La Perriere

Am now in wonderful La Perrier where I have spent the week in the cosy restored home of Lynne, an old friend of my mothers. A wonderful, huge and spacious kitchen full of wholesome foods and fresh produce, we have just spent the day cooking the over-sized zuchini some local friends have given her. It now is in the form of crispy little lemony-cheesy fritters and a fragrant soup.

The last few days we have done walks into the forest and around the village; up to the local graveyard and steeple, around the old, stone townhouses stopping to say hi to the dog-walking locals. Everything is straight out of a classically quaint french country-style magazine.

Rose bushes grow fondly against stony walls and lavender adorns street sides. To add to the fragrant blossoming streets are the blackberry bushes with juicy gifts for our stomachs on a morning walk.

The landscape is so European to my Australian tastes. To wander around ancient apple groves and nibble from pear and berry trees is a total delight for my senses, especially the roses that are growing on every terrace and street corner. Im in awe of the unusual abundance of the land here and its centuries-old traditions, rich fertile soil and vintage hedge-rows.

Its been an incredibly sensual experience being here and eating amazing food, picking the fresh produce from gardens of friends, and given a beautiful attic room with long views over valleys and forests. Its also been surprisingly hectic for 4 days in the countryside. Lynne has kept me busy and entertained visiting the array of eccentric ex-pats living locally, mostly women. Single and fabulous, with full and flourishing gardens and generous lives they share with us. I have listened to stories of the local gossip, the grumpy mayor and his plans to pave through the garden-plot, the gaggle of gay boys wanting to take over the town, the posh and the posers, the old bats and the conservative farmer peasant folk. The ex-pats here are in a group of their own sharing their experiences and lives.

I arrived here thinking I would have lots of time to be sitting around sipping Vin Blanc and doing watercolours, but have been given the full tour of summer life in rural France. As well as a fantastic home-maker (the restoration of her place a wonderful transformation and project of vision) Lynne has also filled me in on detailed and rich tellings of life here and the many stories of relationships, proccesses and obstacles. We have sat around a cheese-board, a pot of tea, or a bowl of my own Biryani (recipe i picked up in India, which surprisingly worked quite well! ) and shared our reflections. Just like visiting a real aunt. I have been grateful to meet the women here, living and sustaining a well-being from their passions like gardens, friends, food and their art practice. Its a pleasure to see how people survive in another land and hear them share their tales of its people and the concessions and obstacles they have overcome.

We are on our way out to a friends place to share our zuchinni love!