April 2013

APRIL 2013


It is the end of April. This year spring has been a big tease, few warm and sunny days, and then the temperature plummets once again and the rain starts.

On the few nice days that we actually had, I have tried to get out and enjoy the day. This blog will be a tour of photos.

One day I went for walk above Gevrey. It was still early spring and not a lot in bloom, but I found a few things to photograph. First and to me the most amazing, is my next photo. Every so often when the elements are just right, it is possible to see Mont Blanc on the horizon (Mont Blanc is in the French Alps near Chamonix). As the crow flies, this is about 230 miles away. I have been told this phenomenon happens when there is moisture in the air that actually magnifies the mountain. So on this bright sunny day, I thought I saw Mont Blanc. Is it clouds or is it Mont Blanc? Decided it was Mont Blanc, wow, it looked big and white because of the snow! I took a photo, and in color, you can see Mont Blanc, but no details. So using PhotoShop I changed it to black and white. I was very surprised by the results!! Again, this is over 200 miles away!!!

Mont Blanc from Gevrey..Awesome

Then I started my walk. I took the trail that goes up the Côte, up to the plateau. Here are a few of the flowers that I found that warm Sunday afternoon.

Black Pines- planted at the turn of the century,
after the Phyloxera epidemic of the grape vines

The trail looks so flat here and so steep in reality

Anémone Pulsatille or Pasqueflower

Anémone Sylvia, native to Europe (wood anemone)

On another warm day I went to the ponds just east (or outside) of Gevrey. I was taking photos for the group Flora and Fauna ( the Assoc for History and Hertitage that I am a member of).

One of the ponds east of Gevrey. I have not identified the flower yet.
Little white flower with red stems. Not a long walk from here.

Lots and lots of swans

Even some mushrooms..a hypholoma

Weeping willow starting to bloom

Also went out and photographed a village, Ruelle-Vergy in the Haute-Côte. This is part of the Assoc again, documenting the villages in the canton of Gevrey. There were four of us that warm and sunny day. I am not going to add photos of the streets and houses, but I took two photos that I am going to share.

This once was a part of a heritage museum, but the museum is closed

This is on the "street of the little donkey meadow"
Note the fence on the left

No longer donkeys behind the fence on the Rue du Pré d'Anon
Oh la vache ( or cows)

Took other walks too. Not as sunny, but not raining either.

These are vines in the Haute-Côte. The vines here have a taller
trunk than the vines on this side of the Côte

This is a Cabotte. It was built as shelter for the
winegrowers. You see these old structures here and
there.

One final photo. Here in Gevrey on the Ave de la Gare, the workers of the village gave the trees a spring pruning. These tress are called Tilleul in french or Lime tree in England, or in the USA it is called American linden, American white wood, bass-tree, or basswood. I have never seen it pruned like this in the US. Poor trees, so naked!!

Naked Basswood trees

Here I will close. Keith made a trip to the US this month. A visit to Nebraska. His Saturdays at Bligny fixing and repairing the trains has ended because the tourist season starts this weekend. May and June the tourist train runs on Saturday and Sunday. July and August the train runs daily.
Recipe of the Month
Dijon Chicken
OK so everyone did not rush out to cook rabbit last month. Eating rabbit is more French than American.

This month I will try another favorite of Keith's. This an easy recipe and so good.
Recipe for 2
INGREDIENTS

• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cube of chicken broth
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS oil
• 1 TBS butter

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil and butter in pan
2. Brown chicken on both sides
3. Add water and broth cube (turn heat down to medium)
4. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes ( check )
5. Take cover off and continue to simmer until water is practically gone- watch carefully
6. Add creme fraiche and mustard and stir-be sure to get all the good flavors of the bottom of the pan
7. When sauce thickens take off the burner and serve immediately