Fields of Green

Fluffy clouds in blue skies

Overhanging boughs

Country paths 

and fields of green.

I should get into the country much more often

and it isn't so very far away from where I live.

So lovely here to see the yellow dandelions in full bloom.

Beautiful buttercups everywhere too!

To get up here, I need to walk up the hill from where I live to the nearest metro station,

only three stops away 

and then I need to take a country bus which leaves every fifteen minutes from the metro.

One bus goes all around small villages and it takes about fifteen minutes,

the other one is more direct and it takes only seven minutes to get to this beautiful area.

When I had a car, I came here several times a week in all weathers,

even with my snow-shoes in the winter!

I even saw butterflies!

A wooden cabin in the woods.

I love how we can see the forest and trees through the windows.

This place is called Chalet-à-Gobet

and not too far from the town of Lausanne.

Another lovely place in the country to visit is Apples.

This is further away and I need another country train to get here.

It's also great for walks, especially in the autumn when the trees change colour.

On a clear day, there is an excellent view on the mountains from the top of the hill.

It was a little misty on this particular day.

I do love shutters, especially the old ones.

With roses growing on the wall against a trellis.

The village had colourful pots of flowers

The rapeseed fields were past their most colourful, but still looked pretty in contrast to all the green.

Waiting at the station of Apples

to catch the country town back down to the nearest town of Morges.

Only one train per hour, so it's best not to miss it!

The Wisdom of Birthdays

I have always loved the fact that I was born in the beautiful month of May.

Spring is my favourite time of the year.

Nature is in all her beauty and usually it is not yet too hot!

Here are my cards and a new recipe for a delicious flourless chocolate cake.

which is made with 250 grams of high quality dark chocolate

3 eggs

50 grams of butter and 50 grams of raw cane sugar.

That is all.

The secret is to bake it for only 15 minutes so that it remains soft and very moist.

I received three beautiful red roses from my son and his wife.

They came with that lovely red rose card on my table above.

My daughter's gift is yet to come a little later.

It's a surprise, so I cannot talk about it here!

Isn't this card fun?

It came from a good friend.

The words were the best wisdom for this year's birthday!

Our 'bounce', or our resilience in life,

is what allows us to deal with the more difficult events that we may encounter.

Peonies continue to bring me joy all through this beautiful month

Their detailed centres are amazing.

I love notebooks and received this one

with a particularly beautiful cover designed by the British textile designer,

William Morris.

You can read about him 

here

The first entry in my notebook is the one from the card I received.

That's true!

These last two messages were inside my daughter's birthday card!

May so far this year, has not been the warmest nor the sunniest month.

We have had gale force winds and rainy days.

I find rainy days can be calming when the rain is gentle

and I love walking with my red umbrella in and around my neighbourhood.

enjoying the freshened greenery and listening

to the pitter-patter on my umbrella. 

A quiet birthday this year,

but filled with love and gentleness.

May Flowers

The blossoms have been wonderful since the end of April,

but May has brought a profusion of delicate flowers against deep blue skies.

Like this curtain of flowers.

The dark pink centres are a lovely contrast to the white petals of this ornamental cherry.

This one was taken just after a rain shower.

This little tree is in my street and I look forward to the blossom every single year.

These white Narcissus with the yellow centres was taken on an evening walk

in my neighbourhood.

Layers of pink petals so wonderful to see after the winter months.

More rain showers on this beautiful Iris growing in the planter

alongside the building I live in.

The Lilac bushes are still blooming

I managed to capture this Apple Blossom before the wind

blew away the gorgeous chunky petals.

I wonder if this will be a good year for apples?

How fresh the new spring green leaves are as they appear on all of the trees.

The Queen of queens for this month

has to be the luscious Peony.

I like to have them in a vase in my home during the whole of the month of May.

Aren't the petals just wonderful?

They start off  in a lovely deep, vibrant shade which  changes every day.

until they becomes a beautiful luminous creamy colour

and then finally white, before the petals start dropping.

A fallen petal and stamens on the tabletop.

Ruffles of peachy petals

and the last peony standing in the vase.

It will soon be time to get some more of these wondrous blooms.

Soft curves and colour create an abstract quality to the flowers

that bring me such joy all through the month of May.

We have had our fair share of rain this month with polar air blowing our way,

luckily there have been blue skies too!

The rain is needed as the level of the rivers and lakes was getting really low.

A beautiful basket of Hydrangeas arrived today

They have been sent by my thoughtful son in Canada

for Mother's Day this Sunday.

It always falls on the second Sunday during the month of May.

You can see the pretty accompanying card.

This lovely plant will be planted in a big pot on my balcony on Sunday!

Hydrangeas are my favourite plants to have on my balcony.

They flower the whole summer through.

The First Day of May

Muguet or Lily-of-the-Valley

It wouldn't be May without these sweet scented tiny white bells.

It's a tradition in France and here in Switzerland,

as well as some other European countries

to offer a small bouquet of Muguet on the first of May.

I even have an embroidered tablecloth with these tiny flowers

and it always adorns my small round table during the whole of this month!

It all fits together so well.

A May Day tradition dating back to 1561. The first of May in France is a holiday

to celebrate Labour Day.

It carries an even older tradition.

Today families all around France get up early in the morning and go into the woods

to pick the flowers and offer the little bouquets

to loved ones and friends.

Since I live in the town, it's not easy to go into the woods to hunt these flowers.

Luckily all the florists here sell pretty bouquets

wrapped in a decorated paper

and with the inscription:

'Je porte bonheur'

(I bring good luck)

I hope the Muguet in my blog entry today will bring you good luck too!

If you would like to read a story about Lily of the Valley, click on the link below:

Hollyhocks and Honey-Coloured Houses

***

Something spring-like and colourful on my crochet hook 

is making me happy.

Little Daisy Granny Squares.

They are quite irresistible to make.

I wonder what they will become?

Here is the lovely pattern