Starting to explore...

Yesterday was a full one: my church moderator wrote saying, "Let's see - a tour of the church with an architect in the morning, a wedding in the afternoon and then a long letter to your sabbatical clergy replacement in the evening: great Sabbath!" Clearly he has been paying attention as I've address Sabbath
keeping all summer and he is a wise soul.  At any rate, we made it to the Eastern Townships of Quebec by early afternoon in pursuit of a book launch by Louise Penny. You may know her as the former CBC news person who in her mid 30s started to explore a new direction: writing French Canadian mysteries.
The Inspector Gamache series has become wildly popular over the past 10 years and we've come to like them a great deal.

There were about 400 people, many locals, but a good deal from the USA,too. It was mostly a female crowd, most were over 50 and very well educated. And Ms. Penny was a trip: sophisticated, bright, humble and engaging. One of the things she noted is that "she gives thanks that she lives in an area of the world were all of our senses are fed." I've been thinking about that all afternoon as we walked about Knowlton, spoke French and English with shop keepers and discussed why this region is so personally attractive to us both. It is saturated with satisfying food, art, music, weather and creativity - and that is an important clue.

Tomorrow we are on to Montreal to search out neighborhoods - and even actual apartments - for next year's sabbatical. It was a hustle to get to Lac Brome by 1 pm, but we did it - and I am grateful. A deep nap and a hot shower were restorative, too. Now for some reading and a good night sleep apres Montreal.