Rue Cler - Sunday Market

It's become a sort of ritual of mine, when I have the time, I like to go to rue Cler's market on Sunday mornings.  It's really the only place open on Sunday morning where you can by supplies like produce. Even better is the traiteurs, the stands that have ready made dishes like Ratatouille, and poission. Today I bought a brouchette - (kabob) and some indienne rice, all my vegetables for the next few days, and some fresh farm eggs. Though the lines can be long, it's fun to be part of the rush of french familes buying what they need for their sunday lunch, which usually doesn't really start until around 2. By then market is closed and all are relaxing at home.

Today is was raining and it gave the crowded shops an unusually cozy feeling.  The older man in front of needed help cramming a dozen apples into his wicker shopping bag with out crushing his baguette.  I wondered what he needed all those apples for. Umbrella's lined the narrow street and frozen Romanian girls stood shivering with yellow flowers in hand to sell. They had no umbrella's and I was tempted to buy some of the flowers for pity's sake. But they were over priced. I've learned from experience that I can buy the same little flowers every spring in the metro for half the price. and they usually don't last too long.

It has been cold. Spring has not arrived, though there has been a lot more sunshine which I'm thankful for. My cold is linguering and I've lost some of my income due to cut backs with the economy. But in the same day I was offered to open for a band, playing my originals.  Today I am arranging the song Nature Boy, which I love because I'm able to express how much I am missing nature right now. Missing wilderness and quiet, old trees and clear streams. I'm missing mornings spend drawing tree portraits, one of my old habits I lost in my city life. Is life always so dualistic, one good thing gives way to one bad thing. I lost one of my jobs, but I gained some gigs. I miss nature so much while I live in Paris, but then I get the magic of the market at rue cler.  It's hard to keep to my decision to move back to Texas, when everyday I'm reminded here what I'll be giving up. Wish there was a way to live in between somehow, Austin for the winter and Paris for the summer. Is there a way?