books to read – Page 3 – French Travel Books – France, Paris, Provence & French Food & Wine

Joni Mitchell – Blue

Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded Blue in 1970 and it is one of the greatest album of all time, the cover is a perfect capture of the mood expressed on the vinyl record

Blue – Joni Mitchell Blue is in my top three albums of all time. It was not always that way, in fact it was a slow burner to say the least. I bought this album quite early on in my collection compiling. I gave that first copy away at the local record exchange. I justContinue reading “Joni Mitchell – Blue”

St Paul de Vence a beautiful French perched village

St Paul de Vence is felt by many to be the loveliest of the perched villages in the south of France. Perhaps, but I do love Bonnieux! St Paul de Vence, an attractive, compact village became a magnet for artists and art lovers in the 1920’s, when a group of impressionist painters rediscovered this sleeping neglected village.Continue reading “St Paul de Vence a beautiful French perched village”

Normandy – First Impressions of Touring France

Alt="photo of Honfleur harbour Normandy on a rainy day"

The dawn chorus was just thinking about making an appearance when we started our approach to the ferry terminal at Portsmouth. It was then that I realized why my mouth had gone so dry and my hands were shaking. I had not got the faintest idea of how to proceed to the ferry and an embarrassed fear set in. Where on earth do I go – what lane do I take?

Jackson Browne – Late for the Sky

It would be fair to say that Jackson Browne has for me brought out more feelings about life and all that it can throw at you than any other writer. He is my go to songwriter if I want to feel better about just about anything. That may seem strange as he is to some perhaps viewed as a melancholic, slightly cynical writer. True in part, but for me no one captures the human spirit and condition better than he does. For a writer to do that from such an early age is astonishing, as shown with his mature writing of ‘These Days’, one of his first compositions.

‘Late for the Sky’, released in 1974, actually the day prior to me seeing CSNY at Wembley Stadium, a concert that opened for me by hearing ‘Take it Easy’ blasting out over the sound system as I entered the arena. That song would be my first introduction to his work.

A NEW French Journey by Photography – Take a tour

All the photography was taken by myself on our visits to Paris and the French regions. I hope you enjoy them and please look up my stories of our travels on Amazon.

My new book is a tour around France starting in Normandy. I hope you will come with me and be inspired to travel a similar path. I hope it will inspire you to travel to France or at least enjoy it in your imagination from home.

A NEW French Journey by Photography – Take a tour

All the photography was taken by myself on our visits to Paris and the French regions. I hope you enjoy them and please look up my stories of our travels on Amazon. My new book is a tour around France starting in Normandy. I hope you will come with me and be inspired to travelContinue reading “A NEW French Journey by Photography – Take a tour”

One week in a Somerset Winter

Alt="Sunset over the Bristol Channel from Weston Super Mare"

February is often thought to be the bleakest month of winter, the last throes of poor weather before the onset of spring. Not so this year. After a mild and fairly damp winter we have been treated to a beautiful week or so of sunny weather that produced the most amazing sunsets over the Bristol Channel. These photos are of that week and are taken mainly at Uphill where the River Axe estuary meets the channel. Alongside these are photos taken at the National Trust property of Tyntesfield House near Bristol. WE have been treated to some gorgeous colours that were vibrant and deep culminating on the magical display at the end of the days.

Fairport Convention – History of Fairport Convention

I wish I could tell you definitively how Fairport Convention became such an important part of my musical life, but I cannot explain it. No one I knew had ever heard of them let alone had an album to share with me. I suspect it was my friend Chris’s guitar playing brother who left this album lying around. I don’t think it could have been his as he was into introspective guitar playing songwriters. Maybe Sandy Denny prompted an interest. However it happened, one day this album found its way onto our shared turntable and for a time rarely left it – I bought my own copy shortly afterwards.

Impressions of Provence a Landcape for my French Travel Books

A lovely watercolour artwork from an original idea by my book illustrator – so looking forward to being back in this landscape. I do love to mix up my illustrations in my French travel books with photography and some original artwork. I think an artists impression allows your imagination to take you into the sceneContinue reading “Impressions of Provence a Landcape for my French Travel Books”

Emmylou Harris – Pieces of the Sky

Alt="Emmylou Harris vinyl record Pieces of the Sky from 1976"

The first thing that strikes you about this album is the cover. It is loaded with sentiment. Emmylou looks pensive, alone, wistful on the front. She is lost in thought – what would Gram think of this album and why isn’t he here? Above the photo is maybe a nod to Gram – an angel looking over her as she starts on her musical path alone. On the reverse she is dreamlike in a flowing light dress. Emmylou is in the desert, the scene of her unhappiness and the loss of her dreams. Was she there as the fire raged in the canyon? As James Taylor said ‘This is not a time for levity’. It is a heart-breaking cover, but does she move on with the music?