under the toulouse sun

Although I've enjoyed my stay in Brussels, this morning I happily left its cool, grey and often rainy days in June to fly to Toulouse and the sunny warmth of southern France.  This evening I'm cosseted in my hotel room after a wonderful dinner of duck breast in honey glaze, contemplating whether I have enough energy to work a little in my mostly-neglected journal.  Tomorrow is another day for adventure (maybe Carcasonne) before joining up with Kaari Meng's 3rd week at Chateau Dumas on Saturday.  Besides all the wonderful day trips she has planned, we'll be working on a new journal guided by Wendy Addison!  Can't wait!

(pages still in progress)

brussels to toulouse

espresso bar in Brussels via here 

Happily packing for a Sunday departure for my summer vacation, heading to Brussels again and then, at the beginning of July, to Kaari Meng's third-week session at the Chateau Dumas near Toulouse. On my last visit to Brussels, we had exceptional weather toward the end of March, including sunny days in the 70s that had everyone out walking in the parks and sitting outdoors at the cafes. I hope we are lucky again and it warms up from the current rainy 60s.

 

view from my balcony at the Marriott hotel towards the Grand Place,
just a short walk away past lots of little shops

walking through a public park toward Embassy Row in Brussels

Immediately on my return home, I'm zipping out to CA for a weekend in Pam Garrison's journaling class at Jenny Doh's studio.  And then I'm going to putter around in my garden for the rest of the summer and get back to doodling for some classes I'm teaching in the fall.  Sounds like a plan, right?

Hope you have a wonderful summer with special pleasures tucked in!
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