Soar-Dream-France

Feeding Frenzy

Our recent Sunday excursion to La Ferme de la Rauze began and ended at the pottery table, where Karine Bodin Questerbert from Entre Pot's was displaying her wares. I enjoy finding unique pieces, so this feeder for bird balls spoke to me. I stopped and looked, toured, shopped, ate and came back to pick up this feeder. I now wish I had purchased at least 2 more. The birds love it. Karine explained to me how it works (en français) with the plate at the bottom catching all of the grain that falls from the fat of the bird balls, that the birds don't catch. I never realized that there was so much that escaped. We're having regular bird buffets out on the terrace. They line up nicely and are (generally) very good about taking turns. But there has been so many of them that I felt the need to add a ball to the end of one of the terrace beams to accommodate more feeding. It's gotten to the point that we even have lunch together on the terrace. I look over from our umbrellaed table where Dali, Lucie, Sam and I are sharing our cheese, saucissons, and fruit-to see duos and trios of happy birds. Who'd have thought that we'd be entertaining each other? I wonder if we entertain them as much as they entertain us!

Karine and her husband, Yvan, have a shop and studio in an old converted barn in Lacapelle-Marival. If you'd like to see more you can go to www.entre-pots.fr Enjoy!

 

Beginning With Buddleia

My secret butterfly garden is blooming and beckoning. When I purchased the Chatette in 2002, there was nothing in this lower garden area except stone and grass and weeds. In 2005, I began digging and unearthed an incredibly beautiful stone terrace beneath all those weeds, soil and rock. Today, it welcomes the village to La Galerie Dans La Cave and the butterflies, butterfly moths and more, to an archway of buddleia that has grown to cover most of the terrace. Over the years, I've come to know what and who are happy here. It only began with buddleia.

I can already see that even though the wagon is in much worse shape than the ladder I cleaned up last year, it is going to be just as pretty when I'm finished. Wagon Beginnings and more Buddleia below.

 

It's Begun-Imagine

Tattered treasures abound in our barn. Before the barn was even a part of our "we", I used to go out and brush the dust off of this beautiful old charrette and imagine. Some of the spindles are missing in the wheels and some of the supporting wood is rotting away, but everyone tells me it shouldn't be a problem to move. Moving it wouldn't be urgent, but I have more digging to do to continue to unearth the stone floor and it will be an easier project if I don't have to work around and under the wagon. (Don't ask me what I'm going to do when I reach all that stone in the back corner?) So, yesterday I was out brushing, washing, chatting, feeling and seeing exactly what I need to do to protect the wagon so my friends and I can get it moved over to my piece of land on the other side of the lavoir. I'm hoping to use it for flowers, umbrellas, and maybe even for an apero party or two. Touching it again carried me back to our early days here. Ah, the stories it could tell. I will keep you posted on our progress as we go.

Invitation to Show-9/17-Cadrieu France-"I Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans"

 

This year's Saturday, September 17 vernissage at the Galerie dans la Cave is going to be extra special. Special...because my friends Steward Bertrand, Eric Holsapple and Denise Barrios are going to be here. In honor of their presence, I'm going to have a special showing within the show called: "I Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans." You are invited to send a piece on that theme. There are no restrictions or rules to what you send; other than it must be in line with the theme, titled, signed, ready to hang or place and received at the Chatette no later than August 30. Let me know if you're interested, and we can talk about mailing and other details at that time. This is a fun evening. The whole village is invited to this venue for other village artists and friends in an ancient cave that can now spill over into our ancient barn. I hope you'll think about participating and I look forward to hearing from you.

Photo or Painting?-My Favorite

Shot into the mist with the backdrop of the causse, this is my favorite shot of the series I took early in 2007. Passing from fall to winter, the trees along the river and on the causse transform into burgundy colors. We are beyond brown. It's this deep wine color through the mist, that gives the lavender lustre to these photos. I'm always pleased when I get a photo that is close to perfect for me...it needs no cropping, no adjusting, no nothing. Feedback please, and I'll let you know what I decide.

Photo or Painting?

 

This year's vernissage will be upon me before I know it. I've begun thinking of what I might like to show this year. Evelyn has discovered a company that will take your photos and put them on canvass. She has done this with 2 of hers, and then had them stretched to show this year. I was thinking I might do the same with a couple of mine, but then there's the wood...my urge to paint...who knows where this will end up? During the winter of 2007 I took a series of photos that I believed already looked like paintings. I've pulled them out, but evidently didn't save the one I liked the best and might want to put to canvass. These photos are untouched. It was early morning. There was one of our famous low-lying clouds covering us, making everything soft and furry. The shots that I took backdropped by the river and the causse have a lavender lustre. I'm going to scan my favorite to share (and my guess for the reason for the lavender lustre) with you tomorrow.

A Gouffre and Friends

This past Sunday I took a friend of mine to see the Gouffre de Lantouy. It was a perfect day. We walked further into the woods and off the beaten path, through fields and more rugged terrain. Here are a few shots from our day out that ended in Seuzac, with Jane and Yves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond Photographic Perfection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine missing this sweetie!

Thinking about how I like to take photos; I had to ask myself this morning, if I would have caught this shot if I had been alone as usual? Alone, I take my time. No one is waiting for me. No one is beside me, vying for the same or similar shot. I tend to rush when I'm with others and often blow shots. In my haste, I move the camera and we get blurry.

I may have stumbled on the recipe for photo perfection: time; a second set of eyes (or maybe even a third or fourth); good friends who know me well, wait patiently, and rejoice in the results along with me; and me-being comfortable enough with the people I'm with to be able to be true to my photographer self.

Hmmm. Come to think of it-there is a metaphor here that reaches way beyond photographic perfection. Were you able to find what my eyes missed?

Through the Eyes of Another

Strolling through Lacapelle Marival last Sunday, I was drawn to the big picture here. I loved the varied textures of the buildings, shutters, doors, staircases, and various stages of foliage. I shot this shot and a couple of others, then turned around to leave. Coming back to my friends, Phil says: "Did you see...?" I didn't, and went back. I'll share the rest of the story with you tomorrow. Maybe you can see what he saw and I didn't. You'll see tomorrow why I was so happy I went back. Happy Weekend!

Rather Regal

You've got to love this face! As Evelyn has arrived at her summer camp nursing job and I've been out of pocket, I thought it might be fun to share these shots of Lucie here. I think you'll agree-she'd be a contender for the Most Photogenic Award! I'm trying something new today-cutting back on my internet time so I'll probably be blogging earlier in the mornings. Hope you enjoy these shots. I've used the metalic treatment on a couple and they are very pretty too. Happy Weekend-Laury