Friday, May 15, 2009
On the Road to Albi -- SkyWatch Friday (my twenty-sixth) -- Our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday
I could tell it was going to be a nice day, not a cloud in France's big blue sky!
We were headed to Albi, France, to visit the Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Museum (link). I have a picture (print, copy) Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (link) painted for my office and this would be an opportunity to see more of his original art.
I am glad we did because of the small things, being there with his associations, and seeing so many of his paintings in one sitting helped me appreciate this man still more.
My opinion of him? At first he painted fairly run-of-the-mill pictures of people. There may have been a slight impressionist leaning in some. Towards the end of his life he was so intrigued with dancers at the Moulin Rouge (Paris) and prostitutes that that was about all he painted. Well, he was still painting entertainment posters. I would like to have one of those or a copy.
I never did figure out what the fields of yellow were. The plants were about height of yellow clover but they were courser and bushier. Anyway they matched the colors of the old John Deere tractor.
The tractor was decoration for the middle inside the turn-about. I went around twice to get the better picture. Of course the road was one way. How could a person miss with nice blue signs like this?
Finally we got to Albi. Parking was going to be a problem, but they must have known we were coming and saved this Handicap parking place just for me. I always travel with my hanging Texas Handicap Parking Permit.
We had fun. I will write more of our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday later.
We were headed to Albi, France, to visit the Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Museum (link). I have a picture (print, copy) Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (link) painted for my office and this would be an opportunity to see more of his original art.
I am glad we did because of the small things, being there with his associations, and seeing so many of his paintings in one sitting helped me appreciate this man still more.
My opinion of him? At first he painted fairly run-of-the-mill pictures of people. There may have been a slight impressionist leaning in some. Towards the end of his life he was so intrigued with dancers at the Moulin Rouge (Paris) and prostitutes that that was about all he painted. Well, he was still painting entertainment posters. I would like to have one of those or a copy.
These are pictures we took at a pull-out along the way. We were staying in Caunes-Minervois (link) which is a short drive from Carcassonne, France. At first there were a lot of grape fields which soon gave way to pastures with cows and sheep.
Then we hit the mountains. From the pictures you might guess were in West Virgina, U.S.A. We would next go down into this little town, Mazamet (link), to the market. Thursday (April 23, 2009) was market day for Mazamet. Sorry, no pictures, we were to busy eating our food and shopping.
Then we hit the mountains. From the pictures you might guess were in West Virgina, U.S.A. We would next go down into this little town, Mazamet (link), to the market. Thursday (April 23, 2009) was market day for Mazamet. Sorry, no pictures, we were to busy eating our food and shopping.
I never did figure out what the fields of yellow were. The plants were about height of yellow clover but they were courser and bushier. Anyway they matched the colors of the old John Deere tractor.
The tractor was decoration for the middle inside the turn-about. I went around twice to get the better picture. Of course the road was one way. How could a person miss with nice blue signs like this?
We had fun. I will write more of our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday later.
Other Participants and How to Have Your Own Skywatch
Labels: France, Holiday Posts, Our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday, SkyWatch Friday, Travel
Friday, January 07, 2022
Letter "A" -- Friday's Weekend Roundup 08 / Reflections and-or Street Captures
HAPPY NEW YEAR
This Second weekend's Prompts are: Starts with "A"; A Favorite; "A"lone; and A Lagniappe.
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Starts with "A": Angel starts with an "A". Mrs. Jim had this angel at the top before we were married, almost 48 years ago. She has been a tradition guest here with us for all these years.
Does anyone remember the now ancient "Moon Mullins" comic strip?
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In just a lot of his pictures you can see Mont Sainte-Victoire as in this one. It is a mountain in Provence, France. Cézanne can see the whole view of the mountain from his house near Aix-en-Provence. He drew a series of oil paintings about or using his favorite mountain of his.
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"A"lone: KP's new cat does not like being left Alone. We think he might be missing his former owner.
Named Dutch, he is an adopted four-year-old male Russian Blue. He was a one-owner never taken out in the rain pretty boy belonging to a little old lady, an LOL.
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Weekend Reflections/Street Photo: A Sidewalk conference.
Another Lagniappe: The Countries I've visited that start with the Letter "A":
Andorra -- http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2014/11/my-alphabe-thursday-5th-letter-some.html
Antigua and Barbuda -- http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2017/11/fridays-hunt-for-week-of-november-17th.html
Argentina -- http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2018/12/weekend-roundup-26-18b-for-letter-z-and.html
Aruba -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aruba (no pictures, I think this was on a Queen Mary II cruise . January 2009 but I did not post every place we stopped back then. Maybe I don't now either. http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2014/11/done-and-dance-for-josies-two-shoes.html
Australia -- https://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search?q=Australia
Austria -- (Trip was in 2000, I wasn't blogging then and my pictures have been lost or misplaced.)
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Fine print stuff.
- [Click on any picture for larger, click it again for extra large]
- I am linked with Tom of "Backwoods Travel" (Link here to click for Tom's Weekend Reviews)
- I am also linking again this week with James of "Weekend Reflections/Street Photos" (click here for his Street Folk and Reflections Photos).
- The pictures mostly are all mine and rights are reserved to me under Copyright Law.
- Click Here for all countries I've visited.
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Note: I have finished with my "jim's little Christmas Tree farm" blog posting of Christmas items for this season. Click this label, Christmas 2021 , to have a peek.
It has directions to send me a picture of your tree or decorations if you wish to do so I can post it.
Labels: Animals, Art, Cats, Christmas, Friday's Weekend Roundup 08, Grandchildren, KP, Reflections
Monday, May 18, 2009
Our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday -- Albi and Caunes-Minervois, France -- Ruby (Red) Tuesday
This is my RED for Ruby (Red) Tuesday. Most all of the roofs in Albi, France are made of red tile. The older ones dim, the newer ones can be very bright red.
While taking this picture, I was standing beside the Musée Toulouse Lautrec (museum) waiting for it to open. All of these ancient buildings are across the river.
In Southern France the Spanish influence shows to quite an extent. One of the major items is the closing of all businesses and most public facilities two hours for lunch. They close at noon and reopen at two. I do not know if they take siestas or not.
Below me was a very pretty French type garden. I did not go down into it, son, Tim, did. He also climbed to the top of the wall in the left picture and walked to the end.
In the center picture, all the green is shrubbery and is manacured with hedge clippers. I don't think there will be any flowering plants in this garden even later in the year. I don't have a picture from down there, it's a wonder since I did walk around in there.
The right side picture is the type of streets that we would walk through to get back to our car.
It's hard to pass up an information center. This one was full of posters, I choose this one for a snapshot because it showed what we had seen taking the pictures above.
If it bothers you that there are no pictures from inside the museum, that is because picture taking inside is not allowed (link to 'about' the museum).
The picture on the right says we are headed back to our hotel. We must pass through Mazamet on the way.
Supper was ready at our hotel dining room when we got back. People really don't start on the evening meal until around eight but we Americans like it earlier. Our reservations were for seven-thirty.
We are just starting on the first course, we had been served but before we started eating our waiter, the hotel owner, Frederic, took our picture. Clockwise, Mrs. Jim, (son) Tim, and moi (Jim).
Back in town now and the next morning after our trip to Albi, we went for a little walk around our town.
Walking down now, but we drove up this narrow street to find out hotel. Further on down behind that little green bush we found the studio of an English artist. He has been painting in Caunes-Minervois for five years and considers the town his home.
One of his favorite subjects is his cat. We just woke him up from an early morning nap but he didn't seem to mind. The owner/artist told us his name but I can't remember it. I am not good at names.
Walking down now, but we drove up this narrow street to find out hotel. Further on down behind that little green bush we found the studio of an English artist. He has been painting in Caunes-Minervois for five years and considers the town his home.
One of his favorite subjects is his cat. We just woke him up from an early morning nap but he didn't seem to mind. The owner/artist told us his name but I can't remember it. I am not good at names.
This pretty work is just about finished and is for sale now I can't remember the price.
The last two pictures give an idea of what the inside of an artist's studio might be like. Except for the cat and the painting, it looks similar to my office, a little messy.
The last two pictures give an idea of what the inside of an artist's studio might be like. Except for the cat and the painting, it looks similar to my office, a little messy.
Click the Ruby Tuesday button for Mary's Ruby Tuesday post list.Mary is in charge there, you can see more or post your own from there.
Labels: Animals, Cats, France, Holiday Posts, Jim Bunch Eats, Our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday, Places, Ruby Tuesday, Store Windows, Travel
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
A little culture — St. Jean Baptiste (Rodin) — MidWeek Blues
Did you know that all the Houston ISD High School soccer games today were cancelled? We did not get any snow (could be on Friday) but it sure got cold.
If you want to post a MidWeek Blues picture, go get directions from Rebecca by clicking on the logo picture on the right. She has a Mr. Linky and good directions . Just do what I did.
I should have known there would be some work of Rodin in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. I happily visited with Tim and Mrs. Jim mainly to see the large collection of impressionist masterpieces by popular painters such as Monet, Cézanne, and Renoir. (Link)
This is one of the six casts of Rodin's St. Jean Baptiste in the world. I have seen three now, this in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, another at the Rodin Museum in Paris, and the third at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
I'll have to scan my prints from the Rodin Museum some time. His work is scattered all over there, inside the building and outside in the pretty garden.
[large picture] [super sized]
If you like art then go to Europe. We found this Cézanne original in the Lautrec Museum in Albi, France. It is by Paul Cézanne (1839 to 1906) and yes, he was pretty quirky. (Cézanne Wikipedia link)
For more of our trek to the Albi click here.
Click here to register your guess for my Dog Bone in the Jar guessing contest. You can take a peek at the other guesses while you are there.
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[large picture] [super sized] If you want to post a MidWeek Blues picture, go get directions from Rebecca by clicking on the logo picture on the right. She has a Mr. Linky and good directions . Just do what I did.
Or do less. All she requires is a BLUE PICTURE or BLUE THOUGHT, you don't have to write.
Labels: Art, France, Midweek-Blues, Our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The French like Blue -- MidWeek Blues -- Blue shutters
It doesn't seem to make the French feel blue. Well, maybe this is different for the artists, some get real moody or worse.
We found this original in the Lautrec Museum in Albi, France. It is by Paul Cézanne (1839 to 1906) and yes, he was pretty quirky. (Cézanne Wikipedia link)
In just a lot of his pictures you can see Mont Sainte-Victoire as in this one. It is a mountain in Provence, France. Cézanne can see the whole view of the mountain from his house near Aix-en-Provence. He drew a series of oil paintings about or using his favorite mountain of his.
The blue colour on his mountains is supposed to be an impression of air. I'm not at all knowing what that signifies. Do you?
Even the sky is blue in France, bluer than most of the U.S. except perhaps the Texas skies. Pictured is son, Tim. Tim went with Mrs. Jim and I to Spain, France, Andorra, and Belgium on our Spring 2009 European Holiday. (link to posts so far)
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There aren't any blue shutters in this last picture but Mrs. Jim really likes these Citroën 2cv cars. She likes blue ones too and would drive one around here if I would get her one.
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I have a blue Citroën in much better shape than this one. I am saving it in case I want to do mischief with it. Have to plan my escape route carefully, their top speed is 40 mph. Mine is a 1:18 scale diecast from Solido (link for a grey one). I bought it in France back in 1992.
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If you want to post a MidWeek Blues picture, go get directions from Rebecca by clicking on the logo below. She has a Mr. Linky and good directions . Just do what I did.
Or do less. All she requires is a BLUE PICTURE, you don't have to write.
Labels: France, Midweek Blues, Our Spring 2009 Europe Holiday, Travel
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