Blue Shutters in the Sun

I found so much inspiration in the path behind the cottage we were staying in, that I spent the next 3 days there painting. At one point, as I sat painting, dozens of runners in all states of dress and undress flew by me, running in a marathon. They each must have run passed me at least 5 or 6 times. Other times people would stroll by with their dogs or their kids or both. Many stopped to comment and chat, and I got plenty of practice with my German, and my execrable French. This painting and the next I gave as a thank you gift to our host, who was so generous in sharing his tiny cottage with us, and for going above and beyond in his role as host and workshop mentor by feeding us, and giving us incalculable help in a small emergency we had the second day we were there. We long so much to be back, although we heard that the rain has returned. It seems our week there was blessed indeed.