Chapter Two

February 2nd is Groundhog Day in US. According to folklore if it is cloudy when a groundhog comes out of its burrow on this day, then Spring will come early. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and rushes back into its burrow, and then the winter will persist for 6 more weeks !
I don't know if we have that kind of fancy weather forecast in France, but no matter how long Winter will still last, we have to bring ourselves to move onward and make the most of each minute.

Last Saturday I woke up early because of the noise of the hailstones against the roof. I went downstairs, started the tea and glanced through the window. The grass was white with hail but apart from that, something felt different. Then it dawned on me : there were two roe-deers indulging themselves in a camellia buds breakfast. I was about to open the kitchen door and take a photo but I stopped dead...The click of my camera would frighten them and I didn't want to ruin their early morning treat ! So, I stood still, filled with child-like amazement. I felt as if I were in " Bambi " cartoon !!!

Well, don't go overboard. Living here doesn't always mean being Alice in Wonderland or Snow White. It also means swapping court shoes for rubber boots and manicured hands for blistered and scratched ones. Every flow has its ebb..However I wouldn't live again in Paris for all the tea in China !