Denise: Garden Group outing to SEVE

Rosie, Peggy, Denise and Susan Rey on top and Michelin Ladies Peggy and Rosie

In late September, before the first big storm hit the area, an intrepid group of AWG gardeners (accompanied by two of their kids who are working in horticulture) visited the SEVE event held at the Domaine de Grammont in Montpellier.

SEVE stands for Scène d’Expression Végétale Ephémère: it was a festival for gardeners, horticulturists, and all those who are interested in fashioning the outside as part of our living space.

Arriving early, we were in time for the official opening of the event, with (short) speeches and then coffee/beverages/nibbles offered. Our group then set off to explore the extensive grounds and discover what was on offer. 

We admired the different garden scenes, watched artisans at work, ate a nice “bio” vegetarian lunch, and wandered/shopped in the large “commercial” area. Though we did not attend any, there was also a full program of talks throughout the two days that SEVE lasted.

So a very enjoyable outing on a warm and sunny September day, which also allowed visitors to discover the Grammont park, which is normally closed to visitors.

Katharine C: Tea with the Consul from the US Consulate of Marseille

AWG was privileged to receive Ann Marie Chiappetta, Consul, from the US Consulate General in Marseilles for a Meet and Greet Tea at Peggy F’s gracious home.

Peggy R and our hostess, Peggy F

After we had assembled, Ann Marie was introduced by Jessica who had first met with Ann Marie when she visited the US Consulate to apply for a passport for her baby son.  Ann Marie is responsible for consular activities that include passport issuance. 

After Jessica’s introduction, Ann Marie took the floor to advise significant issues of which we Americans should be aware.  There is a new Ambassador for France,  whose (political) appointment has been approved by the Senate and Ambassador Jane Hartley will be arriving in Paris imminently.  The new Consul General in Marseilles is Monique Quesada.  Ann Marie is halfway through a 3-year appointment in Marseilles. 

Ann Marie advised that there are no longer US posts in the cities of Bordeaux, Toulouse or Nantes.  The State Dept. presence in France remains our Embassy in Paris and the Consulate General in Marseilles.  Ann Marie advises that RENEWALS of US passport may be executed via the mail - and that a personal appointment, and personal affirmation (the way it’s conducted in Post Offices in the United States) are not necessary.  Full details on the  Consulate’s website., including downloadable application forms. 

Jessica, Kim, Maquita

Ann Marie suggested that we should all be enrolled in the Smart Traveller Enrolment  Program  (STEP)- and that this does not trigger activity by the IRS.  (She is clearly asked this so often that it was something she repeated.  By law, State Dept employees may not disclose personal details of US citizens to the IRS.)   Enrollment in the Smart Traveller program will trigger alerts by email from the State Dept regarding an unstable region, or a natural disaster, in which you may be travelling.

Peggy and Cerese

Ann Marie advised us that the MAABN (Mediterranean Anglo-American Business Network) represents the American Chamber of Commerce in Southern France. 
(Note:  Maggie receives information about this group).

Throughout the afternoon, Ann Marie was happy to entertain all our questions, and provide solid information regarding a variety of citizenship issues. 

The Consulate maintains lists that may be useful to Americans - i.e. anglophone doctors and hospitals within the Consular district (which cuts a broad swathe from Toulouse to Monaco). 
Another list includes anglophone notaries and translators for the area.   She alerted us to the many resources that are available on the US Embassy’s Paris website.

She will not conduct personal consular business, such as passport renewals (which she acknowledged that her predecessors have done) in visits to Montpellier;  she believes it to be unfair to offer this service to one group and not to everyone else.

Ann Marie advises that people who require consular services should be directed to the website at marseille.usconsulate.gov for information and appointments.  Should they have further questions, they can email her team at citizeninfomarseille@state.gov or call at 01 43 12 48 85.  If the issue is too complicated for her very capable staff or it requires the direct intervention of a consular officer, then the issue will be referred to Ann Marie.  

Ann Marie gave us a personal account of her career to date: hailing from San Francisco, Ann Marie trained as a lawyer, moved from her law career to the State Dept and has had assignments in Haiti, amongst other countries, which she loved.  She found the people there warm and generous, and enjoyed being invited to baptisms and other family events.  She welcomed the opportunity to meet with us, and we encouraged her to accept our invitation both to our Thanksgiving (Nov. 16)
and Holiday (Dec. 13) celebrations.    Jessica thanked her on our behalf for coming to meet with us, and presented her with a copy of Season. 

A charming and gracious presence, we enjoyed a delightful afternoon at Peggy’s, and Ann Marie’s  talk was followed by Tea and informal conversation.



Contact coordinates:

marseille.usconsulate.gov for information and appointments. 

email for questions:  citizeninfomarseille@state.gov 

or call at 01 43 12 48 85. 

Jane: St Tropez in September

Katharine: a day in the garrigue at Linda's

 Photo credits:  Robyn, Peggy F and Katharine C
 

The Garden Group met at Linda's country home;  we picked wild rocket and other fragrant herbs andplants to take home to plant.   We planned our program for the next year;  and we ate a wonderful lunch.  What could be a more pleasant way to spend a Fall day in the Languedoc?  Many thanks to Linda for hosting us, and to Peggy R for organising the day, and to everyone who came.  The light storm over Montpellier unnerved us only momentarily.

PeggyR, Linda, Anne, SusanRey, Robyn, Viv, PeggyF

Linda and Mariannick

Winnie-the-Pooh assists Peggy in running the planning discussion

Christophe in front of their abundant potato vine

Anne, Viv, Katharine, Linda, Mariannick, SusanRey, Peggy F, Peggy R   (where's Pam?)

A big farewell to our dear friend Vivien for a few months.  We look forward to her return in 2015.

Katharine: Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness

          To Autumn, 1820:

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.     John Keats.

Photos of the Pic St Loup:  Katharine C.  October 3 2014. 

Pam: Fairy houses along the Cathedral Trail in Maine's Monhegan Island

What a perfect Maine day.  The air is clear, the sky blue, the water calm.  Just the right day to take the ferry out to Monhegan Island for a picnic and a hike and a visit to the quaint art galleries in the little town.  Monhegan Island is known to be an artists’ haven where artists such as Andrew Wyeth have spent summers painting the typical Maine Coast scenery. 

Jamie Wyeth's home in Monhegan Island's Lobster Cove.

No tourist cars come onto the island.  The few vehicles there are for security or agriculture.  Put a quarter in the slot and take a hiking pamphlet.  There are dozens of trails taking you across or around the island.  I suggest you take the Cathedral Trail which takes you through a pine wood over the top of the island to the other side where the ocean rolls into the cliffs.

Take note:  there are numerous Fairy Houses along  Cathedral Trail.  You must keep your eyes out and be careful where you walk. 

Walkers before you have taken time to gather forest floor elements and build small constructions for the Monhegan fairies.  Children, nature-lovers, artists have made it a tradition to use only findings such as dried twigs, bark, ferns, moss, pinecones, shells, seaglass, stones to create precious, fragile, sometimes fabulous homes for fairies.  As you walk softly through that woods, you may be tempted to gather some bits and pieces yourself and build a fairy house as a thank you present for a beautiful day.

Jessica: Welcome back apero at Cerese's

Mary-Catherine and Anne in party mood

A BIG Thank you goes to Cerese C-S and her husband, Nicolas for welcoming us into their beautiful home in Gallargues-les-Montueux. We arrived to a door wide, kind hosts and lots of fun.

There was a puzzle to be made that consisted of guests having to find their missing pieces and eventually the missing phrase, “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,’ and after having done that needed to glue their puzzle together and present the phrase which was on the back of the puzzle. There was a puzzle for each activity of AWGLR, with a lovely phrase that exemplified the activity. We had first, second and third place winners; but then passed out concession prizes to all guests present. There was fun to be had by all.

Maggie and our hostess, Cerese

We also welcomed a couple of new/old members; Kevin and Sheila who recently relocated here just one week ago from Austin, Texas with hopes of taking an early retirement and Jan Nixon, who said she attended our Thanksgiving last fall and enjoys attending our events. We look forward to welcoming you all to the AWGLR very soon. 

Thank you to all the members who participated. It was a great way to begin the new club year 2014-2015 for the American Women’s Group of Languedoc-Roussillon. Enjoy the photos. 

Noel and Mary-cat;  Maquita and Pam

Denise, Anne, Robyn in foreground; Maggie, Serge, Bruno behind

Darrell, Patricia and Jan N (from Aus)

Marie with Sheila (recently re-located from Austin, TX)

Mary-Cat with Sheila and Maggie

Alexander, Dennelle's husband

Mary-Cat and Dennelle

Bernadette and Pam

Louise and Kevin, Sheila's husband

Patricia and husband Alain;  the group sang happy birthday to him, and his kind response included the fact that it was also Brigitte Bardot's birthday

Louise holding her concession gift of votive candles and incense