heartwood

Arrrg !

 

In warmer times ...

it's freezin' here

 

simple man simple dream

 

dark times

 

baby it's cold outside

 

really cool web site

 

sunset on 2020

 

Christmas 2020

 

tonight Santa arrives by hot air balloon

 

This is a local yard display.  In France hot air balloons are called montgolfières (in honor of the brothers of the first working balloons in the 1780's).

December Solstice 2020

 

Today Amboise will have only 8 and 1/2 hours of sun whereas on the Summer Solstice we have about 16 hours of sun.  These extremes are because we are above Maine in latitude.  Even so, the weather here is milder than in the States year-round, thanks to the Gulf Stream.

caught in the web

 

follow your own path

 

lowriders - Amboise style

 

December on the Loire

 

black Friday

 

step into the leaf pool

 

a path through the carpet

 

sunset on the quai

 

looking back

 

I really enjoy looking at the trees in their fall colors.  But I never had one look back before.

la Toussaint 2020

 

It's the eve of la Toussaint in France and tomorrow the Catholic church celebrates all of the hallowed saints.  Hmmm.  This sounds familiar.

(And, yes, this is the flip side of the shot in my previous post.)

Sunday morning on the levee

 

le 14 juillet 2020

What is often called "Bastille Day" in the US, is simply called the 14th of July in France.  It's a national holiday and compares to the 4th of July in the US with parades, picnics, music, and of course, fireworks.  Alas, this year the latter has been cancelled throughout France due to pandemic restrictions. Paris will have them but watching from nearby (the Eiffel Tower vicinity) will be forbidden so they'll generally be seen on TV.  If you want to learn more about this holiday, take a look here.  Today's photo was taken last year.

now that's more like it

The lock-down is over.  School is out.  The tourists are back.  Finally.  Compare this scene to that of my earlier post on April 28:

the stone sky

Or maybe it's just the stone path at the base of the levee as seen from its top.  Every winter the vegetation dries up and seems to disappear from the levee's sides.  And by summer the wildflowers are back in control.

sunset on the Loire

down by the tunnel

After the lockdown

,,, everyone needs a hair cut.

the Friday market reopens

It's quite the contrast to the pre-pandemic market.  Now the stands are separated by 25 feet and each has a waiting line marked on the pavement with indicators for proper distancing.  So there are fewer vendors and fewer customers.  Masks are required for all.  But this local icon of commerce and culture is back.

too early for grapes

I'm guessing these are actually a type of mahonia that I spied a few days ago right down the street.