Several weeks ago, when Mr. Cheeseland and I had dinner with Nichole of Little Brown Pen and her husband, she raved about having felt refreshed and inspired after a trip to Giverny, the ultimate artist dreamland. She explained that they had rented bikes from the train station and rode the 5km to the gardens – a much better way to capture the view than from within the confines of a bus. It didn’t take much convincing on her part – the idea was planted. It was time to revisit Monet.
It had been 10 years since I first discovered Giverny – a magical place where even myopics who can’t see beyond the physical manifestation of the flowers and luscious trees, are presented with a rich narrative. Nature goes from prosaic to idyllic within moments.
Passing by the green steps leading up to Monet’s house immediately sent flooding back the image of me and a childhood friend with whom I first came to France. It was the first time either of us had seen anything so vibrant and culturally meaningful. Now, it was an occasion to create new memories.
As I breathed in the pungent scent of flowers, rows of flowers, a wave of…
