It was 31 years and 5 days ago that John and I had a bit of a party at Tynemouth Sailing Club. We try to do something nice each year to remember the day - this year we chose to visit the newly opened Museum of Modern Art at Fontevraud l'Abbaye. After I visited the market at la Flèche for urgent milk and butter supplies, plus the where with all for a picnic, we headed down to la Loire, and stopped at Cunault to eat and admire the river. In a normal year, it should be very sparse at this time, and it was pretty empty, but even a couple of weeks ago, it would have been higher than this, due to the torrential rains down in the Massif Centrale.
I think Museum of Modern Art is a bit of a misnomer - it is actually a museum to house the donated collection of a couple of magpie art collectors, including items from 3,000 BC to 1960s. It was eclectic and interestingly mixed up. Of the sculptures, most of the modern pieces were awful apart from some rather whacky chess pieces. There were some nice 19th and 20th century paintings, some good drawings and an awful lot of rubbish. Photography without flash was allowed, so here are two pieces I liked.
We hadn't been to Fontevraud since about 2005 or 2006, and it was clear that restoration and renovation have continued since our last visit. The Abbey Church itself is always gorgeous and impactful. It shouldn't be white inside really, it was designed to be bright and painted and with vivid stained glass, but after the Revolution it was used as part of a prison, so the decoration was removed. I think it is more awesome in its whiteness, but who am I to judge?
Chaumont sur Loire has an annual garden festival and keeps the best bits and sculptures in the park. It would appear that Fontevraud wants to do the same. The art installation in a disused stairwell was rather disturbing, and moved with the breeze. The wooden fort in the gardens was totally bizarre - I mean, it looks like a really good fort for kids to play in, but you aren't allowed within 3 meters of it as it is delicate. Pointless more like!
As Autumn is theoretically now here, we have to be ready for the major harvests (still digging up spuds but should be only one more week of that I hope). In the orchard, those major harvests are walnuts and (surprisingly) apples. They aren't particularly nice to eat and they don't look particularly appetising either, but they do make really nice, single variety apple juice. I need to get a slot at the press and then we can get picking!
As I admired the relatively clear areas under the trees, I spotted movement in the grass by my feet. Sure enough, it was an example of my favourite bug of the Autumn, so here are a couple of close ups to admire (probably) him.
I hope no one is squeamish!
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