La Fête du Muguet

                                                                        watercolor by  Linda Hampton Smith

"Il y a des pluies délicieuses où le ciel a l'air de pleurer de joie."    Paul-Jean Toulet


Here at home, it's raining a much needed rain.  The pink blossoms on our weeping crabapple trees hang heavy with diamond-like droplets.  Vivid green shoots poke out of a "dark-as-chocolate-cake" soil.  Un embarras of very wet richesses.

For you:  fragrant lily-of-the-vally wishes, un bouquet de muguet (a French May Day tradition that I love).


*With a special bouquet going to Blyden Jackson who has stepped into his new Life and who will forever remain in our hearts. 

2012. Un Souhait.

Le Bisou Eternel      Gouache on paper   by Linda Hampton Smith

My 2012 gift of a wish for you is une belle naissance, a beautiful birth, of your best self.   Where fears fall away and life is lived with a lightness of spirit, une vrai légèreté. 

A sparkling, glittering, pétillant portrait of you...as you  heed your whispering heart.  A heart who says this, and only this: 

Tu es bien aimé.  You are so loved.

Au Printemps

The Angels of Vermont.   Watercolor.   by Linda Hampton Smith 

Yesterday, a pretty shower of snowflakes danced upon our daffodils as fat robins hopped about.   This was the icing on the cake, literally, of a sweet Spring vision.  A whispered adieu from Winter's magic.  A thrilling bonjour in birdsong.

Le temps, c'est comme un flocon de neige, pendant qu'on se demande ce que l'on va faire avec, il fond. 

-Anonyme

Le coeur mène où il va

                                Le coeur mène où`il va.   by Linda Hampton Smith                                     
       


                                                      Follow your heart.

                                                      It knows the way.
                    

                                    Bonne Saint-Valentin!

Bien Dans Sa Peau

 Elle y est.   ink & colored pencil.  mounted on William Morris design.  by Linda Hampton Smith

One of my favorite expressions is to be "bien dans sa peau" (feeling good in one's own skin, at ease with oneself).   I'm much closer to that state of mind in my fifties, than I was in my twenties.  But I'd like to be positively aglow with self care and self love and self celebration.  Kindness unto me.   A sweet gentillesse.

In order to help that feeling along,  I figure one must truly care for oneself, non?  Take time to exercise, meditate, breathe deep and nourishing breaths, eat well,  sleep well.....  All of which is one's true "beauty" regime  (and none of which I do on a consistent basis.)    

So, as a nice first step in consistent self care, I thought I'd initiate a daily face cleansing routine... French Style:

1.  Apply cold cream to face.  Massage in a circular motion.  

2.  Remove cream with cotton balls,  wiping off in upward strokes.

3.  Apply a toning lotion with the cotton.

4.  Apply a light moisturing lotion.

I've done this for a couple of days, now, and I can say that the extra minute of pampering is a cherishing moment at the mirror. 

A sweet tendresse.   To which I say, continuez, ma fille.

Fenêtre

Les Fenêtres     Watercolor   by Linda Hampton Smith

 

"J'ai tendu des cordes de clocher a`clocher; des guirlandes de fenêtre à fenêtre; des chaînes d'or d'étoile à étoile, et je danse".         -Arthur Rimbaud

                                                                        and

"La fenêtre, en province, remplace le théâtre et les promenades."     -Gustave Flaubert

                                                                        and

"Les yeux sont les fenêtres de l'âme."     -Georges Rodenbach

All of these wonderful "window" quotes come from an awesome online resource.  Mots d'auteurs  allows you to search for quotes by way of a single keyword (mot clef).   I find this wildly entertaining and sometimes make a game of it.  Choissisez un mot and give it a go!

Vive le Chocolat

"Vive le Chocolat"   Ink & Colored Pencil   by Linda Hampton Smith

Many of my quirky little characters come from absentminded doodling.    I clearly had chocolate on the brain when I penned this picture.  No surprise there.  

How 'bout quelque chose séduisante, melty and merveilleuse?  (I ask myself this question on a regular basis.)

Miam. Miam. Miam.

La Vie est Belle.