The end of my sojourn in the country is coming to end. Let’s call it an Artist Residency & Recovery. After five weeks of fairly hectic travelling in France, Scotland and northern England, it was an unexpected joy to land in a little house near Auray for a couple of weeks of quiet rest and
On Saturday night, I put on a skirt, pinned my hair and toddled out to the village traditional dance, le Fest-Noz. I also put on some sunscreen because even at 7pm the sun is high in the sky, and I took the shady path through the forest to the sports ground.
The
I’m not a very good tourist, tending to avoid the popular places and having a limited capacity for museums. What I like to do is walk and observe, taking in my new surrounds, pondering the many questions that arise and getting a feel for the place. The added benefit is that I lose weight because
Bonjour Friends! It’s been ten days since I left Victoria’s chilly climes and landed in France, so I’m due to pen a postcard. I’m nibbling on a little baguette and cheese (Reblochon fermier) and sitting at the table in a studio apartment in Lorient. It’s in the south of Brittany out on the west coast
I love a tasty local! It’s been a long, hot summer here in Ballarat. It’s 8pm and the sun has gone down. It still and quiet and my toil is done for the day. This Cold IPA from Hepburn Springs Brewing Co. is hitting the spot perfectly. It’s a really nice balance of
Well, my friends, I made it. 365 days of Tiny Pleasures. A quiet sense of satisfaction for sticking to my word and showing up every day is sitting with me as I sit at my desk to write the last one.
It’s been a year of ups and downs
Calvados is one of my favourite tipples. It is literally liquid apple distilled into a glass. All the most delicious flavours of apples in sippable form. And it transports me instantly to the wonderful year I spent in Dinan, Brittany just after I finished uni. Yec’hed mat! (That’s ‘cheers’ in Breton.)
A good sour should still taste like beer. This barrel-aged cherry sour from Ballarat brewer, Dollar Bill, is excellent. It has a real depth of flavour, a clean finish and an all-round well-balanced flavour profile. On tap at the moment at Midtown Cellars.
The old songs very often had introductions that went by the wayside when jazz standards became de rigeur. It’s a shame because they give context and contrast to the song. Yesterday a friend sang me After You’ve Gone (written in 1918) with the preamble and it made me smile. It’s now on my
Ah, the long summer evenings are a treat. What better way to enjoy the sky turning a deep shade of blue than to wander the streets after dinner?
