Confinement around the world

parisdiaFlowers and gardens7 Comments

Maitland Bay, NSW, Australia, photo John McPhee

You have been many to send me your confinement pictures. Thanks. Here are some of the most  beautiful. Suddenly, we all discover magical worlds in the countryside or in town. The great advantage of course, is that spring, the nicest season of all, has definitely settled in with temperatures of 25° in Paris. Of course it is fall in Australia, and still beautiful. I heard that it snowed in New York last week though. Isn’t it ironical that sun is shining so strongly on all of us? Even President Macron had a tan for his address on television, he probably got it in the Elysées gardens? And while I watch my geraniums open up slowly, I can feel a slight sunburn.  

The view from Lin Utzon’s house in Hellebæk, Denmark, where the lovely Queen Margrethe II, could not celebrate her 80 th birthday …

There are some good news in the midst of it all. Governor Cuomo is making a big break and maybe preparing to run for the 2004 elections? The money in cash I sent by post to a friend in need, finally arrived after three weeks, from Paris to the near suburb. The Boucheries Nivernaises, one of the best butchers in Paris who cater to the Elysées palace, are open! But “My kingdom for a horse” Shakespeare’s famous sentence in “Richard III”, could be applied to flour which can be found nowhere in Paris… I needed some to make a cheese soufflé and crêpes.

Ducks mating at Musée d’Orsay, photo Konstantin von Klitzing

Two of my friends seem to be walking around Musée d’Orsay early in the morning and noticed the same two ducks mating. So here they are, very plump ones too. I read in the Figaro this story of a 99 year old British veteran, Tom Moore who raised 23 million £ for the NHS. He walked with his walking frame a hundred times along his tiny garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedforshire, and achieved 2 Km 5. His aim was to raise 1 000£! 800 000 people sent money…

Gramercy Park, New York, photo Jonathan Galassi

In Gramercy Park, I wonder if Jonathan Galassi, a poet and the President and publisher of Farrar Straus & Giroux (where he has worked since 1986),  meets the wonderful photographer Lois Conner, on his morning walk? She knows China well since she photographed there for years.

The latest news is that seniors over the age of 70 will have to remain in confinement as long as a cure has not been found, maybe December as Ursula von der Leyen has suggested… This rumor has spread fast among editorialists who are (most often) concerned and the “Oldies revolution” is on its way… It is so funny to see all these famous journalists suddenly scandalized!

Rabbits running around les Invalides in Paris, Jackie Budin

In Paris, one thing is sure, rabbits are having a great time in the gardens of the Invalides as we can see on Easter Day.

Monsures, France, Blandine d’Hautefeuille

Hay is early this year and Blandine d’Hautefeuille, a writer and marriage counselor, starts a new career in gardening.

London, photo Rebecca Fitzgerald

While the Fitzgeralds, writer Rebecca Fraser and barrister Edward Fitgerald, enjoy their beautiful London garden, in Fiesole, Italy, costume designer Antonella Berardi picks her last peonies which are almost over… they have not yet started in France. And in Nashville, novelist Hollis Hampton Jones watches dogwoods from her window. This is a mystery to me, why are there no dogwoods in France?

Peonies in Montececeri near Florence

And inch meantime I was offered by first lily of the valley… What a treat. I hope these flowers make you happy?  Have a lovely week.

Share this Post

 

7 Comments on “Confinement around the world”

  1. Thank you Laure for your uplifting remarks and photos every week …… keep safe and until next week, Marina

  2. Très beaux canards sur le parvis du Musée d’Orsay ! Ils devront fuir lorsque l’activité du musée rouvrira… Merci pour toutes ces belles photos matinales…

  3. Just seeing these wonderful photos and reading your captions, made my day! Here in Warren, Ct. spring is what is helping us get through this pandemic.
    Infinite thanks,
    Stay well.
    xxMaria

  4. I love thinking of you all in Europe, in Upstate New York still freezing temperatures, reduced to forcing the daffodils indoors.

  5. Hmmm, the dogwoods also seemed to have failed to appear in virtual France !
    Thank you for sharing these windows on the confined world.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *