On the Cusp of Spring | Paris

We waited so long for the beginnings of Spring, so ready to shed all traces of Winter. But once Spring officially arrived, it told us to remain patient still... so we sit on the cusp of two opposing seasons however far our feet dangle over the edge ready to leap onto the other side. The temperatures are slowly ticking upwards, but ever so slowly. Soft sunlight beckons us in the morning and tricks us into believing we can fling open the windows.

These days of transition are paralleled all around us, our societies in a constant state of change. And for me, at home, my boys are getting older, becoming more and more independent, more unlike little boys, also making that shift from one stage of boyhood to another. This beautiful bittersweet ballad plays on and on and on...

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Paris: A City to Call their Own

So on this Autumn day in October, the boys did what children are designed to do when let loose in a sprawling little city... they maneuvered through it like it was one giant obstacle course. Holding my breath as they weave through and around crowded boulevards and cobbled walkways (to the dismay of tourists, rollerbladers and strolling Parisians who'd prefer not to be sideswiped by a meter high torpedo), the boys are becoming more and more at ease within the streets of Paris, their scooters gliding through the city like crayons along a drawing, "feeling something deep and native within them expand and enlarge and illumine*..."

Some of their favorite spaces to ride their trottinette are pictured above - between the stone columns inside the arcades of the Palais Royal, the wide sidewalks on the perimeter of Jardin du Luxembourg and the southern end of the Place du Carrousel against the backdrop of the Louvre. I remind them what a great privilege it is to have such a playground, the former space of royals... and for now I skip  certain details like when there was once a menacing guillotine on the very plaza they just ran through (I leave that to their teachers ;). 

* a quote from Global Mom, the book I just finished reading and wanted to share. It is a wonderfully inspiring and thoughtfully engaging memoir by Melissa Dalton-Bradford about her experiences of settling in and being unsettled in various global locales (including Paris) with her large family. Despite the stumbles and struggles, she beautifully illustrates how to define home and thrive within a community. Melissa's writing is wise, warm and full of wit and humor.

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Rentrée and the First Signs of Fall

School is back in session... and so we return to the jolting rhythm of schedules and routine. The shift is sudden and surprising, even if it happens every year, my family never seems to get used to it.

There is alas a season for all things, and now we rise before the sun and have breakfast with the dim glow of dawn. The boys have readied their desks for homework and reading, and my eldest is already having to memorize poems from Jean de La Fontaine...

The light and temperatures have also signaled a change, Fall is certainly making its way into the landscape. Are you ready?

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Visiting Summer in Paris...

The official start of summer break for the boys is in a few days, and they're doubly excited this year because they get to mark it with the arrival of their beloved uncle and aunt from the States! It is also the first of hopefully many family visits from across the big blue ocean.

We plan to share with them a more intimate Paris, the more familial city that is for now our new home. The one that includes regular runs to the boulanger and fromager, leisurely walks along the Seine, stops at our favorite neighborhood cafés, and maybe even a picnic or two.

We'll also be heading out to the Loire Valley and the Champagne region as well. If you'd like to come along, I'll be posting on Instagram @catherine_goron :) a bientot!

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Frolicking | Paris

For their first week of spring break, the boys enjoyed frolicking around the city under an uncharacteristically warm April in Paris. Excuse my enthusiasm, but the weather was spectacular this past week - sunny seventy degree days! Comfortable enough to keep coats and gloves home, perfect temperatures for running around without breaking a sweat, but still cool under the shade.

What surprised me were the Parisians... as soon as the thermostat hit the low 70s, they shed their coats and so much more. Out came the sandals, short sleeves and summer dresses - it was a stunning show of skin! I think this was a way of exhaling from a long gray winter and because (like we experienced last summer) we don't know how many warm summery days there will be this summer, so take advantage whenever and as soon as you can... Il faut profiter!

As I write this though, Paris has quietly shifted back to cooler slate colored days starting this morning... which makes for a perfect time to change scenery. Ever since Paris became our home base, my family and I have vowed to try and discover other cities around Europe when we got the opportunity, so we'll be heading to Portugal soon.

If you'd like to come exploring with us, I'll be sharing photos on Instagram at @catherine_goron :)

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The lovely and talented Adrienne of My Memory Art, who spent 12 years in Paris with her family, recently started posting wonderfully nostalgic photos of her family during their time here. And this has instilled a greater urgency for me capture the precious moments of my family in the city. As a parent, given an opportunity like this for which I am so grateful, I am profoundly compelled...

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