Its a strange gray end of November day and today, my very private world
of solitary walks in the Dordogne beamed across cyberspace thanks to the
auspices of the New York Times.

With a small but powerful mention in the 30 November House and Home section,
I found myself filling orders for pictures that are my very personal experiences
and feelings.

A woman from Atlanta purchased a photo of my neighbor’s donkey and a rather
scary, forceful looking dog I encountered on a randonee with a group of French people.
The flags that fly on a nearby Mairie will furl in someone’s office or living room.

Views I encounter daily, just down the hill from my house, are now going to be holiday
gifts for people I will never meet. Will they ever be able to feel the sweetness and
serenity that wells up inside me when I walk these paths?

Its odd to think of one’s memories out in the world, on such a mind boggling scale.

Viewed almost 133,000 times, in less than 24 hours, my private world, shaped
by another language, by instant and almost profound memories; these are my secrets,
out of the box.

According to the Detroit Free Press on October 22, 2006, slumber parties are in!
Staying at home with friends, snacks, cable, and flicks is becoming a nice way to relate-
Whether you are a teen, a tween OR an adult woman, cozying up at home is the way to go!

How about getting your favorite college roomies. sorority sisters or your younger and
older sibs together and let’s plan a very special time of it, in a magical place. Expand
on the notion of staying at home. Stay at home in France, complete with massage,
hiking, biking, quiet yoga, great organic food, trips to markets, antiquing, you name it.

With a hand picked variety of lovely, special venues in which to hold our workshops, we guarantee you a personalized, custom made trip to the Dorodogne, set in a dreamy home based location. So call your sis or your best friend and let’s start dreaming.

Get out those jammies and get on board!

I am really excited! I continue to have amazing conversations with my teachers
as we brain storm the new workshops for Spring ‘07 and Fall ‘07. The dates are
still not firmed up yet, so you will just have to sit tight.

I am in awe of my talented and interesting workshop leaders. They know their stuff but more than that, they are fun, low key and great company to spend time with. I am so impressed with each one of them, not only for what she has accomplished, but for whom she is.

Next spring, we will welcome back Karen Arp-Sandel and this date is set:
Saturday April 21- Saturday April 28. Karen’s program is called: Planting Seeds in France-Yoga For Joyful Living, and with what is usually superb weather at this time, we will be practicing in all sorts of wonderful outdoor venues and combining our practice with wonderful activities in the region. Bring your mat, hiking boots, water colors and cameras. And be prepared to laugh.

As mentioned, we do not have dates set yet but the next two programs are progressing. Each has me really jazzed for its fantastic content.

Santi Meunier will be back with What Do French Women Know? This will be
a workshop examining the paradigm shifts between American women and French women; our different takes on body culture, taking leisure time, and making the most of the last 1/3 of our lives. This is guaranteed to create fascinating, lively discussions, so don’t miss it. Santi’s list of accomplishments is more than impressive: author, Phd, coach, PLUS, she’s a great cook and lots of fun to be with.

Our next program, is called Walking In The Footsteps Of Merwin. The Merwin in question here, is definitely a magician, but his magic wand consists of words. I hate the word resonate, but in this case, my word, his words, really truly do.

W.S. Merwin, Pulitzer Prize winning poet and author of more than 40 books of poetry, prose, and translation including books on the area titled The Lost Upland, Summer Doorways, The Vixen, and The Mays of Ventadorn, lived a period of his life in this incredible landscape. He lovingly articulates his epiphanies both in his prose and poetry. No matter how many times I reread his work about this landscape, I am dumbstruck by his subtle way of getting at its essence. Reading and discussing his evocative words in situ, we will then roam the countryside on foot in search of them.

Pending further discussion, I might like to run this program both in the fall and
spring as each season brings new magic for all the senses.

I am thrilled to have 2 authors as our guides on this adventure. Michelle Gillett, poet, author and writing teacher in her own right, also happens to be a devoted fan of Merwin, so she was thrilled when I proposed this idea to her.

Hayden Carruth, said of Michelle’s book called Blinding the Goldfinches, ” What one finds in these poems is the truth. It’s as simple as that…. I reccomend these poems for their wisdom and insight, but even more for their steadfast initiative and independence”

Elizabeth Mollison, author, poetry anthologist and also a Merwin devotee (she actually introduced him to me many years ago), just happens to have this landscape under the treads of her walking shoes. She has hiked these hills and valleys for over 40 years and now makes her permanent home here. For the last 25 years Molly has taken me on some of the most incredible hikes I have ever experienced. A lifelong big thank you to Molly and I am so pleased to be able to share this gift of walking with her, with you. Molly is the author of a book, sadly only in French and Dutch at the moment, called Le Roc (also made into a French tv documentary) and it is a portrait of her village, a stones throw from the Dordogne. If you read in one of these two tongues, try and get a copy.

So start your reading now! I am sure you will want to read and reread as
we prepare for our walks and hikes.

Dates, and particulars will be posted on the program page, once they are finalized. Any and all comments as we plan these programs would be more than welcomed.