La Tempete - Heavy storms!!!!!!

Calm after the storm - or is it the in the eye????

GROUNDS

Carnage!……..Two days of raging winds and unrelenting rain. Trees down, flooded land and surrounding areas, spur and driveway and water entering all windows and doors at front of the house through the ferocity of the winds….but the lake is filling up!....Good case of careful what you wish for!

Various areas around Bandouille where trees have been lost!

Last night (Thursday)…I think the winds picked up again around 7pm and even now as I type at4.30 Friday afernoon the winds have hardly slowed (except for half an hour or so to take the rainbow pic).  My greatest and saddest losses are the Magnolia tree and the wonderful fir (but we did expect that to go at some point given that the last storm had already weakened its roots and it had started to lean precariously) that we had in the front garden and my wiggly willow on the lake.  So now what….we wait till its dry enough to cut down and cut up the fallen trees and store them for another winter 2 years down the line.  So not all lost then!

Apologies for the break between postings, but this is due to life outside the computuer going on, as it does.   And since the last post I have visited England to go to some art events to promote our Art Holidays (www.francepaintingholiday.com) and of couse to see my lovely children too. 

ART

Kieko Tanabe

Great news!!!!!    We have  taken onboard Keiko Tanabe (http://www.facebook.com/keiko.tanabe?sk=photos) as a fantastic guest tutor from California and hope to be announcing some other familiar names in the near future…So keep popping in to find out more. Keiko will be running a workshop April 15^th – 21^st and I am really excitied with the prospect of painting with her…Come and join us! For more information visit our website on her page - click here

Pattern repeat block

Not really painted much since Buttermouse, but in saying that have done two Robins for Christmas and have zentagled lots designing a birthday card from my daughter Holly….Got a bit messy in the end as complicated it a lot…..but fun nonetheless.

 

                                                                                  

In November I was thrilled to discover that I was one of three winners of the Sunflower competition on www.idrawandpaint.com and am now awainting my prize of 3 books that I selected to a value of £30.00….and also during November I was shocked to find that I had won 2^nd and 3^rd place in a photography competition for our AVF group depicting Parthenay – a local medieval town.  AVF. (Accueil Ville Francaise) – the group I belong to.  Amazing…So the prizes from that were two days out – one to Puy de Fou (an incredible medieval attraction park) and the Japanese gardens not so very far away…..Happy?  You bet!

Parthenay - 2nd prize

Parthenay - 3rd prize

So a couple of painting ideas formulating in my head but have some other things to sort first.

RENOVATION

The refectory….It has now been tiled and is lovely and warm..We have yet to furnish it and move in for the winter, but so far it has not been cold enough (I am not wishing anything……) to do so.  This we will do slowly after Christmas….But looking good! And Drew can't wait to move in there with the telly!!!!!

In the meantime my blogging friends and visitors I wish you the very best that this season brings and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and please feel free to leave a comment on any of the postings!

Bix and Drew x