Kristin's visit's dénouement and the start of the monsoon season

Dwight Peck's personal website

Winter 2009-2010

Our first full year of Obama disappointments

We're just back from some exceptionally well-deserved R+R cavorting along the coast paths of Cornwall, thoroughly drenched more than a few times with bucketfuls from out of the roiling skies, but now we're safely home in Switzerland again and ready for some serious sunlight to bask in.

Kristin's visit's dénouement and the start of the monsoon season

You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.

First we need to catch up on the news on Raw Story, and then we're up on the Jura hillsides.

Kristin and a huge raindrop, 3 November, that, in retrospect, set the tone for the entire autumn of 2009.

Kristin's down in Geneva with friends today, 4 November 2009, so we're up here chasing a rare sunbeam past the farm of Les Pralets at the top of the Bassins Route des Montagnes.

Taking advantage of a pause in the rain

No blue skies at the moment but there's hope, as we pass the Swiss Alpine Club hut of Cunay, 6 November

Grey skies and clouds in and out, so far, but there's hope

Sunlight!

Kristin near Mont Tendre. Flooded with sunlight, and nearly blue skies.

No shed left uninvestigated. And balmy blue skies above.

Shortlived balmy blue skies -- grey skies now on the meadows of Druchaux.

Lake Geneva, far below, has still got sun.

Back to the car

Rionde Dessous and La Neuve

The farm of Rionde Dessous on 8 November 2009. Enough light to see by, but there's no need for the +75 sunblock yet.

The Rionde Dessous farm as we trudge up the combe a ways

Badoit.

Sold only in pharmacies from 1838 to 1954. Now owned by Evian, which is owned by Danone, so every gulp you take of it indirectly helps my communications budget. (Want to celebrate World Wetlands Day with us? Danone paid for all the posters and leaflets and party favors.)

The farm at La Neuve (1444m) . . .

. . . and we're starting back down now

But first, a sneaky peek inside

Can't see a thing except cow facilities

We've seen chamois tracks everywhere, but not a single beast so far. That's just Kristin there.

Back at the Rionde Dessous farm from the other direction

It's early November, a little smushering of snow here at 1300m already -- perhaps it might be a good year.

Mont Sâla

Spoke too soon. Here we are a week later -- whatever snow had been here has washed down the hill with the rain. Kristin has gone back to the Land of We're Number One, so on 14 November we're dodging raindrops at the top of the Bassins Route des Montagnes all alone.

Having lingered long at the breakfast table, the afternoon has crept past us, so we'll hurry a little if possible.

The farm of Le Couchant (1445m asl) in the Combe des Begnines

Around Le Couchant farm (1445m) at one end of the Combe des Begnines, the rain resumes and the camera lens gets blurrier.

We're persisting in a senseless and foolhardy manner and here's the top of Mont Sâla (1511m), where we shall not linger.

Only time for a wet self-photo, after seven tries as the wind kept blowing the appareil off the base of the cross.

La Dôle in the distance, everything running with water everywhere

We've left things a little late today.

Remember not to breathe out when clicking the button.

Sodden by this time. Really sodden.

When Kristin comes back in December, we're going to Corsica. A few more autumn hikes in the meantime.

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