Songbirds

Of all the songbirds that could perch on my windowsill to sing at dawn each day, I got stuck with a pesky little tone-deaf one who belches out his morning greeting. And so if Sleeping Beauty's melodious musings are true--

"I wonder..
I wonder if each little bird has a someone
to sing to,
sweet things to,
a gay little love melody.."

--I got screwed.

Sillyness

I came out of the shower and found Sabbath IN Elinore's animal barn. In case she was worried about her toys getting lonely, Sabbath is keeping them company. I snapped this photo in between lazy blinks, she just may have fallen asleep in there.

Liberty, Annecy, and Mont Blanc

In the process of picking new hikes for each day we decided to visit Col des Glieres, a high valley between two ridges a little southwest of La Clusaz. The ride up to the plateau was a bit hair raising, but our nerves are steeling up now that we've been on the road here for a while. This particular area was the site of an historical parachute drop in 1944 during WWII of weapons and supplies to support the formation of the French Resistance effort. The Savoie region was ideal for this cause because of the terrain. The Vichy and Nazi response was ferocious, with artillery and bombardment taking a high toll in lives and habitation. We sat and ate lunch on a ridge across from the monument erected in honor of the dead.

We also visited Annecy on Market Day and discovered a beautiful area with narrow winding streets crossing over several canals leading to the large adjacent lake. The weather was exquisite as families socialized in the gardens by the lake and by the vendors sellings fruits, cheeses, meats, and vegetables. It was a glorious day, ending with a lunch of crepes.

Saturday May 23 we decided to make a go for Chamonix anf the telesphere ride up over the flank of Mont Blanc. We had been watching the weather and figured this might be our best chance to get clear air around this highest peak in Europe. We weren't disappointed after getting up early to arrive in time for the first lift of the day to the top. We were accompanied by a crowd of seasoned skiers and technical climbers who quickly scattered out into the "White Valley" adjacent to Mont Blanc to their various objectives of the day. We watched as they quickly became small specks making their way across the glacial ice and snow. The weather was perfect and the scenery spectacular.

Ambience de Savoie au Printemps

So we woke up this morning and the air was clear and the sun was shining and there were no clouds. We decided that we would make a quick run back up to Col des Aravis to see if Mont Blanc was clear from what appears to be ever present clouds. Much to our surprise and delight Mont Blanc stood majestic and vivid in the morning sun and we got our pictures, and fueled our anticipation for riding the telecabin over to Italy with spectacular views next week. But, we couldn't linger, because, it was Wednesday and the marche in le Grand Bornand was in full swing, and we couldn't miss out on that. We bought cheese and sausage and fresh vegetables, des olives, and du vin for dinner and then proceeded to a wonderful hike up to a local peak, Tete du Danay, which has a 360 degree view around our entire area.

We've been enjoying the local wines (apremont and des autres) and cheeses, also locally made and delightful. Many thanks to Lawrence Bland for the generous champagne contribution to our anniversery on Tuesday!

This is a multidimensional good time, with exercise, outstanding food, scenery to make one sigh, and good company - we're doing our best to take it all in.

Milles Bornes en France

We continue to have some new experiences in and around La Clusaz. We had a very pleasant and traditonal regional dinner last night at the Savoie Restaurant at Hotel Airelles - Raclette and Fondue. We broiled our own raclette at the table and managed the cheese fondue expertly without setting the table on fire. Interesting, the last of the fondue was taken after mixing in a raw egg and a shot of kirsch, allowing every last bit to be scooped up. Tuesday morning brought back glorious sunshine in celebration of John and Linda's 30th anniversary. As we sat having some coffee, muesli, and yoghurt, we began to hear a cacaphony of bells - similar to what we heard from the cows in meadows while hiking, but louder, with more tones, and in our immediate vicinity!

We rushed to the deck overlooking Route des Confins, and there was a herd of dairy cows wearing ceremonial bells with broad embroidered collars, each with a distinct insignia. They were heading to the high meadow around Lac des Confins, perhaps as a symbolic heralding of spring. We watched with broad grins as the herders flicked those who slowed, keeping the musical parade moving upward. To be sure, the meadows, paths and roadsides are surging with flowers sprouting everywhere. Crocuses are popping up everywhere, with violets, elder flowered orchids, marsh marigolds, and many others unidentified. And this is clearly just the beginning, with lupine, edelweiss, and others yet to follow over the next few weeks. We are truly here at a magical time - between tourist seasons of winter sports and summer pleasures, but just at the time when the snow melts away to release nature's abundance.

Every morning's first breath brings another wave of exuberance.

We drove to Col des Aravis and hiked up to an overlook to view Giettaz in the precipitous valley below and a cloud shrouded Mont Blanc in the distance. Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe lie near the conjunction of Italy, France, and Switzerland and will be the object of a visit by us next week, when all telesphere lifts will be operating to take us from Chamonix up and over the nearby ridge to Italy. We hear it is a magnificant view and ride.

City Rites of Passage

I get to tick another city-living hazard off my list today. I've previously:
-Been hit by a car while crossing the street
-Had my car broken into
-Received more parking tickets than I care to recount
-Had a hit and run to my parked car at some point during the night.
Am I forgetting anything?

One more is due: The Apartment Break-In.
Yes, it has happened, though our unit was spared. We live in a 3-flat, meaning there are only 3 units in the building, each one taking a floor. We live on the 3rd floor and are the only tenants. The 85-year old owners live on the first floor with their son, and their daughter and son-in-law live on the second. Around 2 pm on Thursday last week Emily and I were sitting in the living room when we thought we heard a knock. Generally when our landlords come up for whatever reason they knock on the back door. We waited and heard it again, so I walked back and opened the door. Nobody there. I called out, nobody answered.

Later that evening the daughter from the 2nd floor came running upstairs to tell us that their apartment had been broken into! The computer and jewelry had been taken and contents of drawers had been strewn across the room. We assume that the knocking we heard was the burgler knocking on the front door of the 2nd floor apartment to make sure they weren't home. The unsettling part was knowing that Emily and I, and the 85-year old owners on the first floor had been home the whole time.

Thankfully nobody was hurt. We still feel safe though we are being more vigilant about keeping the doors locked.

On another note, I had my first run-in of the season with that big, scary raccoon in our backyard again. I think we are equally nervous about each other except that he is the size of a coyote and has a cool bandit-style headband. All I have is a voice that quavers when I say, "go away!" and cloth purse to protect me.

Goat Cheese Supreme

...and this is for Caitlyn and Laura, luscious goat cheese, though we don't expect to bring any home to them. Temperatures were in the 70's and just about perfect for walking in the mountains.

Hiking La Clusaz

The day was sunny and beautiful, so after a good night's rest and a hearty breakfast of muesli and yoghurt, we headed out for a casual walk up near Lac des Confins, east of the chalet. We had cheese, pickles, apples, and a baguette for lunch and found a wonderful spot overlooking a long valley. Dairy cows and goats were busy working their way across the meadows, to create the miracle of fresh milk and cheese. On the way back we stopped by the Chrevrerie to buy some fresh made goat cheese!

Arrived In La Clusaz

After a long night and day of flights and a harrowing drive up into the alps with impatient locals nipping at our heels, we have arrived at La Clusaz and the chalet. We've enclosed a first couple of pictures of the view across the valley, with lingering snow still blanketing the heights. Wysteria, lilacs, and diverse flowers reign supreme along the lush green meadows. The air is crisp and clear, with a warm sun providing a nice welcome. More to come.....

French Alps 2009

We've begun our journey with stage 1 being a stop in Huntington to pick up the Pitficks and double check our packing to make sure we have everything. Friday afternoon we'll depart for Geneva, Switzerland via Madrid, to arrive Saturday afternoon. Here we are having dinner on Wed 5/13/09 remembering old times and anticipating the new.

Life Lessons in Tupperware

It was a weeknight, I was cleaning up the kitchen after eating dinner. I went into the pantry in search of a tupperware container. After several attempts...

Caitlyn (shouting to make sure that roommate on the other end of the apartment hears): This is ridiculous! None of our tupperware matches! What happened?!

Emily scurries into the kitchen in her all-business way, gets on her hands and knees and starts pulling out all the tupperware piece by piece to match it up.

I go about my business in the kitchen and periodically glance over to see the "matched" pile getting bigger and bigger. I scowl to myself, but take a few breaths so I can be calm and humbled.

Emily (looks at me with an ironic twinkle in her eye): I sure hope I'm not in THAT pile. She indicates the group of 4-5 unmatched pieces. But I think I am.

I laugh, and survey the scene. A mountain of matched tupper and a few, a small few, lonely pieces with no match.

Caitlyn: I guess I was too hasty in my accusation that there weren't any that matched. But I just kept picking the wrong ones!

And then I hit myself in the forehead, because OH GOD! was that ever a metaphor for my life.