choully picnic

Hooray for early springtime! Today we gathered with friends and kids and dogs for a picnic and playing in the grass, complete with Cerdon, roasting sausages over a fire, and doing our very best to bask in every minute of sunshine.

lounging at lake neuchâtel

A sudden head cold put my ambitious hiking plans on hold for today. Instead, we relaxed in the little town of Grandson on Lake Neuchâtel.  It was a beautiful day and last chance to wear swimsuits for the season (Okay, I'm accepting the end of summer). We passed Yverdon-les-Bains for a quieter spot across the lake to picnic and nap in the grass before exploring the boat docks and wandering through the streets. 

A little bit of Swisstory: Grandson is famous for its castle, remains of prehistoric settlements, and battle victory for the Swiss in the Burgundian Wars (on my birthday, but in 1476). 

Eglise de Grandson:

Around town:

green zebras

Tomatoes are so good right now, from the store, a friend's garden, and even my tiny patio. Tonight I mixed whatever tomatoes were around, including a few lovely green zebras, with cucumber, chickpeas, onion, garlic, half a lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and sea salt for a fresh and filling salad. Picnic in the vineyard, tastes even better.

stops along the way

This morning we started the journey home, visiting a few towns along the way. First stop, Forcalquier to gather the treats for final Provencal picnic. We bought more olives, sun dried tomatoes, candied almonds, tapenade, and stuffed grape leaves to eat with our remaining fruit in the evening. We almost accepted a kitten needing a home, but thought that might be a little impulsive. So, we wandered the narrow streets, made our way up to the hilltop, and found a shop with peach and melon ice cream cones to eat while we wandered away the afternoon.

When the clouds gathered above Forcalquier, we drove west to Roussillon to wander more narrow streets lined with peach and pink buildings with blue doors.

Our last stop was the tiny village of Murs. Our picnic lingered as late as it could before departing for the highway and heading back north.

picnic

After a good, but surprisingly frigid, Crozet run, we met friends in the vineyards for a Sunday picnic. We were the final hold-outs refusing to go inside, hanging on to the shortening summer hours.

sante with mk

I'm really happy this weekend to have a grad school friend visiting. After a long walking tour of the area, we rewarded ourselves with a vineyard picnic and wine tasting at Domaine des Faunes in Dardagny, and then back up to Challex for pizza on the auberge patio, a summertime favorite. Sante!

sunny switzerland

Time for the annual tulip festival in Morges. Last year we saw the colorful blooms with Derek's parents and this we are here with Elizabeth. The weather has been a bit cold and rainy for the flowers, but there a still some hanging in there, and it is a beautiful display.

 We ate our picnic lunch on the lake.

 Boats and deux boules.

 A walk through town and a visit to an Audrey Hepburn tribute (She spent a lot of time around here).

Our own tribute:

Next stop, St. Prex on the way home for pizza on the terrace back in Challex.