My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece. -Claude Monet
allo! ca va? spring is whizzing by isn’t it? it’s hard to believe may is almost over and we’ll be in full summer mode in just a few days, for me that means planning a trip to france and this year i’ll be going to a many places that i’ve been before but others that i have to admit that i haven’t. i thought i’d start to jot down some of the spots on the to-do list and see how it will unfold. the first on the list is Normandy, specifically Giverny where Claude Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926. there are so many gorgeous images out there it’s easy to see why he would devote his life to capturing these magnificent grounds it. i love this one above for its simplicity and sweetness: (Pink cosmos and golden sunflowers tower above Fifi, the calico cat who resides in Monet’s garden, as she strolls down a gravel path in the silver mist of dawn. Photograph by Elizabeth Murray c 1990. From a collection of postcards published by Pomegranate). people and pets have come and gone here but somehow this place has been perfectly preserved for all these years.
maybe it’s the voyeur in me but i love to visit homes of artists, writers and designers. the fact that the french keep these special places for us is truly one of the reasons i fell in love with france.
if you want to learn more about it, this is a wonderful fondation that works tirelessly year round to keep the gardens and home in perfect condition.
you can actually take a virtual tour here: fondation-monet.com/visite-virtuelle. i’m sure seeing this magical place in person will be more incredible than i can imagine. apparently it was so exquisite that it was almost painful for Monet in a way that i’m sure only those who know the beauty of a garden or even a single flower can understand.
‘Every day I discover more and more beautiful things. It’s enough to drive one mad. I have such a desire to do everything, my head is bursting with it’.
rites of spring
good morning dear friends. it’s been such a long time since my last post and today was the day to get out of my blogging funk! i just needed time to decompress, disconnect and as timothy leary said, drop out! but with the new season comes a new attitude. not one of obligation or necessity, but one of joie de vivre, hope and dreams! it’s been a tough road the last few weeks but as of now i’m back to work on my masterpiece, life itself. not trying to finish anything but just adding brush strokes to the canvas. as always i’m looking to nature for inspiration so stopped at the very first image on pinterest that caught my eye today. instead of posting a ton of shots, just looking and studying the one here. the composition and the colors…slowing down and truly observing. i hope your spring has started out sunny and can’t wait to share the season together. i’ve been missing you!
flower power
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happy saturday guys, how are you doing tonight? i’ve been laying low for the past few days. working quietly and trying to grasp what happened this week.
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like everyone, i’m looking for meaning in a brutal world. what gives me hope and inspiration are my fellow americans.
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i can’t imagine why there is such duality in the world. how it can he both light and dark when the light is so bright.
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i hope you don’t mind another flower post.
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i’m obsessed with peonies and anything resembling them. even the photos make me feel better.
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what is it about flowers? i find something healing and comforting in them.
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i hope you do too. i did get an orchid for my bedside table and tulips for the entry. and they really cheered me up. i know it’s trivial but wanted to share what i guess is nature’s remedy in case you needed a boost too. well, i just thought i’d stop by and let you know i’m thinking of you. have wonderful weekend!
“He is happiest who has power to gather wisdom from a flower.” –Mary Howitt
