It isn’t really winter yet but there still is that feel of a winter sun on a cold day and it is always a pleasure to see it when the weather has mostly been gray and there hasn’t been a hint of blue sky anywhere.

Some sun shining on a light in Place des Vosges.

A view through a stained glass form in the Marais.

These gold tipped spears in Palais Royal look so much better when they glisten in the sun.

A view I always love-two rows of trees in a Paris garden done in that military fashion you always see there.

One good thing about the early evenings in Paris is how everything changes with the lights on and the sky dark. I love the pyramid at the Louvre during the day but it becomes magical at night when it is lit up from inside.

Day

Night

I hate jet lag. It seems to have gotten worse for me than it used to be. When I first moved here and returned from a trip to the States all I needed was one good night of sleep and I was pretty much back to normal. I’ve read that you should never take a nap on the day of arrival either but I always did that and did just fine. Now it seems to take at least five days to get back to a normal schedule of sleep. We are into the fourth day from our arrival back in Paris. The first night I got up at 4 AM, went back to bed at 6 AM and slept until 10:30. The next morning I made it until 5 AM. Last night we made the mistake of watching a football game on TV in our bedroom. I fell asleep around 11 PM and awoke at 2 AM to find Maurice still awake watching the TV. When he got up at 3 AM for a trip to the bathroom the bed side light woke me up shining in my eyes. At times like this I wish we hadn’t knocked down that wall to the second bedroom. I finally got up at 5:30 while Maurice slept until 11. I’m hoping tonight is the night it all becomes regular again but I don’t see how. I know it will all pass and return to normal soon.

I’m not sure what this means but I saw it in a window and thought it was rather funny.

I usually get a little melancholy when the days start getting so short and the night starting so early and look forward to December 22nd when it all starts returning to days of longer light. I love it when it doesn’t get dark until after 10 PM in the summer. But one good thing about the sun setting so early is that I get to see sunsets in the Paris sky. In the summer I am usually inside, if not in bed, and miss the whole show that nature is putting on for those lucky to be out and observant at just the right time. Here are a few shots of a beautiful sky along the Seine not too long ago.

When I left Arizona yesterday the temperature was going to get up to 80 degrees. We arrived in Paris to gray skies, rain and temps in the 40’s. I was wearing a light jacket and cotton pants and had a few chilly moments there. We had a great time in the States. In a few days it will all seem like a dream. Right before we left we went to the beautiful town of Sedona, north of Phoenix. I always forget how gorgeous it is there.

Isn’t it amazing how fantastic red cliffs will suddenly appear in the landscape? The drive to Sedona is pretty boring to me but it is worth it when all of this comes into view.

A reflection in a puddle. They had a lot of rain there a few days before we arrived but look at those beautiful blue skies the day we were there!

Interesting desert vegetation growing right into the rock.

Smooth cliffs and rough. None of this geologic drama was caused by glaciers but is all due to rain, wind and the passage of time.

To get a really good look at the area you either need a four wheeler or a tour. We took the Pink Jeep Tour and we actually went down what you see here. It was scary and I tried not to scream.

Sorry this photo is dark. I took this behind our jeep to show what we just came down and what the car behind us is about to do.

Before we left Sedona we went up the hill to see this Chapel built in the 50’s up in the rocks. Frank Lloyd Wright has a hand in the design. As you might imagine, it had a fantastic view once you got up there.

Actually, in the air again. Tomorrow we leave Phoenix at the ungodly hour of 7 AM where we will then fly to Dallas, then NYC, and then Paris. It’s gonna be a long day. We’ve had a great time and eaten our way across America. Maurice loves those American breakfasts with pancakes, eggs, bacon and toast so we have had our share of those. I’ve had my Mexican food fix but somehow never got to a barbeque place. I’ve had too much junk food too. So, now back to France where I eat more healthily and more simply in many way. See you on the other side of the Atlantic.