WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE THANKSGIVING...

The fall has always been my prefered season. I love the spectacular displays of colours, from the deep dark green of the pines
to the shimmering gold of the Aspens. It is a joy to sit in our garden and hear the Stag’s plantif song wooing the lovely doe. 

And, for Sushi, our Springer Spaniel, it is the long walks at the end of the day, into the forest. The afternoon’s last rays of sunshine warming us as we continue, listening to first of the autumn leaves  loating towards the forest floor. Sushi, startled by a branch chases after it most likely thinking it a pheasant. And, I, I breath in and, smell the forest.  (The French has a lovely word for breathing and smelling “humer”, it is often used when appreciating the smell of a fine cigar or a vintage cognac.) 

The pungent perfume of dark moist earth,  mushrooms, pine and, I swear I can smell the coming of winter because as we head home, Sushi and I, evening has come and with it the first hints of winter and as a soft cold wind across my face , I do, I smell Winter.

Boy, did I get carried away there! But honestly that is how Autumn affects me.  It is natural because here in le coin perdu (lost corner or more aptly put “the middle of nowhere”) it reminds me of my childhood autumn. And while it wasn’t a forest and unfortunately no Stag’s Songs the colors and smells were the same. And, when the leaves started to fall it was when I,  and all the rest of the kids started getting excited. Halloween was coming! Halloween was       apples, pumpkins dressing up, candy, parties at school, parties at home, fall festivals!  And, right after we stayed excited, for then came Thanksgiving and after, CHRISTMAS.  The fall season was definitely an season to be excited for a kid! 

The French tried it in the ‘90’s;  I sold tons of Halloween products at my book store “Tea & Tattered Pages” and even here in le coin perdu  just until 2005 the local grammar school would dress up the kids in goblin costumes and they would parade around the village trick or treating never understanding what it was all about.  Although Halloween dates from keltic traditions and thus partly French, it has never been in their culture so for them it is just commercial. 
While I still feel nostalgic and disappointed that my children did not experience it I know longer carve pumpkins.  I do, however put them on my table as center pieces!)

So, no more Halloween for us here in Sologne Loire Valley but, don’t worry…

We’ll always have Thanksgiving! 

Kristi anderson

Bed and breakfast

Dinner

15 place de l’église

45240 Ligny le Ribault

06.83.18.42.31

[email protected]

Comments

[Leesa]

Hi Christy,

I just found your blog from the comment you left on Walt's blog today! Great that you are both in the area! Thanksgiving is my fav. holiday and it's great that we'll always "still" have Thanksgiving even if we don't do "Halloween" anymore-- unless I go to Euro Disney, of course!

Take care and maybe we stop by sometime when we're in the area...
Leesa