Advertising

People tend to love or hate advertising.
When my husband and I travelled in the USA we would turn on the TV and watch only the advertising – as stupid, fun and rich as it was, it was always entertaining. But then his field was advertising and marketing.
When we watch American series here in Europe we often have two episodes in one as our television companies are not (yet) allowed to have too much advertising. Of course the advent of Netflix and other channel stations means that even the « public » ones are having to re-think advertising. I personally tape programs then zap through the advertising ; others get up and do chores or go to the kitchen during the advertising and sometimes we even watch the clever ones. One of  our two super markets had a wonderful series using a chicken to vaunt the benefits of eggs produced by happy chickens and the straight from the farmer to the market route. We (Switzerland) also have the Happy Cow. Google any animal advertising on YouTube and you will probably come across them.

But I am getting off track as this blog had its’ inception in two recent events : the hotel that I stay at for the Menuhin concerts in Saanen has what I deem to be the wonderful policy of handing out water as one checks out of the hotel. I have never come across this before and if it is accompanied with the labelling of said water bottles with their sticker, so much the cleverer. They also, as they have a wellness program, give every client a plastic sack with a bathrobe (bathrobe for use whilst in the hotel, but the sack can easily become one’s own swimming gear sack).

Water, still or sprakling, is always offered to every departing client

Great advertising

A lovely pastic sack celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Golfhotel in Saanenmöser

The other, although not properly speaking « advertising » had my laughing : one of my sons gifted me with a box of my favorite chocolates. And do note that I had been eating Auer chocolates well before John Kerry discovered them ! Anyway thanks to modern labelling requirements they too now come with a « to be consumed by » date.  Now what are the chances that I will still even have one left by then ?

I received it the 25th - it will be long empty well before the 13th of September!

Nature’s water bowls

After a rainy night I was walking up to the village for my morning coffee, admiring the rain drops still on the Irises.

Upon my return trip I noticed the small pools of water along every leaf of another bush and could easily imagine the small rodents drinking from these as well as the insects, birds and some would have been even enough water for a cat or dog, fox, hare or any other wild animals. Yet another purpose of some leaves.

The Good, the Bad and the Indifferent

A chalet along my path - one that I'd love to own!

We are enjoying (and I do mean ENJOYING enjoying) the most glorious of Indian Summers. For the past couple of weeks, we have finally had days of endless sun and warm temperatures; in fact it’s the summer that we never had.

 

Also personally enjoyed having both boys at home (I know, I know, some of you will dispute my enjoyment of that and you’d be right as well) as the older son was here on vacation and the younger here more permanently (that is until he decides where he wants to be next).  However, we did have some lovely meals and talks together as a family: something that doesn’t happen often as we seem to cross paths more than we join them.

Another good thing: I have been able to grab some time in the mountains again. Although we are definitely entering fall, walking in tree-shaded forests and along mountain paths in the sun, never tires as a pleasure.

But there is the bad: I lost my sunglasses! Finally and irretrievably this time I think. I had to take them off when I went into the shade of the forest and usually put them on my head, but whilst walking they tend to get steamy so I put them inserting one temple into my shirt. At some point whilst taking pictures of the remaining mushrooms the green of the undergrowth and anything else that caught my eye, they must have fallen. I only realized this when I was headed towards the sunny part of the path and wanted them again. I the great finder, even retracing my steps was not able to find my brown-framed, brown-lensed sunglasses amongst the brown leaves on the brown dirt paths.

Now this is the same pair that I lost here several years ago – but that someone else had found and conveniently left on a bench. This time though the woods are mostly people-free and I don’t think that the remaining small animals are going to come to my rescue. 

 

The Indifferent: there is none at the moment, it just made for a better title!

OK maybe the photos below of this morning’s walk.

It’s raining, it’s pouring…

The Old Man was not snoring, nor was the lady of the house.

Thor – or whoever controls the skies was sending out his bolts and thunder to make sure that we all knew that he had arrived.

Thought I heard a bit of hitting on metal (hail?) so went to check and see what was happening: waterfall in the winter garden… yet again.

And, of course, the cleaning lady had just cleaned the carpets that very afternoon!

Not as bad as in former years, but this time I had no one to run for towels or to laugh with me. Did finally realize that it was just over the main entry door so rolled out the awning to protect the gutter, sopped up what I could: rung the towels out – again as I could  - currently having no washing machine; put them in the dryer to be able to continue soaking up the access water.

Yesterday convinced younger son to come home with me (o.k. so he also wanted to transfer some surplus boxes of books, etc. back to the common storage room at my house) and help 1) clean out the gutters 2) hose them out well to make sure that all was flowing well and 3) re-install the three panels that I still had from my cousin’s ingenuous protection job of three years ago, with duct tape.

We are kind of ready for the next downpour.