Flowers and frolic

I'm not sure when I've enjoyed spring as much as I am this year. At this time last year I was recovering from the surgery to repair my rotator cuff and we were in the midst of downsizing, which meant going through everything and deciding to keep, trash, sell, or donate. (The smallest category by far was "keep.")

It's been two years since spring has meant gardening, which I very much enjoyed, but even then the enjoyment was mixed with keeping up with the growing grass and other chores. This is really my first spring in retirement and in a downsized, relocated life where my "to do" list is really quite small. Eventually I may need more, but right now our daily walks in beautiful weather (I'm averaging 12-14 km/day), along with shopping and cooking, keep me pretty well occupied. 

It's already been air-conditioning weather back in Virginia. That's an option that we don't have here but also haven't needed. An open window lets in a nice cool breeze and that's been all we need to stay comfortable so far, although we did purchase a set of light blocking curtains for the west-facing windows that we close on sunny afternoons. 

I do miss planting my container garden but my house plants are doing well and I'm really enjoying all the spring flowers we see on walks. 

This wild iris is coming into bloom along the inner canals inside the Citadel. 

Pretty in pink. 

Coots and offspring

Bailey at play

Apple trees in bloom

Grass cutters with their guardian.

A crow friend

This is one of the community gardens in the park at the Citadel.

It's divided into small plots.

Water collection system at the gardens and compost.

Bailey with another playmate.

I saw this bleeding heart peeking out from under another plant this morning.

The plant looks like a snapdragon, but the flowers are a bit different so I'm not sure.

One of the flower beds at the entrance of the park.

March of the Teckels

Since I spend several hours a day walking Bailey, we see a lot of different dogs. I've seen some breeds that I don't recognize but most I do. I've been surprised by the number of hunting dogs I see, lots of pointers. There are probably more pure breds than mixes. When I talk to someone with a mixed breed they always say that they got it from a shelter. Most the male pure breds seem to be unneutered, I can't tell by looking if the females are unspayed but I suspect they are. And yet, pet overpopulation does not seem to be a problem on the same scale as it exists in the U.S. 

One of the breeds that I see very often around here are miniature dachshunds, or "teckels" as they are called here. I don't think I've ever seen the number or variety of them that I've seen here. They come in a variety of colors and coats – smooth, long-haired, and wire-haired. I'm quite taken by the breed, especially the wire-haired little guys, they are just as cute as they can be. 

On Sunday there was a "sausage walk" in Lille. It was a gathering of teckel owners at a public square followed by a walk through the city to the Citadel. Originally the plan included a walk around the Citadel as well, but I suspect that was shortened when enough people thought it was too far for the little dogs. Clay and I went to the gathering place where the walk started but we didn't follow them on the route through the city. I didn't get very good pictures but there were hundreds of very cute dogs. I thought that they should have had all the owners lift their dogs up over their heads for a group photo op. Being so low to the ground the group pictures just looked like a gathering of people with a few dogs on the edges. 

Someday, when I'm an old man and can't do all the walking I'm doing now, there may be a teckel in my future. For now, I need Bailey's longer legs and energy to keep me moving as much as possible.

Bike ride

Lille's public transportation system consists of subway, bus, and tram lines but also bicycles. I finally checked out the bike system this week. You don't have to return the bike to the same place you got it, just to any open bike lot spot anywhere around town. You can get an annual or weekly pass, but if you rent one for a single use, it's the same price as a subway or bus ride. However, if you return it within a half hour, it's free. There is an English language option on the rental kiosk, but it still took me four tries to get a bike checked out the first time I tried. 

I walk with Bailey every morning and again every evening, but I need something to do during the day to burn more calories. Bike riding seemed like something to try. I've ridden a bike since I was a kid, even won second place in a city-wide bike skills contest when I was in elementary school. But I hadn't been on one in years, and it took a little time before the confidence returned. I felt a renewed and even deeper connection with Bailey, because my first instinct was to head for the woods at the Citadel, I did not want to ride in town. I did want a smooth, paved surface however, so I took the most direct route to the Citadel and made my way to paths that run on either side of the Deule Canal. 

The canal paths are flat, hard, smooth surface, and are not heavily used in the middle of the day. One thing I realized on my first ride is that I needed to buy a helmet and we did so the next day before my second ride. I felt more confident and competent on the second ride, the helmet helped, I'm sure. 

The bikes are pretty nice. The seat height is easily adjustable, they have three speed gears, and basket on the front for carrying stuff. I'm not sure how often I'll be riding, but it's nice to have the option. There is a rental kiosk very near our place and there are many of them all over town. 

iLevia is the name of the company that operates the transportation system in Lille.

I haven't fallen, but this gives me a sense of security.

My second bike ride, 10.08 km. 

This is one stretch of the path along the canal.

That's enough of that, here's some more pictures of walking with Bailey.

And I think this sums it up pretty well: