A Little Homesick

From the Pont des Arts

Living in two places, it is easy to get homesick for the "other" place. We left Paris prematurely so that Terry could have his knee surgery. We haven't missed Spring in Paris in many, many years. While Fall is my favorite time of year in Paris, the Spring has many things to recommend it. The trees become green again. The flowers all get the message at the same moment and start to bloom. And they "time" their blooms with the daffodils and narcissis flowering first followed by poppies, tulips and many others.

In the Luxembourg Gardens, it is obvious that the gardeners plan each bed with precision. The colors coordinate, the differing height of the plants adds interest, and when something dies, it is promptly removed and something else is put in it's place.

So, to get my Paris fix, I've read, re-read a couple of books about Paris. The first book I read is new to me, "A Paris Life" by G. Thomas Thornton. It is his account of life in Paris post WWII. There are many interesting stories, but the book lacks continuity, it could have used an editor. There are some ideas in the book that make it worth reading. And he wrote, "My exposure to the people, history, attitudes and social strata of Parisian life changed my outlook. I became liberal in my views, far beyond my years." I will have to remember this when someone in the US asks me, "what do you do THERE???"

But, the book that really made me homesick for Paris was "Paris to the Moon" by Adam Gopnik. I read this book when it was first published and enjoyed it, but in re-reading it, I found the language extraordinary, the scenes familiar. I especially like his descriptions of taking the bus. He writes, "The hardest thing to convey is how lovely it all is and how that loveliness seems all you need." He goes on to point out that this is transitory.

So, I will, for the moment, have to rely on my memory, the writings of others and my iPhoto collection.



This is where I buy my flowers



The small annoyances of Paris life...