Fait en France

An envelope from Paris arrived in the mail. My brother and sister-in-law had been traveling in Europe and they sent me a charming 3-D postcard-puzzle. It arrived in pieces, with scored areas for folding and tabs for tucking, and a photo showing the final result: A miniature paper model of a French street corner, complete with sunwashed pastel townhomes, awnings, cafe signs, patios with flowers, and a fountain! Mirontaine in Bordeaux makes these enchanting puzzles.

I got down to work on it and found it completely absorbing. The 3-D aspect was a relief from what I’m normally working on – a computer screen – and I made a point of not assembling it in my office.

As I folded and tucked, I admired the craftsmanship that went into it, and the way the assembly process was so methodical. I love a puzzle! and this one really captivated me. It brought back all the memories of my own trip to France – the cafes, the people, the art and the food. Above all, the atmosphere of beauty that you encounter everywhere. As my brother wrote in his note: “It’s like walking in a storybook.”

Vive la France!