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Sept. 19: Thursday.

I keep on telling you that we are gardening, but I haven’t put any photos in these posts. Perhaps you think I’m just pulling your leg? Or your foot? Trying to make you believe that I – we – are working hard when, in fact, we are lazing about? Today I took a brief break from my back-breaking work to snap a few shots. I’ve told the story in the captions, so I won’t write much here. It is Thursday, Sept. 19 at 2 p.m. and I am writing the first half of today’s blog. We worked in the garden from 7:30 to 11:30, came home and ate lunch – our soup turned out TERRIFIC!!! I’ll finish this half of the blog at about 2:30, I hope, then Cathy and I will head out to do some art. Enjoy the gardening photos! And I would love some feedback on the impromptu still life compositions.   It’s 7 a.m. on Friday morning and I am working on this post again. Yesterday, Thursday the 19th, Cathy and I did go out wandering and making art from 3 to 6, then at 6:30 S and T treated us to a marvelous apertif that lasted till 10 p.m. I’m a bit bleary-eyed this morning, but determined to get this blog post done because I think today is going to be full of things to write about. If I get behind I will surely be overwhelmed. Take a look at the photos of our three “studios” and our work and our lovely apertif. It is now 1:10 p.m. on Friday, the 20th, and I am just finishing up this blog post. As usual, we worked in the garden from 7:30 to 11:30, came home to a lunch of soup, salad, strawberries and chocolate, and at 1:45 we will head off with S and T in the topless Batmobile to Hyeres. Our first goal is an art supply store. Our second goal is to explores the beaches. I’m not sure we will have much time for the town of Hyeres itself. Stay tuned!! I will tell you all about Friday’s adventures sometime this weekend. I think we are going to St. Tropez tomorrow, so I might not write again till Sunday. Talk about giving up control! I have no idea from minute to minute about what will happen next!!
Every day I tell you that we work in the garden from 7:30 to 11:30 (Monday through Friday, that is), and lately I've been telling you that my job has been clearing out the leaves, and lately, pine needles, and all sorts of other debris from a very large garden bed. The bed is on a hill, later photos will show you, so it has been quite a balancing act. I haven't taken any photos of our gardening efforts, so today I decided to do just that. This photo shows the one area left that I had to do this morning and you can see the amount of pine needles, etc, that I was dealing with.

Every day I tell you that we work in the garden from 7:30 to 11:30 (Monday through Friday, that is), and lately I’ve been telling you that my job has been clearing out the leaves, and lately, pine needles, and all sorts of other debris from a very large garden bed. The bed is on a hill, later photos will show you, so it has been quite a balancing act. I haven’t taken any photos of our gardening efforts, so today I decided to do just that. This photo shows the one area left that I had to do this morning and you can see the amount of pine needles, etc, that I was dealing with.

Here's another photo of the area that I finished this morning, Thursday, Sept. 19.

Here’s another photo of the area that I finished this morning, Thursday, Sept. 19.

Here's one of the banks I cleared, looking down from the top.

Here’s one of the banks I cleared, looking down from the top.

I cleared this area yesterday and had a nasty run-in with some plant that has tiny, hair-like thorns that embedded themselves everyplace - my arms, my hands, in my gloves, in my sweatshirt, in my pants. They are so tiny they must be removed with tweezers. They sting and cause a chill. I'm still finding them today. This area was knee-deep in pine needles and cones - you couldn't even see the cacti till I cleared it out.

I cleared this area yesterday and had a nasty run-in with some plant that has tiny, hair-like thorns that embedded themselves everyplace – my arms, my hands, in my gloves, in my sweatshirt, in my pants. They are so tiny they must be removed with tweezers. They sting and cause a chill. I’m still finding them today. This area was knee-deep in pine needles and cones – you couldn’t even see the cacti till I cleared it out.

Here's the opposite end of the large garden bed.

Here’s the opposite end of the large garden bed.

Another view - this one of the middle section looking up from the driveway. Looks clean now, but it wasn't like that last week!

Another view – this one of the middle section looking up from the driveway. Looks clean now, but it wasn’t like that last week!

I reached an adequate finish on that large garden bed and was assigned another task - and now I've forgotten the correct term - but I was instructed to dig ditches between rows of potato plants and use the extra soil from digging to build up mounds around the plants themselves. This task also involved moving the irrigation hose when necessary and pulling out any and all weeds. Too bad I don't have a 'before' photos so you could see the change. What a job this was! Made me long for pine needles! Here I am hard at work.

I reached an adequate finish on that large garden bed and was assigned another task – and now I’ve forgotten the correct term – but I was instructed to dig ditches between rows of potato plants and use the extra soil from digging to build up mounds around the plants themselves. This task also involved moving the irrigation hose when necessary and pulling out any and all weeds. Too bad I don’t have a ‘before’ photos so you could see the change. What a job this was! Made me long for pine needles! Here I am hard at work.

And lest you think I was the only one working hard, I took a minute to uncreak my back and stand upright for awhile and wandered over to take photos of my fellow gardeners. Here is Cathy, pruning an orange tree.

And lest you think I was the only one working hard, I took a minute to uncreak my back and stand upright for awhile and wandered over to take photos of my fellow gardeners. Here is Cathy, pruning an orange tree.

And here are S and T using the chipper. Since I've been here (almost 2 weeks) numerous car trips have hauled maybe 50 huge bags (see the orange bags in the foreground) of garden clippings, rakings, sweepings, and choppings off to the garden waste dump (wherever that is) and there are still many days worth of clippings and choppings to be fed into the chipper and used as mulch or composted. This is truly a huge garden and the tasks are endless.

And here are S and T using the chipper. Since I’ve been here (almost 2 weeks) numerous car trips have hauled maybe 50 huge bags (see the orange bags in the foreground) of garden clippings, rakings, sweepings, and choppings off to the garden waste dump (wherever that is) and there are still many days worth of clippings and choppings to be fed into the chipper and used as mulch or composted. This is truly a huge garden and the tasks are endless.

While I was putting my iPad camera away, I noticed several things on and near the garden table that suggested possible ART! So I took a few still life photos. Let me know what you think.

While I was putting my iPad camera away, I noticed several things on and near the garden table that suggested possible ART! So I took a few still life photos. Let me know what you think.

Or perhaps this angle?

Or perhaps this angle?

Orange and Green on Black Pattern.

Orange and Green on Black Pattern.

Green with Black Pattern. Check out the composition. How about the choice of point of view?

Green with Black Pattern. Check out the composition. How about the choice of point of view?

How about this choice of point of view? This composition? By the way, I didn't move anything for any of these photos - the items stayed where I found them - only I and my camera moved. These shots took maybe 10 minutes all together - including people and still life. They were  all very impromptu.

How about this choice of point of view? This composition? By the way, I didn’t move anything for any of these photos – the items stayed where I found them – only I and my camera moved. These shots took maybe 10 minutes all together – including people and still life. They were all very impromptu.

Indulge me: three more. Let me know if you like one better than the others. Same subject each time, but changing compositions and changing points of view.

Indulge me: three more. Let me know if you like one better than the others. Same subject each time, but changing compositions and changing points of view.

Another version of "Green and Orange Shapes with Circle and Triangles plus Blue Accent." And you thought this was "Squash and Pumpkins on Round Stone with Flagstones and Gravel and a Spill of Blue Plant Food." It's all a matter of how you look at it!

Another version of “Green and Orange Shapes with Circle and Triangles plus Blue Accent.” And you thought this was “Squash and Pumpkins on Round Stone with Flagstones and Gravel and a Spill of Blue Plant Food.” It’s all a matter of how you look at it!

And here is a third (I actually took 8 versions of this, and could probably have done quite a few more. I found it to be a very rich subject.). Which of the three do you think works best? Why? Is it ART?

And here is a third (I actually took 8 versions of this, and could probably have done quite a few more. I found it to be a very rich subject.). Which of the three do you think works best? Why? Is it ART?

Cathy working at Studio #1, Thursday afternoon, Sept. 19.

Cathy working at Studio #1, Thursday afternoon, Sept. 19.

Debi working at Studio #1.

Debi working at Studio #1.

The view from our bench at Studio #1.

The view from our bench at Studio #1.

Cathy's Caran d'Ache sketch from Studio #1.

Cathy’s Caran d’Ache sketch from Studio #1.

Debi's pencil sketch from Studio #1.

Debi’s pencil sketch from Studio #1.

Cathy working at Studio #2.

Cathy working at Studio #2.

Debi working at Studio #2.

Debi working at Studio #2.

Cathy's work, done in charcoal, from Studio #2.

Cathy’s work, done in charcoal, from Studio #2.

Debi's Caran d'Ache sketch done at Studio #2.

Debi’s Caran d’Ache sketch done at Studio #2.

Debi working at Studio #3.

Debi working at Studio #3.

Cathy working at Studio #3.

Cathy working at Studio #3.

Cathy's Caran d'Ache sketch from Studio #3.

Cathy’s Caran d’Ache sketch from Studio #3.

Debi's first collage from Studio #3.

Debi’s first collage from Studio #3.

Debi's second collage from Studio #3.

Debi’s second collage from Studio #3.

A perfect ending to a fabulous day! Our friends, T and S, invited us to apertif - which turned into supper - which turned into a late night gab fest. Fantastic food! Interesting and generous friends - who could ask for more...oh, yes, did I mention the excellent wine they served us?!?!

A perfect ending to a fabulous day! Our friends, T and S, invited us to apertif – which turned into supper – which turned into a late night gab fest. Fantastic food! Interesting and generous friends – who could ask for more…oh, yes, did I mention the excellent wine they served us?!?!

I was hoping, with this blog, to inspire people to create art. The feedback (appropriate word) is that I am inspiring people to eat and drink wine. Cathy says I should put the blog on a diet. Nah, diets can wait till we get back to the States. Hmmm....maybe after Christmas...New Year's Resolution, perhaps?

I was hoping, with this blog, to inspire people to create art. The feedback (appropriate word) is that I am inspiring people to eat and drink wine. Cathy says I should put the blog on a diet. Nah, diets can wait till we get back to the States. Hmmm….maybe after Christmas…New Year’s Resolution, perhaps?

Martha
September 29th, 2013 at 1:54 am

Love your impromptu still life assemblages! My vote is for the third limes-table-flowers; the textures of all seem to be clearer for me and appealing. The middle one of the squash group helps my eye move around the composition. Thanks for the opportunity to “critique”. I’m impressed with your “plein air” work as that is difficult for me; helps to have materials at the minimum, right? Keep them coming!

Laura
September 21st, 2013 at 2:55 pm

For the still life photos, I’m most drawn to “Green with Black Pattern.” It’s oddly static and active at the same time! The fruit seems to fly at you.

I was curious if it was the color or the composition having this effect so I looked at in in grayscale and it still had the same impact. Interesting as I would have thought the color would have had more influence. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so analytical! I always want to know why or how.

This has inspired me to try some monotone works. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Marie Fortin
September 21st, 2013 at 6:36 am

I’m enjoying your detailed posts and wonderful art work and longing for the “stinky” cheeses.

Diane
September 20th, 2013 at 11:49 pm

You sure know how to pack a lot into a single day! I vote for your last composition of the green limes/ fruits (?) on the table top with just a touch of the raspberry colored flowers at the top of the pictures. But what really speaks to me are the rooftops. I love your sketch and Cathy’s tri-fold piece. I have been thinking about focusing on rooftops for my art project in Nice!!

gretchen
September 20th, 2013 at 4:32 pm

Debi & Cathy,
Don’t food and drink go with art? As these are the best bits of life, along with love and laughter, I think it is all good. Keep inspiring us!

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Debi Pendell Artist by debipendell.com