me in France

I had the great pleasure of traveling to France in June.

The main focus was a writing retreat in Limousin, an area in the middle of the country few people outside of France have heard of. It is a fertile area, not unlike Vermont but without the mountains. The teacher I study with in New  Mexico has found a farm/retreat center  in France and chooses to teach there now.  Her European students are elated! She has quite a following in Europe. For me, this was a long way to go and though I got a lot of writing done, I will not be going there to study again. It may be time for me to lead my own retreats in the United States!

My students are asking for this and I think I am ready!

Paris was wonderful. Laura and I rented apartments from friends and had the freedom to come and go as we pleased. The flowers in the Tuillerie Gardens were in full bloom in June. I enjoyed seeing Monet's large three part canvas paintings of waterlillies displayed in the newly renovated L'Orangerie.  I visited Mona Lisa at the Louvre as well as two Vermeer paintings. A Vermeer was stolen from The Gardner Museum in Boston, so I felt particularly grateful to see two original Vermeers in Paris. 

The stationery store, Melodies Graphiques, was a high point of the trip for me. It was filled with hand made paper, books, cards, pens, pencils and related objects of beauty.  We just stumbled upon this shrine to all things paper. 

Paris is a walking city. There are parks and surprises around every corner.  There is so much else to tell, but I will leave you with the photos of me in France!