Days 25 - 27: My Flowers

Dahlia

Despite the torrid heat during this month of July.

the flowers on my balcony garden have done pretty well.

There are so many of them that it's difficult to know where to start.

Pretty in Pink

Fresh yellow

A tiny red rose which was part of the Mother's Day plant arrangement

sent to me by my son this year.

Hydrangea

Tiny Asters

Blue Campanula

and white too.

Geraniums: pale pink

and darker ones too.

Phlox in different shades

Here is a collage of the many different kinds of flowers in my window boxes and big pots this year

My flowers are my biggest joy in the summer months

and I eat all my meals outside

surrounded by their wonderful colours.

My herb garden is doing well too:

A Rosemary tree

A big plant of Basil which I use a lot

Lemon Verbena for herb teas

and mint.

I have run out of chives and must get a new plant!

Day 23 - Entrance

The entrance to the houses or buildings where we live is important.

Although I live in a building bordering the town centre,

I appreciate the fact that there is greenery and some flowering bushes 

along the path leading up the the entrance.

There's something welcoming about big hydrangea blooms

that line the path where I live.

The greenery nearby and the trees that are planted

are compensation for living in a built-up area.

I have all the advantages of  shops nearby and great public transport

but can still enjoy a little of nature where I am.

To get out into the real countryside, I need to take some form of public transport

like a bus, the metro or the train.

All of them are very easy to reach from where I live.

Day 22 - Gardening

A Gentian plant was missing on my balcony

I was happy to find it at the market yesterday.

It goes so well with the Edelweiss flowers that I already had.

Two mountain plants together.

This morning,

my walk took me up into the neighbourhood above mine

and I bought a beautiful bright Begonia plant

for the end of my balcony near the kitchen.

I had originally seen a deep pink one I liked 

but it had been sold.

This is a welcome flash of colour!

There's still some planting to do

of aromatic plants:

Basil and Lemon Verbena.

It's been a good day and the temperatures were perfect to do some gardening!

Day 21 - Market Day

Market day is on Saturdays and on Wednesday.

I love going there at least once a week to stock up on a wonderful choice

of fresh, locally grown produce.

There's a special atmosphere on Saturdays

with music in the streets and sometimes singers.

It's always a special treat to have breakfast out on market day

and then take a bus up the hill with all the shopping.

I'm so lucky with a frequent bus service

and the bus stops just at the top of my street

isn't that wonderful?

Here are just some of the things that were bought:

Fresh green beans

Red peppers

Crisp salads

Raspberries 

Strawberries

and luscious rich coloured apricots

to eat and to make a few pots of low sugar jam.

We ate the courgettes for lunch

with fresh ripe tomatoes

and basil leaves! 

Day 20 - In My Hand

Nestled in my hand

A tiny phlox bloom

Searched for the light

She had fallen from the plant

at the height of her beauty

Looking for a tender hand to save her from her plight.

I was lucky to capture these photos on my balcony just before the storm broke and the 

heavy rain fell, bouncing off the road and path.

Ah!

Coolness at last!

Day 19 - Evening Walk

Evening bee on sunflower.

There are many gardens and allotments in my neighbourhood 

and my early morning and my evening walks allow me to enjoy them all.

One garden was just full of beautiful sunflowers

They are glorious from every angle

Even from the back.

The colours vary

I love the young flowers unfolding their petals.

Perfection

The sky was showing an announced change in the weather from hot and sunny

and then to hot and humid as the clouds increased.

Storms and rain are on the way and hopefully we shall get some refreshment

from the lovely rain!

Day 18 - Time to Dream

Isn't that what summer is all about?

Taking time to dream

and be totally immersed in the moment.

New flowers to plant in two of my window-boxes

I bought them down the market today

and just love their fresh colours.

Author: Gladys Taber

Day 17 - Heart

Heart shapes

have a particular charm.

I notice them when I go out walking

and they are especially lovely to crochet. 

I recently made some for a wedding table decoration.

This time I have made a crocheted bag to give as a gift

to a little four year-old girl. 

I've made it reversible so that her favourite colour scheme can be used.

The buttons allow the shoulder strap to be altered as needed.

A bag is so much more exciting with a little gift inside

This tiny panda bear wanted to come home with me when I was out shopping.

He fits in perfectly!

***

It is common politeness to give a link

to the person who provides or creates this pattern

Day 15 - Morning Walk

Early morning walks are my favourite

mostly because it's so lovely and cool at that time of the day.

These are early morning shadows in the grass.

I start off by crossing a bridge surrounded by trees,

then up some steps.

This morning I went into the park

and encountered a friendly fallen branch

On the way home, 

I saw these pretty bindweed flowers.

The grass and the earth felt good under my feet!

This afternoon I watched a very exciting men's tennis finals at Wimbledon.

I can hear thunder getting closer.

We're going to have a storm.

It's nice to be snug inside.

***

I want to thank all my visitors that come here every day, well over a hundred daily!

I know how time-consuming it can be to leave a comment,

especially when someone goes through a whole month of posting a new blog entry

every day!

A kind thank you to all those who pop in to say hello!

I hope you all had a lovely Sunday!

Day 14 - Breakfast Treat

I simply love market days on Wednesdays and Saturdays

in the city of Lausanne.

Not only is the choice of fresh produce just amazing,

but going downtown on market days is a wonderful excuse to have breakfast out.

Do you have breakfast out sometimes?

I love to go upstairs in the Coccinelle Café.

There's a great view down onto the busier side of the café and it's less crowded.

I just know that all of you would like to see the delicious things they serve:

Croissants

Escargots (raisin buns with a touch of vanilla pastry cream)

Torsades aux pépites de chocolat (Chocolate Chip Twisted pastry)

Apple Turnovers

Brioches

Almond Pastries.

This morning, I had an escargot (my favourite) and a peppermint tea in an adorable

ladybird teapot.

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend.

It's very hot and heavy here and thunderstorms are on their way.

Luckily there is excellent tennis at Wimbledon to watch on TV!

Day 13 - "IF"

IF

If I had a garden,

it would have lavender growing all along the path right up to the front door

and roses growing over an archway.

If I lived in a house,

the front door mat would have the word 'WELCOME'

written on it.

There would be a different wreath for every season on the front door.

If I had a big kitchen,

I would invite everyone for breakfast or tea

with a gingham tablecloth on the big wooden table

with tantalizing smells coming from the oven or the stove!

BUT

where I live now, I have a balcony and flowers and always a cloth on my table

and a wreath on my front door.

I have organic coffee or herb teas for any visitor coming this way

and I don't have backache

from bending down gardening!

I'm still on the lookout for a front-door mat which has

WELCOME

written on it,

Life is as it is

Life can be good in all circumstances

We just need to recognize them!

Day 12 - Shopping Spree

A collage today

and what a day!

I met with a good friend to enjoy a shopping spree

and to have a salad lunch out!

We both wanted to go to a shoe shop.

I managed to find some elegant shoes with a lovely low wedge heel

for my son's wedding next month!

I also found a wonderful little bag in material

made by a very creative and gifted crafts-lady.

She was showing her beautiful creations in a downtown exhibition and sale.

Finding comfortable sandals was also important

for when my court shoes start to maybe pinch a little on the evening of the wedding.

Don't you love the dainty crocheted necklace

made by another artist?

I was wondering if I could make one of those myself!

So today I feel happy,

but also exhausted!

All those hills to walk up and down in the city of Lausanne!

Now it's time to rest and relax

and an early night for sure!