April in Paris

The cliché about spring in Paris being a quasi-mystical experience is mostly a bunch of hooey. As a counterargument (to myself), I present to you: ducklings. These little darlings live in the pond in the center of the Square des Templars. Long ago, before they were driven bankrupt and then burned at the stake, the Templars had their French headquarters here. Now, a duck family and lots of flowers are making much better use of it.
I don't know how I'm going to survive Chicago, because I am absurdly glad at all the blossoming trees, new leaves, and faint snatches of sun here after only two months of grey weather. Just grey, not even snowing and freezing off my extremities. It's going to be a long road, people. Luckily, I don't have to think about that right now, because my lovely mother is meeting me for a week in the Languedoc region in the south of France. Medieval ruins + sites from religious wars + beach = my perfect vacation.