Number 601

This is my 601st blog...

And since it is the first of September I thought it fitting to interrupt my Canadian series with one on the beginning of fall.

As my former housemate said in her blog http://theexpatwriter.blogspot.ch/2016/08/i-survived-summer.html, we have survived summer!

And although it is not yet officially automn, this morning when I drove down from “my” mountains I discovered the season’s first fogs along the River Rhone. That of course meant that I had to stop several times for photos as I just love the shades of gray, the romanticism of slightly blurred scenery and the feeling of the air’s temperatures lowering.

Rhone River towards St.Maurice

Fog along the Rhone River behind the fields

Plowed fields and fog along the Rhone River

Peaks lingering in the clouds and fog this morning

Fog makes even the roads and electric wires prettier!

Then there was the sun rising on the mountain peaks.

Part of the "Cimes de l'Est" as seen from St.Maurice this morning

My coffee buddies were mighty surprised when I showed up and announced that it was a gorgeous day and that I was in a very good mood: as one said, “a woman in a good mood so early in the morning, wow”. Hmm… wonder what we, as women, have done to give them that image of ourselves.  Nevertheless, even that remark couldn’t put a dent in my joy at not  only having survived the summer, but also to be entering my favorite season – FALL.

Break out the blankets, keep on the lookout for leaves turning yellow and orange, enjoy cooler temperatures and the pleasures of a sweater or jacket: life would be good.

On down the Danube - day 7

For once did not set the alarm as no immediate plans other than back into Regensburg to take a couple more photos before setting sail at 11:15 (even had time to download the last 4 days of newspapers as I had returned for the 10:00 scavenger hunt, which had been changed to 14:30) headed for Passau. 

the "Crystalkönigen"

The Crystal Queen was docked not far from us - we went past it before taking the outer spot - talk about bling - the whole ship was just one giant piece of it. Beautiful in the dark.

The below photos are from my very short trip back into Regensburg after breakfast and before sailing at 11:15

Onions

More wood-decorated houses

The Porta Praetoria - 179

This entry to the city was built by Marcus Aurelius - and renovated in 1885!

The Niedermünster in daylight

The Niedermünster organ

Although it should have been a more leisurely day (and it was less steps as my feet are not quite as sore tonight), but again Grand Circle Tours are very good at planning events, activities and other distractions. We had the scavenger hunt followed by a visit to the kitchens, the now normal mid-afternoon cake or stollen (also had a demonstration on how to make stollen somewhere in there) as well as Port Talk and Dinner.

How to make stollen - a Christmas bread

The chef puts out fresh stollen everyday for coffee in the afternoon

Afternoon coffee treat

one side of the galley

another side of the galley

The main chef and the banquet director

From this small galley come meals (sometimes seven-course ones) three times a day. There can be up to 25 people each with their own task. Only the pastry chef's corner is not shown.

Could barely keep my eyes open at parts of the afternoon – floating along and looking out at the passing river banks – in the fog one couldn’t see much else. I did manage to read a couple of the downloaded newspapers, talked to several other people, watched a couple of lock passages and in general relaxed.

There is a certain beauty even to a foggy day

Just barely visible church along the river way

and more fog

But still stayed up for the evening’s entertainment – a classical concert by our onboard musical entertainer Svetla.

Look what kind of desserts come out of the galley!

 Sweet dreams indeed!

In a fog…

And in the fog.

I have, as I said more than once these past few days, weeks, been running not at 100 miles an hour, nor even at 120 miles an hour, but more like 150 miles an hour.  This has created a bit of forgetfulness and stress as I dash from one errand to the other, from one event to another : last weekend I described the state of my mind as « I had three neurons, one left and the next to the last one is on its way out as well », so not only have we had some real physical, weather-type fog, I have been in a fog as well.

Today the sun broke through, both physically and figuratively. Most things have been accomplished or can be put off until my return from a lovely, relaxing trip to Germany and Austria.

My housemate and her husband will move back in to take care of the cats who need more than just food a couple of times a day : with the cooler weather they are more want to follow me around and want to sit on a lap or curl up around my head (if I’m foolish enough to bet in bed with my eyes open).

And I’ll be off to remove the last wisps of mental fog : hopefully the physical fog will also cease and desist.

Fog at sunrise - covering the Jura mountains

Sunrise on fog towards Mont Blanc

Fog in the vineyards

More fog in the countryside

a layer of fog hovering in between lake and mountains

Out and About

Having awoken to fog and yet more fog fog – and having missed the “red moon” due to same fog, I decided that it was time to do something else with my day other than just walking in the fog and gray.  I usually go to several of the small towns in the Valais during the time that I rent in the mountains, but for some reason (heat? Quiet? Who knows?) these past two years I haven’t been as willing to leave my mountains: have in fact turned down meals, coffees and meetings in the valley just to stay here.

However, having heard from R that there was sun in the valley I thought, time to go. Another motivator was checking one of the better DIY stores for gutter covers. My winter garden’s gutters get clogged, one famous time leading to a water fall inside the winter garden when it rained too hard and I hadn’t noticed the problem.

I actually managed to not only find what I was looking for, but it was half price as well so I bought more than needed.

Off to Sion with the weather clearing to check my favorite stores: mind you I usually am more capable of spending hours in the DIY’s, hardware stores and other small drugstores than I am in a clothing store. Still, as usual found a lovely scarf, which in turn necessitated (note the verb!) buying a new purse.  However, I didn’t buy any of the pricey jackets, tops or coats on display so was feeling very virtuous when I sat down in a local bakery for coffee. One of my all time favorite desserts was there in miniature: a St.Honoré so who cared what it cost – certainly not me.

The drive back was smooth and accompanied by one of my current favorite singers: Andrea Bocelli. Oh the pain: sunny day, easy drive and romantic music. I can handle it - all in all a very successful Monday!

Château de Valère

Valère castle above Sion

Gargoyle spout on City Hall

City Hall clock: note how many elements there are!

Part of the main street in Sion, Valais

A very interesting fire hydrant

Coffee was accompanied by this lovely Zenhäusern St. Honoré

Mother Nature doesn’t do “bad hair” days

She might produce fog – throwing it around her mountain shoulders like a warm shawl.

She can be drippy with rain – giving and maintaining life in many different forms.

She can be frightening and booming with lightning and thunder – better fireworks haven’t been invented.

She can be howling with winds – and when Mother Nature howls many of us cower.

She can be smothered in snow – underneath the blanket life takes a rest and gathers energy for a new beginning.

She can bask in the sun – and seems loved by most everyone then.

But one thing stands out: she is always beautiful: if her lakes aren't glistening in the sun, her raindrops bejewel branches, leaves and even blades of grass.

She displays her colors and pearls in thousands of ways, shapes and types.

However, when she’s humid she gives me a “bad hair” day!

January 2015

May 2015

May 2015

Late Spring snow - May 2015

June fog in the mountains

June rain like no one's ever seen

Yesterday

Yesterday

Today, alpine Lupines

A bright touch of color in a gray day

nourished by Mother Nature

The early morning run…

And I don’t mean the jogging one, although in its time it too was fun, but rather that trip to the airport or train station.

My husband travelled a lot and as we were early risers anyway, it really didn’t matter that he often took the first flight out of Geneva at 6:00. For two years we lived just 5 minutes from the airport then  - although all the way across town – there was no traffic: I could get all the way to the airport at 5:00 (remember this was back when arriving an hour ahead of time was not only feasible, but legal and doable) without seeing any other cars and the bonus was sunrise on the way back.  Also the bar was open and we often had a coffee together before he walked through the then-easy security check. When our first son was born, it still didn’t matter as just put him to sleep in his carrycot and threw that in the car along with the suitcase.

In the early 80s we were in our “new” (now 33-years-old!) house and again early in the morning I could get there in 18 minutes without speeding if the lights were all green (and they often were). Now I had not only drive in along the lake as it changed from night dark to dark blue to shades of blue and gray, but also the bonus of sunrise over Mont Blanc as I drove across the one bridge linking left and right banks.

There was a smattering of cars going in and maybe two more coming out – still no big deal.

I continued to take my husband to the airport  - and was probably the only wife in town who didn’t mind doing so at the crack of dawn – as I loved that peaceful time of the world waking up, of seeing it before about 99% of the rest of the inhabitants in our state and town.

Traffic grew, but the early morning run is still not only doable, but pleasant.

My younger son needed to catch a train this morning at 7:15 and was very surprised that I offered to take him in – but oh what a blessing to yet again experience that early-morning calm and the beauty that was this morning before the sun came up!