A Quick Hello . . .

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Just a quick hello to you all just in case anyone is still checking up on this obscure little blog. Wanted to let you know that I haven't completely fallen off the edge of the earth, but wasn't far from it. Life is good out here on the edge, never a dull moment. Today spent all day with Tom B. exploring two abandoned factory sites . . . a photographer's paradise, and in excellent company. More on that soon ! In the meanwhile, I'm taking off for the next five days into the wilds of northwestern Pennsylvania, here in the land of my birth. Hopefully will bring back a few souvenirs to share with you good people. So bottoms up, and wish me bon voyage. Will be back here just as soon as I can, and will be back around to visit soon, the deities willing...

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And to hold you over, here are a couple of photos in the Reflections Weekend vein . . .

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Cracked & Shattered . . .

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After a long week on the road and several late, late nights plotting strategies to cope with the ever increasing demand for straightjackets in all sizes, colors, models, airports in the mornings, strange hotels and their strange beds and late night noises, early morning doors slamming in the hall way, and now a loud conversation at the hotel bar just off the courtesy PC room by boisterous pilots and their accompanying flight attendants... hope they'll be sober in the morning if it's my flight they'll be operating...
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Anyway, it would be easy to say I'm feeling cracked and shattered after all that, but in fact it's just not the case... because as of today, the real vacation starts. A free man on the loose in a big country... with two weeks to do just about anything. Can't complain about that ! What would you do in my shoes ?
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This fellow looks like he was thinking so hard about what to do while on vacation that he got a splitting headache...
:-)
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Couldn't help but wonder if the damage visible in these two photos was naturally occurring, just the ravages of time, or was it more intentional, acts of vandalism ??? In any case, the end result was cracked and shattered... "Go quietly amid the noise and haste..."
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Still Searching For My Dream House . . .

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Long ago, in another life,
While out exploring back roads
In the state of Pennsylvania... Penn's woods
I found this house standing abandoned
By a small river
Waiting quietly for whatever
Fate might have been holding in store for her
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Tomorrow I am going back to Pennsylvania
And will be out again on the back roads
The forgotten roads
Looking for my dream house
Looking for something I know is there
Though I don't know what or where it is
I am still searching
Will know it when I see it
But it haunts my dreams
And no doubt will do so forever . . .
There are worse burdens to bear . . .
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So, yes, for the next three weeks I will be travelling. A heavy week of selling straightjackets, followed by two weeks of vacation. I may be somewhat absent from the blogosphere, depending on where wifi is free, depending on the imponderable variables of roadhouse lodgings, depending on the gods of serendipity and travel. The camera is coming with me, and I hope to bring home a little material for many future blog posts . . . for your pleasure. And mine. (and as Steve at Bloggertropolis would certainly add... for Alice Roberts pleasure also... whoever she is... according to Steve by including her name in a blog post, traffic on the blog has been known to go through the roof !)(and if you're wondering what that was all about, do drop by Steve's place, there is a link in my sidebar)
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Anyway, this house was photographed on a backwoods road in Pennsylvania a little over 20 years ago. When I was still shooting black and white film... I hope to see it again. Or something like it . . .
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L'Ultime Creperie . . . The Ultimate Creperie . . .

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The other day while out in Brittany for the short week of vacation I was able to take this summer, la Grenouille and I had a dining experience well worth revealing to the world at large here. We had spent the morning climbing to the top of the highest point in that area of Brittany, la Montagne Saint Michel (not to be confused avec le Mont Saint Michel in Normandy) we were feeling rather hungry. We got in our little black car, and after driving a short distance up the road a happy coincidence of fate led us to la Crêperie de l'Enclos in the village of Pleyben.
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L'autre jour en Bretagne pendant la petite semaine de vacances que j'ai pu prendre cet été, avec la Grenouille on a eu une expérience culinaire qui vaut la peine de partager avec le monde entier dans ces pages. Après être montés à pied jusqu'au plus haut point de cette partie de la Bretagne, la Montagne Saint Michel (à ne pas confondre avec le Mont Saint Michel en Normandie) on avait un petit faim de loup. On est monté dans notre petite voiture noire, et une petite conduite nous à amené par un hasard heureux à la Crêperie de l'Enclos à Pleyben.

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After installing ourselves at the table in the opening going inside, it didn't take long before miracles started happening. La Grenouille and I both ordered the special of the day recommended by the waiter, which was a crêpe with egg and truffles accompanied by a small scoop of foie gras flavored ice cream (if you can believe that) and a green salad. Both the truffle crêpe and the foie gras ice cream were unlike anything I'd ever come across in some fifty years of life on this planet. Extraordinary ! They disappeared so fast off our plates that I didn't even have time to take a picture. Sorry, guess I'll just have to go back and try them again !

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Une fois installés à la table dans l'ouverture à l'entrée, il n'est pas passé longtemps avant que les miracles aient commencé à se produire. Le Grenouille et moi avons tous les deux commandé le plat du jour que le serveur avait conseillé, qui était une crêpe à l'oeuf et aux truffes, accompagné par une boule de glace de parfum foie gras (si vous pouvez le croire...) et une salade verte. La crêpe aux truffes et la glace parfum foie gras ne ressemblaient à rien de déjà vu pendant une cinquantaine d'années sur cette planète. Elles ont disparu tellement vite que je n'avais même pas le temps de faire une photo. Dommage, il va falloir y retourner pour les essayer de nouveau !
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Although everything we had there was delicious, the dessert crêpe was particularly memorable, and fortunately I took a photo before it too disappeared. This crêpe in the form of a rose, had a scoop of rose flavored ice cream in it, a dollop of whipped cream topped with rasberries, as well as a rose jelly on the side with more rasberries. Divine !

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Bien que tout ce que nous ayons gouté là était délicieux, la crêpe en dessert était particulièrement memorable, et heureusement j'ai pu faire une photo avant qu'elle n'ait disparue. Cette crêpe en forme de rose, avait une boule de glace parfum rose dedans, avec de crème chantilly et framboises, et à coté une gélée parfum rose avec encore des framboises. Divine !
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The owners of the Crêperie de l'Enclos gave us the warmest and friendliest welcome I've had in a restaurant in a long time. They took time from their busy kitchen to chat with us and explain in detail how their crêpes were created and about where certain ingredients came from. Let me please introduce to you Henri and Nicole Le Roux. Two passionate crêpe magicians !

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Les propriétaires de la Crêperie de l'Enclos nous ont donné un accueil le plus chaleureux et aimable que je n'ais eu depuis longtemps dans un restaurant. Ils ont pris du temps pour parler avec nous, expliquant en détail comment leur crêpes sont créés et d'où viennent certains des ingrédients. Permettez-moi de presenter Henri et Nicole Le Roux... deux magiciens de crêpes passionnés !
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Henri encouraged us to try a couple of different ciders with our crêpes. Both bottles came from Le Domaine de Kervéguen, and although the first bottle, Old Fashioned Cidre, was excellent, the second one, with the green label, Cuvée Prestige Carpe Diem was simply out of this world. I've never enjoyed a cider so much as that one. The small card on the bottle said : "Derived from apples left to ripen three months on the trees under a shelter, then aged for six months in oak barrels, the Cuvée Prestige Carpe Diem assembles the flavors of ancient varieties. Its fruit aromas are exceptional and for savoring." This is no exaggeration, it is a heavenly drink.

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Henri nous a encouragé à essayé deux cidres différents avec les crêpes. Les deux sont produits au Domaine de Kervéguen, et bien que la première bouteille, Cidre à l'ancienne, était excellente, la deuxième, avec l'étiquette verte, Cuvée Prestige Carpe Diem, était tout simplement sublime. Je n'ai jamais pris autant de plaisir à boire un cidre. La petite carte attachée à la bouteille disait : "Issue de pommes muries sous abri pendant trois mois, élevée pendant six mois en fûts de chène, la Cuvée Prestige Carpe Diem assemble les arômes sélectionnés de variétés anciennes. Son fruité reste exceptionnel et savoureux." Ceci n'exaggere point, c'est une boisson divine.
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The view from our table of the Pleyben chuch was marvellous. Inspiring architecture to accompany the divinely inspired cuisine.

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La vue depuis notre table vers l'enclos paroissial de Pleyben était merveilleux. De l'architecture inspirée pour accompagner la cuisine qui était d'une inspiration divine.
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So, let me again say a warm "Thank You" to our hosts Henri and Nicole Le Roux ! If I ever die and go to heaven, this is where I want to eat every Saturday at noon, and again on Sunday !

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J'aimerais dire encore un chaleureux "Merci" à nos hotes Henri et Nicole Le Roux ! Si un jour je meurs et me retrouve au paradis, c'est ici que je voudrais manger tous les samedi midi, et encore le dimanche !
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La Creperie de l'Enclos

51 place du Général de Gaulle

29190 Pleyben

Bretagne, France

02 98 26 38 68

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Dogged . . .

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With the summer winding down and all, and back to school happening, etc, Lynne just did a post with the title "Dog Days of Summer", so I thought I'd echo that, with a couple of wild hounds seen out in Brittany this past summer... Yes, summer, past, history, heading into Fall, one of my favorite times of year, if it's not too chilly. The dogs are on summer's heels, on the chase . . .

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I think the red stains on his cheek were traces of the last tourist who got too close . . .

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