Patricia Sands

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If it’s Friday, it must be France …

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On Sunday, May 10th, Mother’s Day is celebrated in North America. Come on a flight of fantasy with me now for a few minutes. Any mother would love it!

Villa Ephrussi, in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, is a special estate to visit at any time. Our women’s tour spends an afternoon there each year exploring the magnificent villa and prolific gardens. It’s always a highlight … especially these musical fountains. Click on this link to enjoy the show! (I could not get the video of the fountains to load here ~ typical of me ~ but I hope you will click on the link to see the stunning show.)

Even if you can’t be together with other family this weekend, it’s so easy to gift books. Here’s one suggestion! 🙂 https://amzn.to/2YGgDa6

Happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere. So many of you are working from home and at the same time trying to take care of your family.  Some of you are home schooling children and doing your best to keep your world and theirs revolving in some kind of “normal”. Families and friends are talking to each other more than ever before. Let’s keep that going. 

So many of you are taking risks every day and leaving the safety of your home to take care of the rest of us in a multitude of different ways.

There are not enough words to express our thanks to all of you and also to all those people around that I see doing such thoughtful acts of kindness, day in and day out. Let’s keep believing that we will get through this by continuing to help each other.

May 1 ~ Bonne fête!

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Happy May Day!

En France ~ Bonne fête du muguet! Bonne fête du travail! Bon premier Mai! Happy Labor Day! Happy first of May!

In many countries around the world, the first of May is a celebrated Labor Day. In France there’s a special twist to the holiday that I love.
I recycle this post every year because I don’t want to change anything about it. If you read it last year … or the year before , I hope you enjoy it again. And if you can find some Lily of the Valley to give to a friend, all the better.

En mai, fais ce qu’il te plait!

Provençal proverb ~ In May, do what pleases you!


Here’s my May 1st muguet to each of you.

Every May 1st I like to share one of my favourite traditions in France ~ La Fête du Travail or La Fête du Muguet. The day is a national holiday ~ International Workers’ Day, like Labour Day in North America. But more than that it is an occasion when people give little bouquets or sprigs or pots of le muguet (lily of the valley) to each other. Like so many of the things we love about France, the tradition has lasted for centuries. It began in 1561, during the Renaissance.

Click here to read an excellent article by Margo Lestz, about this sweet tradition and all the history behind it.

Here’s another post about the tradition from Kristin Espinasse, everyone’s favourite scribe of daily French life.

Four years ago, my husband and I had just finished a magical stay (but then isn’t it always?) in Paris and the Loire Valley. We were driving south to the Dordogne region on May 1st and in every town, big or small, this was the scene. Even on a drizzly day. I loved it!


Obviously, young or old, everyone puts a lot of thought into this tradition.

A vivid memory of that rainy morning, is of an elderly woman sitting under an umbrella beside her small stand of bouquets of muguets. It wasn’t an appropriate picture to take … and no time to stop in the midst of traffic … but I’ve never forgotten the image. Does this happen to you sometimes when you travel? Your eye is the shutter and a particular image is captured forever in your memory?

Le muguet or lily of the valley represents a porte-bonheur, a good luck charm, to special people in your life. I am offering one to each of you.

Does your culture or country have a special May 1st tradtion?

In these challenging times of the CoronaVirus, I hope the first of May begins the start of good luck and good health for everyone and a new beginning in this beautiful world of ours. Bon weekend.

Thank you/Mille mercis

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Thank you to all the readers who gave DRAWING LESSONS such an outstanding day in sales yesterday! I’m so happy that this novel will touch even more hearts.
A reader recently sent me this excerpt from the story, saying how it spoke to her considering the challenges we are facing today.
“Crisis strips us of everything we think is important.”

“It narrows your focus,” Arianna agreed. “I certainly learned that.”

The quiet that rested among them for a few moments was almost calming. Each woman was lost in her thoughts.

The light returned to Marti’s eyes. “But there’s a positive outcome to crisis. Once we are stripped of everything superfluous, we’re left with all we truly need in our lives.”

https://amzn.to/3701f9F

The weeks were bliss that my husband and I spent in Arles and the Camargue region while I researched and photographed for this story. It’s an ancient, enchanting, intriguing part of France. I feel fortunate to return there each year for a week with our women’s tour. This year I’ll be satisfied with photos and think about the new ones I will take in 2021.

Here’s un petit goût … a little taste … enjoy!

KINDLE DAILY DEAL ~ APRIL 28TH

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I’m the worst for remembering to promote my work! This may be late for some of you, but may just catch the attention of new readers. Today you can purchase the wonderful story of DRAWING LESSONS for US $.99 ~ go for it!

If you already have your copy, now is a good time to pick up a few as gifts for friends. Just click here !

Synopsis:

The author of the Love in Provence series returns to the South of France with a poignant portrait of a woman who must learn how to create a new life for herself…

Sixty-two-year-old Arianna arrives in the South of France for a two-week artists’ workshop full of anticipation but burdened by guilt. Back home in Toronto, she has been living with the devastating diagnosis of her husband’s dementia and the heartbreak of watching the man she has loved for decades slip away before her eyes. What does her future hold without Ben? Before her is a blank canvas.

Encouraged by her family to take some time for herself, she has traveled to Arles to set up her easel in the same fields of poppies and sunflowers that inspired Van Gogh. Gradually, she rediscovers the inner artist she abandoned long ago. Drawing strength from the warm companionship and gentle wisdom of her fellow artists at the retreat—as well as the vitality of guest lecturer Jacques de Villeneuve, an artist and a cowboy—Arianna searches her heart for permission to embrace the life in front of her and, like the sunflowers, once again face the light.