tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-205005762024-03-13T05:23:43.811+01:00The Tramizal DiaryLife in the Lotpeacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.comBlogger321125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-82786587533864581182014-04-24T10:55:00.000+02:002014-04-24T10:55:52.544+02:00Escape and narrow escape<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Some grumbles have been coming in about lack of posts.<br />
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I escaped winter by fleeing south to Cape Town and my sister's farm in Zimbabwe, where I had a thrilling encounter with a leopard while walking home after running out of fuel one evening.<br />
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No one believed my tale of passing through a dry riverine bed and suddenly hearing close by a snarl/growl/grunt from a thicket that could ONLY be a leopard. Probably an ostrich offered one. Or a baboon snickered another.<br />
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Until returning with the fuel, Fred spotted the huge cat on a boulder above us. She was a female, and Fred said that she probably was protecting her litter...peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-6340020460043250592014-01-27T15:18:00.003+01:002014-01-27T15:19:35.528+01:00Rain and mud settling in<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Crisp cold and sunny days seem to be over. Mud everywhere. Time to fill the studio with flowers.</span></div>
peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-61972396075965863022014-01-11T11:00:00.001+01:002014-01-12T23:58:30.713+01:00Glorious weather continues...Sunny warm weather enticed a large group of <i>randonneurs</i> for Friday's walk.<br />
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It was about twelve kilometers and took three hours, partly because there were so many interesting sites en route: an old village abandoned over three hundred years ago, three <i>dolmen</i> (ancient burial tombs comprised of three immense stones, two supporting a third on top), and <i>Les Fieux</i>, an important archeological site.<br />
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Of course there were also the usual stunning views, old wash houses, and friendly horses who cantered across fields to have their noses rubbed.</div>
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Yves Leymarie led the group, took these photographs, and revived us with hot tea and <i>madeleines</i> after the walk.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Les Caminols de Gramat- my walking group</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tremendous views in all directions from the top of a hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old washing house near Miers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dolmen, still partly covered by a tumulus.<br />
There are hundreds of these prehistoric tombs scattered around the Lot.<br />
No one knows how these huge stones were moved and put in place.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are scrambling onto the dolmen like a bunch of kids.</td></tr>
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peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-71853009345091572202014-01-07T15:12:00.000+01:002014-01-07T16:08:17.047+01:00Balmy spring arrival?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In spite of disastrous floods in the UK and blistering cold in North America, we are having beautiful sunny, nay balmy weather here in southwest France. Bird song filled the woods and by the end of the Monday afternoon <i>randonnée,</i> many of us had stripped down to our tee shirts.<br />
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Wonderful way to start the new year. That's Paddy the naughty border collie right in the front at the top of the hill, and me a tiny dark blob right at the back at the bottom of the hill. I had had a sleepless night because Paddy went walkabout yesterday, only returning at 4am, but he was more than ready for more adventures.<br />
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I was revived at the end of the walk however by a <i>fête </i>of <i>Blanquette de Limoux</i> (poor man's champagne but just as good to those of us who don't know better) and <i>galette,</i> frangipane king cake, a French tradition.<br />
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<br />peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-72830472926415185452013-12-29T11:50:00.000+01:002013-12-29T11:53:05.331+01:00A bittersweet success story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a former client in Connecticut and asked to paint her cats, one of whom had recently died. I had painted portraits of her three daughters years ago when I lived and worked in New York.<br />
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I have painted people's pets before. Why not: I have three dogs and five cats myself and love them to bits. The trouble is capturing the spirit of an animal that means something really special to someone... from a photograph.<br />
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The most difficult portrait I ever was commissioned to paint was of a friend's brother. The trouble was that I would never meet the sitter because he had died, and even worse, the reason that my friend wanted a portrait of him was that he didn't have any good photographs of him. He had two Polaroids to give me to work from. One was blurred and completely useless. The other was in focus, but an awkward, cropped shot. I promised to try.<br />
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A week later, my friend stared at my painting for a long time, before nodding and saying quietly, "You got him."<br />
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The following Saturday, he drove the painting up to Massachusetts to present it to his parents for their wedding anniversary.peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-21766115164108984652013-12-28T01:25:00.000+01:002013-12-28T12:33:54.703+01:00Aztec/Inca gig<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Got a gig illustrating some Aztec and Inca myths for an educational publisher. Usually never take on this kind of work because the deadline is always tight, the art direction usually overbearing, and the money terrible.</div>
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But I was intrigued by the job because although I had to familiarize myself with the style of art, I would have a lot of freedom to interpret the text because there wasn't much visual material out there to research.</div>
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Had quite a lot of fun with them: always nice to have a new challenge. Here are a couple.</div>
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peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-85159754813244009932013-12-27T22:18:00.001+01:002013-12-27T22:18:36.226+01:00Watermelon sale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The first morning of my watercolour workshop, we do lots of exercises practicing the wash, the foundation of watercolour technique, including soft and hard edges. (Soft edges are created by damping the paper before painting the wash.) </div>
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In the afternoon we execute what I call a "Watermelon Haiku." I lead the students through various steps so in the end, everyone has a finished painting.</div>
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Often the stars of the morning trade places with the frustrated sloppier students, some of whom have come close to tears after spilling blobs of paint and water all over their exercises. These students usually excel in the afternoon with really stunning and interesting watermelons, made vivid, lively and fresh by spontaneous accidents.</div>
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After fifteen years of teaching workshops twice a year, I have a lot of watermelons. Here are a few if anyone wants to fork over between 50 and 75 euros for one (mounted) plus shipping.</div>
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peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-46187202579209971712013-12-22T20:04:00.001+01:002013-12-22T23:17:11.068+01:00A peck of pears (and a few peaches and plums)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of the exercises we do in the first week of my watercolour workshop are paintings of pears. They are nice bulky and speckled shaped fruit to study and to paint. We paint pears in the morning and after lunch, and a bit of wine, paint a full throttle <i>nature morte</i>.</div>
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A friend wants a couple of them so I scratched through my work files and I have posted some that I painted as demonstrations below. I should add that they are not really finished but just demonstrations to launch students into the exercise. But underdone watercolours are by far preferable to anything overworked and muddy.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAuAp5iE2iE/Urc1GLLYTTI/AAAAAAAACU8/vrd29fJtJUU/s1600/Pear1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAuAp5iE2iE/Urc1GLLYTTI/AAAAAAAACU8/vrd29fJtJUU/s320/Pear1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tWRsJsS3-gE/Urc1LZT3wyI/AAAAAAAACWI/6J1kZIfZU1Q/s1600/Pear9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tWRsJsS3-gE/Urc1LZT3wyI/AAAAAAAACWI/6J1kZIfZU1Q/s320/Pear9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rIaMjF7CBo/Urc1MvAyPvI/AAAAAAAACWc/DYGcbq8qxwM/s1600/Pears1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rIaMjF7CBo/Urc1MvAyPvI/AAAAAAAACWc/DYGcbq8qxwM/s320/Pears1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-86216884662073237002013-10-18T14:50:00.003+02:002013-10-18T14:55:06.267+02:00Syria in more peaceful times...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of my very favourite watercolourists is Lucy Willis: lucywillis.com<br />
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Today's post brought this wonderful signed print of Aleppo that I snagged on the Oxfam site, www.oxfam.co.uk.<br />
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Lucy has donated several of her signed prints to raise money for Syrian refugees, so if you want to do a little bit for the refugees and a lot for your home, check out the Oxfam site, and then Lucy's site to see more of her fabulous work.peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-17867186097719645112013-10-13T17:16:00.000+02:002013-10-13T17:17:24.924+02:00Hold that pose!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MzSErw61ARA/Ulq0xIkEGtI/AAAAAAAACT8/UeplbKox4rQ/s1600/IMG_2108.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MzSErw61ARA/Ulq0xIkEGtI/AAAAAAAACT8/UeplbKox4rQ/s320/IMG_2108.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvzfqSr4o5U/Ulq0ldiqZOI/AAAAAAAACTk/YudBjfpW5vE/s1600/IMG_2105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvzfqSr4o5U/Ulq0ldiqZOI/AAAAAAAACTk/YudBjfpW5vE/s320/IMG_2105.jpg" width="283" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RNHDizlA4QA/Ulq0qTokswI/AAAAAAAACTs/5epz1sEyi34/s1600/IMG_2106.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RNHDizlA4QA/Ulq0qTokswI/AAAAAAAACTs/5epz1sEyi34/s1600/IMG_2106.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
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The best thing about renting my winter cottage is meeting all sorts of really interesting people<br />
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peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-8055948082893255182013-10-12T18:16:00.001+02:002013-10-12T23:19:11.240+02:00A colourful harvest (at last)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In May and June my <i>potagé</i> or communal garden was a swamp. Then in July and August a brilliant hot sun dried it all into a cracked desert. I worked the soil and planted it up three times in vain, then finally at the end of August I opened and tossed out some packages of wildflower seeds in disgust.<br />
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Was thrilled to find these flowers two days ago, which I collected, brought home and painted. I really should try to do a picture every day.<br />
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<br />peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-33615198801102371502013-10-04T14:07:00.001+02:002013-10-04T14:07:24.108+02:00A drizzly second weekThis is the first year that we have had rain in the second week of the workshop when we plan to paint outdoors, so it's a real bummer.<br />
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We did manage to paint the interior of the 12th century Rignac church, a street scene in Gourdon, and a landscape, but much of the week was spent in the studio, where nevertheless some cheerful and bright work was produced.<br />
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Here is a sampling of the group's work.<br />
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peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-76981143638716901652013-10-03T14:20:00.000+02:002013-10-03T14:59:52.810+02:00Workshop revampAfter teaching summer watercolour workshops now for about fifteen
years, I have been seriously considering discontinuing them. It's
demanding work as I not only teach but make elaborate lunches, with all
the shopping and cleaning up that that entails, and have to sort out
endless
problems like lost pajamas and passports, minor car
accidents, medical issues that arise, etc. The most tiring thing of all
is just assuring that everyone is having a good time whether it be
having a comfortable bed or progressing artistically, as although my
class is pretty reasonable pricewise, people often have paid exorbitant amounts of money
to get
here and I feel responsible for making the expense and effort to attend
the workshop worthwhile.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EMJQo_nnSyY/Uk01EuPrNTI/AAAAAAAACQE/mNnSPnYDYM4/s1600/IMG_2153.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EMJQo_nnSyY/Uk01EuPrNTI/AAAAAAAACQE/mNnSPnYDYM4/s400/IMG_2153.JPG" width="400" /></a> <br />
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Yesterday I drove down to Albi on an errand. It's quite a long drive so I left early, intending to
visit a few lovely small towns in the Tarn en route. I took my paints
and managed this quick watercolour of Cordes-sur-Ciel where I had
spent a night with a friend recently. We had stayed in a room in the tall
medieval tower on the right and awoke in bright sunshine above swirling
mists in the valleys below, with distant island hills poking though. Absolutely magical so I was pleased to have the chance to go back so soon.<br />
<br />
There
are many beautiful small villages this part of southwest France which
escaped the ravages of the two world wars: St Antonin-Val-Noble,
Castelnau de Montmiral, Bruniquel, Puycelsi, Najac, Sauveterre, and
Belcastel to name a few I have visited.<br />
<br />
Suddenly I realised that perhaps
I need to turn the second week of the workshop into a traveling
adventure instead of painting, again, the beautiful but too familiar scenes in
the Lot I have been doing for years. <br />
<br />
Here are some photos I took this last week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D8U7o9TcOKM/Uk09-Hhij6I/AAAAAAAACQc/XEPAEJfOvFE/s1600/IMG_2110.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D8U7o9TcOKM/Uk09-Hhij6I/AAAAAAAACQc/XEPAEJfOvFE/s320/IMG_2110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real Cordes-sur-Ciel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OiLrIEKXqFM/Uk1T4rXEEaI/AAAAAAAACRE/ZJcBzBA7fi4/s1600/IMG_2149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OiLrIEKXqFM/Uk1T4rXEEaI/AAAAAAAACRE/ZJcBzBA7fi4/s400/IMG_2149.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Antonin-Noble-Val, where last week we couldn't gain entry to the main square because Steven Spielberg was shooting a new movie called <i>One Hundred Yard Journey</i>. <i>Charlotte Gray</i> was also shot here, as well as Rignac, my village in the Lot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-29_kSnfvO3g/Uk1ThDcE1xI/AAAAAAAACRA/UYomjUDBSlA/s1600/IMG_2144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-29_kSnfvO3g/Uk1ThDcE1xI/AAAAAAAACRA/UYomjUDBSlA/s320/IMG_2144.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NIt0cukeO20/Uk1UWekINcI/AAAAAAAACRY/a-Y1DEbzZEI/s1600/IMG_2082.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NIt0cukeO20/Uk1UWekINcI/AAAAAAAACRY/a-Y1DEbzZEI/s320/IMG_2082.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two more shots of St Antonin-Noble-Val</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hdEctAN3tco/Uk1TT73YhsI/AAAAAAAACQ4/WljtFe2xNso/s1600/IMG_2137.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hdEctAN3tco/Uk1TT73YhsI/AAAAAAAACQ4/WljtFe2xNso/s320/IMG_2137.jpg" width="193" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mmlY0KRM554/Uk1UHgYgvVI/AAAAAAAACRQ/AHWDwQWYJnA/s1600/IMG_2117.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mmlY0KRM554/Uk1UHgYgvVI/AAAAAAAACRQ/AHWDwQWYJnA/s400/IMG_2117.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two shots of the main square in Castelnau Montmiral</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hdEctAN3tco/Uk1TT73YhsI/AAAAAAAACQ4/WljtFe2xNso/s1600/IMG_2137.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XEsr4DurkCw/Uk0-Zh41OCI/AAAAAAAACQo/1WqMe1SNmBg/s1600/IMG_2143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XEsr4DurkCw/Uk0-Zh41OCI/AAAAAAAACQo/1WqMe1SNmBg/s400/IMG_2143.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Castelnau Montmiral</td></tr>
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<br />peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-25456011992383144922013-09-14T13:16:00.000+02:002013-09-14T13:17:17.794+02:00September workshop: uninvited guest<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OgSIPz8hFNo/UjRBWP2PkHI/AAAAAAAACO8/cjVhGQeU8_0/s1600/IMG_2052.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OgSIPz8hFNo/UjRBWP2PkHI/AAAAAAAACO8/cjVhGQeU8_0/s320/IMG_2052.jpg" width="180" /></a>I have never understood why some people are frightened by small
harmless little beasts like spiders, mice, grass snakes and the like. So
I found it rather amusing when one of my workshoppers shrieked and
actually jumped up on her chair when the incorrigible Sushi cat proudly
deposited his latest catch, a small grey field mouse in the studio.<br />
<br />
Luckily Isabelle has a lovely sense of humour and was able to enjoy the moment as much as the rest of us...almost.<br />
<br />
In spite of sudden inclement weather after a glorious sunny week camping at the beach, the first week of classes went very well with a nice mix of French, Australian, American and South African participants. <br />
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<br />peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-43464883584026627882013-08-27T15:12:00.002+02:002013-08-27T15:12:12.369+02:00Sold! (Rats)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just sold this picture- a very simple line drawing and one of my favourites that I did long ago and have displayed in my studio.<br />
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I rather hate to lose it but it couldn't be going to a better home or nicer couple.peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-85923828352577851012013-08-25T17:04:00.000+02:002013-08-25T17:32:02.300+02:00La Sirène de Causse Gallery: August 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A lovely couple who stayed in my gite two weeks ago regret not having bought something from my gallery and asked me to quickly remind them of what is currently on the walls so they could choose something. I have folders full of drawings and sketches, so this is a small sampling of what's available, but gives a general idea of my work at least.<br />
<br />
I took some rather substandard photos because of the poor lighting and angles used to avoid glare, and put them into a slideshow, which also necessitates very low pixels. However if anyone is interested in seeing better images of the work, I do have higher quality photos I can email or post.peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-25448959459580553712013-08-24T14:11:00.000+02:002013-08-24T14:11:28.089+02:00Blaireaux!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was a lovely evening with the full moon spreading it's silvery light over the hilly landscape, so I decided to walk home from my friend Ron's house with the dogs on Thursday after dinner.<br />
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As I descended the hill into Rignac, Thabo suddenly raced ahead and I heard a scuffly flurry of activity. Then two small furry beasts clumsily sped pasts me on either side, one making funny piggy squeaks before they both disappeared into the hedge.<br />
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After twenty-three years in the Lot, that was only my second badger sighting. Absolutely thrilling.peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-2901197100337949282013-08-11T15:25:00.001+02:002013-08-25T17:09:31.889+02:00Mozart at Castelnau Bretenoux<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Saw Mozart's Don Juan (Don Giovanni) in the courtyard of Castelnau-Bretenoux last night, part of the Saint-Céré Festival. We had a picnic on the ramparts of the castle before the opera and the weather was perfect. All the previous performances had been cancelled due to bad weather, so we were very lucky.<br />
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The performance was so-so ( Don Juan was terribly young for a roué- see above- and what can you expect for 25 euros?) but it was a superb evening. And thanks to YouTube, I have found magnificent productions that I have been playing all morning.peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-83160566166798299722013-07-31T13:05:00.000+02:002013-07-31T13:07:56.564+02:0055 years later...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K2uP4GKyTaI/UfjsUyxwzSI/AAAAAAAACNk/hnLHRVCestI/s1600/oldbear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K2uP4GKyTaI/UfjsUyxwzSI/AAAAAAAACNk/hnLHRVCestI/s320/oldbear.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
Christian Raby, a Parisian photographer who has a country house near me, is compiling a book of photographs of foreigners living in France.<br />
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He arrived with his lights and camera and most importantly, an old painted screen of the interior of a church that was used as a back drop in photographs a hundred years ago.<br />
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Christian invited me to use a prop, so I picked up my bear that I have had all my life and placed him on my lap. It was a slightly controversial choice: because I designed, wrote and illustrated books for children most of my professional life, some of my old art school colleagues refer to me as their friend who "refuses to grow up."<br />
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<span id="goog_1472589201"></span><span id="goog_1472589202"></span><br />peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-86565501217912758252013-07-23T17:32:00.001+02:002013-07-23T17:32:18.040+02:00Paring down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oYRGpYPx0mE/Ue6g_dGz0AI/AAAAAAAACNM/xOwl8NbdsrY/s1600/IMG_0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oYRGpYPx0mE/Ue6g_dGz0AI/AAAAAAAACNM/xOwl8NbdsrY/s400/IMG_0685.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
I seem to be slowing down on book illustration, portraits, landscapes and teaching.<br />
<br />
Painting the human form is what I want to focus on now, so after someone came to look intently at pictures in my gallery three times last week yet left empty handed in the end, it was extremely gratifying when the next day, someone else came in and immediately bought this picture. peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-81068950400474633462013-07-18T12:16:00.002+02:002013-07-18T12:21:45.391+02:002013 Summer stage (workshop) impressions<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h0wfu_Y5ul4/Uee2zKnL7rI/AAAAAAAACKQ/3q0OdV6Aiag/s1600/IMG_1899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h0wfu_Y5ul4/Uee2zKnL7rI/AAAAAAAACKQ/3q0OdV6Aiag/s320/IMG_1899.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ubiquitous pear (apparently galleries are packed with 'em.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c8u2ETsa2mA/Uee25CidTVI/AAAAAAAACKg/i4t5S8HARaE/s1600/IMG_1897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c8u2ETsa2mA/Uee25CidTVI/AAAAAAAACKg/i4t5S8HARaE/s320/IMG_1897.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After morning exercises executing The Wash, watermelons are the order of the afternoon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tndwyUHbbek/Uee2rdiePVI/AAAAAAAACKA/j_qgUA3dBpU/s1600/IMG_1896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tndwyUHbbek/Uee2rdiePVI/AAAAAAAACKA/j_qgUA3dBpU/s320/IMG_1896.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radishes make good subjects to practice skinny tails using drawing gum, and kitchen wrap textured leaves.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lAO9vN-CgUo/Uee6Womw6NI/AAAAAAAACMs/QX3mhw5_Gsw/s1600/IMG_1916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lAO9vN-CgUo/Uee6Womw6NI/AAAAAAAACMs/QX3mhw5_Gsw/s320/IMG_1916.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helena sits down to a well earned lunch.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6o-PUEsvhIE/Uee24NO57uI/AAAAAAAACKY/O9q5Au2tWus/s1600/IMG_1898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6o-PUEsvhIE/Uee24NO57uI/AAAAAAAACKY/O9q5Au2tWus/s320/IMG_1898.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eXHNevZx5sk/Uee3IfUw4TI/AAAAAAAACK4/0RhSdQM2sWo/s1600/IMG_1900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eXHNevZx5sk/Uee3IfUw4TI/AAAAAAAACK4/0RhSdQM2sWo/s320/IMG_1900.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NsYR_2XpUEY/Uee3D0opdrI/AAAAAAAACKw/yUme3RCtBM8/s1600/IMG_1902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NsYR_2XpUEY/Uee3D0opdrI/AAAAAAAACKw/yUme3RCtBM8/s320/IMG_1902.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone is famished after the morning's exercises so a good lunch is essential.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g3zAsoaE8mc/Uee3O2nmucI/AAAAAAAACLA/oMMUZXUcFTM/s1600/IMG_1904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g3zAsoaE8mc/Uee3O2nmucI/AAAAAAAACLA/oMMUZXUcFTM/s320/IMG_1904.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If students tighten up too much on our "Morandi day", I make them close their eyes while I set up some objects. They then have three minutes to paint. Nothing like a little time pressure to get the creative juices flowing fast.</td></tr>
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peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-90448360332875954062013-06-28T13:21:00.000+02:002013-07-18T12:19:13.216+02:00Some pictures from my show last month<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jP55xmu-k8o/Uc1sjsImSyI/AAAAAAAACJY/pzxe9rlVHcA/s1600/IMG_0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jP55xmu-k8o/Uc1sjsImSyI/AAAAAAAACJY/pzxe9rlVHcA/s320/IMG_0685.jpg" width="222" /></a>A couple of pictures I put in the life drawing show in Rignac last month.<br />
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I asked Pascale Demolin, who has revitalised Rignac with her little café, staging music concerts, dances, cooking classes and games (even a mock written driving test- <i>quelle horreur!)</i>, to open the show and she did a wonderful job. Short and
sweet:<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Se8Rziswas/Uc1s3oxdIQI/AAAAAAAACJg/a9GWK6d-s1Y/s1600/IMG_0688.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Se8Rziswas/Uc1s3oxdIQI/AAAAAAAACJg/a9GWK6d-s1Y/s320/IMG_0688.jpg" width="217" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQ1P6A_dt4c/Uc1s7DV6DOI/AAAAAAAACJo/YIjTuxOkg8c/s1130/IMG_0687.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQ1P6A_dt4c/Uc1s7DV6DOI/AAAAAAAACJo/YIjTuxOkg8c/s320/IMG_0687.jpg" width="218" /></a>
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<b class="-cx-PRIVATE-webMessengerMessageGroup__authorname"></b><i>Je suis très honorée d’inaugurer cette nouvelle exposition des peintres de Rignac. </i></div>
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<i>Même
s’ils n’y vivent pas forcément, les 7 peintres présents aujourd’hui y
passent tous au moins quelques heures par semaine devant un modèle
vivant et c’est le fruit de ces nombreuses heures de travail qui vous
sont offertes ce soir.<br />Patricia LAROUSSE-GUIRBAL, <br />Clare HARRIES,<br /> René LAURENSOU, <br />Bernadette MELINARD,<br /> Sophie RAYNAUD, <br />Catherine STOCK<br /> et Dany WATTIER </i><br />
<i><br />le Duc de Lévis disait « Le chant est à la parole ce que la
peinture est au dessin ». Force est de constater que nos artistes
Rignacquois chantent très bien mais font très bien parler leurs
crayons également.</i><br />
<i><br />Beaucoup
de techniques sont présentes dans cette exposition . Certains artistes
ont leur préférée quand d’autres papillonnent de l’une à l’autre : de
l’aquarelle, de la peinture à l’huile, du crayon, de la peinture sur
liège, de la gouache…<br />La plupart des peintures et dessins présentées
ici sont le fruit de ces séances de pose et même si le modèle est le
même, l’inspiration et les techniques de chaque artiste sont
différentes. La gouache très stylisée d’un peintre donnera une émotion
toute autre que l’aquarelle détaillée par une autre artiste. C’est
toute la magie de cet art si difficile qu’est la peinture. Un modèle
c’est 7 peintures ou dessins très différents. </i><br />
<i><br />Et
quand Alain dit que La peinture est une cérémonie en solitude, on peut
aisément les imaginer seuls mais à 7, concentrés sur le même modèle à
retoucher ici un coude, là un pied ou une épaule. Chaque peintre
présent ici possède son style et c’est là une preuve de la singularité
de son travail personnel et qui fait de lui un artiste à part entière.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Pierre
Auguste Renoir disait que la peinture s’apprenait dans les musées, elle
s’apprend aussi à Rignac grâce à l’énergie créatrice de ces amoureux de
la peinture.</i><br />
<i><br />Je vous invite maintenant à admirer ces tableaux en
compagnie de leur auteur car comme disait Picasso : un tableau ne vit
que par celui qui le regarde. </i><br />
<i><br />C’est le meilleur remerciement que l’on puisse rendre à ces 7 peintres.</i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jP55xmu-k8o/Uc1sjsImSyI/AAAAAAAACJY/pzxe9rlVHcA/s1161/IMG_0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Se8Rziswas/Uc1s3oxdIQI/AAAAAAAACJg/a9GWK6d-s1Y/s1293/IMG_0688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jP55xmu-k8o/Uc1sjsImSyI/AAAAAAAACJY/pzxe9rlVHcA/s1600/IMG_0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Se8Rziswas/Uc1s3oxdIQI/AAAAAAAACJg/a9GWK6d-s1Y/s1600/IMG_0688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQ1P6A_dt4c/Uc1s7DV6DOI/AAAAAAAACJo/YIjTuxOkg8c/s1130/IMG_0687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-56787158191557151762013-06-16T14:47:00.000+02:002013-06-16T14:48:20.817+02:00Apres l'Hiver, le Printemps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k-4WWnUWbDU/Ub2vDx4Gs7I/AAAAAAAACJI/AbDnXzHPmhE/s1600/Carton+final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k-4WWnUWbDU/Ub2vDx4Gs7I/AAAAAAAACJI/AbDnXzHPmhE/s400/Carton+final.png" width="400" /></a></div>
My lovely friend and "neighbour" Judith Lit, who lives in both New York and the Dordogne, invited us to the French premier of her first documentary feature film, <i>Après l'Hiver, Le Printemps </i>(After the Winter, the Spring) last week.<br />
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Judith grew up in Pennsylvania where she witnessed the slow dissolution of her grandparents' farm as a little girl, and saw parallel struggles in the lives and vocations of her rural French neighbours around Montignac, the town made famous by the nearby Lascaux caves.<br />
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The film includes many scenes where Judith is able to sensitively draw her subjects out into talking about their lives in moving detail. It's a stunningly beautiful film to watch, accompanied by a gentle and evocative soundtrack.<br />
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The film has already gleaned recognition and garnered a few awards at film festivals in the US. Look out for it.peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-39380358217304179122013-06-13T09:36:00.000+02:002013-06-13T15:30:46.330+02:00Impromptu jazz evening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u9P1SsRzgmQ/UblwjVo4r9I/AAAAAAAACIk/9bAnExj4se8/s1600/IMG_1869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u9P1SsRzgmQ/UblwjVo4r9I/AAAAAAAACIk/9bAnExj4se8/s320/IMG_1869.jpg" width="224" /></a>We are taking advantage of some beautiful weather with afternoon walks, gardening, bicycle riding, picnics and swimming at the moment.<br />
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Last night lovely Australian house guests joined up with local friends for supper in the garden and a fabulous impromptu jazz concert.<br />
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"Summertime" was featured and got a round of applause when Pim put down his sax to do a very impressive rendition of Satchmo.<br />
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I am looking particularly blowsy after Aqua Gym and a beer or two... <br />
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<br />peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500576.post-86160484377143821012013-05-30T11:35:00.002+02:002013-05-30T12:29:40.125+02:00Les Caminols de Gramat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here is a photo of my rambling club, <i>Les Caminols de Gramat</i>, from earlier in the spring. <i>Caminol </i>translates as a small path. We walk 8-12 kilometers every Monday and Friday afternoon, rain or shine.<br />
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I am on the right. Thabo, my pooch, is hidden behind one of the walkers with a hind leg protruding. I was chucked out of my last rambling club because the leader, a retired riot control policeman, found Thabo too rambunctious, though I suspect it was me he found a bit hard to control. Anyway, this is a great group and they love dogs.<br />
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The stone hut is a <i>cazal,</i> a shepherd's hut that dots the <i>causse</i>, the plateau which is an ancient seabed. There are beautiful fossils in many of the stones, even the stones used to build houses.<br />
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Here is another photo from another day, near Floirac.<br />
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peacheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11046247334813665646noreply@blogger.com0