Thursday, July 14, 2011

Le Quatorze Juillet!


I remember thinking that so much of France's military equipment was being paraded down the Champs Élysée that we should hope there was no immediate need on the globe for assistance. The tanks, the humvees, the trucks, the so-large-I-cannot-imagine what they ares, the horses in finery, the planes, the firetrucks... all of the personnel. The length of this wide avenue was full to overflowing. It was magnificent!

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Today is a special day for me as I started my blog one year ago today. I drove to Birmingham to see Virginia, and the two of us "birthed this baby" so its birthday would always fall on Bastille Day. I will be forever grateful to her for her guidance and wonderful sense of humor as we laughed our way through "delivery."

Thanks to all of you who read my blog and who have, through your own blogs and comments on mine, enriched this experience, sharing a bit of your world with me. I was not sure that I could post 365 days in a row, but it is now just a part of me. Merci beaucoup!
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43 comments:

  1. Sylvia KJuly 14, 2011 at 2:14 AM

    Oh, Happy Blogaversary, Genie!! I just passed my third blogging year on the first of July and there is no way I can fully express the incredible pleasure it has brought into my life! You and your blog are most definitely one of best sources of that pleasure over the past year! I do so enjoy your photos, your love of France and your delightful blog! I look forward to another year! Marvelous capture/post for Bastille Day! Have a wonderful weekend, mon amie!!

    Hugs,
    Sylvia

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  2. AnonymousJuly 14, 2011 at 3:13 AM

    Congratulations dear Genie! Today France remembering an history and that's what we have in Europe, history! Your work on this Blog is amazing and not only the Photographs, but also your words, so thanks for that!

    Have a fine and nice 14th of july;)

    Greetz,

    Henk.

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  3. KonstantinJuly 14, 2011 at 3:28 AM

    congratulations!

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  4. Rob-bearJuly 14, 2011 at 4:53 AM

    «Allons, enfants de la patrie»!
    Happy birthday, joyeux anniversaire, and congratulations. One year means a lot of pictures. All of them good.
    Looking forward to this next year, Genie.
    Blessings and Bear hugs.

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  5. This is BelgiumJuly 14, 2011 at 4:54 AM

    Wonderful that you drove up all the way from Mobile to Birmingham for the birth of Paris and Beyond. It is a long drive, but if you want to know what I think : definitely worth the trouble since it lead to an exquisite and extraordinary result, a blog to treasure. What an appropriate day to get started !
    I love today's photo. The black woman, first in row, looks proud to be celebrating her quatorze julliet.
    Have a happy one, Genie. It is raining and cold in Brussels. I hope that 350 or whatever it is .. km down South the weather is different today

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  6. diveJuly 14, 2011 at 5:23 AM

    Happy first blog-birthday, Genie! And happy Bastille Day, too.
    Here's to many more years.

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  7. biebkriebelsJuly 14, 2011 at 6:16 AM

    A very happy blog-birthday to you and to many more years. I am afraid this will not be such a sunny day as your photo. In France and here it is raining cats and dogs with heavy storms. But these people ar not aware of it and are happy marching on.
    Greetings, Marianne

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  8. MalyssJuly 14, 2011 at 6:32 AM

    One more good reason to celebrate and be happy today!fireworks for you, dear Genie! :o)

    PS: here, it's hot and sunny!

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  9. brattcatJuly 14, 2011 at 8:00 AM

    What a charming one year old! That Virginia is full of magic, isn't she? She sprinkles it wherever she goes...and you, and your blog, Genie, are an enchanting offspring.

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  10. PeterParisJuly 14, 2011 at 8:19 AM

    Bravo! Not only for the one year, but particularly for the fantastic way you illustrate your love of Paris!!

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  11. PerthDailyPhotoJuly 14, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    Happy Bastille Day Genie, and happy 1st year blog birthday too! It's always with anticipation that I click on to Paris and Beyond to see what wonderful Paris sight I'll see today, so thanks very much for that pleasure. Love your picture today, rows of very proud looking men all spic and span! Here's to many more years of friendships.

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  12. MJuly 14, 2011 at 9:04 AM

    Happy Bastille Day and, most of all, Happy Birthday Paris and Beyond!!!! Congratulating you on the great success of this beautiful blog and thanking you for sharing your talent and love and bringing all of us such joy. This photo is So crisp -- makes me want to stand up at attention! I wonder what is distracting the 4th man in the back row ... he is the only one not facing straight ahead. Gros bisous chérie!

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  13. cocoa and coconut July 14, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    Happy blog birthday Genie! It is truly such a pleasure to view your blog and read your posts. I will always follow you and your adventures throughout Paris.

    Vive la France! Merci pour la partage de cette image!

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  14. Carol Schiff Daily PaintingJuly 14, 2011 at 9:24 AM

    Congratulations dear Genie. You have enriched all of our lives with your beautiful views of Paris.
    Bisous!!

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  15. KateJuly 14, 2011 at 9:26 AM

    What a wonderful journey it has been for you AND for us. Peter said it well when he acknowledged how your love for Paris shines through your photos. Thanks, too, for the story of your blogs origin. How wonderful to have assistance from an able blogger, but it's clear that you can do very, very well on your own. Merci.

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  16. HarrietJuly 14, 2011 at 9:31 AM

    Félicitations!!! I have enjoyed your blog from its very inception - wonderful photos and wonderful stories. Thanks for sharing!

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  17. AmandaJuly 14, 2011 at 9:51 AM

    Joyeux anniversaire Genie!

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  18. Montreal Photo DailyJuly 14, 2011 at 10:04 AM

    I'm certain that it has been a fun and fulfilling first year for you Genie! The wonderful photos and captivating stories draws me to your blog every day. Congratulations for a job well done! :)

    Thanks for sharing your passion and love for Paris!

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  19. LouiseJuly 14, 2011 at 10:12 AM

    Happy Blogiversary Genie. I'm glad to have found you so early, and look forward to many more years of Paris and Beyond.

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  20. StarmanJuly 14, 2011 at 10:53 AM

    Bon Anniversaire! We are planning to meet some friends on the Esplanade des Invalides and the walk over to see Benabar, one of my favorite French singers, who is doing a concert at la Tour Eiffel around 23h00.

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  21. GringoJuly 14, 2011 at 11:06 AM

    Ah, those were the days (not!), the hours spent and the late nights polishing and cleaning so that everthing would be perfect for parade!

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  22. HalcyonJuly 14, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    Happy blogiversary!!!
    Love this shot. They're so serious. :)

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  23. VirginiaJuly 14, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    TIme flies when you're blogging I always say. Hard to believe it's been a whole year since the birthing in my bedroom/office! And instead of an epidural, copious amounts of wine were needed! :)
    xx
    V

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  24. GunnJuly 14, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    You have a very interesting and very nice blog!!
    CONGRATULATIONS from Gunn in Stavanger, Norway.

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  25. UnknownJuly 14, 2011 at 2:45 PM

    "The so-large-I-cannot-imagine what they ares"! Now you made me laugh, Genie! :-) Many congratulations on the 1st anniversary of your wonderful blog.

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  26. AndrewJuly 14, 2011 at 3:33 PM

    Happy Blogaversary!

    Nice photo, I like the way everyone is so structured properly as they should be.

    It's a pleasure to view your Blog and for you to view mine. I appreciate all of your comments you leave me and I hope you feel the same.

    have a good one!

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  27. LoreeJuly 14, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    Happy birthday to your lovely blog. And please keep delighting us with your beautiful images.

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  28. PETRO50July 14, 2011 at 4:10 PM

    Beautiful photos. I like me very much. It must have been a big celebration. Beautiful feeling. Hello! Peter.

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  29. Janey and Co.July 14, 2011 at 4:34 PM

    Happy Birthday. I am so happy that you did start this blog....It is a joy! And thank you for checking in on mine...and me tucked away in these hills! Janey

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  30. JamesJuly 14, 2011 at 6:34 PM

    I must say the parade and festivities sound wonderful. I'd love to see a parade like that in Paris and I bet the fireworks are amazing but I just can't bring myself to go to Europe in the summer. Thankfully I can look at your wonderful pictures. :)

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  31. Shane PollardJuly 14, 2011 at 7:11 PM

    CONGRATULATIONS mon amie!!!

    That is an amazing feat - a daily post and each and everyone is so very very good!!
    YOU are a GENIE in the true sense of the name!!!!

    Here's to the next year!
    Vive La France!!!!!!!!!!
    Vive Paris & Beyond!!!!!

    hugs
    Shane

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  32. Photos by StanJuly 14, 2011 at 8:11 PM

    Happy B-day!! Guess the French are a bit bummed out by the USA world cup victory -- but, the Mmes. gave a great account of themselves.

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  33. Sharon CreechJuly 14, 2011 at 8:21 PM

    Happy anniversary!

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  34. JackJuly 14, 2011 at 9:14 PM

    The day is here! Happy first blogaversary. I enjoy feeling your enthusiasm for Paris through your pictures. (Nice one today, by the way.) It will be fun seeing what the coming year holds for you and your blog. To your health!

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  35. AlexaJuly 14, 2011 at 10:52 PM

    I remember well the beginning of your baby blog, Genie—helped along by Virginia, midwife extraordinaire! And I've enjoyed watching it grow all year. Keep going to our fave place, please, and sharing your wonderful images with us for a long time to come.

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  36. VagabondeJuly 14, 2011 at 11:52 PM

    Happy bloganniversary – you have a very successful blog. When I joined your blog you only had a handful of followers and look at now – you have 318! Your baby has grown very quickly.

    We also had a baby in the family a few hours ago (a human one that is.) It was supposed to be born today, but he came one day early. My daughter had a baby boy yesterday, 13 July, at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, he is 9 lbs 4 oz and quite cute. I don’t think that he’ll gain 318 pounds in a year though – not even 31.8 lbs. Holidays are good for babies in all categories.

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  37. Genie -- Paris and BeyondJuly 15, 2011 at 1:30 AM

    Joyeaux Quatorze Juillet!

    How I would have loved to be there today... for the grand parade (le défilé); for the electricity and excitement in the air; for the thrill of the jets screaming overhead with their contrails of bleu, blanc, and rouge; and for the fireworks over La Tour Eiffel.

    Thank you for all of your well-wishes on my blog anniversary, and for taking the time to let me know that you enjoy the photos, the stories, and sometimes the humor in my blog. Thank you for the friendship and camaraderie.

    Starman, I hope that Bénabar performed "Les Mots D'Amour" tonight! (or Monsieur René)

    James -- I do love Paris in the summer (how could I not?) but to be there on 14 juillet is a logistical challenge and not for someone with an agenda for the day. Everything is closed for the holiday and many small places have already closed for les grandes vacances. As I told Marie today, August comes early in Paris. I would love to be there and then stay until Le Tour arrives on this same avenue on 24 juillet!

    Vagabonde, how wonderful and appropriate that you will have now a grandson with the memorable birthday of 14 juillet. Warm congratulations!

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  38. Shell SherreeJuly 15, 2011 at 3:15 AM

    I'm sorry I'm tardy for your 1st Blogoversary, dear Genie! How wonderful that you and Virginia timed it for Bastille Day. I'm sure you had a fun celebration together. Thank you so very much for the beautiful inspiration you continue to give us each and every day.

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  39. TheChieftessJuly 15, 2011 at 3:24 AM

    Happy Blog-Birthday Genie!!! Virginia's a great blog mid-wife!!! You two did great!!!

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  40. Mikko TyllinenJuly 15, 2011 at 8:10 AM

    Great shot! Very beautiful!

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  41. Genie -- Paris and BeyondJuly 15, 2011 at 11:57 AM

    Merci, Shell, K, and Mikko!

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  42. SRQJuly 16, 2011 at 12:18 PM

    Congratulations -- what a milestone! Here's to another year of fun Paris photos. I just returned from my first visit to Paris, and I'm enjoying your pics even more!

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  43. AlanJuly 17, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    This is just a superb photo, worthy of the honour of featuring in your anniversary post, Genie. Congrats!

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Merci for your comments!