NOV 2018

November 2018

Since my next and last Blog will be at the end of December, I will say Merry Christmas now:

Merry Christmas

 Christmas has broken out, but I just not ready yet! I will get there, and on time.
The weather at this time of year is mostly fog. Some days of drizzle, other days of just fog or haze, and then the rare moment of sun. I was going to take a morning photo,but by 10am; the fog actually lifted, then the grey clouds came. And so is winter here. Today it was 4° low and 10° high, celsius!

On the 11 of November, Gevrey, as all over France, commemorated the 100 anniversary of the end of the war. On the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the 11 hour the agreement to end the war was signed. The 11 of Nov is stilled called Armistice Day and it is a holiday (this year however it was on a Sunday, so no work day off).
 Each year on the 11th, there is a ceremony at the Monument aux Morts and a couple students read their essay about the war. It is lesson no one should forget. It is not a celebration, it is a remembrance. I took photos at the ceremony and also included some photos of the  exposition that my Association had set up.

A little grey and wet, but no rain during the ceremony.
 Band and childrens chorale group under the tent. 

This was set on the stage

For France: 1,4 million died, 3,6 million injured
Let's not forget

There were about 38 panels of information

I forgot to note that one person in Gevrey found photos her grandfather had taken during the war. He had an American Kodak camera and took photos in the trenches and of the villages the soldiers passed through. He had a small notebook and numbered and noted each photo with information. We had 68 of these photos on display.

Onto other subjects. The association is also involved with the chateau in Gevrey. It was sold some years ago to a Chinese man who was interested in the restoration of the chateau. Our group was interested in the documentation of this and wanted to have a book done about the chateau. As things moved slowly over the last couple of years, both the restoration has stepped up and so has the idea of a book we have wanted. We met with the architects and the historians, and the archaeologists who will be contributing chapters to the book a few weeks ago. It was a kickoff meeting with a tour of the chateau. The interesting part, as they start to renovate, changes made century by century become obvious. The question is what level to restore it to. The chateau started in the XIII century with significant changes in the XV and XVIII. It was a chateau fort.  Here are some photos of the outside of the chateau.

Large tower on the right is XIII century

Small tower

I find this project to be fascinating. which

Early this month, I met a cousin of my from my maternal grandmother's side of the family. Through the Commeree family, we are second cousins. We went up to Margilley (mar gee ee) is a little over an hour from Dijon (if you get on the right road)!!  Nicolas Comirey was born there in 1702, and he was transported to Canada 1732. He was sent to Canada because he was a salt smuggler. During the period there were huge taxes on certain items, such as salt. He could get salt at a low cost and would smuggle it into a region with the high tax. Many smugglers were hanged, so I guess we are fortunate that our ancestor was sent to Canada. 
It has been a wonderful year for family. A  trip to the USA in April/May to see sister and nieces, a niece in Paris in June, a cousin and husband in Paris in September and a cousin in Dijon this November.

Church of Margilley where it all started 1702

I have been working on photos for the May 2019 exposition that has the theme "Reflets" (reflections).

More on that next month.
I may need to have photos for a small exposition, an honor given to winners of last years expo. Here are some that I am considering. Have not finished looking at photos, and no decisions until much later. Some black and 

white work (or colorized), and some color photos too

Stairs to ?

Twisted trees

Nebraska

Canal

Chicago

staircase

Iceland

Not sure how many I need, so still playing around with photos and ideas.

Here is a very fun Christmas ad here for a telephone company. You really do not need to know french to watch. Check it out, you will like it, and let me know if you watch it 😃
CLEVER AD :  CHRISTMAS AD     It will start with another ad, you can see the SKIP on the right. This one starts when you see DROLE PUB (funny ad)

Recipe of the Month

Bibeleskaes

This is a a "sauce" to put on potatoes, much like sour cream with chives. It comes from Alsace. it is rich and not something I make often, but so good on a winters night.

Here is the recipe for 4 persons

Ingredients

• 500 gr de fromage blanc à 40 % + 200 gr de crème fraîche épaisse
• 1 kg de pommes de terre fermes type Roseval ou Charlotte
• 2 échalotes ou 1 oignon
• 1/4 de gousse d’ail
• ciboulette
• sel et poivre

OK, in english

• 700 grams of sour cream (about 25 ounces. Recipe calls for fromage blanc and creme fraiche, ingredients you may not be able to find, so I just listed sour cream)
• 1 kilo of potatoes (2.2 pounds)
• 2 shallots chopped
• 1/4 clove of garlic
• chives
• salt and pepper

Preparation

I like to make it the day before, for the flavors mix better .

Chop garlic and shallots, Cut the chives very fine.

Add all to sour cream and mix well

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with the potatoes (over, under, slathered with...).