La Photo du Jour: A Wall of Geraniums

Baskets full of geraniums hang along the Route des Vins, Alsace, France.

Soaking up the Sun

Happy first day of fall!  I love autumn.  I think it is my favorite season, although when spring rolls around I declare it is the best as well.

I love the change of weather that comes with fall.  No other time of the year has the toasty days and crisp nights.  Sunshine is less harsh, turning mellow and golden.  It is time to soak that sunshine up.  The opportunity to do so will be rare in the coming months.   This week lots of people in Strasbourg made sure to enjoy the September sun.

La Photo du Jour: A Morning Walk

A woman and her dog enjoying morning sunshine in l'Orangerie Parc, Strasbourg.

Bubbles over Strasbourg

The square around the Strasbourg cathedral is a stage for panhandling.  Some of the people asking for money are doing just that, asking for money, giving nothing in return.  But most give something back by performing.  The "shows" include a wide range of instruments from accordions, drums, violins, flutes, and even a piano.  There are also mimes, singers, and sometimes a Charlie Chaplin look-a-like.  This week my daughter and I happened upon a performance we hadn't seen before.  There were bubble blowers near the cathedral.

The day was perfect for bubbles.  The sun was out and the sky was blue.  There was enough wind to make the bubbles dance but not so much as to destroy them.  They were able to stay intact for a minute or so before bursting.

The people blowing the bubbles used long strings attached to two sticks.  The strings were tied together at their ends to make circles.  They dipped the string circles into bubble solution, probably just soapy water, and held up the wands.  The wind would catch the string and create long, flowing bubbles.

My daughter was one of several children who were thoroughly enjoying the show.  I was loving it too.  There were quite a few adults who were grinning like kids while they watched the iridescent bubbles floating through the sky.  A few of the bubbles floated in front of the cathedral doors which made the scenario particularly dream-like.

Several children were trying to capture the bubbles as they were released.  Their prize for a good catch was a pop of soapy water in the face.  One large bubble headed towards us.  I was too busy taking photographs to move myself or the stroller out of the way.  The bubble burst against us, making my daughter squeal with laughter.  My glasses were covered with residue but it was worth it just to have heard her giggles as the bubble hit her.

The bubble blowers earned their panhandled euros for the day, at least in my opinion.  As we walked home I could smell the scent of soap, of bubbles, on my clothing.  It smelled of playful, airy joy.

La Photo du Jour: A Hungry Puppy

This dog was window shopping for his lunch at the famers' market on Saturday.

Tea Instead of Ice Cream

The weather is starting to change.  Today it was warm in the sun yet cool in the shade.  It was one of those days where I couldn't decide whether to wear long pants and short sleeves or long sleeves paired with bare legs.  The temperature called for one ensemble or the other.  I decided on a long sleeved shirt matched with a skirt..

I had another decision to make today as well.  Would I have ice cream or hot tea as a mid-afternoon snack?  What a hard decision!  I was walking around the plaza near the cathedral, watching people.  Many were enjoying ice cream cones.  But just as many people were sitting at cafes sipping cups of hot beverages.  Both looked appealing.  Since it was the first day that I thought it felt like autumn I opted for the tea.  I drank it at one of the many open air cafes in front of the Strasbourg cathedral.  It was a beautiful way to welcome in a new season.  Maybe I'll have an ice cream cone tomorrow.

Our Cathedral

The cathedral in Strasbourg is a focal point in my life.  Because of its height it can be seen from almost anywhere within the city.  I walk by it several times a week doing errands but also go for walks with only the intention of checking out its amazing architecture.  There is never a time that I see the cathedral when I don't feel in awe of its beauty.

When we first found out that we were moving to Strasbourg, my husband and I looked online for places to rent.  There was one in particular that I was drawn to.  A photo of the apartment showed an open living room window that faced the cathedral.  I thought the idea of being able to see a real European cathedral through my living room window would be the best thing ever.  We didn't end up in that apartment or even living very close to the cathedral for several practical reasons.  It is an extremely busy area most of the day and there is nowhere to park.  But if I stand all the way over to the side and crank my neck even more to the side, I can see a little bit of the cathedral through one of the windows of where we are living now.  It might not be the best view but I can still see it.  To me, that is all that counts.

If we are walking through the city together, it never fails that either my husband or I will say to the other, "Hey, look, we live near a cathedral!"  And the other one will pretend as if this hasn't been said a thousand times already.  We will act amazed and talk about how beautiful the structure is, how we can't believe how long it took to build it, or exclaim how the light bounces off the stone differently at various times of the day.  We don't have to pretend all that much because we truly are bedazzeled by the gorgeousness of it.

We have been here for two years and there has never been a time when my heart hasn't skipped a beat when I see "our" cathedral.  I know that I can't actually own it.  I also realize that thousands of others who have been to Strasbourg probably feel a claim as well.  That doesn't take away my feelings of personal attachment.  Maybe it is less that the cathedral is mine, but rather I belong to it.

This photo was taken by my brother-in-law.