Tuesday, March 29, 2016

96 tears


Well not really tears, but these tear-shaped trails resulted from an extremely hard downpour of rain on a stone wall lining my street.  You'll have to be from my generation to get the title reference.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

stone and steel


This is an entry gate to a private residence that has a great view of the chapel Saint-Hubert.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

shhhhh


These wine bottles are resting quietly in the dark as the wine inside ages.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

how to make an entrance


This is one of the exterior doors to Clos Lucé, the home where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years in Amboise.  As impressive as it it, this is not the main entrance.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

this says it all


This restaurant sign on Place Debré summarizes in icons the pillars of the local cuisine... wonderful food, superb breads, and fine wines all served in royal tradition.

Monday, March 21, 2016

simple pleasures


Simple designs and embellishments, subtle colors.  Does it get any better than this?

Saturday, March 19, 2016

l'école Rabelais-Richelieu - the schoolhouse


This schoolhouse was recently renovated, and I have to say that it's a bit classier than the one I attended.

Friday, March 18, 2016

la crécerelle - the kestrel


I have seen these amazing birds from time to time for years, hovering over open fields looking for a good meal.  Like helicopters, they fly stationary and patiently wait for their prey.  Alas, they have always been way too far away for me to capture on "film" but recently I encountered this one on the banks of the Loire right next to the levee as I passed by.  I had only a few moments before he saw me and flew away, so I didn't capture the "perfect" image.  However, these two shots manage to show his hawkish profile as well as his tail plumage.

Monday, March 14, 2016

man vs nature


Man-made beauty vs natural beauty.  I love them both.  Here, the embellished metal retainer is used to hold this wall "painted" by nature in place.  I've seen lots of different designs for these retainers, but this is one of my favorites.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

la Chapelle Saint-Jean


According to the town's web site, this little chapel was built in 1099.  It is still used occasionally for cultural events.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

a bumper crop of mistletoe


These cousins of the American mistletoe are very common here, but this is an especially dense growth of them on the Ile d'Or.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

skimming over the Loire


This cormorant was heading back upstream underneath the Leclerc bridge from which I managed to get this unusual view from above.  Another unusual aspect of this photo (for Amboise) is the falling snow.  Cormorants dive underneath the surface of the water in search of fish.  While under water the current carries them downstream under the bridge.  Re-surfacing, they fly back to complete the cycle.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

the clock tower


I don't know the age of this clock on Place Richlieu, but it was still right on time on this sunny day in February.

Monday, March 7, 2016

not Hollywood


With dark clouds looming, this photo turned out a bit more brooding than I expected.  But I couldn't resist the angle on these three very disparate elements despite the weather.  The bandstand appears to be sheltering a model of the château of Amboise but it is in fact the real thing at a distance.  The old sign advertising the camping on the Ile d'Or reminds me of the old HOLLYWOOD sign in LA.  Which seems fitting for this film noir image.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Tour Hertault


This is one of two towers containing spiral ramps for access from street level to the château grounds on high.  After recent renovations it is now the main tourist (if you'll pardon the play on words) exit.

Saturday, March 5, 2016

looking for lunch


Usually the egrets are so skittish that I can never get close enough to get good shot.  On this exceptional day, this fellow was so intent on finding a snack that I managed to get the snap before he swooped away.



Friday, March 4, 2016

life can be harsh


One day you're blooming in the sun and four days later you're freezing your petals off.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

you want texture?


It helps to zoom in on this image to see all the wonderful texture in the wood, stone, and brick (click on the image and maximize your browser).

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

a wet winter


A cyclist and another hiker left this nice pattern in the muddy path for me to find on a recent long walk.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

CDP Theme Day - where I belong


The first of every month is Theme Day for the bloggers of City Daily Photo, and today the theme is "where I belong".  Click here to see how it was interpreted by the other bloggers.  For me, where I belong is cycling alongside the Loire on a warm, sunny day.