Catch -up.not Ketchup

Bonjour from Provence! Before I say anything about the trip let me tell you the French papers are full of the Boston Bombings and Bruce and I were undescribably sad to see the devastation and havoc caused by this horrendous deed....a weekly occurrence though for countires llike Iraq. Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have a special connection to Boston...both my parents were recipients of the Boston aid following the Haifax Explosion in 1917...and Bruce went to school in Boston and we lived there in 1977 and 1978 and I watched the marathon runners go down Mt Auburn Road in 1978...It was an unusually warm and early spring I remember..with so many runners it seemed to go on forever..more so now I am sure. I was glad to hear this morning that everything will continue next year.
Global media and social media is  an amzing thing and it feels that you are living it as it happens.WE like to tune in CBC in the evening and listen to the afternoon show with Stephanie Domet....and as were are listening an accident is happening on the 102...and the next thing a picture of the accident is on the Chronicle Herald website...Similarly, we saw the Royal bank fiasco develop and come to some conclusion last week. RBC is our bank and it was easy to send our bank manager a note to tell them to "buck up". and receive a reply with a video attachment from the CEO...and Jamie skypes us and we can see him having his dinner... and Audrey in Halifax can join in the conversation.It is just mind boggling ad we are probably only using 25% of what can be used.
But enough of the issues and more for those who have the leisure life ...the good life and nothing more to worry about then the hours of our favorite boulangerie Benjamin Delicieux.... he likes to close by 1 PM never to open again that day..then couple that with the days he is closed which we can never remember..we really have to be alert in the morning to get our croissants and croissant amandes...these latter have an almond paste and I probably say it as bad as I spell it.My next blog will be a food blog  but today I wanted to catch up with the last few days.
On a cultual side I know I had said how great it was in Vaison de Romain looking at all the Roman remains from  4 BC to  6 AC and the ampitheater which is used today still...not that I would be comfortable there... the stairs are very steep..no code back then..the seats are stone.. and NO railings what so ever to hold on to...but I am sure the acoustics are wonderful. It was amazing to see all the tools and bowls that had been found at the site and how closely they resmble the dishes made today in this part of France...the pottery ones...today they put more colour in them but these Roman guys especially those from the higher castes were not living the low life...they had glass goblets, spoons and knives.. in floor heating and these amazing latrines...granite seats with holes..the excrement was washed away with run off from the aquaducts...they had these telephone contraptions at the site for English speakers but one thing we have noticed is that no one seems to want to hire a professional translator..and everyone seems to have very poor trnslations from wineries to historic sites...
On Tuesday we went to a "borie village"...bories are these stone round huts that there seems to be very little information about except that they were likely used by shepherds out in the fields...not that the one we visited was in a field... and they could be from the 14th century up to the 19th century

 This is me, obviously, standing in front of one to give you a sense of the size..and if you look closely I have on my Blue jays cap..saw they lost last night.

This wall is actually an apiary.. those  square indentations are filled with straw and then somehow the bees build nests there and leave the honey...knowing nothing of bees I have to take this information to be true...

And now since I added pictures I have no idea how to get back to just writing and getting this blog into the old format...help me someone.

 

The best part of that day was being high in the Luberon Mountain range and looking across the plain of Bonneiux and seeing snow covered Mount Ventoux and her lesser ranges as well as looking far to the west at the end of the valley and seeing the snow covered Alps.. then of couse all the farming and vineyards and olive trees below in the valley. The apple trees are at their peak and  it was to say the least AWESOME..

 

 

Yesterday Tuesday we went to a winery not far from here caled Aureto...wines which won many awards..if you believe all that....But it must be good as they have a woman winemaker..we did a tasting and then walked the vineyard.. the trail needs a bit more work...the dining room was closed as major renovations are going on as the whole place has recently been purchased by a Swiss... millionaire I would say... as the reconstruction going on was huge....we bought 4 wines... we both loved the roses and given this week of hot weather  the drink of choice... I have been very disappointed with the Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier. cepages and I was so looking forward to them...Ann Miller, sommelier, had once poured me one from her cellar but from Australia ..Chateau Talbec I believe....the memory of it brings tears to my eyes... but I have just not found what I am taasting here to benearly as enjoyable as that memory... too  much perfume on the nose and not enough acid on the palate...whereas the roses are refreshing and do have some acid  The roses are made from Grenache,or Syrah....they do go down very easily though so one must be careful... they also run 13.5% alcohol...

Aureto means " gentle breeze" and they have a website    www.aureto.fr    we took no pictures yesterday but instead hiked arouind two hilltop towns .. Goult...very beautiful and quiet and Rousillon..more touristy because of their red clay cliffs.We have been eating lunch and dinner on our small patio and I am feeling like Jane Goodall watching  a pair of pigeons bring the 2013 brood in to this world.  But now I am going to visit some antique shops and promenade with the rest of the town..it is that time....Enjoy the beautiful day in Canada...