Beach Time

Watercolor 4 X 6

I'm slowly getting back to normal and over the jet lag and other maladies that come with travel and long flights. I went to class and started a painting of Monet's garden which is not yet finished. While waiting for the first washes to dry I did a little watercolor from a photo I took at the beach. I love the bright yellow umbrellas against the blue of the water.  

I've Been in France

Nasturtium Path in Monet's Garden

We had a wonderful opportunity to be in France last week. An artist friend and her husband were renting a house for a few weeks during her show in Giverny. They invited us to share the house with them for a week. We had a perfect sunny day when we went to Monet's garden. There was this amazing bed of nasturtiums that were arranged to make a zig zag path. 

Lily Pond with Bridge in Monet's Garden

Of course we had to take dozens of pictures of the famous lily pond with the bridge. The grounds are beautifully kept and there are profusions of flowers everywhere, even in October.

 Old Gold Clock, Rouen, France

One of our side trips was to Rouen, where there is a huge monument for Joan of Arc. This is a grand cobblestone street going under a huge clock. Such an interesting city, I had no idea how amazing it was. 

Vincent Van Gogh

In Auvers Sur Oise, this is "Van Gogh-ville". The house where Vincent spent the last 3 months of his life is preserved as is the room where he died. It's just an empty room now. Nearby is his statue, grave site and the church that he painted. The little French flag was painted and left by our artist friend. She calls it "A Random Act of Art Kindness" and has her contact information on the back for whoever finds it. 

Hotel Baudy, Giverny, France

When artists would go to Giverny to visit Monet, they would stay at the Baudy Hotel. They got so tired of the artists painting in their rooms and getting paint on the sheets they built a studio behind the hotel and also made a terraced garden for them to paint in. I don't know about the rooms but the food at the hotel is wonderful and reasonably priced. It's just a short walk from Monet's Garden.

What the Fashionistas Are Wearing

I thought I'd add a little fashion tidbit (a la Paris Breadfasts blog). It's true, the French are now wearing athletic shoes, gasp, and fringe is in. Here's a link to one of my favorite blogs.  http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com