very french

I love the clothes these girls are wearing. And guess what, little girls in France do dress like that, even now.

In France -- in Lyon at least -- children are dressed very properly. Girls, especially. They wear skirts and tights with leather Mary Janes (which would be more like girls' Sunday best outfit in the U.S.) as their everyday school clothes.

I'm not completely convinced that they're comfortable, but they do look adorable.

Here are more photos of these cards.

happy friday

That's Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon behind the trees. I love looking at this building, but I've never gone inside of it, which is now a museum. I think I should!

Have a great weekend, everyone :)

sweet thoughts

Every day is a Valentine's Day for me :)

nautical stripes

I'd never been a big fan of stripes and never worn them much until I moved here. But oh boy, French people love them, and you know how easily influenced I am.

Nautical stripes come out in spring -- in full force -- like daffodils bursting into bloom after waiting silently during long, dark, cold winter. Summer is the official "stripey season" in France (and of course in the rest of the world as well).

That doesn't mean I can't wear stripes during the cold season. In fact, I've accumulated quite a few stripey shirts because I've discovered that wearing them noticeably lifts my mood on long, dark, cold winter days. Sometimes I'd be walking outside, feeling bulky and clumsy in a heavy winter coat, and suddenly remember that I'm wearing a marine stripe shirt underneath. Instantly uplifted, now I feel like smiling and skipping on the sidewalk (you know how easily influenced I am).

I'm wearing a stripe shirt and channeling Pablo Picasso, Coco Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Audrey Hepburn.

I feel stylish, but more importantly, I feel happy.

treasure, treasure

Can No.1: Top

One person's junk is another person's treasure.

Can No.1: Bottom



Not too long ago I took someone to the flea market with me, and she kept making comments like "Why would you want to pay money for that?", "You're not going to take that back to the U.S., are you?", "But it's all bent and rusty! So ugly!"... and my favofrite of all: "You can get a new one at less than half that price!" (She is absolutely right!)

Can No.2: Top

It's really fun to see what others at the flea market are buying. Occasionally I see people carrying something very unusual-looking and think, "What the heck is that? What is that person going to do with it?". Once in a while I see something in someone's hand and think, "Now that's ugly."

But hey, it's one person's junk, another person's treasure.

Can No.2: Bottom

I'll keep my mouth shut because they keep theirs shut. While on the subject, I should publicly thank my wonderful husband for keeping his mouth shut every time I come home from the flea market.

I want you to know, honey, that not everything I bring home from Les Puces is useless junk. Some of the stuff has found work in the apartment. Have you noticed????

Can No.3: Happily occupied.