IMAGINE:

Mind Body Soul Spirit

Dear Friends,

I hope you found a bit of Sunday repose this weekend. I believe a day of rest each week is crucial to our well-being.

Imagine a day when you didn’t hear about war, greed, theft, or slander.

Think back to one of the magical days I hope you had as a child…perhaps during summer vacation, a great weekend, maybe outdoors playing a sport or indoors pursuing a hobby.

I remember days when I was about 10, when my world was my neighborhood. We had a box of dress up clothes and a place that was fashioned (in our imaginations) as a covered wagon, and we would pretend we were riding west or traveling the world.

Play is a crucial part of the imagination.

My French sojourn has taken me to one of my last destinations, a tiny village with a population under 500 in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

My quest includes painting. I carry my sketchpad most days. I am honored to announce that last week the Musée de Cluny

in Paris reposted my watercolor completed in their garden this summer on their Instagram!

I also was interviewed (for a second time) by Krystal Kenney of La Vie Creative Podcast. I have learned so much about creatives in and connected to France, French history and culture from Krystal Kenney and Claudine Hemingway.

My quest also includes experiencing life at a slower tempo, eating fresh foods, experiencing a simpler way of life- the French lifestyle.

I explored the Loire Valley from Paris to La Rochelle and have now ventured a bit deeper into the Novelle-Aquitaine. I don’t recommend visiting eight different Airbnb‘s in one month. However, almost all were very hospitable and allowed me to explore cities that were previously dots on the map-tiny invitations to their historical pasts. It is the valley of  châteaux.

I enjoy marketing like a local, and sitting (often sketching) at cafés and bistros where I make a valiant attempt to speak to the servers and people around me. I walk through parks, ponder paintings in museums, quietly sit in cathedrals and ride local public transit. It has been a bit of a whirlwind. Most of my journey has been by train and  on foot.

Airbnb translates conversations, and I only met three of my hosts in person, all delightful experiences. All offered tips about the area and appliances in the flats.

I have learned to negotiate a number of stove tops, windows, shower  faucets, washing machines, and locks. Travel without Google would be very difficult. I think the most frustrating is not being able to get a stove top working!

Most French people walk a lot, and I have discovered that when they say something is right across the street, it could be half a mile away.

Travel means replacing worn items in unfamiliar territory. A day before I left Paris, my smart white tennis shoes from Palm Desert developed a crack in the sole! I texted my friend, Claudine, who suggested the On shop a block away from my flat. My favorite shoes! My backpack, faithful since 2019, developed a major zipper break, and I found a great replacement in Blois.  My faithful Baggallini purse, which I bought for my first trip to Paris in 2018 and used throughout Covid, also had a severe zipper break, and I found a wonderful French replacement in a second generation shop in La Rochelle at a great price! I do not buy a lot, but I trust what I find in France will be quality.

I also replaced watercolors and gouache — in towns without art stores. I depended on Monoprix and an office supply store and found some very adequate watercolor paper and paint.

Occasionally, one must hold one’s ground. When I returned my rental car, the clerk said the receipt could not be ready for two hours. I politely sat waiting and he had it ready within a half an hour. Most of my trip has been by train, bus and walking, but for one week I drove around the area of Niort, a town I have grown to love.

I am grateful to have made good friends in France, and I continue to meet lovely people.

This adorable three-story home which I found on sabbaticalhomes.com has provided a time of reflection. Yes, it is rather more quiet than I am accustomed to. There are no shops in this tiny village. We have a baguette machine 80 steps from my front door, (I counted). Fresh baguettes are delivered daily!

I have learned that the walking paths are marked with sweet signs. The Mairie (town hall) is beautifully kept as is the park near the river. And, yes, I tried out some of the equipment: the large swing, the cable zip line and climbing frame.  I definitely need to strengthen my upper body!

Friday afternoon in the park, a group of men were setting up to play pétanque (similar to Italian bocce ball). One approached me as I was taking photos of the beautiful river. He spoke French, but obviously about the scenery and my reply included “un petit peu” describing my knowledge of the language. He then introduced himself as the Mayor! As I left, I asked if I could photograph them and was given permission.

I continue to learn about French customs and everyday life. Saturday, my sweet host, took me to the market fair in a neighboring village. One could purchase everything from sausage to pastry to upholstered chairs in a smaller, more tasteful version of La-Z-Boy.

I have learned that this village participates in an annual open studio art tour, Le Main Bleue, in June. I would love to return!

I am experiencing part of the rhythm of a small village. Each weekday morning the school bus and parents deliver children to the small elementary school across the lane. School began in all of France September 1. Children attend from 9 a.m. until 4 or 5 (the bus comes twice) with a two hour lunch break. Wednesdays are a shortened day. Last week during the Bloquons Tout (Block Everything ) Strike in France, village life appeared uninterrupted. Children attended school and the garbage was collected.

September 21-21 marks the annual Journees du Patrimoine, European Heritage Days or Doors Open (for free) days. I look forward to exploring some of the châteaux nearby.  In 2023, I visited the Senat in Paris. What a wonderful experience!

Wherever you are, I hope you are able to enjoy a bit of quiet and the excitement of the Back to School season-and a balance of both.

Meanwhile, art season is settling over the Joshua Tree community.

I will be participating in several events: the fall art fair at Rainbow Stew, Kenna‘s Annual Art and Craft Affair, and I have a solo art show at Spaghetti Western in Morongo Valley in November/December.  Dates TBA

I will also be compiling my France Sketchbook Calendar 2026 in time for the holidays.

I encourage you to remember those days when your imagination was strong. Remain hopeful. Have patience with friends and local clerks-perhaps they are just a little busy and flustered as my car-rental clerk claimed he was! Imagine light at the end of the tunnel.

Inspired by all of you!

www.janiscommentz.com