Showing posts with label Temple of Leaves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Temple of Leaves. Show all posts

Monday, September 27, 2010

Fresh Walnuts


I began this blog so that I could write about beautiful, inspiring spaces. But while I'm in this beautiful, inspiring space called France, I've taken to writing about my daily discoveries. Today I discovered fresh walnuts.

I've never liked nuts, although I recently started eating them because they're "good for me"--walnuts are packed with omega-3s, are a good source of monounsaturated fats, and contain powerful antioxidants, as well as vitamin E, copper, and manganese. But I've never had a good time with a walnut. Until today.

On the way back from my early morning trip to "the Source" (the village spring), I saw a walnut in the road.


I'd heard that the walnuts were going to be ripe soon, and I furtively dropped this one into my pocket. At home, I used the garlic press as a nut cracker, and popped the meat into my mouth.


It was delicious: creamy and crisp, almost like coconut, but with a light and distinctive nutty flavor. And plumper and sweeter than the bitter dried nuts I've suffered through before. Mmmmmm!

On my next trip to the Source, I took some pictures of the trees full of green pods (and a few more nuts):

A grove of walnut trees
Green walnut pods
An emerging nut

Friday, September 17, 2010

Welcome

Welcome to Temple of Leaves.

It's my first day in southern France, and already I'm inspired.

I'm at La Muse, a writers' and artists' retreat in run by Kerry Eielson and John Fanning in Labastide-Esparbaïrenque, a tiny medieval village tucked away in the Black Mountains. I'm ostensibly here to paint, but I've already confessed to John that I'm really working on giving shape to a nebulous dream of mine--to create beautiful, peaceful sanctuaries in places that need them. Refuges from the clamor and whir of everyday life. Retreats both tangible and ethereal. Spaces where one's thoughts can be heard, vital conversations can be had, and dreams can take shape.

The door opens; the quest begins...



Click here to share your thoughts and suggestions about your own favorite places.