We must enjoy the day - waiting for the rain

August is here, it might get cold soon... No not really...

We have to take advantage of the sunny warm weather and be outside. Coming from Norway enjoying a warm day and not spend it inside is rooted in me. When warmer than 15 degrees c and sunny you storm out and spend the whole day outside. You simply can not let such a beautiful day go by, who knows when you'll see another one. 

The problem is of course now I live in the south of France. For the past 7 months this has been the weather:  Sun, sunny, warm, sun, warm, sun, sunny, 2 drops of rain, sun, sunny, very warm, sun, sunny, warm... ok and some wind. You get the picture. The weather is rather nice down here.

Beautiful day in April

But my head still tells me you have to get out, if only to lay in the hammock in the garden. It's way to nice to be inside. The small project inside can wait for a rainy day.

It's the beginning of October and I've had on summer jeans 10 times or so in the last 7 months. The one item I've worn the most: A Sarong.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it. These months are what makes all the difference. But my brain has not switched to Languedoc weather yet. I still get guilty if I stay inside and its lovely outside. It's just that is lovely a lot of the time here. More or less all the time from April to October. So these small projects they stay projects for now at least.

Never know how long the sun will last... October 1st

Several times it has been predicted rain, and it might rain in the next village but not with us. One day we had orange alert, that means very strong warning for flooding. And it was rather horrible other places but here it rained for 30 minutes. 2 days of heavy rain turned out to be drizzle for 4 hours.

So small projects wait for a rainy day - that so far has not come. Tomorrow they say it will rain and the temperature will drop to 10-15 degrees.

So we did take advantage of this lovely autumn weekend with temperatures up to 30 degrees Celsius. It's been spent outside. Waiting for the rain. that hopefully will come. And then we might start one the small projects.

We have to enjoy the day - October 10Th.

Unless it gets warm again. Then we have to go out and enjoy it. You never know how long it will last my brain tells me. Luxury problem I know. 

Update: It's now november 20th and we are still waiting. We've had 1 day of rain, proper rain. Then some windy days and some a little colder. Today it's still 21 degrees (c). It's rather amazing.

Mayronnes sculpture trail - a little wonder where the road ends

Nadine Trescartes: Le cri. Permanent exhibit. 

Aude is full of history, nature and nice surprises. Everywhere you turn something catches your eye. In a small valley in the Haut Corbieres, the Corbieres mountains, art and magnificent nature are blended together. At the end of the road lays a hamlet that is host to a spectacular art walk. Here are some of the sculptures.

Mosaic from the trail.

Mayronnes is the starting point of a walk up into the mountains. A special walk. A walk amongst sculptures. A beautiful tribute to art, life and nature. A walk I've wanted to take for some time but not been able to. But this year we did. Armed with hiking boots, walking sticks and taped up ankles the 5 kilometre trail was to be explored.

Charly: Tortues. Permanent exhibit.

What a path and what an experience. The sun was shining, it was hardly a breeze. Green, lush and beautiful the track goes up and up.

Raymond Galle :  L'arbre couché. Permanent exhibit. 

It's not made to walk fast, along the way different pieces of art are integrated in the scenery.

Jean  Lebeau: Couroucoucou. Permanent exhibit. 

Cleverly done.

Robert Cros:  Agrafes. Exhibit 2015.

Some of the artwork are here permanently.

Robert Cros: Un, deux, etc. Permanent exhibit. 

 Others are this years contributions.

Nadine Trescartes: Le cri. Permanent exhibit. 

Finally you reach the plateau and what a view.

Nadine Trescartes: Métronome 2. Exhibit 2015. For full sculpture see further down.

These are just some of the artworks. I will be back with more photos at a later date.

Raymond Galle : Les 3 pierres dressées des Corbières. Permanent exhibit. 

Walking back the track takes you into more forest areas and again beautiful views and interesting artwork.

Anne Sarda: Mes tissages. Exhibit 2015. 

Anne Sarda: Mes tissages. Exhibit 2015. 

An almost perfect walk in nature! *

David Vanorbeek: Élégance. Permanent exhibit. 

I will be back!

Nadine Trescartes: Métronome 2. Exhibit 2015.

* While the path for the most parts is ok to go there is one part towards the end that is absolutely horrifying.  It should come with a little warning for those having bad joints, heart problems or bad eyesight. It is not a walk any more but an "adventure" trail obstacle course. A very steep climb on a tiny rough trail where you have to drag yourself up after trees. I apologize to the artists as I had no appreciation for their interesting contributions.

When you are through the bush walk you reach a new plateau with some really cool artwork, more  on the way down to the parking again. I will have to go back (and up where you go down) another time to be able to appreciate them and take pictures.

There is a shorter version and of course you have the possibility to go for longer walks in this magnificent area.



Here is some more information on the walk in
English http://www.audetourisme.com/diffusio/en/activities/exhibitions/mayronnes/mayronnes-sculpture-path_TFOFMALAR011V504QD2.php

and French: Sentier Sculpturel de Mayronnes
http://www.sentiersculpturel.com/

A visitor has finally come home

Travelling, studying, working in other places or countries was fun. Different. New adventures. Standing at airports, train stations, bus stations talking to people most said the same: " I've loved being here and there but it will be so good to go home, to where I belong." I had no idea what that feeling was, what they were talking about.

It felt strange, different, lonely in a way, not feeling that I had to be somewhere special. That one place. The "tears in the eyes" thinking about going home. I was feeling many things, crying many tears but never over "home" home.

Many talk about feeling alienated when you come home after a short or longer stay abroad. You don't really fit in, belong any more, you've changed. Others have changed. The place you left has changed.

The thing is, if I'm totally honest, that's how I've always felt deep down. Since childhood. That I was kind of a visitor, passing through.  An "alien" if you like.

Standing at any station leaving a place to go back to Norway I often had no desire to go at all. Of course it would be nice to see friends and family. Sleep in my own bed. But longing and looking forward to see the hills around Oslo to feel complete? No I did not feel it.  It was just my base, where I came from.

One of my manager ones told me: "You're problem is not being afraid of change as most, but that you whole life is about nothing but change. You need change to much. I'm afraid that you don't root." He was absolutely right.  I was not "home" home anywhere, rooted, knowing deep down that this is where I belong.

I was a little envious of others knowing with absolutely certainty where they belonged. Me, I was like a water plant surviving in any container filled with some water, passing through. Sometimes for a day, sometimes for a week other times for years. Visiting not really rooting. Being strange but fine at the same time. Not looking for that one place either. I was many lovely places, meeting many nice people. More than 40 years went by. Life was after all good.

Then one warm day in July I knew. No fireworks, no big emotions just driving on an unromantic highway in a part of France I had never been. An inner peace, a certainty. Finally I knew what many had been talking about. There on a stretch on the highway "between the 2 oceans" I knew: This is it.

I'm home. 

Epilogue: We now live 10 - 15 minutes from that part on the highway. I finally understand the "tears in my eyes" when leaving or going back. I have moved out of the water container. I'm rooting. I'm becoming a real tree. I'm at peace. I belong.

A Viking in the vines

I'm an ex-pat substituting the cold North for the warm South. 

Norway for France. The colder mentality with a warmer one where neighbours actually talk to each other. Where you can comment when queuing in the store without people looking at you like your utterly mad. You say «bonjour» at the bakery, to the security guy in the supermarket and in the elevator at IKEA.

I have travelled the world being curious about other cultures, thinking about my place, never totally understanding others when they talked about rooting, belonging. 


Then some years back, going through France I found it. Driving on a highway in Languedoc I just knew: I'm home. Luckily my partner felt the same and we have now settled in a small village not to far from a city. This is where we belong.

I was struck by lightning. 

For real. In a fraction of a second everything changed and life today is very different from what it used to be. I'm not saying it’s been easy, I'm not saying it's without challenges, I'm just saying it is possible. To accept, to enjoy what I can do and live a good life for me. A life in pain yes, but I'm so much more than the pain. As the saying goes, when one door closes another opens.

I'm inspired by life, the joy of being: people, colours, smells, beautiful scenery and a city's vibrant life, music, the relationship between people and love. I'm in the middle of life and think I'm where I'm suppose to be.

My blog is my window to the world: I'm a humanist. I'm a strong believer in equality. I don’t take lightly on injustice. 

I enjoy every minute, I've been lucky. I'm alive.