Paris - The Fountain of the Innocents

A fountain can be decorative, but its main use is to provide water.

This fountain pictured below we discovered on one of our walks in old Paris. Commissioned for the royal entry of King Henry II into Paris in 1549, the free-standing version below is a representation of the original. The Fountain of the Innocents (Fontaine des Innocents) is the oldest monument fountain in Paris.

Fontaine des Innocents, Paris, by DG Hudson

The Fontaine des Innocents located in the Les Halles district of Paris was inspired by the architecture of ancient Rome. Its first incarnation was a grand viewing stand for the elite as well as a fountain complete with taps at street level for the public. It was called the 'Fountain of the Nymphs' when originally constructed  between 1547 and 1550. The architectural style in Paris at that time was French Renaissance.

Fontaine des Innocents, water flowing, by DG Hudson

For sanitary reasons, the cemeteries of Paris were moved in 1787 to a location outside the city walls and the former cemetery of the Church of the Saints-Innocents (on the other side of the supporting wall) was transformed into a public square. The fountain was saved by the efforts of a writer, Quatremere de Quincy, who urged the preservation of what he called 'a masterpiece of French sculpture'.

Fontaine des Innocents embellishments, by DG Hudson

This public square was a peaceful spot to sit and contemplate the history that this fountain had seen. Raised seating around the perimeter provides a place to sit and few tourists haunt the area. I tried to imagine the common folk of Paris coming to collect their water centuries before.  The cemeteries were moved outside of the city due to the huge collection of dead bodies that had been interred inside the walls of the church. After centuries of this practice, toxins leached into the soil and the ground water supply. This caused cholera and many deaths. See links below about the original church and its mass graves.


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Have you visited any historical fountains in your travels or in your own city? OR Have you heard of the mass graves and associated disease?  Please share in the comments. Thanks for stopping by.


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References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontaine_des_Innocents
Fountain of the Innocents

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quatrem%C3%A8re_de_Quincy
Quatremere de Quincy wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saints_Innocents_Cemetery
Saints Innocents Cemetery

A Cat with C'attitude

The Visitor

His Cat name is Sid, aka Sid-hartha, Sid-dee, Sid the vicious, and Squidney.  These different names represent his changing moods.  He's been lodging here at our place while his owner is packing and moving.

Sid the Polydactyl in the Study, by DG Hudson

In the photo above, you can just see the thumb on the right paw. It looks like a mitten and allows him to swat at things with panache, including people.  He's got the spunk and attitude of a dog, since he was raised with a large dog named Sasha, a female who tolerated his lunging leaps as a kitten. No one is sure who instigated all their escapades, and they aren't telling. But, a thumb does help get things open.

Sid the vicious, at 2 years by DG Hudson

Sid looks a little wistful here, missing his owner.  They will be reunited in about a week. In the meantime, he's come to think of our home as a 'Cat Spa', and we're his attendants. After all, he meows frequently and thinks he's talking to the humans.  Those are probably 'command meows'. He's still young and a little cocky.

Sid in formal pose, best paw extended, by DG Hudson

A Note About Polydactyls

Ernest Hemingway loved polydactyl cats, after being given one by a ship's captain. When Hemingway died, his former home in Key West, Florida was turned into a museum and a home for approximately fifty cats. About half of the cats are polydactyl. Sometimes these cats are called Hemingway Cats, because of his well-known love for the breed. Perhaps Ernest thought their big 'mitt paws' looked like boxing gloves.

We visited the Hemingway House a few years ago and saw these cats lounging on the beds.  In the lush garden, you can see a unique porcelain watering fountain for the cats; it came from Sloppy Joe's.

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Have you seen a polydactyl cat's paws?  Did you know about these cats? OR if you like the photos of Sid, let me know. Please share in the comments and thanks for dropping by.

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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydactyl_cat Polydactyl Cats

http://www.hemingwayhome.com/ Hemingway House

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The Truth About Letting Go is LIVE!

Leigh Talbert Moore, author of The Truth About Letting Go, is featured here today. If you don't know Leigh, check out her blog. The NEWS: The Truth About Letting Go is officially available February 21, 2013.




The Truth About Letting Go by Leigh Talbert Moore

A companion to The Truth About Faking (not a sequel; the books can be read out of order), The Truth About Letting Go takes readers back to Shadow Falls, or more specifically Shadow Creek, with Ashley Lockett as she learns about real friendship, love, and letting go.

Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life. Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley's seemingly charmed shoes. Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear--with Ashley at his side. Jordan wants to follow his heart... but Ashley is the one sacrifice he never expected to make.

Up until now, Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She's always done the right thing, played it safe, and then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly.

Fueled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before. She rejects safety, the rules, faith, and then she meets Jordan. Jordan has big dreams, he's had a crush on Ashley for years, he's a great kisser... but he's also safe.

Enter Colt. He is not safe, and he's more than willing to help Ashley fulfill her vow.


Get it today on Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes * Kobo

Add it on Goodreads.

Excerpt:

I feel Colt laugh, and he looks down into my face. That’s when he seems to realize what I’ve been acutely aware of for the last several minutes—our bodies are pressed together.


“It’s awesome, yeah?” he says. “Adrenaline rush.”

“Yeah,” I breathe. “I guess.”

 
I’m not sure if he’s going to kiss me until he does. His mouth covers mine, and energy mixes with the alcohol flooding my body. Our tongues slide together, and I grip his shirt so I don’t collapse.  Every single bit of this is wrong, and there’s no way I’m stopping it. It’s back, that good feeling. The sadness has been pushed out again, and in its place is this rush, this rush of adrenaline like Colt said.

He pulls back and smiles at me. “We’re going to start dating. Now. You’re my partner in crime.”


About the Author:

Moore

Leigh Talbert Moore is a wife and mom by day, a writer by day, a reader by day, a former journalist and editor, a chocoholic, a caffeine addict, a lover of YA and new adult romance (really any great love story), a beach bum, and occasionally she sleeps.





-The Truth About Faking is her debut young adult romance (on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo)
-Rouge is her first New Adult romantic suspense novel (on Amazon).

Leigh loves hearing from readers; stop by and say hello!

Blog * Facebook * Amazon Author page * Goodreads * Twitter * Tumblr

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http://leightmoore.blogspot.ca/  Leigh's Blog, 'That's Write'

Do you know or follow Leigh? (aka LTM)? Do you read romance?  Hope you can say hi in the comments and then, go and check out Leigh's new book!  Thanks for stopping by.

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Backyard Birds - Woodpeckers

Even birds know that sometimes, you have to share. . .

Pileated Woodpecker, top; Downy Woodpecker, lower, by Green Eye, DGH

If you have old trees, or even dead trees, woodpeckers will come. Variables affecting this are: the predators in your yard, or if there is food nearby, and tree coverage. When these big Pileated woodpeckers show up, the other birds back off.  Those beaks are sharp and strong, and can kill other birds. The red colour on their heads warns the other birds to stay back.

Pileated Woodpecker looking for food, by DG Hudson

The acrobatic Pileated Woodpecker, in the photo below, wants to hang on his suet and eat it while swinging. It shows the strong markings on the side of the head and the pointed beak.  The preferred natural food is tree grubs, with suet and seed adding the fat they need.






Pileated Woodpecker, Suet feeder, by DG Hudson 

All photos in this post were taken from the side deck, looking down on the feeders. Lurking there, we took these photos as silently as we could so as not to disturb the birds. No special lens was used. These types of photos have to be taken quick and without fuss (minimal noise, beeps, opening doors, etc). The birds don't wait. The Pileated Woodpecker, about 16-19 inches in length beak to tail, is striking with swathes of red and black on the head. The smaller varieties have the same 'don't mess with me' attitude as the larger birds. Or did you notice in the first photo that the smaller bird is on the larger feeder? 

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The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, considered extinct at one time, was sighted in 2006 in Florida, and became a subject of disagreement as to its authenticity. We saw the newspaper article reporting the sighting while visiting. They prefer hardwood forests, and may have changed habitats. That is, if they really have come back. We can only hope. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory-billed_Woodpecker  The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

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And now for something fun. . .

Pileated Woodpecker, Color Injection by DG Hudson

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Do you like birds? Any interesting birds you can remember from your travels, your backyard, a movie, or a story? Please share in the comments.

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Happy Valentine's to those who celebrate it!

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La Belle Époque - Beautiful Era

A time of learning, invention, design and innovation. La Belle Époque or simply Belle Époque, refers to the years between 1871 - 1914. 
 

In the UK, it paralleled the Victorian and the Edwardian eras. In the USA, this period was called the Gilded Age. Kaiser Wilhelm and Alexander III still ruled their respective countries. France was at the forefront of modern knowledge and new methods. 

Au Lapin Agile Cabaret, Montmartre, Paris, by DG Hudson

Au Lapin Agile Cabaret

During the Belle Époque Picasso and other artists frequented the Au Lapin Agile Cabaret (the nimble rabbit cabaret), a Montmartre spot where art was discussed and sometimes accepted as payment for an artist's bill. Picasso made the cabaret famous in his 1905 painting, At the Lapin Agile.

Prominent artists in Paris during the Belle Époque included post-Impressionists Paul Gaugin, Henri Matisse, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and a young Pablo Picasso.  There were many more.

 

 Maxim's in Paris, part of the Belle Epoch, by DG Hudson

Maxim's was founded as a bistro in 1893 and later became a Paris hotspot. One of its chefs included the young Wolfgang Puck. Maxim's, embellished with Art Nouveau designs, was a well-known gathering spot during the Belle Époque, the restaurant where everyone in Paris went to be seen. 

 

In Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge, Montmartre, Paris by DG Hudson

The Can-can dance was a popular 19th-century cabaret style that appears in Toulouse-Lautrec's posters from the era. This nostalgic period is featured in Midnight in Paris along with the Lost Generation. In Belle Époque Paris as now, the Moulin Rouge is a landmark famous for its burlesque performances . 
 

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Did you see Midnight in Paris? Do you consider this time period a romantic period or a scientific era? Would you want to live then? 

Please share in the comments and thanks for stopping by!



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References:

Youtube - Belle Epoque
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL8xA3-DLBU

http://dghudson-rainwriting.blogspot.ca/2012/04/m-montmartre-paris-to-z-blog-challenge.html   Montmartre post for 2012 A to Z Challenge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_%C3%89poque Belle Epoque
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapin_Agile - Au Lapin Agile Cabaret (artists' hangout)

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The Risk of Digital Only Photos: Caution

Two steps forward, one step back. . .

Have Camera, Will Photograph, by DG Hudson

Where are your photo files stored?

A newspaper article I read recently reminded me about the very real possibility of losing your digital photo collection.  This can happen for a variety of reasons. I'm referring to computer related losses, whether you lose the computer from theft or lose the content within.  We've lost data a couple of times with computers in the past, with all the photos that weren't copied onto a storage device. 

It's a good idea to have a backup hardcopy for something as important as photographs of your family or your 'work stock' of photos.  Having a physical copy means you can scan it and add it to your archives if the digital image is lost. In the referenced article, the couple lost baby photos. Even in the digital age, there should be room for a photo album or scrapbook, at least for the milestones.

Reference newspaper article:
Can't Find Your snapshots? Picture this-a real photo album, by Shelley Fralic, The Vancouver Sun, January 2013.

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To compensate for Murphy's Law: (what can happen, will happen)

I've learned to store my work and photos on other devices:  flash drives, DVDs, personal storage.  I  have albums of printed photos, a habit started as soon as I had a camera. I print special photos in 5X7 or 8X10 format.  A larger format will give a better copy for scanning.

Posting photos online via Picasa and Blogger means I have the data for online uses, but the physical copies mean I have another option if my e-data goes into the ether.  It's a way of having something in my backpocket.

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Regarding Picasa

I've recently downloaded Picasa, as Blogger gave me no choice if I wanted to upload my own photographs.  I had photo applications on my pc and didn't need Picasa until Blogger changed the way it uploads photos. At least, it changed for me. 

Alert: when the Picasa menu item says 'delete from disk', it means 'remove from your hard drive'). Maybe some of you knew this, but I didn't.  Use caution.

This post was inspired by the newspaper article, but also because having one method of storage isn't always a good idea.  I've backed up my writing and most of my photos. How about you?

Are your photos or your writing saved online as well as in off-web storage devices?  Do you have backups of your photo work stock?  Have you lost work only stored on your pc or other devices?  Please share in the comments.

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A Pizza Place in Paris

While in Paris, eating is a must.  It's a city known for its food.  Some of the best places are tucked into the side streets and local squares.  The photo below is in the Latin Quarter, but this post is about a pizza place in the Marais. Both districts are rich with eating places.

 

 



Choosing a cafe in Paris, by DG Hudson

We landed at CDG airport in Paris, France, early on a Monday morning, the day after leaving Vancouver, British Columbia. Still tired from an overnight flight, we slept a couple of hours to recharge. At seven or eight in the evening, we set out to explore the Marais neighborhood near the Hotel de Ville and to find a local restaurant. 

Many of the bistros were either closed or didn't offer food service on Mondays. Pizza Sant'Antonio, the third cafe we tried, was open. A photo of the restaurant is at the first link below.  The aromas that wafted out smelled alluring and we were greeted warmly. After showing us to our bistro table, we ordered our wine with water on the side. Diluting the effects makes it easier to walk after your meal. Our friendly waiter helped us translate as we ordered, as I wanted tap water, not bottled.  Our servers were very polite and attentive. A lovely way to start our trip. (I have drunk the water of Paris and am now one of those who are forever called back to the city.  No, not like zombies. . .)

I ordered French style scallops over rice with a herb sauce. Hubs ordered grilled salmon and frites.  With two coffees after the meal, plus tip, our bill was about 44 Euros in the autumn (high season) when we visited.  This was the first of three meals we had at the Pizza Sant'Antonio and only one was pizza.  In the photo below, another side street restaurant beckons you inside.

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A Montmartre street, restaurant on the right by DG Hudson

A first impression can shape how we feel about a place.  This pizza place, Sant'Antonio's and a few other bistros welcomed us to Paris and showed us the French warmth that surfaces when you share their food.  We avoided the well-known tourist places, opting instead for the small cafes we searched out on our evening walks, where you sit cozily by your neighbor, with each respecting the other's privacy as you enjoy homestyle French cooking or sample a pizza. 

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Are you a pizza fan? Do you have any first impressions of a place (city, restaurant, beach, etc) that firmly cemented it in your mind as a place you would remember?  Please share in the comments below, and I'll respond.

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References:

The Pizza Place:
http://www.qype.fr/place/107881-Pizza-SantAntonio-Paris A favourite in the Marais, Pizza Sant'Antonio, Paris, on the far right. This link shows a wide angle shot of the restaurants on one side of the square. Nice neighborhood for walking, quiet at night.

http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/pizza-in-paris-where-to-find-paris-best-pizza-pie.html  A review about the Pizza Sant'Antonio, Paris. 

Previous post that mentioned this great Pizza Place: (see 'Paris Posts' tab)
http://dghudson-rainwriting.blogspot.ca/2011/10/paris-bistros-and-sidewalk-cafes-of.html

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