season ends with snow!

Closing hunt was a chilly, windy day at Mary's Mount.  Like the grey day it ended on a grey note. Several couple of hounds crossed a major road and tho' most motorists were careful to slow and be considerate, we lost of our promising young hounds. Thanks to members on foot and the kindness of strangers we got everybody else back across safely. And I thanked my own personal guardian angel as Red, my lovely chestnut, stepped in a gopher hole as we were galloping back to road to assist. Luckily I saw the hole moments before and was leaning back, with my heart in my throat , willing him to pull his leg back up in time, which thankfully he did. Really good horses can feel holes and somehow just yank that foot up and extend. His nose touched the ground but we avoided a disaster without missing a beat and went to help on the road. A sad note to end on but could have been worse. We thanked Jim for a good season and Patty for triumphantly ending the season as sole field master. Christy did end the season leading third field, which also galloped to the road, much to the surprise of the "hill toppers", who are usually looking for the field with the least excitement! Katherine's shoulder is doing better and she will have lots of physical therapy as soon as we start walking hounds. Nothing like a young puppy on a leash to work those muscles! Snow arrived this morning and has blanketed the countryside. Very pretty and most unwelcome! I am ready for some warmth. The mares are going to start foaling soon. Foal watch is bad enough without chilly temps and snow. Mike is due home from France just in time, I hope, to help with the mares.

visit to the DDay beaches

On Sunday we drove north to the coastal towns above the DDay beaches. After a traditional Normandy lunch of Coquilles Saint Jacques, which I am sure, had been caught that morning, we walked out on Omaha beach. It was very cold and very windy and the beach stretched desolately away in  both directions. There is nothing on the beach to mark the horror of DDay, but you turn and look up the hills and wonder at the carnage that was that day. The American cemetery is beautiful, quiet, with rows of white crosses. A friend had asked us to check a relative's name and after much searching we found on the internet that he actually was buried at the Lorraine cemetery. But we appreciated the time to truly look at this place. It is a special spot. Then we moved on to Pointe du Hoc, where the Rangers topped the cliffs finally. It is indescribable how desolate and cruel these cliffs seemed. The beachhead was covered in craters from the shelling and so windy I thought I might get blown away. The cliff edge is still marked by coils of barbed wire. Lastly, we drove to Mere D'Eglise to see the town made famous in the movie "The Longest Day".  The cathedral has a model paratrooper still hung from the parapets with a torn parachute blowing in the wind. It was the first town liberated by the Americans in France. Michael enjoyed seeing the sites that he has read about for many years.

Stag hunting in France

Our weekend in Normandy began Friday night when we arrived at the Chateau de Sarceaux in Valframbert. A grand chateau on beautiful lawns, it is owned and run by Marquis and Marquise Gicquel des Touches. A little like a French Downton Abbey, tho' the staff is a little more manageable, just the Marquis and Marquise! They made us feel very welcome and fed us extremely well, in fact the five course dinners were the best we had in France, cooked by the Marguise, Jacqueline and served by the Marquis, Herve. After dinner we gathered by the fire and were entertained by Jacqueline on the piano, who managed to get Michael to sing Sinatra's " My Way"! This gives you an idea of the amount of excellent French wine and cognac we were drinking!
Next morning, our guide, Nick de Toldi  and Herve, the Marquis took us off to the stag hunt. The master of the L'Equipage Kermaingant, as the hunt is known , is a cousin of Herve and after many introductions and shaking of hands and "Bonjours", we were formally introduced to the entire hunt as  his "American" friends. We had driven about 20 minutes into the "Foret d'Ecouvres", which is the highest national forest in this part of France.  Originally, only the King and his nobles were allowed to hunt - after the Revolution, the farmers and commoners had a great deal more access to the forests. They are a source of national pride and very well used by the population, lots of bikers and walkers. When the hunt is to take place a sign is posted "La Chasse au Cours ici aujourd'hui" and villagers come from all over to follow the hunt.  The biggest difference I can explain to American fox hunters is that they truly "ride to hunt", not the other way around. Everyone, mounted and on foot or in cars is actually hunting. They spread out to watch for the stag once the hounds have started a chase. And they offer their opinions as to where the stag has gone at every crossroads. Everyone knows the name and pedigrees for several generations of the hounds, but few know the name of their hired horse! They may have favorites but the horses are a means to travel and follow the hunt, that is all. Our horses were ex-trotters and were very good. They can trot extremely fast and it is thrilling when the French horns are heard throughout the forest and the hunt is on. We travelled on paths crisscrossing throughout the woods, catching glimpses of the stag rushing through the trees. The hounds are very spread out and very fast. We started with 36 and I seldom saw more then 2 or 3 couple at a time. After about 4 1/2 hours we seemed to have lost the hunted stag, and were quietly standing, listening for the hounds that were still missing and presumed still hunting the first stag. Eventually the huntsman appeared, with hounds and we were off to recast, hoping to  meet up with those hounds. At the end of the day, a new young stag was found but the huntsmen called hounds off as, apparently, we would have been out for many more hours than was practical. We had covered many, many miles and were happy to come upon the trailers at a new crossroads! They had all been driven to us and Michael especially, liked the tradition of handing his horse off to the livery gentleman with a pat and a thank you. Almost all the members hire their horses and they are all loaded back onto large lorries at the end. If the stag had been killed there would have been a ceremony to honor the stag with much horn blowing and story telling. Today we simply thanked all the masters and members who had been very kind to us. They expressed their dismay at the loss of the stag, but truly, it had been a remarkable day and everyone was in good spirits and eating and drinking from the picnic baskets that were waiting in the cars. Lots of wine and baguettes, cheese and chocolate.

Michael wants one of the swords that the gentleman members all wear and I think I am happier he wants one of those, rather than one of the large and usually very dented French horns. They are ancient  looking and probably difficult to play! I, too, love the tri-cornered hats the ladies wear and the gold braid that adorns the gentlemen. It is all very French and aristocratic even though the hunt is enjoyed by all walks of life. We happily went back to the chateau for a bath and another excellent five course dinner.

Finding horses in Paris

I was able to find horses in Paris on my first walkabout! The mounted gendarmes were crossing Place de la Concorde  and were happy to pose for a moment. These chestnuts were very tall, some warmblood jumper cross I guess but very sweet. The guys were tall and sweet too! Paris is very rainy and cool but it is actually very beautiful.  The grey skies accentuate the gun-metal roofs and the architectural details of the buildings are starkly vivid. There is no greenery or early blossoms so you really notice the statues and gargoyles on all the buildings. The trees are bare and you can see through the branches. One notices the beautiful gates and wrought iron fences. Walking in front of the Louvre is   humbling as you are very aware of how big this museum really is - the pyramid at the entrance is dwarfed by the two annex wings and the main building. However I am skipping it this trip and just enjoying walking around. I did go to the top of the Arc de Triumphe  which was a wonderful panoramic of the city of Paris. Today we are off to Normandy to stay at chateau for stag hunting and Sunday we go to the D-Day beaches for Michael.

Paris

It is lovely to be back in Paris, having  a cafe creme and croissant at a cafe and people watching. This is the best city in the world for spending a good portion of the day relaxing and checking out the fashion world on the Parisiens. Men and women are well-dressed alike in slim, monochromatic outfits. Black rules and no one is overweight. That is very noticeable, everyone walks fast everywhere and nobody is obese. Very different from a similar street scene in American and a striking difference. The women are slim, in neutral tones with bright scarfs and often very high heels. I reminded Michael to pack dress slacks and suits. Only work men wear khakis and jeans during the day here. Slim pressed jeans are a nightclub attire for the most part or they are very tight, rolled up mid calf with high heels for the women or military stye boots for the guys.  Lots of scooters. I wonder what a big Harley roaring through these streets would be like. Raise a few eyebrows. I love all the plugged-in electric cars! I am wandering around today, just walking and will meet Michael for a lovely dinner . We are staying very close to Champs Elysee an

March is cold but here.

It is still cold but at least it is March and we know it will warm up soon. No buds on the forsythia yet, nor have I heard the spring peepers, which tells me it has definitely been a colder winter all in all. The beavers have made a huge lake in the back which may have drowned all the baby frogs - who knows?

Michael is enjoying Paris in March! Yesterday he went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and just walked along the avenues. Bought a "cap" on the Champs Elysee because our charming French guide for the stag hunting cautioned Michael that it is customary to shake everyone's hand at the beginning of the meet and to "make sure and have a hat to be able to doff for the ladies". Chivalry is indeed a French word and these customs are ingrained. So, Michael purchased a stylish cap to be able to take off when greeting the ladies! I think he looks great. We have been able to Face Time on the Iphone which is fun.