Here in Saint-Aignan, the sun doesn't come up until about 8 a.m. at this time of year. That's an hour later than in places like coastal North Carolina and the U.S. west coast, where I used to live. And even after it's up, it is low in the sky now. That makes it hard to take pictures on the morning walk.
Yesterday I tried to get a good photo of Walt and Callie coming back from their walk. It was 8:20 a.m. Obviously, it's not a crisp and clear image — the light wasn't bright enough. Oh well. Today it's my turn to go out there with the dog. It'll be chilly, but pretty. Here are some of the flowers of the season, growing outside our guest bedroom window.
Yesterday Walt said there were crews of workers picking grapes by hand in several plots along the mile-long dirt road that runs through the Renaudière vineyard. A lot more manual harvesting seems to be going on this year than in the past.
I imagine the new local wine appellation, Touraine-Chenonceaux, has something to do with that. Our wines and wineries are going upscale, and I think that's got to be a good thing. I'll take my camera with me this morning and see if I can document the changes. The photos might look like the one above, however. In it, you can barely see Walt walking along the road toward home.
Most of our grapes have been picked by now. Barrels are bubbling. Every family has a barrel or two. Great time of the year. We'll all be off daylight saving soon. Earlier sunrise but then it will be colder too. Beautiful place you have chosen to live.
ReplyDeleteNot sure where you are. Must be in Europe. We did manage to find a beautiful place when we started looking in 2002.
DeleteLove the to one, puts me in mind of a Monet painting
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I was trying to make the best of a blurry photo.
DeleteYes, your first photo looks like a beautiful watercolor. You should frame it!
ReplyDeleteI have a frame all ready.
DeleteI agree with Kiwi. This is a special photo of your French life.
DeleteI agree with Kiwi. This is a special photo of your French life.
DeleteThe hedge is so perfectly clipped it almost doesn't look real.
ReplyDeleteThe guys who maintain the hedge really do a good job. May they continue their good ways for many years to come.
DeleteWhen we visited Vignobles Dinocheau before meeting you and Walt for dinner in April, I hadn't realized that Touraine-Chenonceaux was such a new appellation. We brought a bottle of Dinocheau's T-C home with us, and it was outstanding.
ReplyDeleteThe T-C appellation is only 2 or 3 years old. I think different wineries are trying to make the most of it by upgrading their practices and methods.
DeleteThe first photo does look like a painting. I wish my blurred ones looked that good! Lovely view of the countryside.
ReplyDelete: ^ )
DeleteI, too, love the watercolor look of the photo !
ReplyDelete: ^ )
DeleteI join the admirers of the first photo.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, isn't that hedge looking good with its flat-top 'do?
DeleteHi Chris, isn't that hedge looking good with its flat-top 'do?
DeleteAgree with all the comments about the first pic. I am a bit late and i was going to say : " Would be interesting to have it enlarged and printed to be framed - looks like a painting " :-)
ReplyDeleteI do have a frame, but as you say I need to see if the image can be properly sized. And then I need to go buy some glass for the frame, which a friend in California made. Hope you and Y. are doing well.
DeleteDitto regarding the first image. I also enjoy the jolly yellow flowers - are these the Jerusalem 'chokes?
ReplyDeleteThey are the Jerusalem artichokes. Hi to you and A.
DeleteA. says hi back to you both. He also says you outdid Pissarro with that first image. Bravo!
DeleteKen, a great photo of Walt and Callie. Always trying to be the technician, was this taken at high ISO or was there any other special effect applied. Very fine.
ReplyDeleteHi Terry, it was taken at ISO 1250. I also applied Photoshop's dry brush filter (very lightly) before I cropped and resized the image for the blog. Thanks for your comment.
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