News and Pictures November 2012

The days are getting shorter. Night stretches into morning. Colours are sharpening. Mist is creeping in. The rain is flowing. Clear skies turn into clouds. The wind is strong. And we, we too are changing. Preparing for the winter. Preparing for the Apocalypse, the Apocalypse that will never come.

The world at La Source did not stand still. Much has happened here and much is happening. Let me tell you what happened in October and what our plans are for the winter and for 2013.

 

If you want any of these pictures in higher resolution or if you want a further explanation, be my guest and mail me.

 

01 Bright colours 01 Bright colours 02 Sharp clouds 02 Sharp clouds 03 Mount Cardou 03 Mount Cardou 04 Camp Grand 04 Camp Grand 05 Mushrooms 05 Mushrooms 06 The wind and the clouds 06 The wind and the clouds 07 Mount Bugarach 07 Mount Bugarach 8 Red ivy 8 Red ivy 09 Shining poplar trees 09 Shining poplar trees 10 Fruits and berries 10 Fruits and berries 11 A ray of light 11 A ray of light 12 UFO-like object 12 UFO-like object 13 Brown river 13 Brown river 14 Strange cloud 14 Strange cloud 15 River patterns 15 River patterns 16 The roses 16 The roses 17 The Dahlias 17 The Dahlias 18 The harvest 18 The harvest 19 My altar table 19 My altar table 20 Femke at the Fontaine des Amours 20 Femke at the Fontaine des Amours 21 Femkes stuff 21 Femkes stuff 22 The pensionados 22 The pensionados 23 Clay tablet 23 Clay tablet 24 Discussing the results 24 Discussing the results 25 Coustaussa 25 Coustaussa 26 Serres with the Pech Cardou 26 Serres with the Pech Cardou 27 Arques 27 Arques 28 Hot water spring in R-L-B 28 Hot water spring in R-L-B 29 Place des deux Rennes, R-L-B 29 Place des deux Rennes, R-L-B 30 Carved hearts 30 Carved hearts 31 Fontaine des Amours 31 Fontaine des Amours 32 Heart in the Fontaine des Amours_2 32 Heart in the Fontaine des Amours_2 33 Silent trees 33 Silent trees 34 Curved stems 34 Curved stems 35 Jesus in the Hermitage 35 Jesus in the Hermitage 36 Rock church 36 Rock church 37 Queribus 37 Queribus 38 Peyrepertuse 38 Peyrepertuse 39 Marie enceinte 39 Marie enceinte 40 Cheers! 40 Cheers! 41 Cutting up the tree 41 Cutting up the tree 42 Maarten 42 Maarten 43 Falling leaves 43 Falling leaves 44 Fontaine des Amours 44 Fontaine des Amours 45 Autumn colours 45 Autumn colours 46 The enchanted forest 46 The enchanted forest 7 Roche Tremblante 7 Roche Tremblante 48 Pech Cardou 48 Pech Cardou 49 Capitelle 49 Capitelle 50 With our gnome 50 With our gnome 51 Orbs at Labadous 51 Orbs at Labadous 52 Orbs, enlarged 52 Orbs, enlarged 53 Orbs in full colour 53 Orbs in full colour   View the embedded image gallery online at: https://www.jaap-adventures.com/my-blog/entry/news-and-pictures-november-2012-1.html#sigProIddb8ec1a0dc

To see all pictures in a slide show just click on the image.

 

 

Autumn

Autumn is setting in. Starting with beautiful clear skies. And colours so bright that they hurt the eye {PIC 01}. The clouds sharpen up {PIC 02}. Then mist appears. Drifting over the valley. Caressing mount Cardou {PIC 03}. And gently stroking the Camp Grand at Couiza {PIC 04). People go out, looking for mushrooms and chestnuts {PIC 05}. Then the wind comes, and the clouds {PIC 06}. Stormy clouds, breaking up over the mighty mount Bugarach {PIC 07}.

• 01 Bright colours 01 Bright colours
• 02 Sharp clouds 02 Sharp clouds
• 03 Mount Cardou 03 Mount Cardou
• 04 Camp Grand 04 Camp Grand
• 05 Mushrooms 05 Mushrooms
• 06 The wind and the clouds 06 The wind and the clouds
• 07 Mount Bugarach 07 Mount Bugarach
•  

 

La Source/Les Labadous

 

Our place is beautiful. Beautiful in all seasons. But October is special. When the ivy on the big house turns red {PIC 08}. And the big black poplar trees shine for the last time this year {PIC 09}. When the fruits and berries come out for the birds {PIC 10}. And the birds return, hundreds of them. When the light plays tricks on us. Producing beautiful straight rays {PIC 11} and UFO-like objects in the sky {PIC 12}. When the river roars, coloured brown {PIC 13}. When strange clouds appear overhead {PIC 14}. And the leaves in the river produce wonderful, patterns {PIC 15}.

 

• 8 Red ivy 8 Red ivy
• 09 Shining poplar trees 09 Shining poplar trees
• 10 Fruits and berries 10 Fruits and berries
• 11 A ray of light 11 A ray of light
• 12 UFO-like object 12 UFO-like object
• 13 Brown river 13 Brown river
• 14 Strange cloud 14 Strange cloud
• 15 River patterns 15 River patterns
•  

My garden

My beautiful garden. I am so proud of my garden, or rather the garden of Franklin and me. It has been so generous. My freezer is full of tomatoes. We have eaten lots of berries, French beans, melons, salads, courgettes, herbs and more much more. And the flowers. The roses {PIC 16}, the dahlias {PIC 17} so beautiful. Look at the harvest of one day {PIC 18} and the flowers gracing my little altar table {PIC 19}. Thank you, dear garden, thank you Mother Earth.

• 16 The roses 16 The roses
• 17 The Dahlias 17 The Dahlias
• 18 The harvest 18 The harvest
• 19 My altar table 19 My altar table
•  

Movements

 

It’s been a busy month. With Femke and Simone moving back to the Netherlands. They found a house in Egmond aan zee, a nice, little house, close to the sea. A house that reminded her of the house where she spent her youth in Petten. Dunes, fresh and salty air, the sound of the sea and not too busy.

 

Here a picture of Femke, visiting for the last time, this year, all those beautiful places of the Pays Cathare. In this case the Fontaine des Amours {PIC 20}

 

She is settling in quite well and I am confident that very soon she will have a large clientele for her wonderful light therapy. Femke, together with her sophisticated Chiren equipment, really works wonders. Do not hesitate to contact her.

 

At this moment Joke and Franklin are in the Netherlands. With a car full of stuff for Femke {PIC 21}. And a whole lot of friends and family to visit. They will be back on November 4^th.

 

Then it is my turn to go to Holland. With another car full of stuff. Like a miniature furniture van. To visit my sons and sisters, my bank, my accountant, my publisher and lots of friends. I will be back at les Labadous on November 18^th.

 

If you need anything from France or me, just tell me.

 

• 20 Femke at the Fontaine des Amours 20 Femke at the Fontaine des Amours
• 21 Femkes stuff 21 Femkes stuff
•  

 

Domestic problems

Not a month passes by without domestic problems. Or financial problems. They keep popping up at the most unexpected and certainly the most unpleasant moments. But that is life. Life on a large domain in the south of France. And, according to some of my psychic friends, these are all lessons. Useful lessons that we still had to learn.

 

It is funny, but it is as if all things that are not perfect, are now being removed and corrected. Copper pipes that were not well isolated, sprung in the uncommonly freezing cold and harsh winds of last winter. Mowing and sawing machines had to be replaced. The septic tank has to be replaced. Hundreds of roof tiles had to be replaced. Old copper pipes on the ceiling started to corrode and leak. The list goes on and on.

 

Maybe our domain is acting like we are. Clearing its karma.

 

Stavoor

Every year we have several groups of the Stavoor Company. Following training courses to prepare them for a new life. The life of the pensioners, the famous “pensionados.” So the people who are about to quit their work, come to us with their partners. Preparing for a new life. It is a useful training and the people love it. And Joke and I, we each play our part in the process.

 

I will take them to the church in Rennes-le-Chateau, the church of the Million-dollar priest Sauniere. The church with the 96 anomalies. And I will tell them about the magic, mysteries, treasures and secrets of Rennes-le-Chateau. Wonderful stories. Next I will take them to the Cave of Mary Magdalene, a stiff 3-hour walk. But they fix it, all these 60+ people. Chapeau! See {PIC 22}.

 

And Joke teaches them how to work with clay. Creating their present (2012) and future (2017) situations {PIC 23} on clay tablets. Wonderful, giving them a touch of spirituality and playfulness and having a lot of fun {PIC 24} when viewing and discussing the results.

• 22 The pensionados 22 The pensionados
• 23 Clay tablet 23 Clay tablet
• 24 Discussing the results 24 Discussing the results
•  

Guided tours

 

We have still done a few guided tours. Most of the time in the vicinity of Rennes-le-Chateau. With the days shortening we can’t go too far away and be back before dark. But there is much to be seen in the area. Let me take you to some of the well-known places. To Coustaussa with the Camp Grand, the capitelles and the castle {PIC 25}, to Serres with its beautiful bridge and its view of the Pech Cardou {PIC 26}, to Arques with its enigmatic castle {PIC 27}, to Rennes-les-Bains with its warm water spring {PIC 28}, its lovely square {PIC 29}, its Fontaine des Amours {PIC 30-32}, its eerie plateau with the Roche Tremblante, the silent trees {PIC 33} where time seems to stand still and the magic forest with its strange curves {PIC 34}, the Hermitage de St Antoine in the Gorges de Galamus with the statue of Jesus {PIC 35} and the church built in the rock {PIC 36}, the Cathar castles of Queribus {PIC 37} and Peyrepertuse {PIC 38} and Marie Enceinte, the pregnant Mary in Cucugnan {PIC 39}.

• 25 Coustaussa 25 Coustaussa
• 26 Serres with the Pech Cardou 26 Serres with the Pech Cardou
• 27 Arques 27 Arques
• 28 Hot water spring in R-L-B 28 Hot water spring in R-L-B
• 29 Place des deux Rennes, R-L-B 29 Place des deux Rennes, R-L-B
• 30 Carved hearts 30 Carved hearts
• 31 Fontaine des Amours 31 Fontaine des Amours
• 32 Heart in the Fontaine des Amours_2 32 Heart in the Fontaine des Amours_2
• 33 Silent trees 33 Silent trees
• 34 Curved stems 34 Curved stems
• 35 Jesus in the Hermitage 35 Jesus in the Hermitage
• 36 Rock church 36 Rock church
• 37 Queribus 37 Queribus
• 38 Peyrepertuse 38 Peyrepertuse
• 39 Marie enceinte 39 Marie enceinte
•  

Old friends

 

May old friends and many family members have visited Les Labadous this year. As if the wanted to say goodbye to the place, or maybe to renew their friendship. Or because they wanted to see it before it might be sold, or before the Apocalypse on December 21^st. Among them Lodewijk the eldest brother of Franklin. He really enjoyed the place, as well as the wine {PIC 40}. And loved to help us with cutting up this dead old tree {PIC 41}.

• 40 Cheers! 40 Cheers!
• 41 Cutting up the tree 41 Cutting up the tree
•  

The weather

 

Now it is getting colder. The weather is changing. So strange. It is much colder then usual and there are many days of stormy winds. It is as if El Niño is coming again. For not only here, but also elsewhere in Europe and America the weather is playing up. I hope that we will have fixed our roofs before the rains really hit us. Well our friend Maarten, another Dutchman living in France, is certainly doing his best {PIC 42}. But now, at the end of the month, most leaves have fallen {PIC 43}.

• 42 Maarten 42 Maarten
• 43 Falling leaves 43 Falling leaves
•  

Photographic tours

 

As you all know I love to take pictures. There is so much beauty in this land of the Cathars. Several times I have been touring with friends who just loved to take pictures of the places I showed them. But now there may be a new opportunity. Taking pictures of people, especially women. I love to take pictures of women.

 

They are a thing of beauty. And somehow I have learned to take pictures of them in their “natural” state. Meaning not posing or freezing in front of the camera, but natural, relaxed, serious or smiling. Pictures that come out more beautiful when taken in this beautiful landscape. Let me show you some examples of my friend Nicolya, taken at the Fontaine des Amours {PIC 44}, amidst autumn colours {PIC 45}, in the enchanted forest of Rennes-les-Bains {PIC 46}, the Roch Tremblante {PIC 47}, in front of the Pech Cardou {PIC 48}, at one of the capitelles, {PIC 48} and at Labadous with our friendly gnome {PIC 50}. So if you want to make a nice Photo reportage of yourself or one of your friends, just let me know!

• 44 Fontaine des Amours 44 Fontaine des Amours
• 45 Autumn colours 45 Autumn colours
• 46 The enchanted forest 46 The enchanted forest
• 7 Roche Tremblante 7 Roche Tremblante
• 48 Pech Cardou 48 Pech Cardou
• 49 Capitelle 49 Capitelle
• 50 With our gnome 50 With our gnome
•  

Orbs

 

You won’t believe it but it is true. Really true. No tricks. The pictures I took this month took my breath away. It looks indeed as if there is some kind of evolution going on in the way the Orbs present themselves. Now with more colours then ever before. First another picture of Labadous in the rain. Always a wonderful time to “catch” Orbs {PIC 51}. But then, on the spur of the moment, or maybe I was spurred on by the Orbs, I took a picture, in the rain, with my camera pointing straight up in the sky. And here the most beautiful colours appeared. Look at this enlarged section {PIC 52} and at this full-scale picture {PIC 53}. Of course you have to clean up and dry your camera and yourself afterwards, but it was well worth it.

• 51 Orbs at Labadous 51 Orbs at Labadous
• 52 Orbs, enlarged 52 Orbs, enlarged
• 53 Orbs in full colour 53 Orbs in full colour
•  

Special events and special prices

 

Please look again at Winter Program 2012 for La Source. There we made some special offers for the magical days in December. The days of the Apocalypse. The gites and B&B’s in Bugarach are all fully booked. But we still have place.

 

And also note the offer we made with respect to our gites. Special prices for January, February and March 2013. That is of course, if we survive the Apocalypse.

 

Our 2013 Program

We have several reservations for groups in 2013. And we expect a few more. However for the weeks in between those reservations we have developed two very special tours. Tours based on the success of our guided tours in the past years. Tours to places that are hard to find. Tours to relatively unknown places. Tours to places with a special energy. Tours to places where we can meditate. Tours to sacred places. Tours to places of great beauty. And tours to places of sorrow and joy.

 

Travelling in the footsteps of Mary Magdalene. And experiencing the beauty of the Pays Cathare.

 

Click here for the details of the tours.

 

And let me know if you are interested to participate in one of those tours and in what period you would like to go. Then I can, with the help of Femke, organize everything.