To be back in Sarlat

Today at 10.45am its 9 degrees C, very windy, freezing cold, grey skies and rain splatters.  Oh to be back in warm, sunny Sarlat sitting in that cafe with a cool drink……

 

 

  

The only shop I found in the whole holiday with any reference to the gentle art of needlework. 
I will show you what I came out with tomorrow.

How lovely it would be to return in the evening with a group of friends and sit outside the numerous cafes and bars.  Or to return sans boys and explore the numerous galleries.

Dreaming over – back to reality and MORE painting in the studio.  Not sure which part of me aches the most – hands, wrists, arms, neck or back.  Maybe I can get the first boxes moved today too.

A medieval Chateau

Langeais, pure (restored) medieval.  Wonderful tiles, very different to the other Renaissance chateau that we visited.  Also some medieval embroidery and tapestries in wonderful condition – low light of course.

I started to have a thing about doors.  So much that the family started to tease me every time we saw an interesting door…..

 

Sketchbooks and more from France

Two things tonight – firstly have you seen the SketchBook Project?  I’ve joined as have several of my internet friends and almost 3500 people around the world. 

I quote;

“Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

Anyone - from anywhere in the world - can be a part of the project. To participate and have us send you a sketchbook that will go on tour, start by choosing a theme to the right.

All books will be included in an exhibition that tours the following cities: Brooklyn, NY Austin, TX San Francisco, CA Portland, ME Atlanta, GA Chicago, IL”

 

Now back to France and a small, but perfectly formed chateau, D’Azay-le-Rideau in the Loire.

Chateau Chenonceau

You can see the web site here.  We saw it in the pouring rain and mist.  Still very beautiful.

Very “Rapunzel”

I could imagine dancing in this long gallery which stretches above the river.

Oh the colours!!!  I want it!

  

Chateau du Clos Luce

Leonardo’s last house – lots of reconstructions of his inventions but what I liked most were the outside hangings and posters.  Web site here.  Next time I have an Open Studio I’d like to do something like this.

  

Photos from France - Part One

Not much happening here only MDF priming which is deadly boring…..

So instead some holiday pictures from France.  The first stage was the Somme Valley and a visit to the Great War Museum in Peronne and Thiepval Monument via a cemetery on the side of the road (of which there were many).  Very little of the landscape seems to have changed here, very flat with pockets of woodland and the occasional hill.  Very emotional and sad.

    

 

NE71 Summary

Time for the Photo-a Day summary from NE71 2010 Blog that you can follow here.  I’ve redone the background.  Go take a look, I really do like Blogger. 

Was it really only May that we voted?  And did the shed really go up that fast?  I never started to use those threads…. but the beetroot was wonderful.

 

Back home

Here is the reason its been quiet around here….

Two weeks holiday in France with a motor home.  France was fabulous, I fell in love with it.  The motor home was not fabulous.  If you live around here and want to know where NOT to hire from email me and I’ll tell you.

The weather went from this…..

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To this……….

   

And back to this…………

But still warmer than Northumberland!

More photos later when I get chance to sort them out.  Meanwhile the first of 6 loads of washing is on, the boxes are almost empty….. you know how it is.