One day, I was out taking photos of the oak trees, scrub oak, brush, and brambles that litter the hillsides and little valley up the road from me. Then, I got back home to cool down from the heat and started watching a video on YouTube. It was someone walking through a small village in Provence, France.

Next thing you know, I am looking at my photos, then back at the video, then back at my photos again. Wow! Talk about similarities in landscape and flora!

And guess what? Next, I found myself reading all those great little Peter Mayle books with a chilled glass of rosé in my hand. Funny…

Southern Oregon has its share of the great Cascade Mountain range, for sure. We have our share of mist-covered and pinetree-laden peaks and hills, too. But, when you look down from up on high, and you’ve seen some of those videos I have on YouTube, you could get the sense real quick about my revelation.

Since then, I must admit that I’ve become a bit of a Francophile.

We have many vineyards that dot the landscape here. Farms with row upon row of fruit trees, or cattle, or wheat, and hey, too. Each one is no different than looking over the edge of a rock wall in Ménerbes down into the deep valleys of the farms of Provence below.

We have a few lavender fields, too! Oh, and the bluest of skies in summer and spring!

It really does seem very similar in many aspects, and to be honest, I love it.

So, here is to the francophiles like me, bonne photographie!

God bless and talk soon,

David.

Canon 90d | 50mm