A Evening Walk At La Col De La Faucille, Jura, France

It has been very hot this last week so we drove up the Jura mountains yesterday evening and went for a walk at La Col De La Faucille. It was amazingly fresh and cool. There was a pleasant breeze.




The trees are tall here and smell strongly of pine resin.











Looking out over the valleys toward the West huge stretches of sky can be seen. (As usual, click on photos to enlarge.)





At the edge of the path is an incredibly steep drop all the way to the bottom of the first valley.





We saw a very odd tree stump...



...that looked like something had melted it into some sort of wax figure or piece of coral.


There were flowers everywhere, even the dandelions had only just gone to seed up here.





There were lots of wild roses.






There were yellow, white, and lots of purple flowers.


Among the vegetation there is often a huge boulder or two here and there.








The rock formations on the Jura are very interesting.












The rock looks squished together from lots of smaller rocks and there are fissures all throughout. The color is exquisite, mixing blues and greys with reds and rusts.




We walked further along the mountain for nearly an hour when we realized it was getting rather late and we did have to walk back! The sunset was gorgeous.



The light reflecting from the tree trunks glowed pink red.


















As we walked back at a quick pace to avoid being eaten by all the insects that were gathering. I guess we looked like a great feast, and whenever we stopped we were instantly surrounded.Yes, Jazzy did come along, though she was most surprised at our late departure from home for such an outing. She's usually in bed at about this time. Here she is, with one of the flaps on her backpack cage down to keep her protected from the breeze as the sun receded.


The sky grew luminous after the sun had set.










The light reflected off a long expanse of cloud further north up the same valley.










Looking North towards the Geneva valley side of the Jura there was a huge set of clouds building up to storm proportions. During the drive back down we saw lightning flashes from this foaming mass.






As we came to the end of our walk and arrived back at our starting point, Jazzy was sleepy. You might be able to detect her phasing in and out here, it even showed up on the camera!One last glimpse back before driving back down to the other side of the Jura. We arrived home, refreshed, contented and well exercised.

Rain Rain Rain and More Rain in the Pays de Gex, France

We've had a tremendous amount of rain these last weeks. It rains almost every day and the sun shines infrequently. This is great for air quality, but we're beginning to wonder if we'll all evolve into fish soon! The land is green, very green.





The skies are often a dull grey, floating by in an amorphous mass. But sometimes the clouds transform into masses of shapes and shades.
Every once in a while it looks as though it'll clear up and let some light comes through.


Occasionally the sky is filled with brilliant hues of pinks, purples and blues. I had never seen a sky quite like this one with such a variation in greys along with this vibrant, almost cornflower blue.

This orange-hued sky is totally dramatic, looking like a dust storm is whirling its way forward at high speed.

















This morning Jasmine and I went for a walk. Well, Jazzy was in her travel cage scrambling around the bars while I did the actual walking.

She announced every few minutes: "I'm going for a walk" a phrase she invented as I've never said to her "I'm" going for a walk, because "walks" are something we always do together. So she's always heard me say "We're going for a walk."

We have code names for different activities so Jazzy gains an awareness of how long we'll be away and if she's joining us or not. And I've often said "I'm going out" or "I'm going jogging" (which really means I'm going for a walk on my own for about an hour or so) and other things. She must have decided that saying "I'm going for a walk." was a good thing to say. And she's right!

While we were out it was sprinkling gently and the air was clean and fresh, even a bit chilly. The clouds were covering the mountains and creeping down the foothills.


Jazzy entertained herself by trying to remove the press stud on the cage backpack window flap that I'd put down in order to protect her from the breeze and getting cold.

The countryside looks a bit tropical, or at least that's what pops into my imagination.












Here and there are flower buds waiting for a bit of sun to shine before they burst out.










These cows looked perfectly posed for a group shot.

The dashing apparel of this Iris can't be subdued by the rain.
And even the puddles have interesting features and colors in them.
Jazzy also had a great time on her 'walk', and to enhance her trip she ate some of her favorite food: banana. So, while we long for some sunshine brightness, there's still a lot to enjoy when going out and about.

Easter Weekend Snow In The Pays de Gex, France

I love snow. Most of my early childhood I only imagined what snow was like. The closest experience I had of what it looked like was one of those toys that, on being shaken, bring up fake flakes which descend through the liquid inside the glass globe onto a scene within it. And ever since whenever it snows, especially if it's heavy, I see it as though I were in one of those toy globes and it seems just like magic.

It snowed and snowed in the Pays de Gex last weekend, and then it snowed some more.

Two weeks ago there were already many signs of Spring arriving and we were surprised when the snow continued heavily for several days.

It was cold enough for icicles to form on the balcony...

...and was very beautiful.

Going anywhere was a challenge, so we stayed home.

It was Easter weekend, though it looked more like Christmas!

The Jura foothills were gorgeous. It's fascinating to watch the clouds move over the trees like a stealth blanket.

The sun sometimes shone, shedding a glowing light on the white treetops.

When patches of blue sky also appeared the sight was glorious.

Winter Weather in the Jura Foothills

We went for a walk in the hills last Saturday. This was the sun through the foggy morning mist.


It made for a very atmospheric view of our regular walking place. All of the photos in this blog post were taken with a mobile phone camera, as I hadn't brought the normal camera.You can see how it looks without fog in the previous post, New Year's Walk, which shows photos of the same scenery.



There were tiny mushrooms nested in the grass.










The colors were beautiful.



This dirt road looks like something out of a fantasy scene, disappearing off into the unknown.












Yesterday we went for a drive a bit higher up. Even though there was snow on the ground in places, it was warm in the sun. It almost felt like spring with the sun being out. The muted mellow colors were very pretty.










But for now it is still winter and the trees are standing like bare sentinels waiting for much warmer weather.

Crystalline Trees

Shortly before Christmas we had a snap of very cold weather. The trees turned into beautiful crystalline entities.











Each one displayed a unique structure.



Some of the trees looked like they were especially created just for Christmastime.












And when the sun shone pale through the mist it lit up the hillsides to display a fairyland...


...of sparkling woods.

New Year's Walk

We started out the New Year by going for a really nice walk in the foothills of the Jura mountains. The ground is very coarse and bleak, but there's a rough beauty to the scenery.

Looking out across Lac Leman are the Alps.





They almost look like they're hanging from another world.In spite of the cold there are lots of birds around. We saw a kestrel hovering, intent on his hunt.


To the casual observer it would seem there was little happening on the mostly frozen hillside. Looking close though we saw rabbit droppings, mouse trails dug into the soil through the dry grass and many freshly turned heaps of soil.











Some of the trees retain their green, contrasting nicely with the blue sky above the Jura.












Others have lost their leaves, but the intricacy of their branches is fascinating.



The delicacy of a tree's construction is amazing to see.




The slopes are a great place to walk and enjoy the views.
The snowy Jura are fantastic and refreshing to see. The air coming across them is very cold, but also replenished with clear oxygen. It's revitalizing.






We went again today. It was totally different from yesterday: there was no sun, the sky was grey, clouds were low and it was even colder and no one else in sight.

But it felt so good to us that we plan to walk there, or nearby, most days from now on. So we're starting the year with a new thing.

This is also the 101th post on DweezelJazz blog.

Here's to a good start to 2008: Happy New Year!
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Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas time! There's snow on the mountains and it's cold and frosty outside.

It's nice to be indoors, warm and dry with a pretty Christmas tree. This is our little tree - well, it's not your usual Christmas tree, but our ficus tree agreed to have lights and tinsel put on his branches. And it makes for a lovely warm sight, with a bundle of prezzies underneath. Jazzy too likes to unwrap prezzies. Last night we all opened a present just to celebrate that Christmas is nearly here and start the festivities.

We have also sampled one or two Christmas season goodies to get into the fun of things: almond cakes, Italian panettone, Spanish turron, almond with honey, persimmons and all sorts of special things.

Wishing you a very lovely Christmas and that 2008 brings you many good things.

The Colors of Autumn

Colors in autumn can be vibrant.













Or more subdued...














The sunlight can be mellow and the air misty, slightly dulling the colors in the afternoon.

Lake views can be dazzling, but the light has an almost metallic cool sheen.


The pale cornflower blue contrasts nicely with the plowed beige fields.







The hills are full of color.






Looking more closely shows individual trees with more vibrant shades...




...and even more closely gives a good view of the deep brown of the bark, punctuating the yellow, orange and even slightly green of the leaves.








The brightness of these grasses peeping up over the hedge defiantly challenging the autumn cool to touch them.





The cows have come down from mountains and are lazing in the low afternoon sun.








Most of the fields are plowed over in autumn; some still display vines with turned leaves.






Brass-colored leaves frame the lake scene.














Autumnal flower baskets adorn the towns.











Wisps of autumn are apparent on the bushes.













Bright cheery berries make up for the gentler sun.





Acorns show their splendor...














Sour sweet hard apples are ready for the eating...












Individual leaves have their glory...

Each one lighting up a single tree...

















Every tree adding to the brilliance and wonder of a rock-hewn valley. It seems like the colors of autumn are harvested from the abundance of the summer sun and served up to us just before the sleep of winter begins.

Snow On The Jura Mountains, France

There's snow on the Jura mountains! It was very pretty this morning, all pristine white.

It looked like the mountains had been dusted with powdered sugar.
The air was clear and lovely to breathe.







Sometimes clouds wafted by.










The sky was dazzling blue.











The colors were gorgeous.Occasionally it seemed entire peaks would evaporate.
Snow is a wonderful thing and it brought with it a very lovely day.

Egg Tempera Painting of L'Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix Mountains

Here's the painting I finished early this week. It's a 24" x 7" egg tempera painting of l'Aiguille du Midi in the Chamonix mountains, France.


The Aiguille du Midi is the sharp pinnacle at the top of the glacier. Here you can see a close-up photo of it. A few years ago we took the cable car up to the peak in the summertime, and even though it was hot down in the valley, it was freezing up there!






The reference photo for the painting was taken a couple of years ago from the mountain range across the valley.





We were sitting out at the restaurant at Le Brevent having a fantastic chocolate cake.









Behind the l'Aiguille du Midi is Mt. Blanc, and as a result of our memorable cake we now happily, and shamelessly, refer to it as Mt. Gateau.

Best Friends

My best friend is visiting this week!





We're having a great time, going lots of places. We walked around the Lake at Divonne-les-Baines. It's very changed now with all the Fall colors.




The yellow and orange leaves are gorgeous.





We went to a cafe in Divonne that specializes in chocolates and also has very nice teas.










We had gingerbread and a chocolate pie to share.






The coffee cups are bright, colorful and very appealing.










Cruising around the countryside we've seen lots of sights. We snapped a crow flying across the fields...



Picked apples near the Lac Leman in Switzerland...
















Went for a picnic in the foothills of the Jura...








We've been doing all sorts of silly things. Here it was apparently necessary to hold the boulder in place, in case it moved during the photo session.


We've driven through villages with sweet flowers by the roadside...












Passing time with your best friend is one of the most wonderful things in life. We'll see what more fun and mischief we can get into for the rest of the visit.

A Walk Round the Lake at Divonne-les-Baines, France, Part II

We continued to walk round the rest of the lake. It's an idyllic spot with the Jura mountains in the background.


The soft afternoon light through the trees along the water edge is very pretty.














There are so many beautiful views looking back towards the town of Divonne and the mountains.









It's quite a paradise for taking in lovely scenes.


Here's a closer look at the island in the middle of the lake.




The late afternoon sun makes for fantastic reflections in the water.


The lake is calm at this end and it almost looks like the water would support being walked on.











As the sun sets it gets closer to time to go home, and we near the completion of our loop walk.Here you can see the view to the other end of the lake, where we started out earlier.











In the 'Port', there's a sailing club where it's possible to rent wind surfs, rowing boats, kayaks and also rowing skiffs. We're eager to try out the rowing skiffs sometime.





It's a fabulous place to be out on the water.

A Walk Round the Lake at Divonne-les-Baines, France, Part I

Divonne-les-Baines is a small town in France very close to the Swiss border, about 20 minutes drive from Geneva. It's a popular holiday spot, and the town is known for its spas, as there are several natural springs nearby. It also has a very nice artificial lake. (Click on photos to see larger.)



We visited the lake yesterday.









It's quite long, and, at a slow pace, takes over an hour to walk round it, and that's what we did.Jasmine was there too, creating quite a stir as people realized it really was a parrot in a backpack cage. As usual, she made a good number of friends there.




There's an island in the middle of the lake, which you can see here at the far end.














Autumn is showing itself in the changing of the tree colors. The hills behind, the Jura, are covered in trees that are just starting to change.






There's a path all round the lake and there are also tarmac lanes to allow for bikes, roller skaters and anything you can think of. There were many people out enjoying the late afternoon sun and warmth; some going round fast, others strolling along.

There are many trees along the edge of the water. Here you can see that the leaves have already turned yellow and red for Fall.

There is also a horse race track nearby and horses are out in the meadows just beside the walking path.

The many trees around the lake are beautiful to look at, all slightly varying in shades of greens and yellows.

Basilique de la Visitation, Annecy, France Part II

Continuing from where we left off in Part I, Francois de Sales and Jeanne de Chantal are buried in the Basilique de la Visitation.











Here you can see both sides of the Basilique, with the mountains on the left, the extension of buildings on the right, and the big circular drive in front. Click on images to see larger.





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There are interesting stonework and archways, with ornate wooden doors.

















The steps leading up to the front door are impressive, as is the huge stone archway.




Looking all the way up gives a sense of the scale of the building.












The carving in the stone is beautiful.


The main door is decorative while maintaining a pleasant simplicity.









The Basilique has a grandeur that projects solidity and grace. It's possible to almost imagine a lion sitting there in its form, with the two front legs as the structure on either side of the huge front archway and the body behind as the central part of the building.






On the right of this photo is the side entrance into the Basilique. This is the one we entered. There are fabulous, huge marble columns spanning the inside. There is a feeling of large space and luxury of attention to every detail and yet there's a simple basic atmosphere to it. The coolness inside was extremely nice after our walk up the hill in the summer heat.

Part of this extension is used as a shop.






The Basilique is well worth a visit if you're in Annecy.

Basilique de la Visitation, Annecy, France Part I

A couple of weeks ago we had family visiting, and one of the places we went to see was Annecy. This time we also went up above the town to see the Basilique de la Visitation. (See DweezelJazz blog posts, Parts I-V for more about the town of Annecy.)



Surrounded by lots of greenery and trees we walked up the hill towards the Basilique.













It was a warm day and the cool shading over the steep stairs was very nice.











Looking up from the stairs we caught a glimpse of the Basilique.



Emerging at the top into clear sunlight this is the view.










At eye level, the stonework and arches are interesting.This section almost feels like a moat with its circular walls.















Walking a little further out and back, more of the building can be seen. <