tilling-sur-aude

Kates birthday tea

2012-02-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

as usual, Kates birthday followed hot on the heels of Oscars - yet he still lives -
Brilliant cakes!

Here is Ceri blessing Andy -

-our Vivienne, looking beautiful as ever -
and a fine time was had by all! Thanks Kate, always a pleasure to share your day

RIP Blossom

2012-02-12T04:57:00.000-08:00

Blossom Adler (nee Abhrahamson)
b. 12 July 1919 Chicago, of Lithuanian family - d. 7 Feb 2112 Quillan, France.

Blossom was born into a Jewish family where the expectation was , as the youngest, she would be the one to care for the parents. She was allowed to go to art school however - no harm in a girl having a hobby.
At the Chicago Arts Institute she was taught by Boris Anasfelt (1878 -1973) and by Lazlo Moholy-Nagy (1895 - 1946) though she argued almost immediately with the latter. He was a forceful character with a circle of acolytes and Blossom challenged him on an issue now forgotten. He told her that if she didn't agree with everything he said, she could not be his pupil. So she left.
Later he told her that that had been just an expression of speech -

When the City of Chicago arranged to 'welcome home' servicemen who had been fighting in Europe, Blossom painted the murals in the reception building and worked on many portraits of the young survivors. After the war she became a medical illustrator. In 1947 she met and married her husband who had been fighting in Japan; eloping in order to escape her parents she nonetheless had to stop work and devote herself to home and family as the prevailing culture of the middle classes dictated.

Her adopted son Stan Adler arrived in 1954. Blossom did her bit to encourage his innate musicality, against her husbands wishes, playing musical games and recording his early band in the days when this was very novel. Later it was she who bought his (now famous) electric cello.

In the 1960's she was allowed to teach the French language in Chicago. She was extremely successful - some of her students went on to have careers in the French-speaking world - and after retiring she opted to teach art to other seniors. She held workshops in Mesa, Arizona and was a volunteer in the local high school.

She moved here in 2006 to be with Stan and his family, bringing with her some excellent examples of her artwork and her notebooks. Its a curious thing that when artists can't paint they will still draw.... it is hoped that a selection of her work will be exhibited soon and that the images will be available on line. It is a glorious mix of the epoch, a young womans' exploration of styles and the confident work of the mature artist.

I'm sure that Tillings denizens join with me in sending condolences to Stan, Debs and Miriam -

annie and pete very rich

2012-02-10T01:30:00.000-08:00

Annie and Pete are safely back but insisting on staying at the mill in -7 degrees and falling. I fear for them but you know what they are like. Pete enjoys waking with icicles in his beard.

Still, with this 540 billion euro note in their hot hands, they can do anything they want:)

bleedin frezzin

2012-02-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

Baffling images... one of which is Captain H having just blown out his birthday candles about 15 mins before midnight.
The others are of space aliens, like as not. Click to enlarge.
We are so COLD:)

Tapies dead, alas

2012-02-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/arts/design/antoni-tapies-spanish-abstract-painter-dies-at-88.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Another arts catastrophe - very saddened that Tapies has died though on the plus side there must be some corner of the after-world that it zinging with the greats who have died recently.
Here is a link to Marcus' obituary of Dorothea Tanning, also newly departed.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/dorothea-tanning-painter-sculptor-and-poet-whose-work-crossed-artistic-boundaries-6358760.html

bored with snow

2012-02-07T00:24:00.000-08:00

--we got snow, pretty but boring after a while. Its cold. Enough (the sky this morning is largely blue and the sun is looking down again -)
Here is a divine photo that Pete took in his garden just before the snowfall. Lets hope the little chap is keeping warm - its a tree frog, apparently.
Kat got to Bristol yesterday, Margaret and John got to Belfast no doubt with adventures but they've all made it safely. This bodes well for the arrival tomorrow of Annie and Pete and birthday boy Captain Bob - suppose I'd better do some housework.

tilling sub zero and snowy

2012-02-06T00:31:00.000-08:00

ice in the aude

2012-02-05T02:33:00.000-08:00

Market was virtually not a market - cars could move around the square, it was so slight. Good friends out though so breakfast and coffee still viable.
Unlike Savs birthday last night nor the sale of promises the night before; both deferred for a month.

These little dots in the river are ice.

Now its snowing, sigh.

Pretty though.

The local police have just driven past with the loudhailer on; ALLO ALLO announcement from the departement du Midi; because of the black ice everyone should stay indoors.

Esperpanto

2012-02-04T03:40:00.000-08:00

---First meeting of the Panto committee this morning. Its shaping up nicely though we are missing a set of ugly sisters; any volunteers?

There's a great back-stage crew but we are lacking some actors. If you fancy joining in a memorable cultural exchange(ahem: oh yes it is) please get in touch. Performances just before Christmas but we are planning ahead.

Here is a rubbish photo of a glass slipper, fortunately a perfect fit for Nightingale who has been volunteered for Cinderella.

Big news is that Alain, the boss of the cafe in the square, can now shout shut the door in English (he does it a lot because everyone claps). Its minus 2 here and snowing.

inagural event

2012-02-03T11:32:00.000-08:00

The Galerie K Association was formed tonight in the presence of the Mayor - Pierre Cros was unanimously voted as president, Alexandre and Karim as vice-pres.; another Pierre from Carcassonne will be treasurer adjuncted by Mrs Cros; Ive forgotten the secretary but our Kat is adjunct and Stephan is whatever is left, I did take notes but I've lost them.
We read the articles of association and the contract for artists and then the event to celebrate the inauguration kicked off.
Here is the current Mayor with the last mayor,
General Lafitte - heres
Karim frantically finishing some work with his signature.
Philippe made a mountain of delicious pizza for us all and was then too knackered to come. Someone made some innocuous sangria which by the second glass Kat was calling sanglier hoho.
Everyone was still partying when I crept out in the cold to go home for a nice up of tea by the fire. It is seriously cold. Not as bad as the rest of France, apparently.

blanche-neige does ironic

2012-02-02T03:07:00.000-08:00

This hen is called after Snow White, in French Blanche-Neige. She refused to come out into the snow.
There isn't much but it is here, finally, snowing - like the rest of Europe. The hens are outraged.

Everyone else OK though. Breakfast with the breakfast club at the Cafe in the square; since it followed on the heels of dinner at the Normandy Frites I was impressed by some of the stamina displayed, myself rather feeling my years. Normandy F not bad, BTW; still smokey with chip fat but we had escalope de dinde and chips and it was good.

Then coerced into cleaning Galerie K in preparation for the reunion tomorrow night and the inaugural expo. If you are an artist of these parts and feel the need to belong to an arts association, come along and subscribe (5.30pm) and if not but are interested in art, come along a bit later for the craick. Woops, that should probably read bavadage.

creepy morning. Lift needed next Weds.

2012-02-01T00:54:00.000-08:00

Creepy morning - thick fog and through the drifting spaces glimpses of white clad mountains.... cold too. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

Anyway, thats by the way . This blog is asking for a lift for Annie and Pete, getting in to Toulouse in the morning of Weds 8th and needing to get to Carcassonne for 16.30, thence to Couzia. Bound to be someone out there doing just that -:) - and longing for the company of the two darlings -

Hmm come to think of it I need to be in Toulouse that day so if you want company in that direction can I hitch a lift in? (There's work on the line between Carcas and Toulouse and the bus takes forever.) Its the Captains birthday so I'm meeting him on the late plane, missing A and P by some several hours, alas.

Monday in Tilling

2012-01-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

Captain H had to leave early this morning to catch his plane back to Gatwick. Last time he was diverted in terribly high winds to Stanstead and missed his day; today he was diverted to Orly as another passenger had a critical illness needing immediate treatment. Day lost. Think maybe I should publish his timetable so you know what planes to avoid.

Its lovely here. France is under a cold white blanket which has yet to hit us in Tilling. The TV is advising prudence and people clearly are staying home despite the clear blue sky - there is scarcely any traffic and the few you meet on the street want a chat because there is no-one else to talk to. Its a bit post-rapture. Oh, talking of which I hear that the aliens are getting near; the 'Space Brothers' [possibly aka giant green lizards] will arrive definitely this year. The Illuminati prevented them from landing last year but their power is ending. Then we'll see some changes....

any guesses

2012-01-29T01:22:00.000-08:00

I'm too mean to offer prizes but anyway you'll never guess.(... and the fact its such a bad picture doesn't help.)
So I'II tell you.
Its a bit of melted plastic, right? Not just any old bit of melted plastic though. This bit was melted during dinner last night as Margaret left a plastic base on top of the log burning stove which rather affected the excellent meal :)
Hilary and Mike, John, Margaret and Bob were mercifully not overcome by fumes but some of us were rather overcome by booze and are a bit slow this morning. Its snowing - grumpy, granular, mealymouthed snow - so the market is slight. Its a dozy day by the fire for me.

Thanks for an unforgettable evening folks!

more anachronisms

2012-01-26T09:24:00.000-08:00

which is the more anachronistic - the sign
or the fact that it has a hunters bullet through it?

Captain H is here till Monday, lovely:) Here he is waking Lily down by the river opposite the chateau des Ducs de Joyeuese.

what a day -

2012-01-24T13:43:00.000-08:00

Can't remember the morning.

The afternoon was spent with Yann-the-photographer, watching him photograph the last years' work. Depressing or what.

Then - incredibly - I drove a car. It was a dark one, not very big. Margaret's. She had volunteered to give me a driving lesson, at least to see if I would like it> We both survived. I have never driven a car before and my knees were trembling as I got out, which makes me suspect the whole business of being sexual or akin to sex...

At the little celebration afterwards involving blanquette, we got into a position where we had to go and see Kat and check that the bar l'Origynal was OK. As a result of that I can suggest a drink invented by Luc for the evening, called La Confidence - very good too.
Below you can see the state of Kats gallery. But is it art??

hedging the bets...

2012-01-22T06:39:00.000-08:00

So, anyone know whats happening? First was the lavender hedge by the little car park over the railway line at the side of the Maire. Pulled up and disappeared without so much as a bye-your- leave. And not replaced. Then the hedge the length of the peluse, the other side of the river, beautiful big long dense hedge; I asked as it was being destroyed, why? and was told, disease. Not been replaced. The the hedge by the little fountain (the two phallic stones one), boff! Disappeared. The big laurel hedge by the river by CrossClement uprooted, leaving bald riverbank. Then yesterday morning, this one had gone - it used to run parallel to the short one that is (so far) still there.

Et alors???

Then again, somethings are appearing. Here we have a Templar well apparently growing in the impasse des Chevaliers at Campagne- sur-Aude, a genuinely Templar enclave and ex-fort.

Walked to Campagne yesterday for the pleasure of it - beautiful day as is today, spring pretending to have arrived - also (really) arrived are John and Clare, here for a measly week, chauffeured by a nameless gentleman farmer. Took photies of them in the market but they were rubbish.

So, farewell then....

2012-01-20T13:48:00.000-08:00

E.J. Thribb (17.5) writes:

So, farewell then, Maevis.
Keiths mum thinks you were here before God.
She may be right.

Hilary and Mike, Dermot and Kate, Pete, Kat, Oscar, Margaret and me gathered to feed Maeve before the off tomorrow. Good evening of good stories, memories and wild hypothesis.
Can't believe she's going. Neither can she; she'll be back! All regret that Maeve hasn't been interviewed and written up - perhaps another day. What she doesn't know of the esoteric history of the region doesn't exist.

Blue Apple day

2012-01-19T00:33:00.000-08:00

Tuesday the 17 Jan was, as ever, Blue Apple day at Rennes les Chateau. Other duties prevented me from going this year but see entries passim for the 17th over the last three years (if you are interested in local phenomena)

The English speaking world were alerted to the mystery by Henry Lincoln in his book Holy Blood, Holy Grail (co-authored with Micheal Baigent and Richard Leigh); Trebha thinks that the Brits were alerted by the French book Le Vrai Langue Celtique by Abbe Henri Boudet, in which the good old priest encodes Pythagorean information.*

Suzie was on hand on Tuesday and caught their - hmm, 'debate' is too strong a word, 'spat' is probably the mot juste :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2exjnM7czIE#!

*Marcus and Corella have made an English translation called The True Celtic Language and the Stone Circle of Rennes-les-Bains, which is available here;
http://www.atelier-empreinte.fr/thetruecelticlanguageandthestonecircleofrenneslesbains-p-2193.html

ladies lunching

2012-01-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

Here are some ladies and

here is their lunch - which tasted a lot better than it looked
thanks for coming girls, nice afternoon
and great excuse to avoid work

Roy is a chicken

2012-01-15T13:24:00.000-08:00

Roy and Jo hosted an extremely good party tonight -

here Jonathon and Roy are meaningful -

and here we introduce Steve and Fiona, newcomers, who are buying Therese's house.
They are most welcome. They coped well with a bunch of weird strangers at the party and I'm sure that Therese would have enjoyed them.
Great evening, one of those really good mixes of old friends and new blood, of happy gossip and intelligent banter.

Can't wait for next year. Roy!!

arques lake on a sunday

2012-01-15T08:08:00.000-08:00

Captain H took me and Lily for a walk - brill, beautiful at Arques this time of year, or indeed at most times of the year-

Saturday in Tilling

2012-01-14T13:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm lying ;)) Epstein's great sculpture of Jacob wrestling the Angel is currently in Liverpool's Tate Gallery. But a girl can dream -:)

Its all very quiet here. The Captain and I are pottering about and having the odd treat - like today, old friends Richard and Allison drove over for lunch. Since Tilling was shut we went to Pierre Lys and had the sort of calves liver and bacon to give a vegetarian nightmares. Hmm.

Tomorrow is Roys rave-up!!

Loose weight and live forever

2012-01-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

I don't know how Andree and her mates do it. We had what the Brits would call 'tea' at Jackies place today, Pierrette, Edmund, Andree and me; Jacquie had made a Gallette du Rois, 2 centimeters of frangipane wrapped in butter and sugar, hmmm, which was followed by an enormous caramel ice cream log, hand-made (by Nougalet) chocolates and crystallized ginger all washed down with a sweet white wine. We chatted and told jokes and enjoyed the very pretty house.
I tried to explain English tea. How you had to eat your bread-and-butter or grim sandwich before you could have some dry cake. How it resembles some sort of punishment rather than a celebration.
Les filles were baffled.

Toulouse

2012-01-12T02:48:00.000-08:00

To Toulouse to meet the Captain.... no trains from Carcassonne (railworks) so a lengthy bus ride, not without its pleasures as the journey is full of scenery. Thence to my favorite bookshop, where I squandered all available resources and on to the galleries; Vincent Debanne at the Chateau d'Eau which was all about photography and I don't get photography though the building is remarkable. Only went because its the first time Ive seen it open and the name of the show was delicious - "Tribute to Archaic Devises".

Whilst waiting for the bus to Limoux (to catch the train to Carcassonne to get the bus to Toulouse, pay attention) I saw this in the library wall. Nice, isnt it. Does it mean anything? If so, do you know what?

Captain is knackered but OK and very happy to be here:)