A Country Girl at Heart

I love all seasons in the countryside
but autumn brings warmth to my heart
and fresh air on my face!

At this time of the year, it's wise to grab the beautiful days as they appear.
Another little train journey
but on a country train this time!
My destination is 'Apples'
and you can see the name painted on the carriage.

Through the train window, I saw the vineyards slowly turning yellow.
The train stops at every little village
I love it!

Here's the village station with a fresh coat of green paint.

Now the walk begins
past pastures and trees and grazing Swiss cows!

A tractor
busy sowing seeds in the freshly turned earth.

I'm heading towards these lovely woods.
I love the feeling of space
adore the silence
and the lack of crowds...

Some leaves have started to fall and decorate the slopes.

Moving forward
Down a little and up again

Going round one bend towards a range of low mountains

Up higher just before the entrance to the forest

A soft path through the trees
surrounded by nature
not a car to be seen or heard.

Coming out of the woods towards glorious fields

Down the hill towards the village again.
This time on a backdrop of the Alps with the lake below.

The little three-carriage country train
which has just come from the village of Bière
(which really is the French word for 'beer')

Goodbye Apples with your green-framed station clock!

I notice a sign up inside the train
This one advertises a Train Fondue
Now that's given me an idea for a future outing!

***

I am definitely a country girl by nature,
but since giving up my car this year,
I have learned to appreciate the practical side
of living in a town... although I often yearn for the calm of the country
I know I can get there very easily by train and by bus.
The public transport is excellent here
and very reliable.


27 comments

  1. Ooh, thank you for the train ride and the autumnal walk. Lovely pictures as always.
    Hugs, Sarn xx

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    1. Isn't this just the perfect time for walks in the country, Sarn?!

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  2. You took us on a lovely train ride. The countryside is so beautiful.
    I'd love to visit there.. perhaps someday.
    Wonderful post!

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    1. Thank you, Laura. It was easy to get to from where I live. I just love train outings that take me out of my town environment! This is the perfect time of the year for such outings. Thank you for your visit!

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  3. If I didn't know this was Switzerland I would have thought it was the countryside in the US. So much the same in scenery here in parts of each state. Well except for the cute trains.

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    1. Well the US is a vast and very varied country and has both the desert and the mountains, lakes and the sea, so I expect you have similar scenery in certain parts. My English roots gave me a totally different kind of countryside - more rolling hills and hedgerows and of course the sea is never very far. Switzerland is a small country well-known for its mountains and lakes which I have learned to love and appreciate. Yes, those country trains really are endearing! I love riding on them!

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  4. What a special fall excusion. First the cute train and then the lovely walk in the countryside. I love the path through the woods. I can almost hear the quiet. I like your new Header, too.

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    1. Thanks, Barb. I do love those little country trains that stop at all the villages as you go by! Sometimes, you even have to press a button for the train to stop! I couldn't resist putting up the new, seasonal, header. It's a lovely reminder of our beautiful walk on a perfect October day!

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  5. Beautiful.

    Apples and Beer! Funny.

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    1. Thank you! Words don't always mean the same in different languages, though 'beer' is pretty close to the French 'bière'!

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  6. A lovely excursion and lovely countryside. This country girl loves seeing your country! I think it's wonderful that have such wonderful public transportation available to you. It's not so here. The nearest bus stop, that will only take you downtown, is about two miles away. Train service is pretty much nonexistent. You can catch an Amtrak train, but it stops here only once a day in the middle of the night. We have become totally dependent on our cars and that's sad to me!

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    1. Hello Cathy, Yes, it really is wonderful to have the countryside so easily available to me living in the town without a car. We are very lucky in this country to have such frequent bus and train services. We even have the country's first metro here in Lausanne. I love travelling by train and looking out of the windows to see the view or reading a book. I don't rely on the price of petrol or worry about polluting which creates global warming now I no longer have a car. The trains are electric and run smoothly without creating pollution.

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  7. What a strange name for a village. The countryside is totally gorgeous - I am a country girl too and never tire of being surrounded by such beauty.

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    1. Hello Elaine. Well the name only seems strange to us because we speak English! In French, it's just a name! In the Roman times the name was 'Iplens' and then 'Aplis'. It was only in 1222 that the spelling 'Aples' appeared. The current name of 'Apples' came into use in 1328. It's very interesting to trace the origins of names of places. The origins often have significant meanings.

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  8. What a wonderful time, Sandra, and you had some really gorgeous views to enjoy!

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    1. Thank you for your visit, Lisa. Yes, it was so wonderful to be out in the country and enjoy the peace and nature!

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  9. immagini bucoliche che incutono pace e serenità
    grazie, felice notte

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    1. Peace and serenity, yes! Thank you for your visit! Grazie!

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  10. What a great name for a station! And such glorious photos from your walk.

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    1. Yes, I love the name too and that area for walking is one of my favourites! Thank you!

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  11. wiaa rains are always on time. Lovely shots. I've never heard of the town called Apples.

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    1. That should read Swiss Trains are always on time. Sorry, I must have been half asleep.

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  12. Oh, my goodness! It looks like you had a perfect day -- so many lovely sights! I loved seeing the green fields surrounding by trees turning colors, it seems idyllic. So glad you can travel by public transport, that train looks like fun. I love your shot looking down the hill at the village. Thank you for taking us along.

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    1. I just love this sort of countryside, Gina, which is so typical of this area. Those little country trains are really precious for town-folk to escape to the country and for the country folk to get to the town for their personal needs!

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  13. So wonderful that your can get, by train, to these country places, to walk.

    Oh that walk through the woods... Just looking at your picture, makes me happy. :-)

    Luna Crone

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    1. Yes, many of my favourite places in the country can be reached by train or bus, others are a little more tricky, so I look out for the ones that are easiest! This particular area makes me very happy indeed! Thank you for your visit!

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