Taking a page from

Jude Devereaux who has suggested that we keep notes and write as we go along to revise and edit later, and putting it to use. So this will be a hodgepodge of combination streaming thoughts and creative writing efforts...I try to edit as I go but I do read back and see what had bothered me at first but could not correct now has a way to be revised.

I decided to let myself just let it all hang out so as not to be too contrived whenever I try to write about a place in time where I have been. I could list all the times that I have spent in the life of the king, as they are always in small segments, a lot like snapshots, and one can take one of those scenarios and develop it into a story if one has the inspiration.

But for now I will describe in this post the time that I had seen the small trianon or the porcelain trianon as it was called then. I am not sure what prompted this now, but I recalled a moment when I am on horseback approaching the chateau which was made like a Chinese pavilion in a way, but it was quite small in comparison to the main chateau and it was where I often rendezvoused and met with Madame de Montespan aka Athenais. The pavilion is a beautiful thing to see, as it very well made, is adorned with all kinds of small objects on top of the roof that appear to be made for children. It had an horseshoe type shaped open area in which one approached from horseback, and I could see that there was a lot of activity there, horses standing, tied to poles, and in the distance where the entry lay, I could see a beautiful woman with long hair trailing down her shoulders, being attended by many young ladies, and waiting for me to come to her. She was the most patient and charming woman who chatted with the young girls who tended to her, and she would lean out towards the window, looking to see if I am anywhere near. I had eyes only for her after that and watched her steadily as I brought my horse to stand alongside the others...

that was all...I saw nothing more, but I had a sense of babies for some reason, and I drew a sketch of a baby on the page in a book that I have that has a picture of this same porcelain chateau from the other side. It seems that it had a lot of delft ware in it, and certain things stood out for me...one was the love or interest in the woman who I believe is Athenais aka Madame de Montespan, and I had the impression that this place was a lovenest where babies were often made. And for all I know possibly delivered as well...and the children were able to play here.

Louis is on horseback a lot. The stable area at the chateau is a very impressive area to consider in terms of the size and the designs that are a part of it. Horses are a very important element in understanding not only travel and sporting but also in terms of labor and farming.

The king also had dogs, but I do not know that much about those animals as the only time that I realized dogs in the past was in the hunting scene that I had had.