The Brothers Van Gogh

Thinking about my visit last fall to Auvers sur Oise, where Vincent died. And his beloved brother and benefactor, Theo, 6 months later. We traipsed over muddy fields of wheat to find this cemetery perched at the top of a long sloping hill. The sky seemed to hover above like a cloak, appropriate to the mood of the place.

Triangles in Paris and nearby

This is Arnold, from the town Auvers sur Oise, just a 40 minute train ride from Paris. This is where Vincent Van Gogh painted a hauntingly beautiful Church and several magnificent wheat fields. This is also where he lived his last days.
Arnold lives and paints in this house ~ a house also painted by Vincent. He waved to us to come in as we passed by the picture window of his studio. Forty minutes and many stories later, he posed for this snap.

Triangle by I. M. Pei outside the ... well, you probably know where.

One of my favorite subjects - men playing Boule.
This time in the Jardin du Luxembourg.
Love locks! On the Pont des Arts.
Can you see the lovers' initials signifying undying love?

Mostly Nude in Paris

We were in Paris for a lovely week and I decided to visit some friends.
I remained clothed at all times.




A casual stroll through the park.

There was fishing involved

Casting ...
...and catching...
...and, best of all, watching fish guts be cast to the gulls.

Norway in June

Two glorious weeks at the family summer house on the west coast of Norway.

Four Mikkelmen and a Kline, fishing every single day. Fresh fish for dinner every single night!

Someone's sitting down on the job ~ a hike over the old post route.

Visitors to the village on Midsummer Night's Eve.

Tulips in winter

The tulips are too excitable, it is winter here.
Look how white everything is, how quiet, how snowed-in
I am learning peacefulness, lying by myself quietly
As the light lies on these white walls, this bed, these hands.
"Tulips" by Sylvia Plath

France in color

Just a few dreamy scenes from our drive through southwest France......

Saint-Cirq Lapopie ~ a United Heritage site. Possibly the most perfect example of a "charming village somewhere in France" that I have ever set foot in.

I can't tell you where this is but I do know it's called Chapelle Saint Roch (see my excellent memory below). We were meandering through a small town when all of a sudden this precious chapel appeared in front of us. I shouted to STOP THE CAR and hopped out in the rain to snap this shot.


The grounds of one of our stops along the way - Chateau de La Treyne.

Île de Ré, France

View from the lighthouse to the sea.


It was late October and we were driving through the Lot Valley in southwestern France. It was beautiful, of course. Lush and fragrant with fall. We had no particular plans, other than to end up in Cognac to visit a barrel making acquaintance. I studied the map (ok ~ the GPS on my phone) to see what lay ahead in that general direction. But something tickled at the back of my mind, percolating until it finally bubbled up to the top and I remembered ~ Île de Ré!! Just off the coast of Bordeaux, a tiny island of oyster farms, vineyards, a lovely harbor and this twinkling lighthouse. We spent the day there and now I dream of going back to stay for several soothing days of bike-riding and beach-walking. And ~ see above ~ café afternoons.

Farm day

Last December Trygve and I were in France for work. Happily, we were able to scoot up to Bergen, Norway for a visit to family. Spent an afternoon tramping around the ice cold ground on this Fusa farm, newly bought and in process of renovation board by board and nail by nail by Torkjell, Trygve's brother. Perched above this west coast fjord, it has been home to hundreds of hearty norsk generations. And now one more.

These two shots are in the basement. You see a sturdy door, protecting those inside from the often frightful winter outside. And below, an ancient cauldron, ready to swing over the kitchen fire behind where Torkjell is standing.


Piles of nails and tin cans left to rust ~ somebody's long-ago unfinished project.