Saturday, April 30, 2016

the cycle begins


It's like opening day.  The buds are just starting to form on these old vines.

Friday, April 29, 2016

a stand up kind of guy


These amazingly tall flowers are spread generously through the flower beds near the levee this year.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

the open field


If you're going to live next to an open field, this is the one you want.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

the picnic


Hanging out on the edge of the Loire and having a picnic lunch.  Does it get any better?

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

they're back


It's great to see these guys scampering around again.  But ya gotta be quick to catch them "on film".

Monday, April 25, 2016

spring - down on the farm


This rural scene could be almost anywhere but is in fact just outside the town line of Amboise.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

tropical paradise ?


These amazing tall flowers planted on top of the levee create a scene that reminds me of palm trees and sea breezes.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

the fair way


Here's a broader view of the Amboise fair that I mentioned in a post earlier this week.  The plane trees were just beginning to bud.  And soon this mall will be under a shady canopy.

Friday, April 22, 2016

now that's a boat load of flowers


This boat-like planter is in the median strip of the widest street in Amboise, Quai Général de Gaulle.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

the portable art gallery


Now here is an unusual way to show and promote contemporary art.  This little structure is staying in Amboise for two months, displaying a single piece of work by two artists for a month each. After that, the little "gallery" will move on to another venue in the Central Region of France.  It's a great example of the many little surprises to be found on the streets here.


Wednesday, April 20, 2016

intense shadows


Or "on tents" shadows.  In any case they caught my eye as I was heading to the annual fair in Amboise.  The fair is a mix of US state fair-like amusements for the kids and consumer goods for the adults.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

soon


Soon this tree on Place Debré will be casting a very different shadow.

Monday, April 18, 2016

le meilleur voisin du monde


Here is yet another reason we have the best neighbor in the world.  We can watch this glorious tree from our kitchen window.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

l'Elgise de Saint-Ouen-les-Vignes


This church is a nice easy bike ride north of Amboise.  It dates back to the 11th century and was enlarged in the 16th, The prominent bell tower and covered entry which make this church so unique were added in the 17th.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

opening season


It's like throwing out the first baseball of the season.  Here is my first spring sunset.

Friday, April 15, 2016

on guard at the train station


This magnificent conifer has plenty of room in the parking lot at the Amboise train station.  Right now it is just covered in small brown cones.


Thursday, April 14, 2016

at last


Spring seems to have been slow to arrive here this year.  But at last* here is a tree that has just exploded in the recent warm weather.

*with a tip of the hat to Etta James

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

red sunset



The low afternoon sun really brought the red out of these aging doors.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

the big arch


This arch on the Loire is cast by the Leclerc bridge in the late afternoon sun (as a result it is quite elongated).

Monday, April 11, 2016

and with icing on top


I always have garage envy here as our (rented) one is not too interesting.  But this one, whoa!

Sunday, April 10, 2016

light under the bridge


I caught the Leclerc bridge last week as the early morning sun found its way underneath.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

storage


There are lots of troglodyte storage spaces around here, not to mention entire homes in cliff sides.  The spaces were created many, many years ago by quarrying the stone for local buildings and châteaux.

Friday, April 8, 2016

Amboise - UNESCO world heritage town


These logos on a metal "banner" recognize Amboise as a town in the Valley of the Loire which was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites in 2000.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

morning shadows


Long shadows cast by strollers and and a planter on Place Debré.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

sat on the roof


It going to be a good crop of moss this year on the side of the church Saint-Florentin.

Please forgive my continued references to old rock 'n roll tunes, I can't stop myself.

Monday, April 4, 2016

log jam


We've had lots of rain this spring, and while the Loire was way up many dead trees were washed downstream.  Here they got caught by some small yet sturdy living trees and then were left high and dry after the river subsided.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

l'horloge de la Basilique Saint-Martin


This clock tower is one of the remaining pieces of the Collegiate Church of Saint Martin in nearby Tours.  Below is a brief history of it as described by an historical marker on the street (click on the image to see it enlarged). It also shows how the pieces fit into the overall church layout, most of which is now gone.


Friday, April 1, 2016

CDP theme day - the beauty of simplicity


The first of every month is Theme Day for the bloggers of City Daily Photo, and today's theme is "the beauty of simplicity".  Click here to see how the others interpreted it.