Yes, they did go to France...but real life is busy! So, here's a little taste...

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A taste of ... le petit déjeuner (breakfast) that is - photo of "Mom" painting her breakfast in France ... hmmm yummy!

"Pain au chocolat for breakfast! - France summer, 2008"
artwork and photo, copyright Judith Nijholt-Strong
Winsor & Newton watercolors in HandBook sketchbook

Sorry for the delay in posting the new French Vacation Sketchbook pages, but things around our house in Holland are just a bit hectic and "mom" is finding it difficult to get caught up with real life! So this means "virtual life" is on the back burner for a bit longer... simmering, I guess ... LOL! For now, all I can show you are a few pics...just not enough time to spend online "messing about" these days. Commitments, commissions, communications, catastrophes...cats, etc!

These are the two "gites" (vacation houses) they stayed in during the 3 weeks in France. Both houses are part of the "Ferme aux Canards" (Duck Farm) property in the hamlet of Le Hêtre which is located in Sassetot-le-Monconduit, Normandy, France. "Mom & Dad" had a wonderful time there and the owners of the gites are fabulous, gentile, helpful people. Vive la France! My humans loved it so much, they are planning on going back this coming October...and probably those Kermits will be going with them.... grrr!

photo copyright Auke Nijholt
"Gite #1 at Ferme aux Canards -France, summer 2008"


photo copyright Auke Nijholt
"Gite #2 at Ferme aux Canards - France, summer 2008"

And yes, those frogs went with them on this trip - I told you!!! Grrr, those lucky frogs!!! They even went down to Giverny to "pay their respects" at the grave of the famous French artist Claude Monet. They also visited his house and Big Kerm, in particular, wanted to live there...that waterlily pond looked mighty good to him!

photo copyright Judith Nijholt-Strong
"Big Kermit and "Petit" Kermit at Monet's Grave - Giverny, France - 2008"

The rest of the sketchbook images and pics of France will have to wait until sometime next month ... I do not know when.

For now, I'm helping retitle the pictures they took using "Dad's" PictureRetitle file renameing program ... yes I'm plugging it here, why not?! He's my human and I'm proud of him. :o)

Tot ziens,
Sacha

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They're back from France ... time to retitle pictures using PictureRetitle

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PictureRetitle

"Mom"and "Dad" are back from their French vacation, but I'm not ready to post anything just yet. They took over 2000 pictures !!! As soon as my humans get all the pictures sorted and retitled using "dad's" great (and easy to use) picture retitling & oragnizing program, PictureRetitle , I'll post some here for my friends to see.

"Mom" created over 40 sketches & watercolors while away and her new "French Vacations ,vol. 2" Moleskine, is already half completed! :o) She has to scan those before I can show you any of them - probably in a week or so; lots to scan!!

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They did bring me back some sardines!!! Here's one picture of a shelf in a store in Honfleur, France - just packed with tins of sardines.

"Sardines in Honfluer for Sacha"

image copyright 2008 J. Nijholt-Strong

*sigh* ... that looks like Cat Heaven to me!

Tot ziens!

Sacha

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