Twenty-one again

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Ah Firenze! In 2017, I spent five delightful days in this lovely city, staying at a great hotel located at the foot of the Ponte Vecchio. My niece was studying in Florence for a semester. She lived in an apartment across the Arno just around the corner from the Uffizi Gallery. Each day, we would meet up in the middle of the Ponte Vecchio. One afternoon, we popped into one of the jewelry shops on the bridge and my niece helped me select my beautiful peacock brooch. The photos below have inspired some details in a short story I am currently working on. Here is an excerpt of that story.

From the second floor lounge of the Hotel Firenze Pitti Palace, I watched the street below.  Tourists and Italian locals were striding up and down the narrow sidewalks, most headed in the direction of  the Ponte Vecchio.  Briefly, I wondered how many of them would be lured into one of the glittering  jewelry shops lining the bridge before they made it safely to the other side of the Arno.

Yesterday, after emailing  my final restaurant review to Gerald, my editor back in San Diego, I visited one of the shops that had an eye-catching display of gold and enamel brooches in its front window.  I had examined bejeweled cats, butterflies, and flamingoes, holding each one up to the lapel of my jacket.  Finally, I decided on a resplendent peacock that made me think of my morning stroll through the gardens at  the actual Pitti Palace.  I glanced down at the delicate pin now fastened to my  lime green sweater set and smiled.

Behind me the marble mantle clock struck three times.  Maude had said she should make it to the hotel by 3:15 or so.  She was notoriously prompt.  She would be here soon, unless of course her plane from Edinburgh was delayed.  

Maude and I met  in a public speaking course at Regent’s College back in 1998.  The two of us hit it off right away and she welcomed me into her London circle of friends. When my semester abroad ended, we vowed to always be friends and to really stay in touch instead of just saying we would and then not keeping our promise. Thank goodness we did. Maude was a dear and true friend.

As I peered out the window, scanning the sidewalk for Maude’s tall frame and long blonde braid, the  hotel’s resident gatto, Bella, jumped up onto the window seat and butted her head against my hand, demanding attention.  She was a dignified black and white tuxedo cat with a long plume of a tail.  

“Hello, pretty girl,” I said, reaching down to stroke her velvety head. “I wish my kitty Cinnamon could meet you.”  My fluffy orange cat was on vacation at my brother’s house back in San Diego.  Victoria and Angela, my nieces, I was sure, were taking excellent  care of her.

Bella leapt from her perch and sauntered out of the lounge, tail in the air.  I watched her go and then stood up as the doors to the elevator slid open.  An elderly couple stepped into the corridor. They turned to the right toward the guest rooms and I sat down on one of the plush armchairs facing the elevator.

Glancing at my watch, I crossed my legs and tried to relax. I couldn’t wait to spend a few days exploring Florence with Maude. She was a great traveling companion.  Over the years, we had taken a few trips together, beginning with a weekend in Paris at the end of my semester in London.  Maude and I had ridden on  the Eurostar train from Paddington through the Chunnel to the Gare du Nord along with our friend, Sebastian.

I cringed as memories of that mini vacation filled my mind.  Sebastian, who was kind, smart, funny . . . and yes, good-looking had been my first love.  Maude had introduced us at the beginning of the semester and Sebastian and I quickly became a couple.  Sadly, our romance came to a crashing halt during that weekend in Paris.

The clank of the arriving elevator pulled me away from my memories and seconds later, Maude bounded into the room.  Dressed in skinny jeans and a sleeveless, polka dot tunic top, with tendrils of long blonde hair escaping from her characteristic French braid, Maude looked more like a carefree college girl than a 34-year old wife and mother. Her sea green eyes lit up as she caught sight of me.

“Elizabeth Ann!” she cried, and tossed her overstuffed duffel onto the leather  couch so she could throw her arms around me.

“It’s so great to see you,” we said in unison and shared an ecstatic smile. 

All of the sudden, I felt 21 again.

En Famille

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In 2008, my husband and I visited Paris for one sunny week in April. One of the highlights of our trip was spending an afternoon in Luxembourg Garden where we saw children sailing toy boats on the man-made pond and Ed sat down to play chess with an accommodating French gentleman. These memories have inspired the following photo essay.

“How is our friend Maude?” Edmund asked, stretching out his denim-clad legs and crossing them at the ankle. “Still driving Duncan crazy?”

Elizabeth Ann looked at her twin brother with a bemused smile. They sat together on a bench in the Jardin du Luxembourg. The clouds drifted across a watercolor blue sky, but the warm sun shone down dappling the pool of shallow water in front of them with spangles of light.

Edmund’s wife, Joy, stood at the edge of the expansive granite basin with their daughters, Angela and Victoria. At the far end of the man-made pond, the Palais du Luxembourg rose like a fairy tale vision.

“Maude is great and so are Duncan and the twins,” Elizabeth Ann replied, as she watched her nieces.

The girls each clutched a wooden pole. They leaned carefully over the rippling water, using the poles to steer two toy sailboats.

“Marjorie and Dylan are four now,” Elizabeth Ann went on. “They are so curious and observant about everything. Maude says they come up with some pretty hilarious questions sometimes.”

Edmund chuckled. “Too bad they all couldn’t make the trip with you.” He had met Maude and Duncan on several occasions over the years. All three worked as academic historians and Edmund often joked that he had more in common with his sister’s best friend than she did.

Early that morning, Elizabeth Ann had flown to Paris from Edinburgh, where she had been visiting her old school friend. She had met Maude while studying abroad in London.

“I know,” Elizabeth Ann agreed. “But they had scheduled a trip to visit Duncan’s parents this weekend.”

As he nodded in understanding, Edmund lifted a hand in greeting to a stocky, dark-haired man who returned the wave with a grin as he strode past.

“Who was that?” Elizabeth Ann wondered.

“Before you got here, I challenged him to a game of chess,” Edmund said. He gestured with his chin at a gathering of tables shaded by a grove of lime trees. At each game table, competitors stared intently at the black and white pieces arranged around the tabletop.

“You did?” Elizabeth Ann raised her eyebrows. “Does that guy speak English?”

“Nope.”

Elizabeth Ann laughed. Only her brother would have the confidence to challenge a stranger in a foreign country to a chess match.

“Who won?”

“Oh, he did. But I gave him a run for his money.”

“Très bien,” Elizabeth Ann praised and then stood up to welcome Angela and Victoria as they made their way back to join their dad at the park bench. Joy followed, smiling fondly at Elizabeth Ann.

“Auntie!” the little girls cried, laughing and skipping in their rush to give Elizabeth Ann exuberant hugs.

“Did you watch us sailing the boats?” six-year-old Victoria asked.

“Sure did,” Elizabeth Ann said.

“It was so fun!” Victoria slipped her hand into her aunt’s.

Elizabeth Ann squeezed her niece’s small, warm hand and bent down to kiss the top of her head.

“Hey, Dad,” Angela said. “You promised us ice cream. Can we get some now? I’m starving.”

“I did, didn’t I?” said Edmund. “Let’s see . . .” His voice trailed off as he pulled a guidebook from his back pocket. “I think there is an ice cream shop not too far from here.”

“Do you want ice cream?” Angela asked Elizabeth Ann.

“Always. I hope they have cinnamon ice cream,” she said.

“I never heard of cinnamon ice cream.” Victoria wrinkled her nose.

“It’s really good,” Elizabeth Ann insisted.

“My favorite is peanut butter cup. I hope they have that,” Victoria informed everyone at the same time that Edmund said, “Here we go. There’s a café on Rue Soufflot where we can have some Berthillon ice cream.”

He turned to Joy. “That’s the brand the travel agent recommended, right?”

“Definitely. He said it’s out of this world.”

“Sailboats, chess, and ice cream . . . could this day get any better?” Edmund joked. “Life is good.”

As the family set off, Victoria walked between her parents. But Angela followed behind with Elizabeth Ann. “I think I’ll get cinnamon ice cream like you,” she confided.

Elizabeth Ann put her arm around her older niece’s shoulder, her heart warmed by Angela’s earnest tone.

Edmund and Joy were so fortunate to have two sweet little daughters. Maude and Duncan were blessed with their children too. Walking along the leafy Parisian street with Edmund, Joy and the girls, Elizabeth Ann considered her brother’s words with bittersweet emotion.

Life was good, but she wondered when she would have a family of her own and hoped she would not have to wait too long.

Holiday Friendships

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In December 2019, I sailed away on a Star Clipper cruise with my extended family. We spent a glorious week beach hopping on a number of idyllic Caribbean islands. Early in our voyage, we visited Jost van Dyke, the smallest of the British Virgin Islands. Nicknamed “the barefoot island,” Jost van Dyke is renowned for its casual beach bars including the legendary home of the original Painkiller rum drink, the Soggy Dollar Bar on White Bay.

The photo essay below captures a typical moment at this and other tropical shoreline destinations.

Star Clipper vacation photos, 2019

Clio glanced up from her paperback copy of Jamaica Inn. Her mind swirled with images of a rocky coastline, crashing waves and lonely moorlands. She blinked and Daphne du Maurier’s Gothic setting melted away.

“Clio Penrose, is that you?”

Closing her book, Clio straightened in her cushioned rattan chair and looked around the sun-drenched beach bar. A tall, dark-haired woman wearing an aquamarine sarong and jeweled flip-flops edged by a group of tanned girls who were draped languidly in a semi-circle of pastel-colored beach chairs watching the world go by from behind their oversized designer sunglasses.

“Clio Penrose,” the approaching woman repeated with a familiar smile. “It’s Lila Bellamy from Connecticut.”

“Oh my gosh, Lila! I can’t believe it.” Clio gestured toward the seat across from her. “Sit down . . . join me.”

Lila set the brimming plastic cup she had carried from the bar on the table beside Clio’s paperback and settled into her seat. “Wow! It’s so good to see you. Sophie will never believe I ran into you.”

Once upon a time, Clio and Lila’s younger sister, Sophie, had been inseparable holiday friends. From age seven to fourteen, Clio had spent her summer on the Connecticut shoreline. Each year, her parents rented the same seasonal cottage right next door to the Bellamy family.

“How is Sophie?” Clio asked. “Is she here with you?”

Lila shook her head. “I’m here with my husband and our son, Kyle. They’re out kayaking,” she explained, waving a hand toward the turquoise water where children splashed in the gentle waves and farther out sailboats dotted the horizon. “What about you? You’re not here by yourself, are you?”

“I’m staying at the Sand Castle Hotel with two college friends. They took the ferry over to Anegada this morning.”

The two women shared a companionable smile and after a moment, Lila said, “Do you remember Jack Bishop, who lived at the end of our street in the house with the apple orchard?”

“Sure. Sophie and I loved buying those apple pies for one from his family’s farm stand.” Memories of riding bikes down a sun-dappled country road with her long ago friend filled Clio’s heart with nostalgia.

“He’s my husband,” Lila said with a grin. “I bake those pies now. I’ve become the keeper of the secret family recipe.”

“Awesome. How cool is that?” Pushing her chair back, Clio looked over at the bar. “Remembering those pies makes me hungry. I’m going to order some conch fritters. Can I get you anything?”

“That’s so sweet, but I’m good,” Lila said. “Jack, Kyle and I are going to have lunch back at our hotel.”

“I’ll be right back.” Clio crossed the soft, white sand and caught the bartender’s attention. While he put in her order for the fritters and then made her a rum drink called the Painkiller, she watched a couple of sun-burned tourists trying to master the ring game.

She held her breath as the metal ring tossed by the guy clinked against the hook he was aiming for but then fell away, swinging back on its dangling cord.

“So close!” his blonde partner squealed. “This game is impossible!”

Clio tended to agree with her. “Does anyone ever win the ring game?” she asked the bartender.

He shrugged his shoulders and grinned at Clio as he grated fresh nutmeg over her drink. “If they do, they receive a free drink.”

“Ah,” she said and added, “Thanks,” as he handed her the white plastic cup imprinted with the bar’s logo.

When Clio returned to the table, she found Lila flipping through her book. “I’m a huge Daphne du Maurier fan,” she explained.

“Did you know this is my sister’s favorite book? She’d be impressed that you’re reading it.” Lila put down the book and took a sip of her drink.

“Actually, I think I did know that.” Clio recalled a letter teenage Sophie had written detailing the travails of the heroine, Mary Yellan, and complaining that Hitchcock’s film adaptation didn’t do the novel justice.

“Sophie’s a high school librarian now. She works at an all girls private school outside DC.”

“I’m not surprised. I don’t think I ever met anyone who loves books and reading more than Sophie. What a perfect career for her.”

Lila’s phone pinged and she looked briefly at the display. “Jack and Kyle are back, I’ve got to run.” She held up her phone, “Before I go, will you pose for a quick selfie? I’ll send it to Sophie. She’ll really get a kick out of it.”

“Of course.” Clio scooted her chair closer to Lila’s. She held up the paperback displaying the melodramatic cover and smiled for the camera.

Lila snapped the photo and then handed her phone to Clio. “Type in your cell number so I can send you the pic too.”

One of my favorite shots from the cruise.

A moment after the women bid each other goodbye with a warm hug, a waiter arrived with Clio’s conch fritters. She drew the plate toward her, ready to enjoy her snack, and opened the text message from Lila. She downloaded the selfie, adding it to her camera roll and then scrolled through the vacation pictures she had taken during the past week, but remembering another beach on Long Island Sound and the friend who had meant so much to her.

Connecticut shoreline, 1984

Her phone chirped and she saw that she had received another text. Thinking Lila had followed up on her first message, Clio clicked the link and to her delight, she read:

Clio! It’s me, Sophie. You’re reading Jamaica Inn? What do you think? Isn’t it just so deliciously dark and romantic?

And just as if no time at all had passed, Clio picked up the threads of their friendship and began to type.

Celebrating Picture Books

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Did you know that November is National Picture Book Month? I treasure my personal collection of picture books, many of which I reviewed for School Library Journal.

At the beginning of this month, I blogged about picture books (the ideal fusion of words and images) on my school library blog site. Here is an excerpt:

Listening to a bedtime story and examining colorful illustrations in a picture book is often a child’s first step into the world of literature.  Growing up with a personal library of kid’s books is essential for four reasons: picture books introduce children to the magical joy of reading, they stimulate a child’s imagination and provide emotional touchstones.  And finally picture books showcase an endless gallery of amazing artwork.  Read more . . .

Today, at the end of November, I have created a tribute to the best kind of picture book, the alphabet book. Take a look!

Never forget that words and pictures go together like peanut butter and chocolate . . . Happy reading!

Lily-of-the-Valley: a token of happiness and good luck

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Wherever I travel, my itinerary includes a visit to the local botanical gardens whenever possible.  Through the years, I have wandered down so many garden paths, snapping photos of eye-catching blooms and breathing in the heavenly perfume of the flowers.  Some lovely gardens that are well-worth a visit include Monet’s water garden in Giverny, France, the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA, and the Halifax Public Gardens in Nova Scotia.

 In June 2019, my family and I spent a sunny afternoon roaming a botanical garden that is a bit closer to home: the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.  At the time, a fragrant patch of lily-of-the-valley was in bloom.  The delicate scent of these tiny bell-shaped flowers, calls to mind memories of my mother getting ready for an evening out with my father.  Beautifully dressed and made-up, she always completed her ensemble with a spritz of Muguet perfume from the elegant glass bottle on her dresser.

My childhood memories and the pictures I took in Maine have inspired the following photo essay.

lily of the valley

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (photo by L. Walkins 2018)

Anneliese Twigg sits at her French grandmother’s round kitchen table swinging her legs and tapping her heels against the wooden chair as she finishes her lunch.  Across from her, Mémé is knitting. She knows how to make hats and mittens and even stuffed animals with her needles and colorful yarn.  Anneliese hopes her grandmother will teach her how to knit someday.

In the center of the table, an old jelly jar filled with water holds a bouquet of lily-of-the-valley.  Anneliese reaches out a pudgy hand to pull the sparkling glass closer.  She studies the quilted pattern adorning the sides of the vase, and traces her finger over each square.  The tiny white flowers sway like silent bells.

Breathing in the lovely fragrance of the lilies, Anneliese remarks, “They smell like Mama’s perfume.”

Mémé looks up.  “In France they are called muguet.”  She sets down her knitting and catches the ball of yarn in her gnarled hand as it rolls off the edge of the table.  “I am going to tell you a story about why these flowers are so special.”

Sitting a little straighter and flipping her long blonde braid over her shoulder, Anneliese smiles.  “Okay.”

“Hundreds of years ago in France, there was a girl named Elisabeth.  She grew up in a royal chateau outside Paris with her brothers and sisters.”

Anneliese’s grey eyes widen in delight.

“And do you know what else?” Mémé asks.

“What?”

“Elisabeth was your eleventh great grandmother, so this story is part of our family history.”

“Really, truly?”

Mémé nods and gives a little laugh.  “Elisabeth had three brothers.  The oldest boy, Francis, became King of France when their father died.  He and his wife, Mary, who was Queen of Scotland, ruled for just one year, and then Elisabeth’s younger brother, Charles Maximilien became King when he was just ten years old.”

Anneliese, who had turned ten just two weeks ago, gives her grandmother a skeptical look. “How can a little boy be a king?”

“That is how things were done then,” Mémé says with a shrug.

“But what about the flowers?”

“I am coming to that.  Just listen, ma petite.”  She folds her hands on the edge of the table and goes on with the story.  “At a royal May Day celebration, someone gave Charles a sprig of muguet to wish him good luck.  He was so charmed by the kind gesture, he decided to create a new holiday.  He called it the Fête du Muguet and from that day on, he gave bouquets of lily-of-the-valley to his sisters and all of the ladies of the court on May 1.”

“For good luck?” Anneliese guesses.

muguet

Lily-of-the-Valley (photo by L. Walkins 2018)

“But of course,” Mémé says gently.  “This tradition has lived on even until today.  When I was a girl in France, my sisters and I would go into the little forest behind our farm to gather the muguet that grew wild underneath the trees every year on May 1, which also happened to be my birthday.”

Leaning forward to once again smell the flowers in the pretty little jar, Anneliese says, “I wish I was born on May Day like you, Mémé.”

 

 

 

What now?

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For as long as I can remember, I have been enamored of houses with expansive front porches.  I have dreamed of sitting in a white wicker rocker on the shady porch of my future home.  I imagined myself reading in the sunshine, occasionally glancing up past a row of hanging baskets overflowing with fuchsia and lobelia blossoms.  Two summers ago while visiting Prince Edward Island, I took photos of two lovely front porches.  These photos have inspired the following photo essay.

 

PEI front porches. (photos by L. Walkins)

On Monday morning, Margaret brought her steaming mug of cinnamon tea and her library book out onto her front porch and settled into her wicker rocker.  The street was quiet.  Presumably, all of her neighbors were at work or school.

She sipped her fragrant tea and glanced at the silver watch on her narrow right wrist.  Ten forty.  And here she was dressed in yoga pants and a Yale polo shirt on her porch with the whole empty day stretched out in front of her.  The life of a retiree.

A month ago, she would have been poring over manuscripts at her desk in her cozy office on Church Street in New Haven.  For more than thirty years, she had built a career as a picture book editor.  She had so enjoyed the creative process of guiding the artists and writers as they collaborated.  All of Margaret’s  hard work had culminated in a celebratory retirement party at Modern Apizza.  At the end of the evening, her young colleagues had wished her well with looks of envy.

Of what exactly were they envious, she wondered now.  Margaret did not enjoy feeling at loose ends, purposeless.  She set down her mug and opened her book.  After reading a couple of paragraphs, she set aside the novel, Barbara Kingsolver’s latest.  She stood and stretched, her arms reaching up in a classic mountain pose.

Down on the street an unfamiliar dark SUV rumbled toward the corner.  The car slowed to a crawl at the stop sign.  The back door slid open and a brown and white tabby cat tumbled out.

“Hey, wait!” Margaret called out as the SUV turned the corner and disappeared.  She hurried down her porch steps and strode up the sidewalk to where the poor cat stood looking around in confusion.

Margaret crouched down a few feet from the lost little creature.  “Hello, kitty,” she said in a soothing voice.  “Come here.”

The cat meowed and sidled up to her.  The cat looked well fed and wore a royal blue collar.  Had the people in the SUV just abandoned their pet?  How could they do that?

Carefully reaching out, Margaret picked up the fluffy cat and carried it to her porch.  She smiled as the cat began to purr.

emilyflowers

Emily. (photo by L. Walkins)

Setting down the kitty, Margaret perched on the edge of the wicker rocker.  She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, and asked, “What are we going to do with you, huh?”

The cat jumped onto the wicker love seat across from Margaret and kneaded its floral cushion before curling up into a contented ball.

“Make yourself at home, sweetie,” Margaret said.  She watched the lovely cat with fond eyes and thought about all of the abandoned pets at the local shelter.

The family next door had adopted a friendly Scottish terrier from the shelter a few months ago, and recently the local news station had aired a feature about the shelter.  The organization was housed in a bright, clean facility and staffed by enthusiastic and dedicated animal lovers.

“Perhaps they need volunteers, ” Margaret mused aloud.  She would call them this very afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friendship: a lifelong gift

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Ten years ago, my husband and I traveled to San Diego for a family wedding.  We also spent a few days sightseeing.  One afternoon, we rented a tandem bicycle to ride along the waterfront.  Our memorable experience has inspired the photo essay below, which features characters from my novel Sandra Cahill’s Best Friend.

Tandem Bike

 

“Come on, Emma!  It will be a blast,” Sam insisted.

Emma looked at the silver blue bicycle and then at her three friends.  Rachel and Sarah each gripped the handle bars of a cruiser bicycle.  Sarah’s bike was sea green, while Rachel had opted for flamingo pink.  Both cruisers were equipped with a wicker basket on the front.

Emma tucked her shoulder-length dark hair behind her ears and glanced again at the bike Sam had chosen, a tandem bike.  Finally, she nodded and said, “Okay.  But I call the front seat.”

“This will be awesome,” Sam said as they wheeled the rented bicycles out to the Mission Bay bike path.

“There’s supposed to be a great seafood place a few miles down the beach,” Rachel said.  “We could ride out there and have a nice lunch.”

“Allegedly, their fish tacos are award-winning,” Sarah added.

“Allegedly?” Sam said, winking at Sarah.  “What evidence do you have to support this claim, counselor?”

Sarah, who had just opened her own law practice in La Jolla, pulled out her iPhone and tapped on the screen.  “Rachel’s cousin gave it five stars on TripAdvisor.”

“My cousin, the personal chef,” Rachel said.

“Sounds good to me,” Emma said, putting on her bicycle helmet.

“Me too,” Sam agreed.  “Lead the way.”

Emma pushed off, steering the tandem bike as Sam pedaled behind her.  The front tire wobbled but a moment later, the friends fell in sync and they coasted smoothly along the path, following Rachel and Sarah on their brightly colored bikes.

san diego1Feeling like a kid again, Emma grinned as she breathed in the salt-scented air.  She pedaled harder, enjoying the stretch of her muscles and the afternoon sun on her shoulders.  She and her friends had spent many childhood summers riding bikes together along the Connecticut shoreline.

“Hey, Sam.  I can’t believe these views,” she called.  To the left of the palm-lined roadway, the tranquil bay sparkled.  The white sails of a trio of catamarans stood out against the bright blue horizon.

“I know.  I love it here,” Sam agreed.  “I miss California.”  After college, Sam had lived in Los Angeles but then moved to Boston.

They rode happily around the scenic bay until at last they reached the small fish restaurant.  On the covered deck overlooking the beach, they settled around an acacia wood table and ordered a pitcher of sangria.

“This place is cute,” Rachel remarked, unfolding her napkin and looking around.

san diego2Hanging baskets overflowing with geraniums and impatiens swayed in the ocean breeze.  A mural depicting Andean musicians surrounded by swirls of musical notes decorated the back wall.

The waitress delivered their drinks.  Sam picked up the pitcher and poured four glasses of the fruity red wine.  Sarah lifted her glass and said, “Thank you so much for coming out to visit me this week.  I’m so happy to have all four of us together!  Just like the good old days.  Here’s to lifelong friends.”

They all clinked glasses and Emma said, “Do you remember that song we used to sing in Girl Scouts?  The round, “Make New Friends?”

Rachel started to sing softly, “Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other gold.”

One by one, Sam, Sarah and then Emma joined in the round.  As they sang, Emma looked around the table at her oldest and dearest friends.  The memories they shared and would continue to make in the future were as valuable as gold.

 

 

 

 

”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back Bay Bliss

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Living in Boston is a blessing.  A small, walkable city, Boston is brimming with history, art, fabulous restaurants and unique neighborhoods.  For several years, I lived in the Back Bay on Marlborough Street.  The Public Gardens, Newbury Street and the Commonwealth mall, where I snapped this winter cityscape were all steps away from my apartment.  My character, Darcy Seton, also lived in the Back Bay in my novel, Forget-me-not.

boston_commave

Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA (photo by Linda LeVasseur Walkins)

“Slow down, guys,” Darcy said, as the determined Scottie and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel raced down the icy pavement, tugging on their leashes.

She began to skid on a patch of black ice, but mercifully, the dogs stopped to sniff around a tree trunk and Darcy regained her balance.  She drew in a steadying breath and slowly shook her head as she gazed around at the wintry cityscape.  An unexpected spring storm had coated Boston in a blanket of white.

Darcy took her cell phone from her pocket to check the time.  Ian would be back from the university soon.  She wondered how his day had gone.  His book on the Scottish clans was due out in a few weeks.  Today he was supposed to have lunch with his agent.

The dogs, Smiley and Thistle had ventured off the walkway to romp in the powdery snow, chasing each other and barking gleefully.  Darcy opened her camera app and snapped a photo.  Both dogs smiled up at her, tails wagging.

“Okay, doggies.  Let’s go.  Time to head home.” Darcy tightened her grip on the two leashes and set off toward Marlborough Street.

They turned the corner at the intersection of Commonwealth and Massachusetts Avenue.  Up ahead, Darcy spotted a familiar figure clad in a thick sheepskin jacket and boots from L.L. Bean.

“Ian!” she called and he turned around.  He stopped in front of the Marlboro Market to wait for them.

When she reached his side, Ian kissed Darcy’s cheek and then bent down to pat Thistle and Smiley in turn.  “This is an unexpected treat,” he said.  “I thought you would be holed up in the living room correcting exams.”  Darcy taught Music Theory at a nearby private school.

She shook her head and linked arms with him as he took Smiley’s leash from her. “Because of the snow day yesterday, I decided to push the test to the end of the week.”

Ian grinned.  “Lucky kids.”

“Believe me they were not disappointed,” Darcy said, as they strolled down their block.  Climbing the stairs of their brownstone, she fished in her pocket for her keys.  Once inside, she followed the dogs up the stairs to their second floor apartment, as Ian checked the mail.

In the spacious living room, Darcy shed her coat and boots.  She unlatched the leashes from Smiley and Thistle and the dogs ran to their water bowl in the kitchen.

“What shall we do tonight, Darce?” Ian asked.  He unwound a tartan wool scarf from around his neck and shrugged off his jacket.  “I was thinking we could grab a cab down to the Lenox and have a drink in the piano bar.  We could indulge in some Prosecco and listen to the music.”

“On a school night?” Darcy asked, as she wondered if it was too cold to wear her new paisley print skirt from J. Jill.

“Sure.” Ian pulled her to him and began to waltz across the parquet floor.  “We have something to celebrate.”

“Oh yeah?” Darcy laughed. “What’s that?”

“Well, exactly one year and eight months ago, we met in that tearoom in Edinburgh.”

“We’re celebrating a one year and eight month anniversary?”  She leaned her head against his shoulder as her mind filled with memories of her summer in Scotland.

“Yes, that and also . . .” Ian spun her around so she landed softly on the sage colored couch.  He grabbed his briefcase from the coffee table and pulled something from its depths. “Mark gave me a finished copy of my book at lunch today.”

“Oh Ian, hooray!”  Darcy clapped her hands and smiled at him in delight. “Congratulations.”

He sat beside her and handed her the book.  “The launch party is set for two weeks from today.”  His voice grew husky with emotion.  “I can’t believe it’s really happening.”

Darcy smoothed her hand over the shiny, smooth cover and carefully opened the book.  Ian had inscribed the title page for her.  His loving words warmed her heart.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” he said, at the same time that Darcy exclaimed, “I’m so proud of you.”

They leaned together, sharing a gentle kiss, as Smiley and Thistle trotted into the room and hopped up onto the couch.

Darcy shifted over to make room for the dogs.  She stretched her arm across the back of the couch and linked hands with Ian.  “We have so much to celebrate.”

 

”

 

 

 

 

Cruising Along the Seine

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For several years, I have been researching my family history.  My father is of French-Canadian descent.  Our family tree extends all the way back to sixteenth century France.  My tenth great-grandmother was born in Paris some time in the mid-1500s.  Because of my French heritage, it is always a treat to travel there.  I took these photos of the Seine in 2008 and included the setting in one of my Martini Family Chronicles.

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After a quick lunch of crêpes bought from a sidewalk stand, we stood in line waiting to board the tourist boat on the Seine.  All around us, guys and girls held hands or had their arms wrapped around each other. One couple leaned against a lamp post totally making out.  I felt like we were about to climb aboard the Love Boat. Where were Julie McCoy and Captain Stubing?

I met Maude’s eyes, wondering if she felt like a third wheel.  She shrugged and then pushed up her sleeve to consult her watch.  “Hey, guys. You know what?

I looked at her expectantly.  “What?

“I want to do some shopping before dinner.  My sister gave me some money for perfume and I wanted to find a scarf.

“We can go to Les Halles after this, can’t we?”

​“I don’t want to drag you guys around while I do my errands.”​

“We don’t mind, do we Sebastian?”  I pulled at his sleeve and he glanced up from the map in our guide book.

“If Maude wants to go shopping, she should go,” he said.  “We can meet up again later.”

The line moved forward, but Maude stepped to the side, saying, “Fab!     I’ll meet you both back at the hotel and we can have dinner. Around eight?

“Are you sure?” I asked, poking Sebastian in the ribs, hoping he would convince her to stay.

He just said, “You know our Maude.  Once she makes a decision, there’s no moving her.  She’s like a rock.”

“It’s settled then.”  Maude gave a cheery wave and took off.

Watching her disappear into the crowd, I said, “Do you think Maude minds being on her own?”

“To be honest, I think she planned to leave us some time to ourselves.”

“Really?”

“Certainly, and I’m rather grateful.” He kissed me lightly on the lips and then grinned.  “Alone at last!”

All the while, we had been inching up to the head of the line and now boarded the bâteaux-mouche.  We found seats on the starboard side.  Across the aisle, two French girls whispered and pointed at Sebastian, throwing openly admiring glances at him.  

I shifted closer to my boyfriend, so my thigh pressed against his. I swallowed as a wave of insecurity engulfed me.  Sebastian was cute and so charming. He would probably have girls throwing themselves at him the moment I stepped onto the plane for California.

As if sensing my mood, Sebastian draped his arm across my shoulders.  “Look, there’s Notre Dame” He pointed to the Ile de la Cité as the boat glided past the looming cathedral.  The gargoyles peered down at us from above.

The whispering girls turned away and I tried to relax.  A soft breeze ruffled my hair and cooled my cheeks as the boat glided smoothly downriver.  On the shore, a man in a beret played “La Vie en Rose” on his accordion. Here we were caught in a perfectly romantic Parisian moment.  I shouldn’t ruin it by worrying.

​Sebastian softly sang along to the accordion, exaggerating his French accent.  I had to laugh. He was crazy. I beamed at him and snuggled closer. Judging from the gleam in his eyes and his infatuated grin, he was crazy about me too.

Home again, home again . . .

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Reading is one of the great joys in life.  Visiting new and intriguing literary destinations in the pages of a novel has always been a favorite pastime for me.  Even as a young girl  I would never go anywhere without taking along a book.  I gloried in getting to know some of the world’s best-loved literary heroines from Jo March and Laura Ingalls to Mary Lennox and Elizabeth Bennett.  I was particularly drawn to the talkative orphan with long red braids, Anne Shirley, reading and re-reading L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series many times.  Although I admired Anne and was entertained by her mishaps and antics, I was equally enchanted by the village of Avonlea on the north shore of Prince Edward Island. 

 In June, I finally visited Anne’s beloved home.  My husband and I set off on a Canadian road trip as soon as the school year ended.  We visited St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, NB, Cavendish (Avonlea), PEI and Halifax, NS.  All three destinations were delightful, but Prince Edward Island was by far my favorite.  As we settled into our rustic motel in Cavendish, I felt immediately at home.  That sense of welcome along with the photos I took during our visit inspired me to write the following photo essay.

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The lupines were in bloom, lining the roadsides all across PEI. (photo by L. Walkins, 2018)

From the top deck of the ferry, Luna spotted her sister on the shore.  Stella’s bright blonde hair stood out like a beacon against the deep blue sky.  Slowly, as the ferry chugged across the Wood Islands harbor, the features of Stella’s smiling heart-shaped face came into focus.  Luna took off her straw sun hat and waved it over her head in greeting.

Picking up her overstuffed backpack and hooking it over her slim left shoulder, Luna hurried down to the main deck and joined the line of passengers waiting to disembark.

When the crew had the boat safely tied up in port, Luna followed the crowd out into the June sunshine.  As she stepped off the metal gangway onto her island at long last, a sense of peace flooded through her.

“Luna, over here,” Stella called.  She stood beside two bicycles leaning against the weathered wall of the marina office.

Luna joined her sister, dropped her backpack at her feet and the two girls shared a warm hug. Barely a year apart, they were often mistaken as twins.

“I can’t believe I’m back on PEI,” Luna said as Stella simultaneously cried, “Welcome home!”

They laughed and Stella continued, “I’m so glad you’re here.  How was Halifax?  What about art school?  It must have been so awesome.  You haven’t turned into a city girl, have you?”

Luna held up her hands to ward off her sister’s torrent of questions.  “Whoa,” she said. “I’ll tell you everything when we get home, and of course I haven’t turned into a city girl.  No way.”

Nodding at the bikes, she went on, “Is this how we’re getting to White Sands?”

Stella shook her head as Luna grinned at her.  “Don’t be ridiculous.  The car’s over there.”  She waved vaguely toward the parking lot.  “We definitely should go for a bike ride later though.”

“Sounds good,” Luna agreed.

Stella grabbed the backpack and led the way to the yellow VW bug the sisters shared.  A few minutes later they were cruising down Shore Road.

Luna rolled down her window and drank in the view of the countryside rolling by.  Blossoming lupines lined both sides of the road, creating a pink and purple picket fence in front of the white clapboard houses and farm yards they drove past.

“Do you remember that old picture book, Miss Rumphius?” Luna asked her sister.

“Is that the one about the librarian who went around the country scattering lupine seeds?  I love that story.”

“Exactly,” Luna said.  “The illustrations are really amazing.  I can still picture some of them so vividly even though I haven’t looked at the book since we were little.”

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Prince Edward Island 2018  (photo by L. Walkins)

“Your paintings are just as good,” Stella said loyally.  “And maybe some day, you’ll publish a picture book that everyone will remember.”

“I hope so.”

The sisters fell silent and Luna continued to gaze out the window.  When they slowed down at the traffic light by the red and white lighthouse, she sighed in contentment.  In a few minutes, she would walk into her mother’s cozy kitchen where Mom would have tea and her favorite scones waiting, and later she would take a long bike ride with Stella.  It was good to be home.