3 weeks of our ten week, 2014 Summer Experience left. Time to assess just why we love to spend our summers here in the South of France!

Saturday the "meteo" (weather forecast) was NOT good, calling for rain all day & night. However, we pretended the meteo was wrong, & went on our merry way. We had a lovely day on the Mediterannean, where we had a delicious lunch of mussels & soupe de poisson in a town called Bouzigues, a walk in our favorite fishing port town, & a drink by the sea. We did, however, have to cancel our evening reservation at our favorite guinguette. As we were approaching the little river restaurant (outside, of course!), a huge purple cloud came in over the mountains, so we headed home to a nice dinner in our own kitchen. This is the 7th summer we've spent in Southern France, & we've had more rain this year than all the other summers we've been here combined. Global warming? Or is it this "anticyclone" thing they keep talking about--incomprehensible to me. Whatever! It's not constant rain, (but sometimes it's, as our nextdoor neighbor calls it, "Biblical", as it was last week). And the good part of this weather pattern has been cooler temperatures. And the sky is so much prettier with clouds at sunset! We are not complaining! Even with more rain than ever, it's actually only rained maybe 7 times! That's about once a week! Not bad for Charlestonians, or for Chicagoans, for that matter!

However, Saturday night, sitting in our kitchen/living area, looking at our dripping umbrellas & eating our Pork Ribs Provencales from our oven (can you believe it?), we made a list of the GOOD THINGS that keep us coming back to the South of France.

Top on our list, suprisingly enough after that paragraph, was good weather, & no bugs! Even though last week I was bitten by some venomous insect, had to go to the doctor, & have just finished a round of steroids & antibiotics.

Here's some other random stuff:

Go a few miles & the countryside changes (from mountains to vineyards to the Mediterranean)...wonderful, basic, simple, fresh food, IN SEASON & so much less expensive here...wine is cheap & so good & it's everywhere!....great cheese, fresh baguettes, great supermarkets (with super fresh fish!), indoor & outdoor food markets with all kinds of delights...running through vineyards (Les!), walking through vineyards (me!)...very patient & helpful people (doctors, emergency room personnel, pharmacists, everyday people, neighbors who save your parasols & warn you to move your car due to the avalanche about to arrive)...the Midi Libre (our local newspaper, which informs us of all the funny events (like the Phantom concert, our dog show, & accordion concerts, etc) in small & larger towns in our area...French paint is incredibly good--they have it for anything, & it works just like the directions say it will....we are away from the US media & television (that is a SUPER plus!)....clever movies that don't always follow a US format....no dressing up at all....Les' garage golf net.....Looking at mountains at most of our meals....the French timetable (eating dinner later & just their Latin "manana attitude) makes us slow down....wholesome children who play OUTSIDE, politely wish you a good day, & speak exquisite French....

And lastly, France's committment to honor both WWI & WWII soldiers in ALL countries. This last Friday was the 100th anniversary of the Mobilization of the French army in WWI. Each village played their bells for 10 minutes at 4:00 pm. It's called "Le Tocsin"--originally it was the way villages communicated with their people by ringing their bells in times of disaster, or to call them to arms. And when we arrived here June 17, the newspapers were still reminding people of the incredibly brave & important part the US soldiers played in saving them from Germany's brutal regime, 70 years ago June 6, as part of their D-Day Commemoration.

Vive La France!

Wherever you are this first week in August, have a great week! We will be sharing our 8th week here with friends from DC, who are due to arrive here any minute.

Love,

Elise & Les