient height, above a grassy knoll that was once a moat.

A path winding from the city's walls to a main street.

See more of Montreuil-sur-Mer's ramparts here.

Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder 2009

Patricia of Abyssal Plain alerted me to the Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder 2009 contest. To help celebrate this Year of Science, consider entering your photography, poems, essays and even dancing here before June 10th. Entries are invited from around the world.

Picture hope

Hooray for Shutter Sisters Jen Lemen and Stephanie Roberts! Read Jen Lemen's Hope is more than wishful thinking about winning the Name Your Dream Assignment competition.

Look closely...

...but don't count on television news for truth and accuracy.

Glass photographic plates from 1910-1918, found at the flea market at Vanves, Paris.

In recent years, the mainstream media - particularly television news - in the US has veered dangerously off course. Gone is the objectivity that's drilled into our heads in journalism school; instead, money, power, influence and politics have corrupted the news agenda. And I'm not talking only about Fox "News," which is known for its right-wing slant. I'm referring to ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, as well as Fox.

The most recent example of abysmal reporting concerns the television news coverage of the Putlizer Prize. David Barstow of The New York Times deservedly won for his "tenacious reporting that revealed how some retired generals, working as radio and television analysts, had been co-opted by the Pentagon to make its case for the war in Iraq and how many of them also had undisclosed ties to companies that benefited from policies they defended," according to the Pulitzer Committee.

But, as Glenn Greenwald of Salon noted, the television networks "kept completely silent about Barstow's story, even though it sparked Congressional inquiries, vehement objections from the then-leading Democratic presidential candidates and allegations that the Pentagon program violated legal prohibitions on domestic propaganda programs. The Pentagon's secret collaboration with these "independent analysts" shaped multiple news stories from each of these outlets on a variety of critical topics. Most amazingly, many of them continue to employ as so-called "independent analysts" the very retired generals at the heart of Barstow's story, yet still refuse to inform their viewers about any part of this story."

American television networks simply eliminated Barstow's name from their Putlizer coverage or any direct reference to Barstow's honor. Obviously, to do so would shine a spotlight on their own cupability, as outlined in Barstow's investigation.

NBC's Brian Williams was one of the worst offenders,prompting Media Matters to call him out for his so-called "reporting" on the pervasive impact of the Pentagon's program on television news coverage. Greenwald called Williams' behavior "disgraceful on this issue, almost certainly due to the fact that some of the 'analysts' most directly implicated by Barstow's story are Williams' favored sources and friends."

CNN ran a lengthy story on the Pulitzer winners, conveniently omitting any mention of David Barstow's prize for uncovering corruption at the core of CNN's Iraq War coverage, as well as its reporting about other military-related matters.

Such disgraceful, shameful and unethical behaviour on the part of American television news! It seems many, many pronouncements of television reporters must be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism. If you want the true story, best to check in regularly with Media Matters, which does an excellent job of dissecting the mainstream media's reporting and separating fact from fiction.

Scroll down the page to read about Kelaya's story and how you can help.

A helping hand

Photo of Kelaya and her two-month-old baby Marcus in San Francisco by Julie Michelle.

Kelaya's story is a poignant one. After fleeing an abusive husband, she's struggling to house and care for three children. While numerous social programs and shelters in San Francisco are designed to help in such instances, those shelters currently are full and social workers are unable to offer immediate assistance. Kelaya and her family have little choice other than to wait.

Meanwhile, Kelaya attends domestic violence classes and makes sure the two older children get to school and after-school programs, as well as necessary doctor and dentist appointments.

Soon, Kelaya will begin receiving assistance, including a small monthly stipend, food stamps and health care. But until she met my friend Julie (Tangobaby),sadly, begging on the street was Kelaya's sole option to pay for a room and food for her children.

As Julie says, "...until she can find a stable home and work, anything we can do will help her and her family immensely. Kelaya doesn't smoke, drink or take drugs. But she had a husband who almost killed her ... and it's taking all of her strength and bravery to get through this difficult time."

To learn about many ways you can help Kelaya, please go here. If you can't help financially, there are several other opportunities to assist Kelaya, not least by sending email to help boost her morale. Please direct all messages for Kelaya and any offers of support to tangobaby2@gmail.com. A Paypal link for Kelaya has been set up at Tangobaby. Thank you!

Photo of Kameko taken by her brother Dorian.

Earth Mosaic 2009

Workmen paint an iconic Art Nouveau metro sign at Bastille, Paris. The cast iron signs were created by architect Hector Guimard in 1899. Click photos to view detail.

The Colonne de Juillet is at the heart of Place de la Bastille. The monument marks the prison site stormed by the mob, as the French Revolution began in 1789. In the metro station beneath Bastille, stones from the prison's foundations remain.

Won't you contribute your own images to the Earth Mosaic 2009? Take some photos today, April 22 and upload them here.

Merci bien

A bouquet for you.

Thank you for your wonderfully-caring messages of encouragement and support. I am deeply touched by your words of understanding and lovely gestures of friendship. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Check back Wednesday for my contribution for Earth Mosaic 2009. Hope you are participating, wherever you are!

P.S. If you're a photography enthusiast, you may like this book and this bag.

Falling slowly - then remembering how to fly.

Tulip in full bloom, Paris.

"...Take this sinking boat
and ford it home,
we've still got time.
Raise your hopeful voice,
you have a choice;
you make it now..." - Glen Hansard, Falling Slowly

A few weeks ago I was watching Evening, the last film in which Vanessa Redgrave and her daughter Natasha Richardson appeared together. Before the film began, a trailer from Once played, along with Glen Hansard's Oscar-winning song Falling Slowly. The moment I heard the chorus, I burst into tears. You see, for months I've felt I was drifting so far off course, I wasn't sure how to find landfall again.

I've been overwhelmed with myriad expectations and writing deadlines. Even worse, while grappling with two stressful family issues, I have cast my own health and peace of mind aside. As a result, I've become physically - and emotionally - exhausted: barely sleeping, not exercising enough, not eating properly. With rare exception, I've been unable to quiet the thoughts and concerns constantly racing through my head.

Under the best of circumstances, I am hard on myself. While tolerant and forgiving of other's imperfections, I don't always allow myself the same leeway. I'm a perfectionist and that is trying. I always think I can improve on whatever I've created and keep working on it until I exhaust myself and finally just stop - stop writing; stop agonising that whatever I've created isn't perfect. Sometimes I set impossibly high standards for myself that require super-human effort, as well as cooperation from others (which isn't always forthcoming).

Certainly I have been aware that radical change was necessary: signs and portents along the way increasingly have demanded I pay attention. But even contemplating the actions required seemed too difficult, like hands against stone.

This weekend, I remembered vital advice, courtesy of Jen Lee and Jen Lemen: "What you think is a breakdown is really a breakthrough. So push through the hard parts."

On Sunday I took a long walk and thought about the seismic shifts needed to return to my own path - not the one criss-crossed with diversions that others mapped out for me. I remembered the timely message from the Adventurers' Club: "You do realize, Tara, that your batting average is 100% when it comes to prevailing in adversity, setbacks, challenges and recessions?" Happily, that's true.

In the process of reclaiming my life, I will focus more on work-in-progress and less on others' demands and expectations. I shall take steps to ensure that certain dream projects take flight. Crucially, I shall start saying no to requests by those who rarely reciprocate. I will stop giving time and energy to people who don't really appreciate the effort. I will take a step back from "negative nellies" who are quick to criticise, but disappear when praise is warranted.

And I'm going to stop blogging every single day. Some days I might post more than one piece; others - especially weekends, when it seems fewer people are reading - I may skip altogether. Watch for some new features and guest writers at Paris Parfait. Time to shake things up!

Bracing for Bastille

Letter slot, Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

Within the past two weeks, I've received numerous emails asking about dates for the Antiquites Brocante at Place de Bastille, Paris. The popular brocante along both sides of the Canal St. Martin will begin on Thursday, May 7 and continue daily through May 17. Tickets at eight euros each may be purchased at the door.

Take the Paris Metro to Bastille or Quai de la Rapée, via lines 1, 5 and 8. Or take bus lines 20, 29, 65, 87 or 91. Paid parking is available at Opéra Bastille or Sogéparc, Boulevard de la Bastille.

Up close and personal

Orange ranuculus from a bouquet on my dining table.

Am hosting guests this weekend, so will leave you with these photos and food for thought here, here and here.

Fatima's photos

No doubt you remember Fatima's story. She wrote to say she was moved by my readers' supportive comments. We began corresponding and she kindly agreed to show some of her beautiful photos on Paris Parfait.

Fatima's plight is one with which all too many women can identify, no matter where they call home. Happily, Fatima's story has a positive outcome. Expressing herself through photography helped Fatima find her way out of depression and despair. She had the great courage to leave her family in Abu Dhabi, after they sadly chose so-called "honor" over truth and justice. Fatima has forged a new life in the United States, where she is surrounded with good friends, art and photography.

I told Fatima that nothing I could write could do justice to her photos, so powerful in their stark simplicity.

All photos © Fatima and may not be used or reproduced in any manner.

Bird-watching and stirring up trouble

Stork at Baie de Somme, Marqueterre, France. Seven or eight pairs of storks breed at the Somme Estuary. Click photos to view detail.

A willow warbler, which winters in Africa and returns to France the first week in April.

Yellow-billed whooper swans are also year-round residents at the estuary. All photos by David Holmes.

The Greylag goose.

Avocets, which are spoon-billed waders, are the official bird of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Great Britain. The birds had been virtually eliminated until a breeding program was established in Suffolk in the '50s and '60s. Now the birds are again plentiful.

Ed. note: Today's post is brought to you courtesy of my husband, the bird-watcher. I have had a busy day of preparations for guests arriving tomorrow, in between filing numerous copyright infringement notices. I found one website using nearly 100 of my photos without permission! Luckily, the site host promptly responded and removed the images without quibbling. But it seems vigilance is necessary.

Snow white, rose red and sepia

Remember the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Snow White and Rose Red? These two roses were shot in natural light and have not been altered in any manner.

Today's Guardian has an interesting piece about how the pop icon Madonna has issued a sepia-tinted photograph, to try to aid her adoption case in Malawi.

Here's the "snow white" photo in sepia. Is it true that the softness of sepia helps influence our reactions? Should the use of sepia be considered art or a form of propaganda? I think it's a little of both, depending upon the subject matter.

I sometimes use sepia, particularly for photographs of antiques, to reflect the period in which they were created. Or I may use sepia to lend atmosphere or romance to a photo. But I don't use it in a political way or to try to change someone's opinion, which clearly is Madonna's intent. What do you think about sepia-tinted photographs? Art, manipulation or both?

P.S. Still struggling with the issue of photo theft. Another blogger has used one of my photos without permission. Over the past few months, I've sent three separate emails, politely asking her to either (a) credit the photo or (b) remove the image. As she has ignored these messages - including one left directly on the post in which she's used my photograph - I guess the next step is to contact her blog host and issue a take-down notice. Have you had a similar experience?

How green is the valley

The lush green valley spreads beyond the medieval walled city of Montreuil-sur-Mer in Northern France. The cobbled-street city was the setting for much of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. Click photos to enlarge.

Ancient ramparts surround much of the city, once a thriving river port. Because of the River Canche's silt build-up, Montreuil-sur-Mer is now about 13 miles from the sea.

The photos in my banner (above) are from a previous trip to Montreuil-sur-Mer. Check back later for more photos of this beautiful city.

*With a nod to Richard Llewelleyn's 1939 novel How Green Was My Valley and John Ford's 1941 film of the same name.

Le mariage de ma fille

Bridal veil and orange blossoms, circa 1920, found at a brocante at Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

"Let all thy joys be as the month of May and all thy days be as a marriage day." - Francis Quarles.

My daughter is getting married! Jordana will wed her fiance Keith on Saturday, May 2 in Savannah, Georgia. Jordana - who works for a fashion house in Philadelphia - has designed her own dress and veil. Yours truly will photograph the momentous occasion (no pressure, then)! Won't you join me in wishing the happy couple much joy in their life together?

New life

On this Easter Sunday, the promise of new life...

Ready to bloom, "Umbrella" tree, Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Easter.

Seeing double

Airborne - Horses fly to the finish line at Hippodrome de Longchamp, Paris. The second horse is literally off the ground.

Hope you're having an action-filled weekend, whether you're celebrating Easter, Passover or simply enjoying the company of family and friends.

Light.

Madonna and candlelight, St. Sauvle Abbey, Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

"We may say that on the first Good Friday afternoon was completed that great act by which light conquered darkness..."

"The wonder of Good Friday is that the victor lies vanquished by the vanquished one."

"We have to look deeper into the very heart and essence of things before we can see how real the victory is, that thus hides itself under the guise of defeat." - Phillips Brooks, 1835-1893

Simply create.

The antidote to the British WWII poster "Keep calm and carry on." Image courtesy of Michael Bungay Stanier,Outside the Lines.

Noel Solomon is a young California artist who works primarily with paper and vintage textiles. Among her many talents, Noel takes old books and gussies them up as elegant additions to any decor.

See more of Noel's Fanciful creations at FrenchBlue & Co. Or visit her etsy shop and her blog Fanciful Designs.

Check out Noel's unique bird's nest creation. Isn't it exquisite??!!

The way some people live

Sunlight filtered through stained glass casts coloured rays on a pew and tiled floor, St. Saulve Abbey, Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

Bonjour les tous! I am back in Paris and will write later about my trip. Meanwhile, my thoughts are with the people of L'Aquila, Italy and the surrounding villages, left devastated and homeless after an earthquake. But I have little regard for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who told a German television station that the earthquake survivors "should see it like a weekend of camping."

Berlusconi made his typically clueless remarks after visiting one of the temporary camps set up to shelter and feed the earthquake survivors. "They have everything they need, they have medical care, hot food...," Berlusconi said. "Of course, their current lodgings are a bit temporary. But they should see it like a weekend of camping."

One has to pity the nation that keeps electing such a buffoon. Last week at the NATO summit in Strasbourg, Berlusconi's car pulled up, he got out, nodded to German chancellor Angela Merkel waiting to greet him, but kept talking on his cell phone! After welcoming two other world leaders - with Berlusconi still talking on the phone - Merkel lost patience and left Berlusconi behind, as she and other NATO leaders crossed the bridge to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Dubai's glittery facade threatened by shifting sands

I urge you to take ten minutes to read The Independent's Johann Hari's eye-opening article about Dubai's failing fortunes. It is a cautionary tale of greed, deception and modern-day slavery. The many twists and turns of a barren playground without water suggests the city ultimately will be absorbed by the shifting sands of Arabia. Meanwhile, Sheik Maktoum and his entourage continue the ruse of a solvent business mecca, racing champion thoroughbreds at Longchamp and acting as though there's no tomorrow. I read this late last night and have not been able to get it out of my mind.

An excerpt:

"...and then there is the foreign underclass who built the city and are trapped here. They are hidden in plain view. You see them everywhere, in dirt-caked blue uniforms, being shouted at by their superiors, like a chain gang – but you are trained not to look..."

"Every evening, the hundreds of thousands of young men who build Dubai are bussed from their sites to a vast concrete wasteland an hour out of town, where they are quarantined away. Until a few years ago they were shuttled back and forth on cattle trucks, but the expats complained this was unsightly, so now they are shunted on small metal buses that function like greenhouses in the desert heat. They sweat like sponges being slowly wrung out.

"Sonapur is a rubble-strewn patchwork of miles and miles of identical concrete buildings. Some 300,000 men live piled up here, in a place whose name in Hindi means "City of Gold." In the first camp I stop at – riven with the smell of sewage and sweat – the men huddle around, eager to tell someone, anyone, what is happening to them."

Linens and laundry at La Pedrera

Somehow the drudgery of everyday chores looks more appealing in this setting, doesn't it? All photographs taken at Antoni Gaudi's La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain.

Stacks of ironed linens.

Children's clothing ready to wear.

Washbasin and maid's uniform.

Travel trunk.

Tara Bradford is traveling. In her absence, timed posts should appear.

Coveted curiosities

Antiques and vintage musical instruments, Salmagundi West, Gastown, Vancouver, B.C.

Miscellaneous items, Salmagundi West, 321 West Cordova Street, Vancouver.

Antique puppet, Maison d'Etre, Oakland, California.

Plush toys, Maison d'Etre.

"Dear John" vitrine, Shop SCAD, Savannah.

Vintage library card catalogue, The Paris Market, Savannah.

Antique safe deposit boxes, The Ballastone Inn, Savannah.

Timeless Treasures, San Francisco.

Grooves Records, San Francisco.

Tara Bradford is traveling. In her absence, timed posts should appear.

Do it for you

Frida Kahlo image in tiles, Mexican restaurant, The Mission, San Francisco.

"I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration." - Frida Kahlo, 1907-1954.

"Sacred"cape by Megan Fluegel at the Fibers Exhibition, the Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Ga. The cape is made of reclaimed wool suiting and fur collar, wool, raw silk and various cottons, with free-motion and hand embroidery, sewn construction.

Tara Bradford is traveling. In her absence, timed posts should appear.

Changing fortunes

The small neighborhood park next to an eglise has been under construction since 2006. It was uprooted - along with a memorial to Gen. Charles de Gaulle - to create an underground parking garage. While this children's playground appears finished, the photo below indicates construction is still underway. Completion is expected by June.

What a wonderful thing to see Europe embracing America again, first at the G20 in London; now at the NATO summit in Strasbourg! But it made me smile to read that New York bankers were less enthusiastic after their meeting with President Obama.

Time to travel

Anyone who lives in a big city knows that no matter how beautiful or exciting the city, every three months or so, you need a break. After being home nearly four months without travel - even missing my usual side trips to London - it is time to get out of town.

So I'm off for some peace and sunshine elsewhere in France. Back soon, with photos and perhaps an adventure or two to report. Hope you're enjoying your own sunshine-filled weekend, wherever you are!

P.S. If you haven't seen the film Once, rent it! It's very sweet, not least because of this song.

Scroll down the page for an additional post today.

Bicycles in the Bois

To say that cycling is popular in France is an understatement. La France is not host to the Tour de France, the world's most famous cycling event, without reason. Every day, hundreds of cyclists traverse the perimeter of Hippodrome de Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne. But nearly all of them are men, as in France it is considered unseemly for a woman to sweat in public! Very few women joggers can be seen in the Bois, either; walkers, yes, particularly on the weekends. But if you see any female joggers or cyclists, chances are they're foreigners, like me!

The cyclists are a curious mix of professionals training for events, amateurs enjoying the sport and those who simply want to keep fit. Some members of the rugby team Stade Francais cycle and jog in the Bois. And a group of local pompiers (firefighters and paramedics) also cycle in the Bois, the city's largest green space.

Leader of the pack. Most days a huge group of cyclists ride together in lap after lap - rain or shine - around the two-and-a-half mile perimeter of Longchamp.

Lone riders.

Opening day at the races

The Prix du Louvre race on Thursday afternoon at Hippodrome de Longchamp, Paris. I used a telephoto lens and ISO of 100 - due to bright sunlight - for these photos, but forgot a filter! I'll have another chance to get it right Sunday at Longchamp.

Cristophe Soumilion is France's most famous jockey. He rides into the Winner's Circle, after guiding Tassara to win the Prix du Louvre. As always, click photos to enlarge.

Riding into the Winner's Circle.

Escorting Tassara back to the stables.

A. Crastus riding Ville d' Avray won the Prix de Chaillot race.

Coming from behind in the Prix de Chaillot.

Almost there...

Overtaking, to claim victory.

Ville d'Avray in the Winner's Circle.

Horses and their handlers parade before the crowd.

Pre-race chatter.

Handlers lead the horse out of the Parade rink to the racecourse.

Contemplating the race ahead.

Leading the horse.

Headed home.

Longchamp lass

I have spent this bright and sunny afternoon with some beautiful racehorses at Longchamp. Check back later for photos of winning jockeys, champion thoroughbreds and fit cyclists.

April fools amidst signs of spring

A vintage Indian sari, The Paris Market, Savannah, Georgia.

Backpacks filled with flowers, Les Passages, Boulogne-Billancourt, France, snapped with my pocket camera.

Another flower-stuffed backpack at a store entrance.

Window display, Les Passages.

Giant Easter eggs, birds and birdhouses in a chocolate shop vitrine in my neighbourhood.

April fools

It doesn't look as though Miss Universe will choose a career in diplomacy.

And Avigdor Lieberman certainly is starting off on the wrong foot in his role as Israel's new foreign minister.

On the eve of the G20 Summit in London, most protests have been organised and peaceful. But live news feeds showed a group of 30 to 40 hooded and masked guys shouting obsenities and deliberately trying to provoke police in a cordoned-off area near the Bank of England. Some of these "protesters," - who weren't carrying any signs, so appeared to be just thugs and troublemakers - were brandishing sticks and throwing smoke bombs; one young man even bashed a police officer in the head. Still, the police showed admirable restraint, refusing to rise to the bait.

Other "protesters" smashed windows of the Royal Bank of Scotland and entered the building.

Scroll down the page for an additional post today.

Ready for the races

Preparing for the races, Hippodrome de Longchamp. Read more about the spring season beginning Thursday, April 2 at Longchamp here.

The spring calendar at Longchamp.

An ivy-covered tree and foliage next to Longchamp.

The windmill on a small island next to Hippodrome de Longchamp. See more photos here.