the pagoda up close

Here's an up close and personal photo of the pagoda at Chanteloup.  You can find other views (such as this one) by searching on the keyword pagoda on the right.

Sunday market scarves

And this was not all of them !

poppies on the moss

I confess I have not gotten a really great photo of the poppies this year.  There seems to be fewer of them than usual.  But I did catch this little bouquet sprouting on top of a moss-covered wall in late May.  The search goes on.  Stay tuned.

little bridge at Chenonceau

This bridge connects the right bank of the river Cher to the château that straddles the river.  I was lucky to visit the other day when the sky was a brilliant blue with little puffy clouds.  You might expect to be seeing more.

the fountain at Chaumont

I visited the château at Chaumont for the first time this year earlier this week.  Among all the wonderful gardens there was a water fountain that produced a little waterfall effect through which I shot this resulting abstract.

smokin'

The remains of a jet contrail made for an interesting background for this streetlight on the bridge.

the selfie

Alas it has a certain Venus de Milo look.

dining out

Last year, the main square in Amboise, Place Debré, expanded the space available to the many restaurants there for dining outside.  I think it was a great idea for all concerned.  I took this shot as the sun was starting to retreat for the day, adding the wonderful pinkish glow to everything.  And of course the temperature was perfect.

la fête de la musique

Yesterday was the big annual music festival in France and the streets of Amboise were filled with musicians of all sorts:  rock n roll, jazz, blues, pop, classical, and the indescribable. I think a good time was had by all on this longest day of the year.  And maybe there were a few young folks inspired to take up music.

the view

Here is the view that one sees from the belvédère previously posted.  I hope your weather today, the longest day, will be as nice as it is forecast to be here.

June sunset on the Loire

My photo friend the flat-bottomed sailboat is back after a long absence, just in time to spice up my summer sunsets.

the bar

After yesterday's depressing post, I figured I owed it to you to take you to a nearby bar or give you some nice pretty flowers.  Et voilà.

Of course, my local friends will instantly know that I had to go back a little in time (to April) to bring you these wisteria at their peak hanging out at bar close to our house.


And one technical detail.  I shot this with a polarizing filter which really intensified the blue sky on this incredibly bright spring day.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now

Hopefully you won't feel this is overly melancholy for mid-week, but I found these little white lace cloud curtains to look a little too trapped in this dingy window of the local château.  Unfortunately, I could not capture well the real cloud reflections in the glass which would have fulfilled today's title.

For those of you not my vintage, here's the source of this allusion. (And my apologies if you first get a commercial.)

le château des ducs de Bretagne

Here's another château, this time in Nantes which is downstream on the Loire from Amboise.  It dates back to the 13th century.  Yeah, another one that old !

le château

This is somewhat of an unusual angle on the local château as it was taken from street level close to the Loire.  The house to the right is privately owned and has its own architectural interest that I think makes it a nice complement to the big castle.  I only wish I had had a pocket ladder so I could have gotten less wall in the image, although I suppose it does make for a more mysterious look.

Saint-Denis

Saint-Denis dates back to the twelfth century and is still serves as the local Catholic Parrish.

up in the air

I caught these hot air balloons the other day as they drifted over our house.  However, this gate is actually one of our neighbors.

la brocante 2014

Last Monday there was an enormous brocante (a market of "stuff") at Amboise.  There were so many interesting things to see and buy.  This is but a tiny example that caught my eye.

the troglodyte home

I think I have mentioned these troglodyte (cave dwelling) homes several times, but never actually published one.  The cliffs around Amboise were mined for their limestone to build local châteaux and other important structures.  The empty caves have since been taken over by wineries and home owners because they offer nearly constant year-round temperatures.  The "catch" for home owners is of course that there is only one side exposed to the sunshine.  Another is the fact that this stone is so soft that it tends to crumble and fall over time.  Thus you may be able to see the wire netting over this exposed rock face to protect the homes and residents below.

brass band festival 2014

Last weekend was the annual brass band festival where bands from all over Europe come to Amboise to entertain the tourists as well as us locals.  Not only is a band stand setup in the main square but the bands also stroll through the streets and the Sunday market.

PS  I was shocked to say the least to hear one of the bands playing a tune ("Birdland") by Weather Report, one of my favorite "jazz-fusion" bands from the 1970-1980s.  Believe me it was no brass band!  Anyway, what a truly global world we live in.

royal craftwork

This colorful creature sits atop a covering over a well right in front of Clos Lucé.  I have found no explanation of it, but I am pretty sure it represents the salamander (now known as a lizard) of King Francis I who used it as one of his royal symbols.  The crown levitating overhead sorta supports that theory.  Now what I can't explain, or even guess, is why it appears to be walking through a mine field !

bricks and mortar

This is one of several homes in Amboise that I have waited a long time to catch without a car parked right in front.  I'm still waiting for several others.  I think the arched doors and doorways are very cool.

the Spanish iris

It seems to me that nature does not often work in three's, but in this case the work was spectacular.  Another gift from the public flower beds of Amboise.

the roof of Clos Lucé

This is the rather complex roof line of Leonardo's former residence, Clos Lucé.

Sunset on May

The evening of May 31, I snapped this last sunset of the month on the Loire.

down on the farm

This little farm always has the most interesting animals.  On this spring day; I caught them out grazing in the warm sun by their pond.

la fête de la rose

We recently went to the nearby town of Chédigny to see their annual rose festival.  It seems every home in the charming town has a fantastic display of roses.  We managed to get three beautiful climbing rose plants back home and someday I hope to show you a display like this chez nous.

la marguerite

Another gift from the town of Amboise.

the stairs

These old stairs now appear to be serving more as a planter.  Works for me.

City Daily Photo theme day - "zest"

The first of every month is theme day for the bloggers under the umbrella of City Daily Photo and today's theme is "zest".  Click here to see how the other bloggers interpreted today's theme.  For me, this it, driving a Citroën 2CV, or "deux chevaux".