Gregorian Chants in the Monestary

7/20

Today began with a communal painting!

A giant triangle canvas was set up, and we painted the landscape.

Using brushes ranging from regular paint brushes to sticks to leaves to lavender!

Inside, it was Day Two of jam-making!

Then I headed up the mountain to the castle, to leave some of Mary-Kate's hair.

On the way up I noticed the church was open, but no one was inside. I felt drawn in, so I just quietly entered and sat there for about 20 minutes. It seemed appropriate... and really soothing.

Last...

7/21


I don't even want to say it...

Today is our last day in France. :(

:( :(

:( :( :(

We went to get bread today for the last time, and Chandri advised us to spend all the cash we had left, since we were going to have no other chance. So, we went to Spar and bought lots of candy!

When we returned, the kids put the finishing touches on their final projects.

DeAndre wrote a song and created a visual for an album cover. When it's not 2:20AM and I'm not thoroughly exhausted, I'll try and post the audio file because it's amazing.

Video Compilation

I thought I'd put together a few videos I've taken around Provence, so y'alls can kinda step into the area if'n ya get me. :)




The music is from the guitarist we heard at Isle Sur La Sorgue, whose name we still don't know... the Mysterious Isle Sur La Sorgue Musician!

Jammin'

7/19


Today we made Apricot Jam!

But first, we (Emma, Soreya, DeAndre, and I) rose bright and early to be the first at the market!

...and by "bright" I mean it was pouring rain.

But our endeavours meant we got almond croissants for breakfast!

And take a gander at THIS beauty! Crêpe cake?! I WANTED IT SO BADLY.

Ah, Spar. Our favourite place to buy Kinder Eggs. :P

Cold and wet but satisfied with our purchases, we decided to head back home to make something warm (in my case, some peach-cassis tea I'd just bought!).

GIANT meringues.

The torrential rain lightens and everyone resumed working on their final projects.

Sunshine Through The Mistral

7/18

Chandri's eldest daughter, Athena, arrived today around 6!

After French class in the morning (where we learned bedroom vocab!) we took advantage of the amazing weather to do some yoga outside!

I've never enjoyed doing yoga so much.

I nearly fell asleep in the sun at the end, it was so relaxing and so peaceful. I was so acutely aware of sun, it being in stark contrast to the Mistral around us.

...And afterwards I felt like every part of me had been so stretched, and I was sleepy for nearly the rest of the day. :P

Working on my collage! First I spread out all the images.

We had ice cream again tonight. HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY. ;)

Rain, Compote, and the One Ring

7/17

Storm clouds in the morning sky!

+ Godshot!

The kiddies begin their final projects!

I was massively bored watching them all create artwork and doing nothing myself...

So then Larissa and I went for a run! ...I say "run" loosely because I got about 20 minutes of actual running out of her, but we found a plum tree only the plums weren't quite ripe yet, and then we found a cherry tree with just about the most delicious, sweetest cherries I've ever tasted in my life so we climbed it and stuffed our faces and then we left the road and explored this flower field and then it started raining really gently... Basically the best day ever.

Larissa was cutting up a magazine for her project but decided it wasn't quite the images she was really after so she gave it to me and now I've got a collage project of my own! Horray!

Emma, Larissa, and Chandri made this delicious compote out of some apricots the neighbors gave us so we ate it for dessert with yogurt and it was SO GOOD.

Yum yum yum!

Enjoying the sunset.

With the sun down, that meant just one thing...

LORD OF THE RINGS #2!!!!

Fireworks in a nearby town!

We have like 20 minutes left of The Two Towers. WANT. TO. FINISH.

ERICA PATTERSON I LOVE YOU

7/17

Dear world,
Today is a very very special day.
Today is the birthday of my best friend in the whole entire freaking world!

LOOK HOW LITTLE WE ARE.

THAT'S HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERICAAAAAA!!!!!

I MISS YOU LIKE A FAT KID ON A DIET MISSES CHOCOLATE CAKEEEEE.

COME TO FRANCE RIGHT NOW SO I CAN BAKE YOU A CAKE.

KTHANKS.

I MADE A SPECIAL VIDEO FOR YOU.




Love,
Grella :)

Beethoven's Ninth

7/16


Today after lunch and a sculpture class, we headed to Orange to see Beethoven's Ninth Symphony performed by the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse and the Chœur de l'Orfeon Donostiarra de San Sebastian in an ancient Roman amphitheater.

Sunset driving to Orange!

It was SO BEAUTIFUL.

The Roman amphitheater!

I felt like I should have worn a toga to the event. :P

The steps up were GIANT, the Romans must have had unbelievable legs.

Seriously, look how steep they are.

We get to the top and we hear the kid behind us gasp, "Merde!" Emma turned around and was like, "I know right?!"

Listening to the orchestra play and the choir sing in this ancient, ancient amphitheater was one of the coolest experiences ever. I was talking to Arianna later and she was like, "Just think for a minute of who once sat in your seat, and what they watched." It kinda gave me the chills.

It started drizzling after the first song, so they took all the wooden instruments off-stage until the rain stopped and then continued.

Imagine how even more awe-inspiring this place must have been during its day.

MERRO SORO.
God, I hope a 110 mello is reading this right now... :)

DeAndre's face of approval.

Soreya and Avery bee-lined for the ice cream after the performance. :P