Droplets

Macro Droplets : Ferney-Voltaire, FR

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 7/11

Lavender's Blue, Dilly Dilly...

Lavender on the Terrace : Geneva, CH

On the eighth floor terrace at work, they have planter boxes full of all kinds of flora. Before coming to Europe, I was not a big fan of lavender, but after spending a lovely weekend in Provence surrounded by the lavender fields, I fell in love with the stuff. I'm lobbying for lavender next year in some of our planter boxes on our own terrace...

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/11

Contre-jour Poppies

Poppies in contre-jour : Collex, CH

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/11

Clover

Clover : Collex, CH

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/11

Peonies

 Peonies for my birthday

Tomorrow is my birthday and these are the flowers Maya gave me to enjoy at work leading up to my birthday. Purdy purdy, huh?

The arrangement, before the peonies opened...

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/11

Think Spring?

Fountain Repurposed : Geneva, CH

And speaking of green things and spring, crocuses and jonquils are starting to pop up. These beauties are in a fountain on the Rue du Rhone in Geneva.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 3/11

Fuerteventura : Part V

Triumphant

Some of the plant life to be found around Tuineje...

Cactus and Windmill

Platter of Prickly Pear

Date Tree

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Sunrise Geraniums

Sunrise on Geraniums : Ferney-Voltaire, FR

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 9/10

California Dreamin'...

California dreamin'... : Divonne-les-Bains, FR

Red poppies are pretty common in Europe and can be seen in fields all over France and Switzerland. On a recent walk in Divonne, though, I noticed some not-so-typical poppies in a private garden. These are California poppies. Normally, you see them in the western United States. My conclusion: the family who lives behind this gate is California dreamin'...

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 7/10

Sunshiney Face

Full-blown, summer sunshine in a bloom! : Bossy, CH

The sunflowers in finally in full bloom in fields across Switzerland and France. Today's walk goes right past a field of these summer beauties.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/10

Poppies

In Ferney's fields the poppies grow... : Ferney-Voltaire, FR

Spring means newly ploughed fields means new crops means poppies. Along the edge of the field across the street from the apartment and on the edge of Switzerland are bright, red poppies. I love the paper-like quality and creping of the petals of these flowers. These poppies are the Papaver rhoeas variety and are considered to be a common weed in Europe, where they are also a symbol of Remembrance Day and are worn to commemorate the dead of World War I. They were immortalized in a poem by Canadian Lt. Col. John McRae titled, "In Flanders Fields."

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/10

100 Unnamed Strangers: Florist

Quiet Beauty : Pike Place Market : Seattle, WA

While in Seattle, I spent an hour wandering around Pike Place Market. The market is filled with fishmongers, produce vendors, artisans, and florists. This woman, making a bouquet, caught my eye. I had to stand on my tiptoes to get this picture, because she wasn't much taller than the flowers around her, and neither was I!

P.S. I looked for fellow photo blogger Chuck Pefley while I was there, but didn't see him. Missed opportunity, I suppose.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/10

Fiery

Rhododendrons : Geneva, CH

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/10

For Mom

 Bleeding Hearts on the 8th Floor : Geneva, CH

On the eighth floor of the main building at work, there's a terrace with great views of Geneva and the surrounding areas. Along one side of the terrace, there are planter boxes. The other day, I was up there for my lunch and noticed these bleeding hearts (Dicentra spectabilis, also known as Dutchman's Trousers.) My mom has several bleeding hearts planted in her yard in Virginia and these made me think of her and miss her.

Love you, Mom!

Bleeding Hearts, also called Dutchman's Trousers : Geneva, CH

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/10

Flower Power!

Flower Power! : Geneva, CH

Just a sampling of the beautiful flowers seen around work. See the slideshow below or my Picasa Web Album.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/10

Sure Sign of Spring?

Crocuses: A sure sign of spring? : Geneva, CH

(Click on image for better color.)

For the last couple of days, I've noticed a patch of crocuses (or is that crocii?) outside the cafeteria at work. Today, I brought my camera and macro lens with me. Some of the best advice I had last year came from Bob Crowe of St. Louis Daily Photo. We met for dinner in Washington, D.C., and he said, "When you buy a camera, don't worry about spending a lot on the body. Put your money in good glass." That's what I did. I bought a Nikkor 18-200 mm and a Tamron macro. It was the latter I used today and I have to say, I am very, very pleased with the results. Looking forward to spring and using this lens even more!

Crocuses in orange-yellow : Geneva, CH

(Click on image for better color.)

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 2/10

Two Things Challenge: Yellow/Brick

Yellow : Aarberg, CH

This week's Two Things Challenge was Yellow / Brick. Nothing too exciting, but here you go: a macro of a yellow flower in Aarberg, Switzerland, and brick on the School of Art and Architecture in Paris near the Jardin du Luxembourg.

Brick : Paris, FR

Next week's challenge is Star / Appeal. Want to see how other's interpreted this week's challenge or participate next week? Check out Two Things Challenge.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Jura Flora

Flora in the Jura Mountains

We went to Col de la Faucille just to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather this past weekend. After enjoying views of Geneva, we went for a little bit of a hike in Faucille. There were a lot of very pretty little mountain flowers and these are just a few pictures.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

At the Foot of the Pont du Mont Blanc

The Flower Clock : Geneva, CH

At the foot of the Pont du Mont Blanc (the Mont Blanc Bridge) are two sights that signal you've entered the center of Geneva: The Flower Clock and the National Monument. The former pays homage to the Swiss clock making industry. Some of the finest watchmakers in world are found in this little Alpine nation--Tag Heuer, Rolex, Omega, Swatch. You can get a Tag Heuer for as much as CHF 6900 or a Swatch for as little as CHF 100.

National Monument : Geneva, CH

The second photo commemorates Geneva joining the rest of Switzerland in 1815. The Flower Clock and the National Monument are next to each other and are a great point for starting your tour of Geneva.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Echte Edelweiss

Edelweiss: Blossom of snow

The other day, my friend JaneAnne commented on this picture and asked me if this was edelweiss. It is not. But the photo above is. Edelweiss is generally found in high Alpine regions in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. The flower is white, five-pointed, and velvety soft. Somehow, they've managed to cultivate a lower altitude variety. The blossoms are larger than normal, but the effect is still the same. I shot these outside a florist's shop in Zurich after the rain.

And for those who are wondering, yes, edelweiss is the national flower of Austria, but the song Edelweiss, made famous in the American musical The Sound of Music is not the national anthem of Austria. That would be Land der Berge, Land am Strome.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 06/09