A Day at the Fair

La Perrière is one of the prettiest hilltop villages in our area. When friends come to visit we generally take them for tea at the charming Maison d'Horbé, an extravagant antique shop/tea room. Once a year there is a marché d'art in La Perrière where artists display their wares and thousands of people stop by to see what's available. For a quiet countryside like ours, it is a très big deal.

This year I submitted my work for consideration. Since moving to the area, I have wanted to participate. I was pleased to be selected, as there are a limited number of spaces and many more interested artists than booths available.

When we arrived, I was happy to find that the booth assigned to me was in the private garden of the priory, just next to the church. It was a picturesque location.

I brought my entire team with me: Emily and Quinn, James and Adric and Rick. We set ourselves up and waited for the crowds.

The unfortunate thing about the weekend was that rain was predicted, and instead of being warm and inviting, it was gray and threatening. Although it was pleasant enough to sit outdoors with the family, chat with people as they came by and take tours of the village ourselves by turns, the weather was a deterrent to the usual large crowds.

La Perrière is a lovely place to spend a day. The views out over the countryside are magnificent.

The main roads, filled with artists booths are intersected by little pathways. It is enjoyable to take walks and peek into the cottage gardens that dot the village byways.

We had some very nice customers and made several sales, but just as the crowds were beginning to arrive, after the lunch hour, the sky opened up and rain poured down. Our nicely framed prints, hung on a stone wall, were in the path of a flood and several of them had water leak in under their cardboard backing. We were forced to take everything down, pack up and go home hours early.

It was a bit disappointing, but a good experience anyway. I'll probably try again next year, as it's one of the nicest art fairs I've ever seen. I'll request an indoor space the next time.

Once we arrived home a beautiful rainbow appeared out the window. Promise of happy times to come. Indeed the weather has turned summery again. In the storm a branch of our wisteria, which happened to hold a morning dove's nest, slipped down in front of one of the windows. We now have a ringside seat to watch the baby grow up. One of the eggs had tumbled out of the nest and onto our terrace, so this bird is an only-child. He's already about half the size of his mother.