Fresh from Coin Perdu

I'm not sure exactly which month this card was scheduled for - in between Ronelle going through a hectic time, and it sitting unannounced in my local post office - at last I got a notice that this envelope was 'still' waiting to be collected. Addressed to Mme, I knew who it would be from and was as excited as a child to see the brown envelope and the familiar free, exuberant style of the sketch on the front. Inside, it was Christmas come early with another joyous sketch of the old 1840 outside bread oven at Coin Perdu, Ronelle's private paradise, which will one day be converted into her atelier - and the treats hinted at by previous lucky postcard-from-Ronelle recipients - what a breath of warm, freshly baked tourte et pain from France.

Salsa anyone?

Its not often that postcards make my mouth water, but this delightfully illustrated recipe version managed to do that - you may start a trend here, Desiree, or a new exchange... She says these purple fruits grow like Chinese lanterns (or Cape gooseberries?) inside papery, puffy balls until they bust through the cover revealing the fruit inside. They are apparently usually pale green, though I've never heard of tomatillos, let alone purple ones - but I love the colours and the lovely loose way they've blended into the shadows. On the envelope is a sketch of Desiree's labours to produce this interesting food. Now all I have to do is find me some purple tomatillo seeds!

The bridge and the birds at Montlouis sur Loire

People joke about those who will go the opening of an envelope!  However, if you ever get the opportunity to go the opening of an envelope from Ronelle van Wyk (African Tapestry) you MUST GO!

It's a real treat!  With added extras.  ;)  Ronelle is all about added extras! I oooed and aahhed and generally had a good time when I opened mine

I'm not saying any more than that about "the extras" so as not to spoil the surprise for my fellow Sketchercisers who will in turn get their envelope from Ronell!

Anyway, first off there is the envelope which I have down in the category of "added value" for both me and the postmen who have handled it.   Lovely pen and ink and watercolour sketches of the "muettes"  flying around the Loire

"Les Birdies sur le Loire" - sketch on an envelope by Ronelle van Wyk

Inside there were a couple of more sketches of birds on the reverse of Ronelle's sketch of the railway bridge over the Loire in February at Montlouis sur Loire - which I've been to!  That's a real February sky!

Pont de Montlouis by Ronelle van Wyk
pencil and watercolour

I so admire people who can just touch in watercolour here and there.  I've always wanted to be able to do that but somehow my brush manages to try to cover the whole sheet before I know it.

Here's what Ronelle has to say about the bridge and the birds

Dear Katherine

A loire sketch for you - the Montlouis birdge that has been bombed 13 times in WWII (by the Americans no less!!) and is the only bridge still standing.  How is that for hope and determination?  

The "muettes" are starting to nest on the islands in the Loire and along with all the bulbs peeping through the dark soil, Spring is tickling us with the desire to renew our lives..... our houses, our habits...like Sketchercise

I wish you the same... strength and determination like the Pont de Montlouis, renewal like the arrival of the Muettes and a non-stop flow of creativity like "La Loire".

Gros bisous

Ronelle

PS  It is a postcard even if it is a bit big - it has two stamps to prove it!

Ronelle van Wyk sketching the Loire - February 2011

It must be so lovely to be able to walk out of your front door and go and look at and sketch the Loire whenever you want to!

Now I wonder whose postcard I will get next month?