We returned to our French mountains last week and these are the images that have caught my eye.
We came back to see masks adorning the walls of the chaplet, our landlords had had a party.
Climbing ropes hanging neatly up on a wall waiting for the snow to melt and summer.
A visit to see friends, a 2 hour drive across, over, round and under the mountains
Sitting in the sun, the temperatures have risen dramatically to highs of 14 degrees.
A ride up and down a ski chairlift, as a foot passenger.
A carrot salad with an asian style vinaigrette dressing.
Tree branches against a blue sky.
Firewood stacked at angles.
My red ski trousers hanging up, waiting for me get back on my skis and to lose a couple of more pounds to fit back into them comfortably.
A sunset across the alps.
beautiful photos!
Thanks 🙂
The masks are cute. 🙂
I’m pleased you like them, I know some people don’t like masks
Such beautiful country! Living here at the edge of the Great Plains, hills are a rarity. The few times I’ve been in and around mountains, the sights were awe-inspiring, much like what you’ve shared today. Well, maybe not so much the masks but we all need a little whimsy! Thanks, Claire, for letting us tag-along.
Hi John, the mountains are stunning, I’m not very good at landscapes, its something I should practice. But your mention of plains makes me realise I don’t think I ever seen plains, a very different kind of big landscape
Beautiful photos – are you well enough to ski yet or still out of action?
Still out of action, hopefully only another week……
Carrot Salad!!! Bigtime yum!! Your recipe or was it photographed elsewhere?
A sunset in the Alps!! You must pinch yourself to be sure you aren;t dreaming, yeah? Such a wonderful experience for you!!! (well…apart from the broken arm, but you know what i mean 😉 )
Hi, the salad was a homemade one, it’s been so warm here I’ve switched from soups to salads for lunch!
And you know sometimes I do pinch myself, it’s an amazing experience, tucked up here in the mountains in a winter wonderland, so different from anything else I’ve experienced ….. apart from the arm…… 🙂
Beautiful pictures! I’ve been to the French Alps in summer and it was lovely. Would love to experience it another season someday. 😉
The Alps are beautiful in summer, with all the flowers in the meadows.the sound of cow bells etc I hope you get to see it for yourself in winter sometime soon 🙂
What great photos. Reminds me there are places where winter exists! Love that sunset.
Ha, I forget every now and then that other people don’t have snow for 4 months of the year 🙂 This kind of weather puts me in mind of one of your cocktails, 🙂
That last picture stirs my soul. I spent my childhood in the south of France and my husband grew up in Normandy and Paris. lately we are both feeling a bit of homesickness for France so these pictures were lovely to see.
Thank you, I don’t know Normandy at all, but I do know swathes of the S of France, very different, very beautiful, in fact that was my first experience of France, and it has always stayed with me.
that must have been some crazy party!! c
I know and we missed it !
Great photos and how wonderful to have such amazing scenery so close to where you live. Sadly there won’t be any more skiing this year in Southern Ontario, it’s been such a mild winter and the weather forecast is predicting temperatures as high as 13°C on Wednesday!
I hear that N America /Canada have had a poor year for snow, it’s such a shame for those whose incomes depend on it. Although our temps rose this last week, they are now predicting cooler weather and hopefully some fresh snow, which would be wonderful as hopefully I’ll be back on my skis 🙂 .
You are absolutely right, it is a shame for those who depend on the snow for income, but I have to admit it was not a hardship for me. I just hope our summer will be lovely too!
Yes , let’s hope for a wonderful summmer packed with garden and kitchen goodies!
What a gorgeous post, Claire! Thanks for sharing.. 🙂
Thanks Celia, I thought was fun to put together and made a change from a recipe or some gardening
Our temps are plummeting again next week. A few days of warmer weather, and then back to woollen jumpers again.
I hear it’s been rainy and cludy at home, I know we need to the rain for the gardens and the resevoirs but it’s good to feel the sun 🙂
Are you just taking a break or going skiing? Great photos. Thanks for sharing them.
We are living here for the winter season, and hopefully I’ll be back on skis in a weeks time so I’ll be able to get back up and down those mountains
Very nice pictures, and a beautiful place to be.
Thank you Shimon, the Alps definietly have their own beauty
That sunset pic is just beautiful!
Thanks, it’s hard not to resist taking just sunset photos 🙂
I love the photo of the sunset. That is beautiful.
And, not going to lie, the pig mask is kind of creepy.
I think you are right, masks can be creepy can’t they, just think of horror films or bankrobbers!! (mind you I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen a horror film, just the trailers 🙂 )
Great photos, the mountains are amazing!
Hi Stacey you know I don’t think I could ever get bored of looking at the mountains, they change colour several times a day depending on the light. They just kind of draw you in and in.
Thanks for taking us on your trip.. great photos. How was the skiing? Take Care, BAM
Hi BAM, and thanks. I’ve yet to get back on my skis since my fracture but I’m hoping to do so this week, fingers crossed !!
I know that is scary especially if the fracture was due to a bad skiing incident. Take Care, BAM
Fortunately it wasn’t a bad accident or a bad fracture, so I was “lucky”. It just all takes time to heal.
Great photos, but I am most amazed at the chairs for sitting outside in 14 degrees! Really? I’m a wimp in winter temperatures, I must admit.
The thing is that most people are wearing ski gear, or if not a lot of warm clothes so to sit in the deckchairs in the sun is a good feeling. and then there is always Vin Chaud !!
Yes, I can see where the Vin Chaud would make a big difference!
It always helps 🙂
I couldn’t choose a photo I loved best, I especially liked the stack of wood. But I thin I have to go with the carrot salad, given how much I love food! What were the masks for??
Thanks Smidge, the masks were for a party, I think. I keep forgetting to ask our neighbours about them!
Seems you had a wonderful time in French Alps… I loved your photographs… You captured such a nice moments… Than k you dear Claire, have a nice week, with my love, nia
Thank you Nia, there are always things that capture my eye and it’s a pleasure to share them
a whimsical week, while your seedlings are growing back at the garden 😉
Whimsical is a lovely word I’d been thinking it was rather eclectic, I’ll have your word though 🙂
Incredible sunset and amazing photos.
Thank you Karen, we regularly get beautiful sunsets but that one was especially gorgeous
The sky in that last photo is luscious and I like the texture created by the timber.
Thank you, it seem sthat photo was popular, and there was I wondering whether to include it or not!
I love the pictures. Where were you? It looks a bit like the area around Mageve (we were just there too). http://schwingeninswitzerland.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/megeve-2/
Thanks. We are based in the Portes Du Soleil, a stones throw or an hour up the mountain from you in Geneva. So this is the view of Mt Blanc from here. We did travel through Megeve a couple of weeks ago to get to Vallandry, and it was great to see the range from the other side!
Marvelous photo-album all through. I love the slight creepiness of overly-cheerful but empty masks, especially when they’re just hung up in a surprising spot to catch us off guard! The nature scenes are as always so inviting and sense-filling. I think my favorite in this batch, though, is the beautifully semi-ordered herringbone stack of firewood. Patterns, as you so often capture them, capture my imagination.
Hi Kathryn and thank you, the patterns always get me and my camera, I suppose lots of people just don’t “see” them as something beautiful, just something practical
Great sunset picture. Well done. Carrot salad also beautiful…
Thank you, I like the colourful carrots I think we eat with our eyes !