The sunflowers are in high bloom the last couple weeks and will be so for another few weeks.  This area is sunflower growing country and are harvested for the oil and seeds.  It’s astonishing to see fields and fields and fields of that indescribable yellow against a bright blue sky.

This past week has been a joy with my last workshop of the summer.  A big MERCI to Rai, Carole, Karen, Jacky, Ros, Susi, Billie, Sandy, and Abby. You were a gift to me with your generous spirits, inspirational work and sharing of your life stories.

We saw the Tour de France come thru the village on Saturday, went to a wonderful flea marlet and walked right into the fields to take up close and personal pictures of these beautiful flowers.

Hope you’ll come join me next summer in France!

Merci to the wonderful, adventurous. talented, inspiring group of women who just departed Durfort after a fun week of art-making and sharing our stories with each other.  You all were just the best- Eleanor, Rebecca, Carolyn, Margaret, Bobbie, Rosemary and Heidi.  Thanks for making the week so special for me.

Today I’ll take a group to Soreze.  It is a medieval village just two minutes from here full of  lovely houses with overflowing window box gardens and a huge  old school (called the Abbaye Ecole) which is now the cultural hub of the village, offering many concerts and gatherings.

Soreze has many “deteriorating surfaces” which are inspiration for collage and polymer clay techniques.  Peeling paint doors and shutters, patina-ed door knockers. Everywhere you turn there is something for the eye and the creative juices.

We’re off to Albi today for an afternoon of inspiration.  The Cathedrale is a sight to behold, more fortress-like than church-like, but splendiferous inside.

There is no surface left unpainted.  The ceiling is an intricately designed fresco of  gorgeous blue and gold, the walls are painted frescoes of very contemporary looking graphic patterns and the carved stonework is a marvel.

In addition, the Toulouse Lautrec Museum is close by, along with a riverboat ride, pedestrian-only old town and my favorite chocolate shop-Yves Thuries!

Departure day is always a bit sad around here at la Cascade.  We’re a family for a week and besides sharing many joyful adventures, we get to know each other quite well.  Thanks to you all, Beverlee, Emily, Suzi, Patti, Berti, Lori, Sandy and Paula for making the week so special.  Four ladies are still here (we all went to Carcassonne today) and some have gone on to enjoy Paris.

The week was filled with art making- wonderful books, jewelry  and figures- and inspiring field trips.  We had two good flea markets and a trip to Albi.  Also several of the ladies took a silk painting class from Ann and made gorgeous scarves.  In between the field trips and studio work we become part of the village life here.

I wonder if you can guess what these are?  They are the devices that hold the shutters open on the windows on our street.  Tiny little figures of women.

My new workshop arrives on Monday- can’t wait!