A shorter but productive week with Easter holidays 🙂
Threads of Spring, Bonds of Gratitude
Workday 23/04/2025
This week didn’t begin on a Monday, but on a Wednesday allowing me a few extra precious days to savour Easter with my family before easing back into my life in France, which feels very much like stepping into another kind of family. The morning brought a particularly special moment when Mathilde, one of our beloved French office colleagues currently on maternity leave, visited with her newborn.
The whole office catering staff, cleaning team and management came together to share in the joy. It was a heartwarming reminder of life’s simple beauty and the deep bonds that form beyond daily work, built on storytelling, shared moments and genuine care.
Later in the day, after tending to some paperwork and catching up on notes, I was drawn outside to the gardens. There, I carried a small but meaningful tradition from home: hanging my Martenitza, a red and white thread bracelet symbolising spring, luck and good wishes, onto a fruit tree. This quiet act allowed me to weave a piece of my culture into the Château’s landscape, blending my roots with the new life I’m cultivating here. It felt significant to honour this tradition in a place that values history, storytelling and connection just as much as I do.
The evening was dedicated to preparing for a bittersweet farewell the final dinner with the Canadian artists. It has become a beautiful tradition for our team to put creative energy into making each farewell unique, ensuring that the artists leave with lasting memories of their time at the Château.
This time was no different, filled with warmth, laughter and a sense of family. As the night came to a close, I received a handwritten drawing and letter from one of the artists a small but deeply meaningful gesture that captured the trust, connectivity and sense of belonging we had built together over the residency.