This is my third week in Europe, now in Rodelle, France where the sun shines, cows graze the fields and the colorful wild flowers sprinkle like confetti over the wide country floors...There's a smell of fresh fallen rain in the air and the 'clack' 'clack' sound of each step from hundreds of smooth river stones lining the pathway to the country house.

I can't draw. Nothing is coming, yet I'm inspired. Inspired by this French history, culture, art, idioms, customs, personalities and the beautiful language embracing the air. This is the first time I've been away from home and the longest I've ever been in Europe and it feels comfortable, new, refreshing and challenging.

Here's some highlights and a lot more ..

I met a very interesting man at a gathering of friends during apéritif. His name was Francois, previously a reporter, lived in Hong Kong in Victoria, Vietnam, all over the world..who told of many experiences while he lived abroad, including the time when he was imprisoned in Brazil.
Lautrec Toulouse Museum was an amazing collection of his evolution as an artist from portraiture, beauty in brothel depiction and propaganda.
Visited a private castle near Rodez owned by a man who and renovated one room a year for over 40 years. He still lives there and left 5 rooms unremodeled.
Food - of course delicious and prepared effortlessly by my boyfriends mother Catherine, from apricot tarts, pork, lamb chops, sausages, yogurt, panacotta, flan, cous cous and more! I don't know how Thibault and I managed to make potstickers here from scratch as well...note to self..get a pasta maker if I ever want to make dumpling wrappers again.
Picnic on the River in Albi was a relaxing 1.5 hr cruise from Albi to Gaillac (Aiguelèze) while you learn about the history and monuments of the city.
Discovered Vervain tea. Glorious Vervain. And no, I'm not going to fight vampires with it.