A couple of weeks back already, as described in an earlier post, I set out on a little trip for a few days of fresh air, heading toward the eastern reaches of France. From those days of wandering, I offer you this triptych. I was surprised to stumble on the French Riviera, I would have sworn it was farther south, but no, here it was in the northeast. I love the part that says "BAR AMBIANCE". Anyone up for coming along tomorrow night to check out the ambiance in this place, while quaffing a Tuesday Tipple or two (or three for some...) ? ? ?
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A dream house was found to add to the collection . . . needs a little roofing work perhaps ?
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This third panel of the triptych is a farm in the former battlefields a short drive northwest from Verdun, across the Meuse River. It was shut up tight, and I was wondering if it could be had for a song. And was wondering what ghosts roam in those Autumn woods. Just behind where this photo was taken from was a German cemetery from WWI which was shown in a post just a few down here. I sent this photo to a couple of painter friends in Pennsylvania, am curious to see if they may be able to cover a canvas with something similar to this scene . . . or their interpretation of it . . .
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24 comments:
Looks like I could be the first to check in here, but I have nuthin to say. Had a beer and a dog in your honour today, and experienced my first and hopefully last football game. Sorry that I have nothing creative, encouraging, observant or brilliant to say. Just wanted to say hi to my little brother.
Dearest Big Sis Lynne,
I can well understand that after an afternoon out of doors in the company of tens of thousands of hollering beer swilling football afficianados, your stomach pumped full of nitrate bearing hotdogs, your ears ringing from the innane cheering over a mighty but meaningless match, that you may indeed be feeling so totally knackered as to have next to nothing to say but "hi"... but you know what, that is fine too, you get the Earliest Early Bird Award nevertheless, which is not to say that I think you're a bird; in some places that is not a polite thing to call a lady, but no you're just the first to respond, the first echo to come back from this particular cry in the dark, of the series of cries in the night, signal lights being sent out from the Magic Lantern, to see what, if any responses will return from the far corners of the galaxy.... and I have no doubt that your sharp and brilliant wits shall return to you after a good nights sleep, with visions of footballs dancing in your head...
:-)
xxooxx
OK, Owen, after reading the above, I'm going to make you my nephew! You'll be well protected! These photos are beautiful--how old the buildings are and how well they've stood the test of time! Still fall--autumn images are glorious. I might have your artist take out the fence as the dirt driveway gives it a curve... I almost thought No. 2 was a crypt! But not with the chimney and window! Bises, Aunt M.
I'm game for exploring that ambience!
The last photo reminds me of rural Ohio. Except the colors there aren't so bright. :)
The funny thing about the bar shot is the sideways-sidewalk bicylist!
I do love the entire spread in the last photo. What a place to pick up for a song. It is marvelous.
What song would you sing?
The bar looks a little dubious. No need to go south for the riviera though - there's one in England too!
LOVE TO COME FOR A TONNE OF TIPLE'S
but I am to far away!
I'm up for a drink! I'll be there!!! And hey, I love that old house. I would love to have that as my writer's den. I dream of one day living that pretense of having my own writing spot and I wouldn't want for it to be an office or such. An old house that's run down is right up my alley. Of course it would have my lovely computer that I can't live without, and if it's cold I'd need heating because my brain freezes in cold weather, and I'd want a fireplace, actually, because that's the best heating, and ideally that bar would be right around the corner, and my favorite drink is any kind of bière blance, although the Belgian Hoegaarden is my absolute favorite... now you've got me rambling and imagining. And that's what your photos do, Owen, because they're so full of ambiance, like that bar's name. So keep snapping that shutter on your camera. Oh, and by the way, I'm not in prison. I live in San Antonio, Texas and don't be expecting any restaurant reviews coming from that direction. All they have in San Antonio is deep fried everything and tacos, and I really don't care for either. But when I next come to France, I'll let you know... it might not even be that far off. My husband and I travel and move on a whim.
Nevine
I do like the boarded up farm scene and I hope someone does paint that picture. Wonderful colors in this.
Owen, not sure I want to go to the Riviera there - for ambiance I'd rather go for the Carantec hotel and restaurant you raved about in an earlier post. I was already sold on Brittany but I never visited that particular part of the coast and now I can't wait. You DO have a future as a travel writer !
All the pics are lovely but my favourite is the one (without?) a roof. That beatiful pink just springs out!x
Oh Owen, those photos are lovely. I especially love the middle one with the beautiful bright pink tree next to the ramshackle structure. The man-made and the natural struggling to coexist in harmony, finding the perfect balance in the last photo.
By coincidence, I had just seen this video from YouTube: "Inspired bicycles Danny MacAskill April 2009"...Erffn' Amazing!!! must see!...D'you think the kid in the top photo can do that?!
Again, as with many of your photos, I'm blown away but the tenderness of colour and texture...
There used to be a bar here called Triptych! It is waaay gone now tho' (a bit like that cyclist in the first photo)...and no, thats not me on the bike!
Love that old farm by the way, let me know when you have your grande opening cocktail eveing and I'll stumble by to help out behind the bar...
Love the ruin in the middle photo and the ones of the prison/grafiti are great.I enjoy photographing disused buildings and ruins, this prison is a great subject.
yes the middle one!
i love the way the bright colours of the autumn landscape seem to suggest life and hope, yet they too hide the same truth the ruin whispers to us...
love those Autumn colours in your shots - a season i really miss here!!Greetings from Mexico
Ballance, for sure one of the most difficult means of movement, yet the most successful one.
Wonder how much would be left after having a drink or two. Still remember how until today I can't remember how to have reached home, the night before the day before I left for Greece.
A wonderful Tuesday filled with as nice memories for you.
Robert, indeed, best to do the Ambiance in moderation here... not being able to remember is not a good thing I think... tchuss...
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Hola Catherine, yeah, I guess there isn't much Autumn in Mexico City, but then, you have warmth... and sunshine... galore... things that we northern latitude folk tend to sorely miss this time of year... but your comments are sunshine...
:-)
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Dear Roxana, I would love to see what you would have done with your camera around this ruin in the Fall colors, I'm sure you would have woven a tapestry of magic around it... but at least you get a glimpse of it here... I wonder, there must be some ruins in Romania... I may have to come looking for them some day...
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TotalFeckin', a pleasure, a real pleasure to read you here in these humble pages... glad you found something here to your liking... have been reading you for a while now at the Watercats wonderful kitchen, finally got around to taking a look tonight... see you soon I hope... hope you all aren't too rained under... !
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Ah Saj, Trust you to know of every bar in the country both past, present, and future ! And it would be a great honor, honorary Sis, to have you come help with the bar tending when the farm in the East opens its doors... just look at all the space there for collection all manner of JUNK imaginable... I was salivating... big time...
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Steve, and in my own turn I'm blown away by your kindness... hope your gramps is ok...
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Jill ! Wow, that's a change of pace !!! Is that what you've been up to on your new bicycle ??? He makes it look so easy ! Jeez, we never tried stunts like that when I was little. I'd hate to see the shots though when he misses the mark... I wonder how many broken limbs he's had ? Anyway, have no idea if the kid in my photo could rival any of this... he just happened by... and didn't stick around...
Hey Stickup, mmmm, glad you enjoyed this, ramshackle houses are among my favorite things to find, especially if they have down and out car around them too...
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Hi Jessie, glad you enjoyed ! The colors around that place were something else again...
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Nathalie, excellent, well, just give a shout if you're going to be out in Brittany, would be lovely to see you out that way...
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Hi TechnoB... well, it would be fantastic if any artists out there in the audience would like to take a shot at painting that farm, and posting the results... that's an interesting thought, to propose some photos as starting points for paintings to all the artists out there ... will have to give that some thought... until now it was just a non-blogging friend or two that had gotten the proposal...
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Nevine ! Read through your response here a few times so as not to miss a drop... wow ... I'm breathless. The notion of having a writing space in an idyllic setting sounds wonderful, with a fireplace, yes ! And a good supply of fine beers (and wines)... If you go down the sidebar on my page to the labels list, and click on Dream Houses, you may see a few other properties that could help inspire your searching for the right property...
:-)
And I'm glad to hear you are not in prison ! Well I didn't really think... but then, one never knows... but I probably would not have guessed Texas. Have you been to Big Bend National Park ? That is one corner of the USA I haven't gotten to yet that I'd like to. And yes they have alot of tacos and deep fried, but at least they are BIG tacos and deep fried whatever... I went to Houston once, it's true, everything is big in Texas. And then there are the armadillos, and the armadillo jokes... Must be nice to be able to move on a whim... So happy I stumbled on your blog somehow... your last piece is gut wrenching, hope your Mom is ok now...
Take care...
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Hey Camel King, you're not so far... Ryan Air I think has some very good deals to Beauvais, which is just a skip and a jump from our place, and the beers are in the fridge, so get yer cat and camel butts in motion and come on down... I'm sure you could use a break from the rain...
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Hey Adam, when you said, "What would you sing?", well, the first thing that came to mind was, how about "A Song for Adam", you know, by Jackson Browne, one of my favourite all time ever songs, and I may just be able to still do a fair rendition of it were you to put an acoustic guitar in my hands... Are you familiar with that piece of music ? Here's one version :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb75Jwil0Zg
The sound level is a little low, you may need to turn it up a bit to hear it...
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Hi Lydia, yeah, most people ride down the sidewalk facing forward, but this guy was going sideways...
:-D
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Hey Amy, glad I could help take you back to Ohio for a minute there... must be some beautiful old farms around still, with fading red paint...
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Hi Margarert, errrr, aunt M., what an honor... and yes, time waits for no uncared for buildings, nature gains the upper hand rapidly... many thanks !
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Aunt M? That may mean you're back in Kansas, Dot!
November is obviously not the Riviera season! :-)
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