Summer wedding

Five years ago, Doug, who was living in Boston, called his girlfriend in New York to invite her to go with him somewhere for a week. "And bring your passport," he added, almost as an afterthought.

Little did Yuki know that not only was she about to be whisked off to a small village in southwest France, but that she would receive a proposal, the kind that comes with a diamond ring.

On Friday, Le Tramizal was honoured by their return to pledge their vows, toast each other with champagne, and feast on traditional specialties like foie gras, a panache of seafood, cheeses and a wedding  tower of cream stuffed choux with a small group of family and friends in the garden.

The weather, the local chef, the florist, and the pâtissier extraordinaire all rose magnificently to the occasion and the little cottage and garden are still aglow with happiness.

Cynthia' snaps of July 2012 Watercolour Workshop

 

Here are some shots that Cynthia, one of the watercolour workshoppers, took during the two week July class. Memorable moments were Bea's enthralling tales of training WWII fighter pilots as a glamourous nineteen year old, Wendy's birthday on July 4th, lunch with Tony and Elisabeth in the little country restaurant in Lavergne, running into Ian in the Martel market just in time to join us for a picnic lunch, sketching goats, ducks and treed foxes and lynx in the Gramat animal park, and rekindling my interest in getting a camping van after inspecting Cynthia and Ian's Rosie after class (and a couple of glasses of rosé.)

Off to the gallery

Potiron et radis

Rocamdour

Rocamdour (do a lot of these with my students)

Hot day in Carlucet for the basket festival

Surprised and delighted by a couple of recent sales, I thought I had better get some more work out there, only to discover that I am running out of inventory.  So here are a couple of more watercolours that will be in the gallery in Rocamadour. (Unfortunately some of the glass reflect a glare on the left.) Please contact me for sizes and prices, somewhere between 175 and 275 euros, matted but not framed if they are to be shipped. Better get those brushes swishing pronto.

Le Rignac Café

This is Pascale and Ludovic. Pascale manages the new Rignac Café and is fabulous. I have already discovered two new favourite drinks here. The one is rosé with a dash of grapefruit concentrate- delish. The other is her non-alcoholic gingerbeer. I snooped around the counter and see that it's made with fresh ginger, lemons and sugar, but she won't give me the recipe.

On Monday evenings an old battered pizza truck pulls up and dishes them out. They're great with a frosty glass of Belgian Leffe beer. Not good for the diet...

Santé

Sunday stroll in Rignac

Walked down through the village yesterday morning to take some photos of my work in the show. Dogs came along for a swim in the pond. Took a few more snaps on the way back. The village allotments are ready for planting and my neighbour has started his. I must get cracking on mine.

Our fortified church dates back to the 12th century and the huge old plane tree in the square was planted during the French revolution.

Just one note, the last few paintings are by my friend Sophie Raynaud. I like her work very much and usually buy one or two.