Monday, May 12, 2008
Limoux France Arrival Weather Forecast
Saturday May 17
Cloudy
Hi: 65°F Lo: 51°F
Cloudy skies.
55% chance of precipitation.
Nice day for travel!
Cloudy
Hi: 65°F Lo: 51°F
Cloudy skies.
55% chance of precipitation.
Nice day for travel!
Friday, May 9, 2008
Have you started to pack? Q&A
Pat Sutton had a few good questions that I passed on to Sonja - here are her answers:
(On the second floor, where most of the bedrooms are located, we have a lovely lounge where we can enjoy snacks and drinks in the evening.)
Hi Linda,
You can make tea in the studio...there is no food or drink allowed in the rooms...
There are hair driers provided .
Bring your own shampoo and conditioner.
Also, tell people not to wear perfume...too many others are allergic.
Have a wonderful time.....Sonja
(On the second floor, where most of the bedrooms are located, we have a lovely lounge where we can enjoy snacks and drinks in the evening.)
Hi Linda,
You can make tea in the studio...there is no food or drink allowed in the rooms...
There are hair driers provided .
Bring your own shampoo and conditioner.
Also, tell people not to wear perfume...too many others are allergic.
Have a wonderful time.....Sonja
Monday, May 5, 2008
Reminder!
We need your travel itinerary! Please scroll down to the yellow post below for the particulars.
Thank you! - it won't be long now.
Thank you! - it won't be long now.
Mini Kits
Want to travel extra light?
Here are my suggestions for a minimal and very portable kit.
2 brushes
#10 or larger round
1" flat watercolour brush (1/2" for the timid, 1 1/2" for the brave)
Watercolour Journal - this is a coil or bound booklet of watercolour paper - it is essential that the paper be of artist quality i.e. Arches or American Journey
Small folding palette such as Hommee (Heritage now manufactured by Alvin) as shown below
Watercolour paints as listed below or a cool and warm red, blue and yellow, plus any of your favorite neutrals. If you are working in a smaller format you may find that you have enough colour for journaling if you fill your palette ahead and just bring small tubes to refill as needed.
Sketch book and 2 pencils - and or a thin and a fine marker
Small water bucket (folding or collapsible)
Extras may include tissue, pencil sharpener and a small pack of watercolour pencils. Slip everything into a small pack with your lunch, camera and binoculars.
Here are my suggestions for a minimal and very portable kit.
2 brushes
#10 or larger round
1" flat watercolour brush (1/2" for the timid, 1 1/2" for the brave)
Watercolour Journal - this is a coil or bound booklet of watercolour paper - it is essential that the paper be of artist quality i.e. Arches or American Journey
Small folding palette such as Hommee (Heritage now manufactured by Alvin) as shown below
Watercolour paints as listed below or a cool and warm red, blue and yellow, plus any of your favorite neutrals. If you are working in a smaller format you may find that you have enough colour for journaling if you fill your palette ahead and just bring small tubes to refill as needed.
Sketch book and 2 pencils - and or a thin and a fine marker
Small water bucket (folding or collapsible)
Extras may include tissue, pencil sharpener and a small pack of watercolour pencils. Slip everything into a small pack with your lunch, camera and binoculars.
Paints Colours
You may certainly fill your palette with your favorite colours, but by request, here is a list of my choices. I use and recommend Holbein products if you are purchasing paints, otherwise any artist quality paint in tubes will work.
Cobalt Blue
Burnt Sienna
Raw Sienna
Marine Blue (PB15) AKA Winsor Blue, Phthalo Blue, Perm Blue
Bamboo Green (PG36) AKA Phthalo Green, Winsor Green
or Hookers Green
Rose Violet (PV 19) AKA Quinacridone Violet
Cobalt Turquoise
or Cerulean Blue
French Ultramarine Deep
Cadmium Yellow Orange
*colours that I also used occasionally: Holbein Leaf Green, Vermilion, Cad Yellow (or Hansa Yellow or Aureoln, Cad Red, Cobalt Violet Lt. Shadow Green
Specialty opaques rarely used- Holbein Jaune Brilliant 1&2, Holbein Blue-grey
I will bring large tubes as I use a lot of paint and like it freshly squeezed. However, you may prefer to fill the wells of your palette with colour ASAP and allow it to firm up before packing and just bring small tubes.
Be sure to seal your palette in a zip-lock bag and place your tubes in a sealable plastic box as shown in the supply information.
Cobalt Blue
Burnt Sienna
Raw Sienna
Marine Blue (PB15) AKA Winsor Blue, Phthalo Blue, Perm Blue
Bamboo Green (PG36) AKA Phthalo Green, Winsor Green
or Hookers Green
Rose Violet (PV 19) AKA Quinacridone Violet
Cobalt Turquoise
or Cerulean Blue
French Ultramarine Deep
Cadmium Yellow Orange
*colours that I also used occasionally: Holbein Leaf Green, Vermilion, Cad Yellow (or Hansa Yellow or Aureoln, Cad Red, Cobalt Violet Lt. Shadow Green
Specialty opaques rarely used- Holbein Jaune Brilliant 1&2, Holbein Blue-grey
I will bring large tubes as I use a lot of paint and like it freshly squeezed. However, you may prefer to fill the wells of your palette with colour ASAP and allow it to firm up before packing and just bring small tubes.
Be sure to seal your palette in a zip-lock bag and place your tubes in a sealable plastic box as shown in the supply information.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Lunch Anyone?
Judy and Wayne contacted Sonja for some insight as to the meals that we will have to take care of ourselves. I am posting her reply, below, which she also forwarded to me and I thought I would pass along.
On my last visit, the fridge that was in our lounge was quite small, but we managed. Jamie and I will stay at an apartment nearby and it also has a fridge (apparently, although I have not been to see our accommodations) that can be used too.
I am quite sure you will find visits to the bakery, fruit and veggie market and local shops for our lunches or snacks a delight! It will be part of the fun of living in Limoux. Don't worry about needing to speak French - you will be just fine - point at what you want or place it on the counter and watch the cash register for the price... or take Jamie, she can spend your money for you.
Sonja suggests taking a few plastic zipp bags. You may also want to bring along a few pieces of plastic cuttlery, plate and cup and a larger seal-tight bag to carry items home for washing. These items are very light and easily packed in your case. It is possible to buy some disposable picnic items also - it is your choice. You will not need to drag your lunches around with you as there will be coolers in the back of the van and you can return to pick them up for our picnics or tail-gate parties.
Here is what Sonja has to say:
Hi Judy and Wayne,
I just returned yesterday from two weeks at Le Monastere..... You can buy a lunch for between 8 or 10 Euros at any of the little towns we visit...some times we go places that do not have facilities for lunch and we brown bag it. We would purchase cheese and pate, tomatoes, cucumber, fruit at the little grocery store and of course they would last for days...just purchase a small baguette bread daily (as they go stale fast) if you brown bag your lunch you can often just buy a coffee or hot chocolate at the small restaurants and they will let you use their facilities, however, there are aways public washrooms. We ate lunches very cheaply, not because we were especially trying to save, but they give us such a substantial breakfast at Le Monastere and dinners are so filling, we did not want a huge lunch. Chris has a refrigerator there that you can keep cheese etc. in. I take over small zip lock baggies for taking lunches when we go on location. I recall you can get an omelet, salad, wine for between 10 and 14 Euros. We purchase one dinner per week also which could cost from $14 - 20 Euros. I do remember that our grocery bill was around 20 Euros once and another time around 30 and then we would also occasionally but one of their great desserts.
Please get back to me if I have not given you enough info.
All the best, Sonja
On my last visit, the fridge that was in our lounge was quite small, but we managed. Jamie and I will stay at an apartment nearby and it also has a fridge (apparently, although I have not been to see our accommodations) that can be used too.
I am quite sure you will find visits to the bakery, fruit and veggie market and local shops for our lunches or snacks a delight! It will be part of the fun of living in Limoux. Don't worry about needing to speak French - you will be just fine - point at what you want or place it on the counter and watch the cash register for the price... or take Jamie, she can spend your money for you.
Sonja suggests taking a few plastic zipp bags. You may also want to bring along a few pieces of plastic cuttlery, plate and cup and a larger seal-tight bag to carry items home for washing. These items are very light and easily packed in your case. It is possible to buy some disposable picnic items also - it is your choice. You will not need to drag your lunches around with you as there will be coolers in the back of the van and you can return to pick them up for our picnics or tail-gate parties.
Here is what Sonja has to say:
Hi Judy and Wayne,
I just returned yesterday from two weeks at Le Monastere..... You can buy a lunch for between 8 or 10 Euros at any of the little towns we visit...some times we go places that do not have facilities for lunch and we brown bag it. We would purchase cheese and pate, tomatoes, cucumber, fruit at the little grocery store and of course they would last for days...just purchase a small baguette bread daily (as they go stale fast) if you brown bag your lunch you can often just buy a coffee or hot chocolate at the small restaurants and they will let you use their facilities, however, there are aways public washrooms. We ate lunches very cheaply, not because we were especially trying to save, but they give us such a substantial breakfast at Le Monastere and dinners are so filling, we did not want a huge lunch. Chris has a refrigerator there that you can keep cheese etc. in. I take over small zip lock baggies for taking lunches when we go on location. I recall you can get an omelet, salad, wine for between 10 and 14 Euros. We purchase one dinner per week also which could cost from $14 - 20 Euros. I do remember that our grocery bill was around 20 Euros once and another time around 30 and then we would also occasionally but one of their great desserts.
Please get back to me if I have not given you enough info.
All the best, Sonja
IMPORTANT! We need your travel information.
Can you belive it -- we will soon be all together in France?!
To be sure that we have everything in order for meeting at the airport and for Chris to pick us up, both Rosemarie and I need your travel/flight information.
Please email it to Rosemarie at monastere@compuserve.com
AND myself at thinkpaint2@yahoo.ca
Thanks! Linda
To be sure that we have everything in order for meeting at the airport and for Chris to pick us up, both Rosemarie and I need your travel/flight information.
Please email it to Rosemarie at monastere@compuserve.com
AND myself at thinkpaint2@yahoo.ca
Thanks! Linda
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Ariège Pyrénées - France - la grotte de Niaux
Plans are underway for us to visit the caves of Niaux! What a fantastic once-in-a-life time opportunity, which I plan to experience twice-in-a-life time!
Unfortunately, the atmosphere in some of the caves has become detrimental to the paintings due to microorganisms caused by the heat and moisture from visitors. How much longer we will have the privilege of witnessing these ancient works of art is unknown. The caves of Lascaux are currently closed to the public.*
At this time, The Niaux Caves are currently still open to tourists, but as visits are very restricted - only one tour per day in English for a max of 20, I have sent a request to our host to make reservations for us.
Providing arrangements can be made, we will go as a small group underground and travel through the tunnels and caves. Lanterns are provided, but it was my experience that there were not enough for each person to have their own. Although I don't know if they will allow flashlights, it might be a good idea to tuck one into your bag, just in-case. Otherwise, plan on holding hands with me. Prepare to be amazed! The paintings that we will see are approximately 15,000 years old and absolutely beautiful! It will be a thrill you will never forget.
You can read more about our caves by following these links:
http://www.ariege.com/what_to_do/castlescaves/info.html
http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/chauvet/other-caves.php
http://www.donsmaps.com/niauxart.html
http://www.showcaves.com/english/fr/showcaves/Niaux.html
*In case you have not been watching the news regarding the closure of the caves in Lascaux, I'm including the following information from: http://www.artsjournal.com/culturegrrl/2008/04/lascaux_walls_to_be_scraped_wa.html
"The International Committee for the Preservation of Lascaux (ICPL) challenges the French National Television (TF1) announcement last Friday claiming the crisis in Lascaux is resolved.The report asserts that the black spots, which have attacked the cave and its prehistoric paintings since 2006, are now disappearing and gave the impression that cave is cured. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the latest biocide treatments have killed the bacteria on some of the black spots, new areas have been contaminated. Melanin, a black pigment produced by the bacteria, stain the walls and remain a permanent, visual, alteration to the cave's 17,000 year old paintings and to the overall integrity of Lascaux, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lascaux's administrators are currently implementing an aggressive method they call "decolorization" to remove the melanin by physically scraping the affected areas. The scraping not only removes the melanin but also layers of the walls' surface, whether painted or unpainted, thus irrevocably altering one of mankind's most famous works of art. "
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