It’s the fourteenth of July… a national holiday in France, Bastille Day! I am told there will be fireworks in town, about a kilometer up the road, to celebrate the holiday. Today is Saturday and after serving dinner for ten people last night … Roy, the chef and owner of Les Battees, and me the lovely assistant… are in need of a little recovery. We spent at least some of today digging out the kitchen until… alas… all is clean and mostly dishes and pans are happily tucked away in their proper homes.
I am starting to make plans for my “what’s next” when I leave Les Battees. Attempting to strike that balance of being present and making preparations for the nearish future. I said to Roy today, “traveling is a full-time job…” And so it does take time to investigate new possibilities, get in touch with people, wait to hear back, and continue the process. I shared today at lunch out in the garden that one of the lessons I am learning is how to explore the possibility of many things without attachment to one idea being “the way”. I have learned so far on my journey that it does me no good to get attached to an idea of what is next… sometimes plans work out sometimes they fall through and sometimes an even better idea comes along. Presently I am practicing balancing multiple options and ideas and making room for possibilities when exploring what is next. It is a new act for me – an act that require practice and patience… patience as what may be next comes into focus and unfolds… patience in not knowing what exactly will be next just yet and patience with myself when I get a little frantic about it all. Some days I feel light with it. Some days I don’t. Patience.
What is new at Les Battess you ask? Well we are in Roy’s busiest season, the month of July. July is when most French and many Europeans travel so we are more likely to be busy and filled with guests during the week as well as weekends. This means more ironing of sheets, laundry, changing rooms and beds and dinners prepared. And more guests! Guests visit Les Battees from all over Europe. Many are Dutch, stopping off at Les Battees for a night or their weekend as part of a larger holiday on the way to the South of France. We also have some French guests, English, Belgium and Swiss. On occasion… you might just spot an American! A rare bird here at Les Battees, but not completely unexpected.
Lately there has been less time for play off the grounds of Les Battees… but still plenty of time for a leisurely walk or some fresh air in the surrounding countryside. Last week the local farmers came and harvested all of the wheat that was on the fields behind Les Battees. Ever the city girl, it came as kind of shock that all of that beautiful wheat was there…to be harvested! Trimmed down the bare ground, there is now a more barren but still beautiful look to the French hills.
Tonight… it is leftovers for dinner! Not a complaint with Roy’s good cooking. We enjoyed the Lentil tart from last night’s dinner served with some fresh green beans from his garden. It’s a cool night tonight with spots of rain. Perhaps a night for fireworks… but maybe a night for staying in. A few guests are still to arrive. And I am tucked into my room with the fresh cool breeze wishing me well.
Photo of a visiting French snail I caught traveling across the kitchen window of Les Battees. Reminding me, take it slow…all in good time…
Gypsy Woman 
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