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Sept. 22, Sunday: A Day of Rest & Relaxation.

This will be a short post because we really did take it easy today. I wrote about our slow Sunday morning in my last post, so I will continue from there. I finished yesterday’s post this morning (Sunday) at around 10 and Cathy and I headed out to wander and make some art.   The photos will show you the three “studios” we found and the work we made at each spot. We also found some new little streets and alleyways and took some lovely photos and I’ll include a few of those. We came back to the apartment for lunch around 1:00 – our usual, you know the routine: cheese omelets, green beans, bread, cheese, cantaloupe, and chocolate. After doing up the dishes, we treated ourselves to a cafe creme at the cafe at the top of our hill. We sat almost an hour just watching people. Today is sunny, blue skies, warm but not hot, and only a slight breeze – perfect for sitting out on the patio of a cafe watching the world go by. Mentioning the breeze reminds me of something that I’ve been meaning to write but keep forgetting. The wind here is a force to be reckoned with. You may have heard of the famous mistral of Provence. I don’t know a lot about it, but I hear that it blows from the north and is a cold wind and can blow fiercely, nonstop for days – some say it can drive a person mad. We haven’t had that while I’ve been here, it is usually during the winter, I think. Perhaps I should have checked my facts before writing this, so don’t consider this an expert lesson on the mistral. What I am really writing about this time is just the regular winds that occur here. Last week we had wind every single day. You could hear it blowing at night, blowing in the morning, and it blew all day while we worked in the garden. I knew that it was irritating me, but I didn’t know how much it was bothering me until it stopped. I can’t remember the exact day, but the beginning of this week, most likely Monday, it was suddenly quiet and still. I said to Cathy, “I feel so peaceful today, I wonder why.” Cathy said, “The wind stopped.” And I realized that she was right. We have had no more than gentle breezes all this week and it is a different place. Well, that’s just a little aside. The weather today is heavenly. After our coffee-drinking-people-watching session, we walked up to the boules courts to watch a women’s tournament. Neither of us know all the rules, but we could figure out the basics from watching for awhile. It also became apparent after awhile who was particularly skillful. It was great fun to watch and I think I will look up the rules. I think I might even enjoy playing – but I don’t think its played anywhere in the U.S., is it? Maybe I should consider horseshoes – not that I have a whole lot of spare time where I’m sitting around wondering what to do with myself! I’ve included some photos of the boules tournament. After watching for maybe an hour, we wandered off to a park that specializes in Australian plants, found a semi-circle stone bench under a tea tree (where we were surrounded by the smell of tea tree oil, but subtle), and we did one more art work. I’ve included photos of this third “studio” and the works we did. I want to remind everyone that these works I show you are studies. We are experimenting and purposely being loose and free and unconcerned about whether or not they are finished works. I don’t say this in defense, because I actually feel that the works are interesting and well-done (in most cases), but I say it so that you will stay in this same spirit with us as you enjoy looking at them. We plan to have dinner at 6:30ish and it is now 5:30. I’m determined to finish this blog before dinner so that I can just relax this evening. It’s back to weeding and trimming and raking and…who knows?…tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. Hope you all had a marvelous weekend. And many thanks to all of you who are adding comments to this blog. I really, really love getting them. And remember that there is a lag time before they show up, since I have to approve them first. Have a fabulous week everyone!
Cathy sketching at "studio" #1 (Sunday, Sept. 22).

Cathy sketching at “studio” #1 (Sunday, Sept. 22).

And this is what she's sketching: the umbrella pine trees that grow everywhere here. She's very taken with them. Or are they called parasol pines? Maybe both. Remember, my facts in this blog tend to be rather loose.

And this is what she’s sketching: the umbrella pine trees that grow everywhere here. She’s very taken with them. Or are they called parasol pines? Maybe both. Remember, my facts in this blog tend to be rather loose.

Debi working on a collage at "studio" #1.

Debi working on a collage at “studio” #1.

Cathy's sketch of the trees done today.

Cathy’s sketch of the trees done today.

Sketch that Cathy did yesterday that includes umbrella pines.

Sketch that Cathy did yesterday that includes umbrella pines.

The collage on the right is the one I did at "studio" #1. I've nearly run out of painted collage papers that I brought with me, so I found an old magazine this morning and tore out some pages to use. The change in materials has definitely affected my work. The collage on the left was done by me at "studio" #2, which I will show you soon.

The collage on the right is the one I did at “studio” #1. I’ve nearly run out of painted collage papers that I brought with me, so I found an old magazine this morning and tore out some pages to use. The change in materials has definitely affected my work. The collage on the left was done by me at “studio” #2, which I will show you soon.

But before I show you our second "studio," I want to show you this. This is the wall I was sitting on and the ground at my feet at "studio" #1. Do you see any resemblance between this and the collage I did? I thought that I was ignoring my surroundings and just doing the collage out of my imagination, but perhaps I was unconsciously affected by what was all around me?

But before I show you our second “studio,” I want to show you this. This is the wall I was sitting on and the ground at my feet at “studio” #1. Do you see any resemblance between this and the collage I did? I thought that I was ignoring my surroundings and just doing the collage out of my imagination, but perhaps I was unconsciously affected by what was all around me?

Here I am, working at "studio" #2. You've already seen the collage I did here - the one that has so much red in it.

Here I am, working at “studio” #2. You’ve already seen the collage I did here – the one that has so much red in it.

Here is Cathy, working at "studio" #2.

Here is Cathy, working at “studio” #2.

And here is the Caran d'Ache sketch she did.

And here is the Caran d’Ache sketch she did.

Walking from "studio" #1 to find "studio" #2, we found several good photo opportunities: here is one.

Walking from “studio” #1 to find “studio” #2, we found several good photo opportunities: here is one.

And another.

And another.

And yet another.

And yet another.

And I'll show you just this one more.

And I’ll show you just this one more.

After lunch, and after our people-watching cafe session (sorry, no photos of that, I was resting): the boules tournament: Photo One.

After lunch, and after our people-watching cafe session (sorry, no photos of that, I was resting): the boules tournament: Photo One.

The boules tournament: Photo Two.

The boules tournament: Photo Two.

The boules tournament: Photo Three.

The boules tournament: Photo Three.

Debi working at "studio" #3.

Debi working at “studio” #3.

Cathy working at "studio" #3.

Cathy working at “studio” #3.

Debi's collage from "studio" #3. I think I was unconsciously affected by my surroundings on this one, too, in addition to my new collage materials.

Debi’s collage from “studio” #3. I think I was unconsciously affected by my surroundings on this one, too, in addition to my new collage materials.

Cathy's sketch from "studio" #3.

Cathy’s sketch from “studio” #3.

Martha
September 29th, 2013 at 2:29 am

Re: Boules in the U.S. I heard (on Faith Middleton radio show) that Jacques Pepin has a boules court on his property and often entertains the “foodie” friends in CT with it.
Also, Caran d’ache is on sale at Jerry’s this week – 25% off list (that is the neocolor II which can be used with water. Let me know if you want some sent (perhaps Jerry’s can mail directly, although the metal containers might add to the postage cost). Just a thought….

Vicki
September 23rd, 2013 at 11:29 am

Your photos of the St. Tropez market are fabulous. I especially love the spice display with the blackboards. Every day you have so many wonderful and inspiring scenes, and your artwork is capturing it. I do like the addition of the magazines to your “quickies”. I am take with how lovely the town (BOM) you are staying in is with every new set of photos. Thanks for taking the time to share….

Margaret Thompson
September 23rd, 2013 at 8:51 am

Hi Debi,
Both Ken and I are loving your blog, and are particularly interested in your descriptions of beautiful Bormes and the area around. You sound as if you have now established your routines (though I know you are not a person of routines (!))and that much good art work is being done in fabulous “studios”. Please say hi to Cathy as I fear we will not make it there before Nice. I’m interested in what you say about the mistral – when we were in Uzes ( a town not far from Nimes and Arles) for 5 months we found it very mood changing, and thus was one of the reasons for choosing an area further north for our French adventure. But , hey, you win some and you lose some: you’ve still got lovely sunshine.
Continue with the good work. You are inspirational!

Jackie Stanley
September 22nd, 2013 at 9:54 pm

Hi Guys, what a weekend! Loving the art work as usual, and all the wonderful photos of food, stunning views, beaches, street scenes, markets, feet….. and of course your words Debi. Hi to Cathy! all the best, Jackie (ps How do you manage the collages when you are on the hoof Debi.. do you bring lots of materials with you? Also the term for the potato patch is “earthing up”..?. Not wishing to conform to any steryotype being Irish, but I do know a thing or two about spuds.)

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Debi Pendell Artist by debipendell.com