Finding Old Photos: France Edition

Well, I've been here before. A slow month. I could write about a lot of health things or political topics but I don't want to and you probably don't want to read them. So, it's back to revisiting the travel photo archive!

Dreaming of French Gardens!

Recently, Pam of Everyday Living hosted a "gardens galore" link party. Lots of beautiful gardens there! And then Tamara is hosting Paris in July and Paulita always does her Dreaming of France posts. Beverly host Pink Saturday and what could be more pink than this?

All this France and gardens got me thinking to one of my favorites, Giverny. So join me on a little walk through!

I know I've posted many of these several years ago (2009) and I also know I have many new blog friends since then, so I thought I might revisit it!

I confess, when I walk my neighborhood Ditch and see all the waterlilies, Giverny comes to mind.

Here's one of my favorite photos. In a later post I'll show you how I painted it and how Vivian Swift took the same photo and made it far more magical than I ever could!

And the pink lily blossoms simply make me smile!

The water gardens are so beautiful. It's a bit of a challenge not to get loads of people in the pictures -- but I tried!

I'm very fond of poppies and I have to say, these lilac/pink poppies were a favorite.

Check out the details. They make me smile!

Yes, I wouldn't mind a garden of pink poppies!

Or this aspidistra (I think -- any gardeners out there, feel free to correct me!)

And this tree caught my eye as well. Anyone have ideas on what it is?

You might know that alium is another favorite of mine. What a pity it has a short season but these large, purple fluff balls always delight!

Not all the flowers in Giverny are pink. Maybe it was the time of year I visited (June). But these yellow ones certainly had a bright glow!

All this beautiful garden design is nothing without those who care for it, cultivate it, plant it and keep it lovely. They were willing to take a quick break to chat with my friend Jerry. Hats off to them!

If you think Monet's garden holds the only flowers in Giverny, take a look around! As you enter or leave the house, you'll see plenty of charm along the town's streets.

I have a soft spot for hollyhocks, too! I loved seeing so many.

In fact, in a fit of painting desperation I tried to do this one.

And tried and tried with varying results.

I can see why Monet found such inspiration in his gardens! I hope you did, too!'

This post is being linked to Paris in July, Dreaming of France, Gardens Galore, Share Your Cup, Share Your Style and Pink Saturday as links open and become available.  I get loads of inspiration from all these link-share parties. Check them out!

Dreaming of France, of Summer, of Warm

Have I mentioned in my previous posts that it has been cold in Michigan? Even though we are having a bit of a January thaw, more snow is predicted for today and the rest of the week. To this is say "Bah!"

I've been devouring photos in Shane's blog from New Zealand and Blissed Out Grandma, who lives in Minneapolis and is as tired of the white as I am. So, I thought it a perfect time to join with Paulita and her "Dreaming of France" meme. You can find more about it here.

The photos you are seeing represent the best of floral France -- Monet's garden in Giverny.

I visited here in June 2009. It wasn't even in full flower yet, but nonetheless, gorgeous with its deep lavender-pink poppies.

Of course there were lilies...

...and the pond was beautiful, with its graceful willow branches and (I think) bamboo. It sure looks like it here.

 

When I was there, the color was clearly "pink."

But now and then a spot of yellow would flash its sunny face.

Even the countryside was beautiful -- pastoral sheep grazed near the road.

They were rather friendly -- perhaps they thought we had a special treat for them!

And of course, more poppies.

I long for that warm June day, for the water lilies...

 

...and for the poppies.

And, for riding along in the French countryside with not a care in the world but to simply revel in a perfect day.

 

Yes, on a cold Michigan day, I am dreaming of France! Check out Paulita's page for more links and feel free to play along!

Pink in Monet's Garden

I've missed Pink Saturday for several weeks. I've missed visiting you, too!

I thought I'd take you to Monet's Garden in Giverny, France (and hope that I didn't use any of these on my earlier post back in late June!)

Here's is Monet's house -- or rather, an upper window! All pink and green, like the garden!

You can't talk about Monet without mentioning water lilies!

At this time of year, pink was the predominant color -- well, next to green.

My favorite flowers were the pink poppies. I'd seen lots of red ones before, but none this color.

It was, indeed, a magical place.

I've saved a bit of Giverny (the town) for a future Pink Saturday. Meanwhile, for lots of other lovely pink things, please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Day Three: GIverny -- A Little Bit of Paradise

How can one be any happier than stepping into a bit of paradise, filled with flowers, water, and beauty?

On Friday, we headed to Giverny -- it was a flawless day. The sky was bright, with just enough puffy white clouds to make it seem all the more picturesque. Our destination was Giverny, home of Money and the inspirational site of his garden.

(For a wonderful post about Giverny and Monet -- among other things -- visit Linda at The Task at Hand.) Personally, I was grateful that we just made it out of the city, given the drivers who always need to be in the lane they are not, and just cut in front of other drivers without using blinkers. I was very freaked -- especially in a borrowed car! And the legendary motor scooters we heard so much about during the period after Diana died were everywhere. Two cars could be side by side and the scooter would go between. At least they wore helmets; the tons of bicyclists didn't. The road to Giverny was lovely -- France is very unlike America in that there doesn't appear to be sprawl, with one city bumping up into another. There is a town with a church steeple and town buildings (the boulangerie being a "must") and then farm land until another steeple marks the next town. Giverny is really a little town in itself. (I always thought it was the name of Monet's house.) Charming as all get-out, but I'd hate to live there -- one would never get a breath of peace from the tourists. Monet's home and garden were unbelievably beautiful and I think will be more so in another month when all the flowers that were just starting to hit their stride are in full bloom. There was a good deal of pink (so I'll save some of the Giverny pix for Pink Saturday!). Wonderful poppies were a pinkish/purple color. Beautiful old fashioned roses grew precisely, yet with an abandonment that made them almost look wild. Jerry chatted with the gardeners about the poppies. I so admire the work they do to make this place such a haven. To get to the lily pond, one crossed a tunnel under the road. And the water lilies that so inspired his paintings do not disappoint. Even Monet's house was pink (and green), fitting beautifully into the springtime garden! Here's a true story. At MSU we have a Japanese bridge inspired by the Monet's Garden bridge. I'm told the designer discretely chipped a bit of paint from a visit to Giverny to match for MSU's bridge! (Both of these bridges are from Giverny, not MSU!) Oh, to be here in July or August, when the summer heat and all that water have blended together for the perfect combination of colors. Yes, we were early, but it was still lovely. Monet had a passion for Japan and its artists, and it was this passion that inspired him to build the bridge. Later, when we would go inside we would learn that he collected the work of Japanese artists Hiroshige and Utamaro and others and displayed many of them in his home. We saw a lot of them, and perhaps it was this that inspired me to purchase a Japanese print later in the trip at Vanves! (More on that later!) It was a glorious day -- sunny, blue skies, puffy clouds. Jerry and I were snapping photos like crazy people (like all the other "crazy people" there!). Then someone took one of us! My only disappointment about the garden was that we were still too early for the abundant lavender wisteria that is seen in all the postcards. Oh, well. The house was interesting. Definitely "museum style," and I was a bit frustrated not to be able to photograph it. When you enter, you can go to either the dining room or the reading room (we chose that direction). It is blue and included the Japanese engravings and print collected by Monet between 1871 and 1926. The studio living room was large, but all the furniture was shoved (gracefully) to the end of the room. Reproductions of his work hung on the walls, including the current point of exhibition. I couldn't decide if I thought that looked tacky or was interesting. The bedrooms were very nice...... but what really knocked my socks off were the dining room and kitchen. The dining area was Jeanie Yellow, with more blue Japanese prints on the wall and a pristine white table cloth. Of course I loved it madly! The kitchen had an enormous stove, racks of brightly polished copper and walls of dazzling blue and white tiles. (The paint on the trim and the tiles really clashed a bit -- not quite the right shades of blue -- but I still loved it. Unfortunately, we couldn't photograph inside the house (so I bought a calendar!). But you could take photos of the gardens from the second story window. What a view! (Most of the photos above are from Monet Foundation. The large one of the stove is from Mae at Mae's Food.)

After, we walked about the village, capturing photos of hollyhocks against stone walls...

...delicately patterned lace curtains behind shuttered windows... ...and more flowers. Everywhere flowers. We also went to the church cemetery where Monet was buried. It was fascinating to see an old French cemetery with beatuful stone and ironwork. These ceramic pieces are often placed on tombstones in lieu of flowers. Beautiful but not my taste. As we left, we stopped by a poster just to make sure Zoe got into the act. Joanne had suggested bringing her along. And I confess, as I'd look in my purse pocket, between maps and brochures, I would always smile to see her wings peeking out! After driving through villages and towns, with their cobblestone streets and stone buildings, not to mention the beautiful rural French countryside with flocks of sheep...

I loved this guy... And after a few misses, we hit a perfect spot for our picnic, overlooking the Seine at a charming town called La Roche-Guyon. We were in the shadow of a chateau with a huge tower and lovely restaurant and cafe... I'm sure the cafe's food was terrific, but nothing could have compared with our sandwich bought at the boulangerie this morning, apples and camembert, bread, croissant sticks, apricots and nuts. And wine. Very nice wine (Chateau Haut-Balerac, Madoc 2003, a very good year!) It was truly perfect. As we returned home, we came in on the same stretch of underpass on which Diana died. Jerry knows someone who knew the doctor who stopped to help and was often interviewed after the accident. After seeing the motorbikes and how they drive around here, just the speed people drive, and then the pressure they must have been under, it was so very easy to see how that happened. It was a grand day! Things I learned today: Madoc 2003 is a wine worth pursuing again! The sprawl problem doesn't seem to be here. Villages and towns are not linked by strip malls and Wal-Mart. Don't wear sandals to a place with stones and pebbles everywhere. Parking in Paris is almost impossible. After Jerry dropped me off, it took him two hours to find a spot to park.