Tuesday, November 7, 2023

                                         Rodin Museum statue garden in Paris.

Ever wonder how to help a youngster engage in a museum? 



At 10, he raced through the museum's interior in record time. But
the garden captured his interest. From one statue to the next, he was eager to make his own body match the pose.


He quickly mastered each pose and returned to a few, to be more precise.



Becoming more curious to perfect his stance, he also engaged other visitors in his discoveries. Several followed his progress through the garden.



Frequent smiles meant he was on to something!




His physical confidence improved noticeably as we moved through the garden. Not just those big muscles but attention to detail added depth to his discovery.



He even got his Pop Pop involved, revisiting all the statues.





As the poses became more detailed, props were introduced! A found sheet of paper and a small stick became a brush and palette.


A good day visiting a museum with kids. Never underestimate their interests.

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Remove and Replace!

Oh, so much better! 

We had to wait for 2 months for the electrician to work us into his schedule, but the results were worth the wait. He was efficient, fast, and came in under budget! We could not have asked for more. 

The walls were cleaned and replastered, sanded, and painted as soon as possible! 







 The damaged electric meter and sub-panel have been replaced.



And another finish!

and if you have, thanks for reading me
Au revoir, Linda 

Sunday, June 6, 2021



OH MY! (to be continued)

A lightning strike followed the main cable from the transformer on the pole across the street. Following the cable that leads to our house, finding its way through the exterior wall and directly into our electric meter. Which then exploded and burst into flame!


This is the main electrical panel in Montegut. The door frame on the left side of this photo leads to the Dining room. To the right is the Front door, with cotton drapes hanging on each side. There is a wood floor directly above the meter. Luckily the fire failed to find fuel and to maintain enough heat to expand, to our relief. So we only need to replace the meter and clean up the damage.

This panel was/is on the list of "To-Do" this summer. It is now at the top of our list!

 



We have been exceedingly fortunate not to have any damage to the property in our absence. Again, our thanks go to friends and family members who watch over Montegut!

We were unable to travel to Montegut in 2020. Our renovation list is nearing the end, at which point it becomes our Montegut Maintenace list... we are eagerly awaiting that change. Without fail, the secondary list (Monegut Maintenance) is already weaved into our current list. But with many more Orchard and Gardening tasks, which seems to grow like Topsy. 

And if you have, thanks for reading me.

Au Revoir, Linda






Monday, December 9, 2019

A Treasure in Plain Sight

One of only two rooms downstairs to finish. This was used as a bedroom, but first we need to begin at the beginning. Furniture moved out, cupboards emptied... but wait!





Built in cabinets on both sides of the fireplace, in what shall become our salon, were emptied. Along with decades of books, Christmas decorations we spotted this solid oak box.  Measuring about 18 x 18 inches square with one latch we opened it cautiously. We spent the next 2 hours trying to comprehend what we had discovered


Unlikely cornucopia! Inside we found a treasure trove of correspondence, some dating back nearly 4 centuries.



Where to begin?



The contents just as they were placed in the box.



Documents and letters were unfolded, carefully dusted and, stacked according to type. Personal letters, documents from local or country officials were the majority of correspondance.






Yes, you are reading that date correctly, 5 Juin 1654!!




Some letters did not fare as well as others, this one is split on the fold line and the embossed seal has folded edges.



The paper is large, about 60cm x 30cm. Then folded to create a "book", pages were stitched with course linen thread.


Linen threads, hand tied held the pages in place.



The official documents were folded in thirds and tied with a ribbon as a means of organizing.



This letter, dated 1775 has an additional stamp of someone appointed by the King, hence the word Roi (royal).




All the documents are on handmade paper of a high quality and handwritten. Many with official stamps from whomever was the King at the time.


The elegant penmanship is stunning. The correspondance of the earlier (1600s - 1700s) are difficult to tranaslate as old French was used so the early letters need to be translated. The language was standarized between 1789 and 1918.



A special treasure was finding letters written by Octave Dargeles to his brother Joseph who stayed in Montegut. This is an early letter, dated 1890 just 2 years after emigrating to California.



Hand drawn map of the Dargeles farm in Montegut, outlined in blue pen.


 A young Octave Jules Dargeles on  his wedding day, looking prosperous. This photo was included in one on his letters sent to his family in Montegut.



Letters from California to Montegut.


Sent from Bordeaux where the young Dargeles brothers, Octave and Jean Marie boarded a steam ship bound for New Orleans in 1885.

We continue to feel blessed from the results of a short simple letter addressed to:

 DARGELES
Carruthers, California
U.S.A.

Sent in 2001 by a cousin living near Montegut searching for the long lost family who left France in 1885.

And if you have, thanks for reading

Au revoir
Linda




Saturday, November 23, 2019

La cuisine est finie!

What a joy it was to work toward the final finish of our kitchen. As with the other rooms we've renovated over the years, our target was a functional and purposefully designed room.

We are thrilled to have found a local carpenter who was able to work within our time frame. Thanks to a cousin who lives nearby, the windows were fitted during our absence in 2018. We received photos after the installation. Seeing both the window and the door in person made for a happy return.


The only window in the kitchen is on the north-west wall. It was smallish and replaced with an oak framed double-pane glass. The exterior was painted for protection from the changing weather. All the other windows will be replaced, and the exterior trim color will match.



The kitchen garden door brings much-needed light into the kitchen. It is situated directly under the "Juliet balcony" of the guest room.

The Boston Ivy or Virginia Creeper was planted years ago and continues to grow hardily to cover the entire wall. A small area on the front wall is slowly being covered, and we celebrate the new growth when we return. The Virginia Creeper sends out runners that cling to the surface and absorb moisture. This trailing plant does not wedge into cracks or soft spots.

 
A glance back to the original kitchen garden door. We changed the location of the hinges to open on the opposite side.


Several years ago, we found oak cupboard doors at a local Vide Grenier. This translates to "empty the attic." I finally got around to dusting them off and taking a photo just before the carpenter loaded them into his van for restoration.



The stain was very old and very dark, not to mention very dirty.  Le Charpentier tested the finish and checked the strength of ancient construction. He removed the hinges and pulls from the doors, the old brass pulls would be reused, but new hinges would be installed.





 Luckily the stain could easily be removed, and to keep costs down, I volunteered to strip the stain from the outside frame of each door. After 3 separate applications of the paint/stain stripper, the results were encouraging.


Only 13 more frames to go.  As the temperature rises, the paint stripper works faster, but getting this job finished is the priority!




Cabinets, both upper and lower units, were installed in our absence. The frequent question has been, "weren't you anxious to have this all down without being present"? We both felt the carpenter was so skilled and intuitive with our vision we were very comfortable. He was always the consummate artisan. We viewed his previous work in the area, we visited his home and family and his workshop. He and his lovely wife easily became friends as well.



Both the plumber and electrician spent a few days working to add the necessary elements to make the space functionally perfect.

The next hurdle was choosing material for the countertops. I wanted a solid surface that was heavy-duty, as in all likelihood will be in place for several decades. Every recommendation was the same, a local company at the base of the Pyrennes and only 45 minutes from Montegut. 


Less than a week after reserving the granite slab, the company owner arrived with his computer/tripod and laser! Measurements were taken every 5 centimeters to ensure a perfect fit. Less than an hour later, he was packed up and gone.










Measured, trimmed to fit perfectly. No problems, not a single one! They fit the faucet and sink. All the surfaces were cleaned and polished, even to my mother's exact standards!




With help from a few friends, the appliances from the upstairs kitchen are in place, and the dishwasher is installed!

There is not a thing we would change. The kitchen reflects our wish to create a functional and modest space.  It works perfectly for us and, hopefully, for many generations who come to Montegut.

And if you have, thanks for reading.

Au Revoir