France has much to recommend no matter the season, but springtime is my favorite. As we spend much of our time on the canals, you can be sure there will be plenty of water, the countryside is a feast of flowers, the temperature is comfortable and mosquitos have not yet arrived.

We do not often see formal, manicured, gardens. In my mind, these gardens are a reflection of how I have come to know the French people- kind, and mindful of what matters most to them. It is a delight to observe young children in a restaurant, cafe, or park. They are not required to sit in silence at the table. They often wander about, play with other children, and snatch a French fry from the plate of an adult. Crying or anger is rare, and when it is seen, is calmly and lovingly addressed by an adult.

On a side note (while related in my mind) dogs are welcome in venues where they would not be in many other countries. This is not quite as prevalent as it once was. The observation that French dogs are remarkably well behaved has been studied. They are often unleashed, but rarely stray from their owner or show aggression. At the same time, their obedience is immediate.

It is true, that adherence in France to picking up dog excrement is not high. I imagine their reasoning is – it is natural fertilizer and will be gone in a short while; the plastic bags used to pick up the waste is more of a pollutant. We do however, pick our dog Duhkxy’s poop up.

Back to the beautiful Spring flowers