Colette

Colette was a French writer  ,her full name was Sidonie Gabrielle  Colette and she was born at San Sauveur en Puisaye on the 28th January 1873.
 Her early writing was dominated by her first  husband"Willy" who took credit for the work and introduced his young wife to the racy side of the Paris Salons. Colette wrote the famous Claudine stories which were considered very naughty at the time.She broke with Gautier Villars [Willy] and embarked on a lesbian relationship with "Missy otherwise known as  Countess Mathilde de Morny.
She later married and had a daughter with Henry de Jouvenal.During the 1st War she nursed when De Jouvenel was called up. Her books are wonderfully sensual and full of insght .She loved food and animals and brought them to her work. Cheri is one of my favourites although I love all  of her books .
Having divorced Henry she proceeded to have an affaire with his handsome son Bertrand who described her thus" Ma Cherie Maman" Later in life she lived in St Tropez and wrote wondefully of her life there.She also met her last Grand Passion Maurice Goudeket who was her loving companion until her death on the 3rd of August 1954.Colette is buried in Pere Laschaise cemetary

I really hope this entices you to read her books  they are pure joy. The picture below is of Colette at her home in St Tropez.She cooked wonderful food for her friends and swam sometimes at night under the stars.

Going to stay with Mum

I have been inspired and fascinated by several women writers but I read evreything I could find by or about the French writer George Sand.
A woman who tried to live a free and independant life when it was unusual for women to be brave enough to do so.She wrote novels about women's feelings and shocked society by living a life akin to her writing. She had love affaires with Chopin,Alfred De Musset and one or two others and often these affaires were motivated by a strong maternal feeling.She wore trousers and smoked cigars and stayed up late into the night writing.Her real name was Aurore but she used George as a pen name. one of her male friends commented "How can you write like that when you can make such good Jam"!!!!

Ways with Words

Today I had an interesting time at Dartington Hall at the literature Festival. Barbara Trapido and Rachel Billington were fascinating.It was raining but it is always beautiful there.I went with a member of the book club I run at work.We started at Truro station at 7 a.m. No breakfast just tea on the train, We walked back to the station at Totnes by the River Dart .Wild flowers in profusion on the banks and lots of birdlife.A happy day!

I run a poetry group at Truro Community Library where I work and todays session was great,I spoke about the life and work of Federico Garcia Lorca who wrote beautiful and surreal poetry that evokes the bleeding heart of Spain,he was murdered by the Right in the Spanish civil war perhaps for his politics or because he was gay. Here is a small taste of Lorca. Food for the imagination.

La Lola

Bajo el naranjo lava

panales de algodon

tiene verde les ojos

y violeta la voz

Roughly translated:- Under the orange tree

she washes baby clothes

her eyes are green

and violet is her voice

Ah! love, under under the orange tree in blossom

Tuesday I went to St Ives on the train.it was a glorious day and the bays looked like the mediterranean.Dazzling blue sea and golden sand. I spent time wandering the backstreets away from the hustle of the harbour and took some photos.Later I met my lovely daughter and grandsons and had tea at their house.

Today I have been cleaning my house.There is something really good about clearing out rubbish and making everything fresh.It clears the way for inspiration and gets rid of negative vibes.The washing dried quickly in the sun ,rugs and carpets had a shampoo,fresh net cutains put up.Very simple things that clear the heart and soul and allow thoughts to cascade.

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