Lyon: Festival of Lights

So Monday we had our second annual visit to the festival of lights in Lyon. We enjoyed a day visiting the city and an evening seeing many beautiful light displays. We also enjoyed riding this big Ferris wheel in place Bellecour.

Jay buying some freshly roasted chestnuts for a little snack.

The theater all in blue

I guess we are kinda all about food. These were some interesting donuts.

One of the light shows was "an allegory about time and the weather" or just a show with clocks and rain but whatever floats their boat.

Artistic weekend happenings

Kathryn and I after giving our cupcake workshop.

The jewelry making workshop led by Debbie.

The home decorations workshop.

A time to be thankful

It is sad that Thanksgiving isn't an international celebration of thankfulness but we came close this year as we hosted some friends thanksgiving weekend at the chateau. Friday was the cooking day preparing the 14 pies, 20 some side dishes and the 29 pound turkey for Saterday's festivities. In this picture is Nicole Plaster and Kathryn preparing the pie crusts.

Saturday morning in the kitchen was almost as exciting as Friday as the participants were eager to get involved in the cooking.

The presentation of the turkey by Rob Plaster

A late afternoon pie break after a few hour to digest the meal.

This year I think of all the things I am thankful for. For one the opportunity to live in France, it is such a beautiful country.

I am thankful for my great friend and co-worker Kathryn. We have had a lot of fun together and I have been really blessed to be able to spend the last 6 months living with her.

I am also thankful for the privilege I have had to serve God at the chateau. I have been so blessed to serve here.

New and exciting

Beautiful fall mornings in Saint Albain

Putting the sausages for soutkruat in the pot

The new team Jay and Debbie, Lise, Katherine and I. Lise is from Aalen Germany and will be taking over the chateau bookkeeping.

One of the groups we hosted in the last few weeks a group of missionaries taking a class to sharpen interpersonal skills.

Motorcycle mania

Today and tomorrow there will be an ongoing rumble as hundreded of motorcycles are coming to the chateau for a motorcycle weekend put on by our friend Terry Nietchum from the village.

The back of the chateau has become a display for all the motor cycles especially for some of the more rare brand.

Cafe Days

So this week Debbie, Kathryn and I spent 2 days up in Dijon helping out with the Fair Trade Cafe that the Dijon Grace Brethren Church is opening next month as a place to reach out and meet new people.

Kathryn and I enjoying a coffee before we start for the day!

Working on painting

Kathryn and I spent a lot of time painting this hallway between the dining room and kitchen.

Lots of work still to be done but they are hoping to open up October 1st. Please pray as there are many people working to finish this project in the next few weeks.

Wedding Summer

Here is one of the french weddings that took place at the chateau this summer. This is a photo of everyone in attendance. It's like where's Waldo... Can you find me?

I was in my cousin Sarah's wedding in May.

This is my cousin LiZes wedding which I was so glad I got to be home for as I got to see pretty much all of my Dad's side of the family which is a rare event as we have gone to the 4 corners of the earth.

We even got a quick picture of everyone together. So those were some of this summer's weddings.

What do you think of when I say garden party?

When I say garden party, I don't usually thinkof a gourmet cold buffet but our garden party cooking workshop was just that.

In the morning Kathryn, Katie and I helped Michele with the prep cooking.

My cousin Katie Lanz is here for 2 weeks and she jumped right in and helped making crepe mille feuilles.

The guests putting together the meal.

The finished buffet, it all looked too good to eat but that didn't seem to stop everyone.

...yeilds fruit in its season

"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat ot the scornful but is delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by the rivers of water, which yeilds fruit in its season and it's leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers." Psalm 1:1-3

As summers bounty abound to us from our own and from our neighbors fruit trees and gardens it reminded me of these verses in Psalms about the richous man. How similar are the is an aboundant fruit tree to the the man's life who abounds, and prospers in good deeds.

With my abundent fruit supply I decided to a make a mirabelle plum clafoutis.

I'm still deciding what to do with all the tomates we have been given.

A summer outing

The castle of Rochepot in central Burgundy

Our campsight in mersault. Our current team left to right: Jacob, Jay, Beth (debbie and jay's niece), Debbie, Kathryn, Me

Beautiful Streets in Beaune

Dinner for 19

Yesterday was the last meeting of the walking ladies group for the summer and it was for a dinner at a local restaurant. We had a nice time talking around the table and getting to know one another better. The ladies from Saint Albain I go with are Helen on the far left and Annie her sister 4th from the left.

The great mattress throwdown

In continual cleaning efforts at the chateau we decided to get rid of 30 some moldy mattresses that have been in a closet for many years this is a me throwing them out the window.

A long walk

For the last 7 months Monday nights have been the night where Debbie and I go to the gym of a local junior high for an aerobics-type class, it has been a great chance to get to know some ladies in the community especailly as we carpool each week with 2 sisters, Helen and Annie from Saint Albain.

Now that is is nice out and the days are longer we have been alternating between working out and going hiking through the area. Each time we walk I am so amazed by the beauty and so yesterday I decided to take my camera so that I could share the beauty I so often enjoy.

Here are the ladies walking on a path through a vineyard.

We even found some wild strawberries to snack on as we walked.

Brighten the corner where you are

We have continued with our landscaping work, making new gardens, boarders and planting new flowers.

Here is the newest garden that we just finished Saterday. It is at the entrance to the chateau where we had a patch of weedy grass.

Kathryn, our newest team memeber, and I started a new project today, no not teeter-tottering but sanding down the playground and repainting it. No one said we couldn't use the teeter-totter while we sanded it.