Les Fontaines d’Aix
There are dozens of fountains, and no wonder, because Aix en Provence sits atop limestone that is riddled with springs. After all, it's original, Roman, name was Aquae Sextius. Not all the fountains are as elaborate as that of the...
Marseille
Aix's sister to the south, Marseille, is the one with the big personality. The Aixois stereotype is that of a well-off, sophisticated, well-dressed bourgeois. In contrast, Marseille is home to the colourful and colourfully-dressed "cagole", the girl with the loud...
English spring
My American niece lives in what appears to be Beatrix Potter-land. Although this wonderful illustrator lived north of Buckinghamshire, which is where I visit, the countryside looks very like the images in her books.I don't remember any depictions of the...
Moments
Sometimes, especially when traveling and one exists in a kind of bubble separate from the unfamiliar surroundings, an image burns itself into my mind. A second or two, and it becomes part of my personal library. This is one I...
Cells
I have a lot more time now to observe, and living in a town, the creature to which I have ready access is my fellow human. One of the most distinctive features of our kind is the polyvalent and beautiful hand. Watching...
sketch crawl
Periodically, and all over the world, artists get together for an informal "sketch crawl". Locals decide the spot to convene at, and you're on your own (but share lunch, at least in meal-oriented France). You can see worldwide posts: http://www.sketchcrawl.com....
view from above
The best part about airplane travel is the view from the window. Time to reflect without the distractions of everyday life. And a broad-view perspective, literally, on life. Here are a few invented aerial views which I hope capture that...
Amsterdam
I love this city! Even in drizzly and cold November, everything about it appeals. Aesthetically, both olden traditions and the latest design trends, are everywhere to enjoy. I was amazed that, within the city centre, every nook and cranny was...
À pied chez les Anglo Saxons
Family ties pulled me northward for a week in the land of Beatrix Potter and the Wind in the Willows. My great niece and nephew needed someone to walk with them to and from school—2 1/2 miles each way—and watch...
San Francisco Bay Area
Before moving to France, I lived in the beautiful San Francisco Bay area. The best thing about California was there before any humans showed up. Even so, I was inspired by the semi-natural landscapes created by the very important agricultural...
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