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Sunday 24 September 2017

BACK FROM OUR TRAVELS

We're home at last after a lovely trip in the camper car to the Loire valley.
  We started with 3 days at Nantes with some friends who come over from England with their caravan to spend the autumn searching for the sun.  Their dog Florrie is adorable and managed to keep up with us as we walked over 20 kilometres around the beautiful city but had to be concealed in a shopping bag to be allowed to take the tram back to the camp at the end of the day.

 
We moved on to Montreuil-Bellay, a 'Petite cite de charactere' only 20 km south of Saumur. The campsite was by the river and just a short walk up the hill took us to the town and a handy bar to refresh ourselves in. This old Labrador kept watch on all the passers by and greeted all the regulars as they arrived for their morning coffee or glass of beer.

There was plenty to inspire me to draw in my new sketchbook, this is the view of the chateau from the ruins of Saint Peter's church. The chateau that dates from the 11th century and has been added to over the centuries is still occupied by the same family for the last 200 years.

 
I sat on a tumbledown wall and drew this in the inktense pencils I've had for years but keep forgetting about.  I love the effect when they are washed with water and the colours are perfect for this kind of subject.

 
The yew trees in the cloisters were incredible with twisted trunks and incredible canopies that spread almost to the edges of the space, giving lots of shade.  As I drew I was imagining the monks all those centuries ago, wandering about meditating.

 
This is the view along the street towards the chateau entrance from the terrace of the bar, actually across the road to catch the sun in the morning.  The waitress had to negotiate the traffic and several steps to serve the drinks but she kept everyone well served without spilling a drop.
 
 
On another day as we sat in the sun with our beers, I drew the bar itself and the next door cottage with it's pretty woodwork and plants.

On the Friday night at Montreuil-Bellay there was a heavy rainstorm with strong winds and in the morning the ground was littered with pieces of bark blown off the plane trees.  They caught my eye with their bright green lichens growing on the surface.

We walked all around the pretty town and found all the sights as well as the ancient walls where a lovely avenue of horse chestnuts had been planted.  I couldn't resist picking up a handful of conkers and a few golden brown leaves to draw.

 
 The yew trees in the ruined cloisters really caught my imagination and I decided to make a stitched picture using some variegated wool as well as fine sewing threads.  As the work progressed each day I went back to study the tree again and soak up the historic atmosphere.
There is more to come from my sketchbook and needle case so come back soon ...

Monday 4 September 2017

SUMMER AT HOME PART 2


Here is our favourite beach, Tourony, which has beautiful views to the Sept Iles and lots of rock pools to play in.
Jo and Jimmy came to stay and we had a lovely time here collecting crabs and shells and paddling in the rather cold water.


I made Jimmy a book to draw in while he was here and he loved it and the multi-coloured pen I put in the elastic slot on the spine.

I have a collection of creatures that Jimmy loves to look at when he comes to stay and this time he asked if we could draw them together.

The bat is his favourite and I think he made a lovely job of drawing it with the wings open even though mine has it's wings folded. He asked if I had a gold pen to use on the bee and then decided he wanted to keep it!

We found some lovely green crabs on the beach which were added to the sketchbook but left on the beach when we came home.


A quick sketch of another beach day with friends.

We visited friends on their boat for lunch one day and caught the bus back in the evening.


My friend Luba and her husband Herve have a fig tree in their garden which always produces far too many fruit for one family to eat so she gave me a couple of kilos, most of which I made into chutney.


As a Belarussian Luba loves to forage in the forests for fungi and she can't resist collecting far too many so I'm the lucky one who receives the spares.  These 'pied de mouton' were delicious in a pasta dish.
Well, that's a good catch up for now, it will be a few weeks before I can blog again as we're off on our travels in the camper car next week so see you at the end of September.