Thursday 20. 08. 09 It has been a hot week here this week so have been swimming a lot in the sea (Sunday Marseillan), the river (Monday Leroque) and the lake (Yesterday Lac du Salagou). Have also been to see Good Morning England with Bill Nighy and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Amusing. We had Le Foire des Vins last Friday where all the local winegrowers show their wares. You buy a glass for 2 euros and then wander around the stalls tasting all the various varieties. Quite a pleasant way of spending a summer’s eve. Tuesday evening I went to see Les Femmes Savantes by Molière at the Theatre Verdure in Pezenas. I had read an English synopsis of the play so I understood the story but didn’t get much of the French which was in verse. The experience was rather like going to the opera. Today am back to the painting.
Birthday
Monday 10. 08. 09 Had a quiet birthday on thursday but a very pleasant one. I drove up the Hérault as far as Valleraugue photographing various potential sights for the river series of paintings and prints. It was a very hot day so was pleasant drivng through the Cevennes. I had a picnic lunch enroute and got back in time to see Whatever Works, a Woody Allen film at the local cinema. I had already celebrated on the Sunday with the ladies before they returned to Canada but on Saturday I was invited over to Giséle and Jonathan’s for dinner with a swim before. Very relaxed. Sunday, again with Giséle and Jonathan, we went to Lamalou les Bains to see an exhibition of paintings there by Elly de Groote. A very good show set in a new gallery which was previoulsy an old railway station. Elly is a fellow student in my French class at the Acceuil.
The Last Week
Monday 03. 08. 09 This morning I was up at 4.30 am getting organized to leave for Montpellier airport at 5. The ladies have had a really good last week. We have been to the beach several times and also the lake. We have had Giséle and Jonathan to lunch and also been over to their pool. We have had Aperos up the hill with Laurene and George and even a trip over to the Cevennes to Mt Aigoual with lunch at La Cravate. Last night we celebrated my 68th birthday early with a delicious dinner at Le Terminus. Today it has been quiet here but I am intending to get back to work tomorrow on my painting and printmaking.
Roquefort
Thursday 23. 07. 09 Last Sunday we finally decided to go to Roquefort to see how the cheese is made. It is just over an hour north of here on the Larzac plateau in the Aveyron. Totally different landscape, no vines, large fields with hedges and trees. Also cooler climate. I noticed poppies and broom still in bloom both of which disappeared from here nearly 2 months ago. We all three went on the free tour of the Société Papillion caves and then Daisy and Carole did the tour which was 3 euros whilst Julia and I had a glass of wine. Very interesting process of ageing the cheese and one wonders how it was discovered. Had lunch on the plateau and then came back down and had a swim before dinner. This week Daisy is back riding at Les Trois Fontaines and seems to be quite happy. We had George and Laurene over for lunch yesterday and then went into Pezenas last night. This morning I took Julia and Carole to Montpellier where they flew to London for the weekend – I have to pick them up Sunday morning. Meanwhile Daisy is having lunch with her French pen friend Clémence tomorrow and we may go to a vernissage at the Espace des Pénitents on Saturday evening.
Bastille Day 2 – les voleurs
Wednesday 15. 07. 09 Went just north of St Guilhelm le Dessert for a swim in the Hérault, parked the car, had a swim and then discovered that the car had been broken into!!! Quelle Horreur!! All our bags which had been locked in the trunk had been stolen. We went to the Gendarmerie in Clermont and made a declaration of everything we had lost – money credit cards, driving licences etc. I drove the car up to George and Laurene’s as I didn’t want to leave it downtown with the window missing, we had dinner and then went to the fireworks in Clermont to try and forget all about it. This morning I drove the car into the local Renault dealers, went to the local Municipal Police to get a form to replace the Carte Grises and then on to the bank to get a new bank card and some money. The car will hopefully be ready tomorrow, the new cartes grises cost 38 euros each and hopefully I can pick up my new bank card. Have filled in many forms and am reminded of France’s appetite for bureaucracy. Luckily we are going over for a swim at Giséle’s this afternoon and are dining chez George and Laurene this evening.
Bastille Day
Tuesday 14. 07. 09 I came back a couple of weeks ago now with Daisy and Carole and we have been quite busy. The first weekend we went to a party at Giséle and Jonathan’s to celebrate their recent marriage and then on the Sunday we went over to Claire’s where Daisy met her French pen friend Clémence for the first time. Since then we have been to the beach a few times and also to the lake. Last Saturday we went to Pezenas to the market and saw part of the medieval pageant. We also went to Lodeve for their parade as well. Last night was the candlelit parade around Clermont and this morning it is the traditional games up at the church. This evening we have a band and a fireworks display.
Toronto
01. 07. 09 Wednesday Canada Day Had a great time in TO visiting family and friends. Also managed to take in some movies. Empties was a very good Czech movie, Angels and Demons was awful and Easy Virtue wasn’t too bad. I also finally managed to get rid of the storage unit which is a great relief. Thanks to Carole, Julia and Jason I didn’t have to get rid of all my treasures and thanks to the Sally Ann for taking the rest. The journey back here was long. The plane left TO four hours late which meant we missed our connection in Paris and spent most of the day at CDG trying to doze in uncomfortable chairs! However we finally made it to Montpellier and picked up our brand new Kangoo. Today we did the market and then Daisy and I drove around lac du Salagou and went for a swim. Tomorrow the beach!!!
Paradise NS
Tuesday 16. 06. 09 Got back yesterday from a visit to the Annapolis valley. I arrived last Thursday on the afternoon flight and was picked up by Graham and his sister-in-law Martha. I had flown by Porter airlines for the first time and was quite impressed – flew from the Island airport (always a plus) and found it quite a civilized way to travel, free, good coffee and cookies in the waiting lounge and leather seats with lots of room on the plane. We drove straight down the valley and found Rob’s house without a problem. Unfortunately Graham and Martha had to turn around immediately and head back but we managed to chat en route. Rob was in fine form as were his other house guests Mike and Fiona from California (Mike was attending a conference at Wolfville). Friday we drove out to the coast for lunch of lobster and then returned for Mike to give an informal lecture in the afternoon and then beers at the pub afterwards. We also managed to stop by at the studio of Bob Hainstock. Saturday Rob and I went to the market in Annapolis and then Hampton Beach and on Sunday we went to Grand Pré which was very interesting and had an excellent introductory movie. Flew back here Monday afternoon.
Bayonne
Monday 01. 06. 09 Just got back from my weekend in the Pays Basque. Claire picked me up on Friday morning and we drove over to Bayonne via Toulouse, Tarbes, Pau etc. Beautiful warm sunny day, stopped at the Aire de Tour de France between Tarbes and Pau for lunch and arrived chez Michele at around 3. I stayed with Michele and Claire went on to stay with her friend Claire. Saturday we all went for a walk along the cliffs and then in the afternoon Jean-Loup and Eliane came over for a drink. In the evening we went out to a wonderful seafood restaurant right on the beach. Sunday we discovered that it was “Open Door” weekend so Michel and I went for a tour of the Citadel in Bayonne which was built by Vauban and is still a garrison for the paratroopers. In the afternoon we went to Izadia Park, an ecological park at the mouth of the Adour . A beautiful, very peaceful and zen-like park. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around there before coming back for dinner. This morning Claire picked me up chez Michele and we drove back here. Besides the fish on Saturday night we ate rabbit on Saturday and lamb on Sunday chez Michele. Delicious!
More Prints
Wednesday 27. 05. 09 Have been working on some coloured monoprints this week of les Ruffes which is an area around lac du Salgou where the earth is quite red due to the oxides in the soil. Also finished another triptych of Moureze with Vines. Have started a painting of les Ruffes and am still working on a large painting of Moureze so lots going on. Have sent all my stuff off to St Mathieu de Tréviers for my stint there for a week at the end of September. I am taking part in a week long workshop with five other artists. I have also booked the week of 3 July 2010 for a show at Baillargues which is in Montpellier.
