France again.......this time makes it 10

I am off to the land of  frothy pink things to eat...

 .....faded things to feast on with my eyes

and believe me it has taken alot of steps.

A single trip to Paris ignited a fire inside of me.A dream then became a reality called Charlottes Brocante.I run a tiny charming store out of my 120 year old house outbuilding.The people who come are as beautiful as the things I bring back.......I am off next wednesday to go antiquing or as the french say to chiner.I will be with my Shirley, Kate and Mark.Throw in a three legged cat and one spoiled dog and there you have it.Ten times to France 10 times of magic. Sleeping in the attic of a chateau under white washed beams laughing and loving.Attic clearance and 5000 dealer fair.If I have been dreaming don't wake me up.

I WILL BE GIVING AWAY 10 PRIZES TO CELEBRATE MY 10 TIMES TO PARIS.I AM LEAVING IN 9 DAYS SO IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE GIVE AWAYS I AM HAPPY TO HEAR.FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART I THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE BROCANTE.

Greetings from Marie Antoinettes Petite Trianon near Versailles

This is Marie Antoinettes hamlet at her playground she made for her and her children.The thatched roof was very typical of those in Austria of her childhood.Can you even imagine that little water wheeling spinning....................................
moving the water through the canal and out to the main waters...........................
that land right in front of her very chic tiled music conservatory? Can you imagine the doors thrown open with music spilling out with childrens laughter as the crescendo? I am imagining that today and it makes the grey day after the 80 degree weather a little more bearable. I AM OFF TO THE LAND OF MARIE ANTOINETTE IN 15 DAYS!!!

Happy Monday to you all

I hope all is well in blog land for everyone.I know for me it is busy and sometimes instead of only trying to see the big picture I am genuinely trying to learn to focus in on just living.Not for any one thing just day to day beauty.
Focusing in on Seattle for spring break.........it was wonderful.No phones allowed.
Then to Sunriver to finish it off.Praying, loving and relaxing. Just being with the people I love.
After all it is the little things in life that add up to the big ,non? I am going to Paris in 34 days. That is a little thing I get to do.In between my son and extra son will graduate from bible college and my daughter Charlotte will go to washington dc for her 8th grade graduation trip.And in between all of these things that make up the big picture I will endeavor to live intentionally with a purpose.....to honor God with all of the little things he has done for me.Even giving me my very life and breathe.He is so good.Thanks for the Sun break today God.I have been missing that little thing.

Going to the chatueau Breuil in the North of France

I am heading off to see Shirley on the 11th of May.Yippee.
She always has the american flag out to greet me and make me feel at home.(Except at my house we have food hers.... not so much.I guess you really can live on............................)
THE BROCANTE ALONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am willing to try.
Just set the table with a little candlelight please.That will be fine by me................
and your boy Diggbert. I am coming for your boy. A few wrapped rawhide bones with chicken around them ought to do the trick.(at least for a minute.)He may even creep up to the attic for a snuggle.That is were they keep the princess when she comes, in the attic.I have to keep friends with diggy so he will slip me the key as she tries to keep me locked in and miss the brocantes.
Oh Shirley girley I love you so.I am coming to get your brocante frothy little bits as you cannot have them all.I want to be your muuuuuuse so badly.Not as you call me your moooooos. You cannot convince me they mean the same thing.I have fell for that trick once you cheeky little minx..........xxxoooo the mad cow

Gods promises to you

I am teaching at church tonight and our challenge was to write someone a letter who did not know him using our knowledge of the bible to defend the truth in grace of what he says and who he is.This is mine.

Dear precious one,

God loves you so much!!! His word tells us he loved us first. The Bible is filled with his truths.He takes people.... ordinary and broken people like you and me and does amazing things with there lives.Moses was a stutterer and became the man who would deliver Gods chosen people out of captivity and part the red sea. Paul a hater of Christians converted to the faith and wrote 13 books of the new testament.God says all scripture is inspired for correction and teaching and is God breathed and inspired.Jesus precious Jesus.He came to make a way to permanently reconcile us to God through his perfect sacrifice on the cross.And the promises of what he will do for you if you say yes to him.......

He says,One day I will make all things new,no more pain no more suffering or death.I will wipe every tear from your eyes. I have taken the sting out of death.

I have prepared a mansion in my fathers house with many rooms.

You have been adopted forgiven accepted and redeemed.

You are his beloved.

He will be your fortress, tower. refuge and ever present help in time of need.

He will turn your mourning to joy.

He will give you beauty for ashes.

He will give you a hope and a future.

I could go on only a one page letter aaaaaagh.

I say lets learn about his love and goodness together by studying his word and letting him mold and shape him into his image!!!!

In love from a broken ordinary person who has said yes to him and stepped under the canopy of grace.

I just want to let you all know that this is what gives me sanity in my life. Taking on extra kids working at the homeless shelters and local food bus is not something I would do. I am just being honest. Too much work and not enough fun factor and intimidating at times.That is the truth in my broken state.Enter in a loving God and now if you can believe I actually look forward to these things.It causes me to appreciate so much more the different kinds of beauty in my life.He has extra work to do on a stubborn one like me but thank goodness that he is in the business of doing just that.

WINDOWS EVERYWERE IN VENIZIA

Grand canal window with cherubs.................Love it.
How about some windows with silk shades pulled up just so...................love it.
round windows.....................You guessed it.Love at first sight.

arched windows with scalloped shades,silk curtains, flowers and boxed beam ceilings..........I love it up to Jesus and back plus infinity.

o.k..................So we ate alot of dessert in Venezia. I do not have any pictures because I feel I had no self control and ate it without photos. Picture if you will a brownie slash mousse little square flourless thingy with pieces of chocolate and cherries in the bottom with a dusting of powdered sugar at the top.I gave Shirley a bite the second trip in and she was bitter cause she had no more chances to get one.Please do not feel one bit sorry for her as I am sure she drank almost all the chocolat chaud they had.Picture hot chocolate like our american pudding when it comes off the stove,that is what they call chocolat chaud.Drinking pudding is mad but they wolf it all down like crazy.I made Chateau Shirley go twice.Yeah, now I have a usual hangout in Venezia now.Don't be jealous now.
In Venezia even the graffiti is cute. Molto Benne.

Venice How do I love you.........Let me count the ways.

Once you have experienced the big V you will never be the same.I ache in my heart to go back.A real true ache.Before I knew it I was with my Shirley ,Mark and Kate on our way. A hour 2o bus ride got me to The airport were they were waiting for me.
Just a 1 hour 10 minute flight from Beauvais in France and you arrive in a small town in Italy.( Nice photo of the Alps out the window non?)After that a half hour on the bus and you have arrived to a place that is more.............
crumbly...................................and.......................
........................shuttered than you have ever seen.
Masks that remind you this is the land of Carnvial that pulses through its veins.
I know now I have seen what God visioned when he created the oceans blue.This is on the side canal were back in the day only a vaporetto could you out of the house.
Only the sound of feet and laughter you will hear in Venice.Not a vespa or car in sight.Oh how I love you Venice for your blue waters, stone foot bridges and the best pizza and pasta ever to be had.The desserts are for another post perhaps tomorrow.Arrivederci