Early Morning Walks

During our heatwave, with temperatures reaching 32C,

I've been doing my walks very early in the morning.

Sometimes leaving home as early as 5.30 am.

Many of my outings have taken me to one or other of the parks. 

I did love these bright pink Hollyhocks.

The bees love them too

I often go down to the bigger park as I love the tall trees there

and the little pond with a bench right next to it.

This is the very early morning sunshine.

Here's another entrance and I really appreciate the shade of those beech trees.

The path is still wet as it rained in the night.

Don't you just love being surrounded by greenery?

I took this photo this morning around 7 am, just as the sun rose high enough

to filter between the trees and illuminate the grass.

There are beautiful flower beds of hydrangea

Both dark and lighter pink

Here's the little pond and you can see the bench on which I sat to have my picnic breakfast.

There are lily pads and lots of waterlily buds

The Agapanthus flowers are starting to open

against a bubbly green and blue bokeh in the background.

One morning, I sat by the fountain and a tiny robin perched on the lower part.

You can see him on the left in front of the pink hydrangeas.

Click on the photo to see all images in a larger size.

One morning, I met a friend in the nearby lakeside town of Morges.

I have to take the train to get there and I left home at 6 am

to be there before 7 am.

We sat at a lakeside terrace with this lovely view to have breakfast.

It was so hot that particular day, that we walked in shady spots 

and finished up on on a bench in the shade to eat a water ice and drink water!

Two more delicate Agapanthus looking fresh and summery against a house

with closed shutters.

A collage of the flowers blooming on my balcony garden right now_

Geraniums, Carnations, Begonias, Zurfinia (in the middle) and yellow daisies.

The Begonias on their own with the greenery from a big tree to the right of my balcony.

My homegrown strawberries

which were small but delicious.

My lavender which the bees just love

The Gaillardia flowers as they develop. 

They are just in front of the kitchen.

As for crochet, I made a sunflower granny square and then a second one

to make a little shoulder bag which is useful for my mobile phone, keys and a small purse

when I go out locally with my camera.

I've also started a new project in the form of a ripple throw in fresh colours.

 I crochet less when it's hot, but even a row or two helps the projects move forward.

I hope that you have been enjoying this month of June.

It's lovely to have the longer days, but I prefer it when it isn't too hot!

My favourite temperatures are between 20 and 24C.

How about yours?

Autumn's Splendour

My daughter and I decided to visit the beautiful Arboretum in Aubonne

Many of the leaves were falling, but there were still  enough for us to .

enjoy the splendour of autumn.

I especially liked walking along the water.

We crossed a bridge which had beautiful and different scenes on either side.

We followed a pathway lined with trees.

The yellow arrows on the tree-trunk show us the way.

It was so quiet and beautiful and the air felt fresh and healthy after the town.

An opening in the trees revealed a pond with pretty evergreen reflections

in the water and burnished beech leaves overhead.

Don't you love shuffling through the crisp, fallen leaves?

We come to an open area on our path with orange-red trees brightening up the scene.

There's another pond

with beautiful reflections.

Those brightly coloured trees have unusual leaves 

which look more like pine needles.

Here is a close-up to see their structure.

(click on the photo so it will fill your screen)

This is the botanical name of the tree.

It's a type of Sequoia which comes from China.

We walked underneath a covered bridge before climbing higher to get a better view.

A Tulip Tree was already losing a lot of leaves

A water feature captured the water tumbling down a steep slope.

Capturing the flow of water.

One last look at the colourful Beech leaves before returning home. 

I think it would be lovely to visit this Arboretum again next spring! Don't you?

Nearer to home, some Cherry Tree Leaves still hang on to the branches.

Many of them have already fallen, like this beauty here.

I liked the contrast of the fresh white chrysanthemums against the fallen leaves.

The season is changing and the cold autumn winds have started to blow.

We shall soon be admiring bare tree silhouettes and maybe even a sprinkling of snow.

We often have a little snow in November.

I hope that autumn is wonderful where you live

and that you are able to go out for invigorating walks and fresh air.

It feels so good to come home again afterwards, 

make a warm drink after enjoying to the full the season we are in.

 

When Autumn Turns to Gold

 

The month of November this year is one of the most beautiful I have ever known!

The temperatures have been milder than most other years

and the leaves are lasting longer.

This particular vision of sunlit leaves took my breath away!

These two images are the wonderful colours in a Tulip Tree.

I love their easy to recognize shapes.

Two burnished leaves connect against the blue of the sky.

Every autumn, I look forward to visiting one of the city parks, the one nearest to me,

to see the Ginkgo biloba Tree turn golden.

It's also know as the Maiden Hair Tree.

A golden carpet of fallen leaves forms as the wind brings them down to the ground.

 I was lucky enough to see them fall when I was standing there.

Children were playing in the leaves and the air was full of laughter!

Aren't they just beautiful?

Their fan-shape is so special.

I took a few to put them in my flower-press

A branch hangs down against the deep blue sky.

Look how next spring's buds have already formed...

Taking a closer look to see the sky behind the openings and the beautiful structure of the leaf.

I have to include the pond

The lighting was beautiful in the late afternoon.

There's a bench by that pond - and I've sometimes taken a picnic

and a book to read to sit right here!

A collage of my favourite leaves and autumn hues.

Right at the end of this month, I'll be posting the last leaves of November

I still find them in protected places

shining in the sunlight like golden jewels!