The Villa at Eygalieres, France

Ahhhh... I hope to go back to this tiny village someday and bring my hubby with me.

It was just lovely.

I appreciate the opportunity that Shauna and Eric gave us to stay in such a beautiful place.

And I can see why so many people fall in love with France.

Food is fresh and real there.

It is hard to find the pre-packaged garbage we have over here on the shelves of their local markets.

I got the feeling they live in the moment.

Businesses close for a little break in the afternoon and don't stay open very late into the evening.

The sunsets have a warm hazy glow to them.

The geology, infrastructure, olive trees, lavender and vineyards seem to have stood from way back in time and history.

Colorful shutters against old stone walls is all they need - it seems - to make a home new there.

Cyprus trees are everywhere.

Old castles and stone villages mark many hillsides.

History is all around there.

The french women pronounce their words with such delicate intonations.

"Merci, We, Pardem Wa" - I'm sure I slaughtered the spelling...

Samantha speaks the language fluently and has little patience with our attempts to pronounce words.

Paris was neat but I absolutely fell in love with the countryside of France.

This was the view from the pool looking at the small vegtable garden and the village of Eygalieres on the hillside in the distance. We rode our bikes there to go to the local market and to the pastry shop for fresh pastries.

The pool with the house behind.

The little pathway from the guest house to the main house.

Breakfast pastries with local lavender honey on the breakfast patio. (And Jack's prized "Frosties" = American Frosted Flakes but a scarcity and hard to find in the countryside).

Tile work on the side of the home.

Another of the patios.

The guest houses. The kids and I slept in the one on the right.

Steps to the pool.

Sometimes I like to daydream that I am still there relaxing by the pool, enjoying lunch in a village or driving down the road with trees on both sides. All in the company of my good sisters and nieces and nephews.