ELAINE QUEHL, Quilt Artist, Teacher, Dyer, Designer

Monday, September 28, 2015

The Peace and Serenity of Abbaye de Saint Hilaire

I've been keeping a low profile since I returned from my Okanagan teaching trip. The following day I banged my arthritic knee on a metal ledge at the grocery store check-out. Given that I have patello-femoral arthritis (arthritis of the knee cap) this was not a good thing. I've been using a cane since, trying to bring the swelling down, and medicating myself for the pain. I've been mostly staying around the house getting my book keeping organized and doing some dyeing for my upcoming teaching trip to New Brunswick. I'm being careful, doing small batches of 15 meters at a time, sitting on a stool as much as I can, and just not rushing. I expect to see improvement before the trip, but the good news is that I am driving and do not have to hoof through airports, and I have accessible classrooms and hotels at my destination. This is a huge help. 

I would like to finish my blog posts about Provence this week so that I can focus back on posts related to my regular teaching and creative life (yes I do plan to get back into studio mode very soon!). I'm sharing a post today that hopefully will give you a feeling of calm and serennity on a rainy Monday.

Near the village of Lacoste in Provence, France lies the Abbaye de Saint Hilaire. It is probably the most peaceful and serene site we visited in France.

References to the Abbaye date back to the year 825. Some sections of the Abbaye were built on top of previous structures, It was closed in the 18th century due to financial difficulties.

It seems now to be mostly a historical site, with and ongoing efforts to restore and protect it.










I hope you enjoyed the peace and beauty :-)

2 comments:

  1. I sympathize with your knee. Ice is your friend to keep the swelling down. When my knees bother me, I ice 4 or more times a day for about 20 minutes or so at a time with a towel on the skin. Also elevation is helpful. Best of luck to you.

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