writer, warrior, whack-a-doodle

Category: Totally Random

Ruins, Ruins and More Ruins

When I think of Provence, I envision fields of lavender, cute cobbled-stoned villages and plenty of small homes with brightly painted shutters. Not Roman ruins. But that's all we saw. All because Mr. Wild Dingo is whack-a-doo about Roman history.  Even Juno is quite aware of his fascination for all things Roman. I'm beginning to think he only […]

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The Enchantment Continues

Now that I made you all envious, I'll share this with you: Il pleuvait tout la voyage en Provence.   Not just a light dreary drizzle that just dulls your photos with a gray sky, but a clapping thunderous downpour. Brilliant bolts of lightening lit up the chateau while we slept in the evening and winds rattled the […]

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Indulging in Provence

Provence. I know all 12 readers are waiting for a report. Although I'm pretty sure you just want to see the pictures. Do you guys actually read my posts? Because if you do, I'll try to think of something clever to write. I'm not an experienced traveler so I struggled for a week deciding on […]

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It's So Swiss

As I was looking over the charges on the flight to London I booked yesterday, I noticed that Switzerland charged a "noise tax" but the U.K. didn't. That's so Swiss. I took this shot above one evening in our backyard while the dogs were rompin' in the twilight. I think they should just call it an […]

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Yvoire & Les Cinq Sens

Last month, Mr. Wild Dingo and I visited Yvoire, a medieval village on Lake Leman in the Rhone-Alps region of France. I also visited it again last week for a second time. It's a mere 20-minute boat ride across the lake from the port in Nyon, shown above. 

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Swiss Clean

I've been spring cleaning my computer lately. In the last two weeks, I cleaned off about 90 Gigs of data and photos from my hard drive. I told you my photo composition wasn't great. Here's a beautiful shot of the mountains-- with a trashcan that is so prominent, it looks like it was Photoshopped. It's […]

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Rusted!

The Challenge: find something rusty. I found this rusty gate (and rusty smeared retaining wall) at the Lavaux vineyards on my Saturday bike ride. Little did I know it would serve as a metaphor for my bike riding abilities.

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Ciao! Lugano!

One of the favorite places for the Swiss to getaway is Lugano, one of Ticino's most beautiful natural features. The striking thing about it is that the  lake surrounded by the mountains right on the shoreline. The hotels are literally built into the mountain in some cases and right on the lake. I had heard about it enough to put it […]

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Chateau d'Aigle: House of Vine and Wine

A few weekends ago, Mr. Wild Dingo and I visited Chateau d'Aigle, a museum of vine and wine that featured a renown collection of wine labels dating back as far as the 1800's. Unfortunately, that exhibit was closed due to relocation, but the chateau and museum did not disappoint.

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You Can't Get Anymore Italian than Pork and Porcini

Pork Chops Porcini.  I don't know how I made it to this age (eleventy-seven) and being Italian, having never cooked with porcini mushrooms. I've eaten them in restaurants but never attempted cooking with them. Until I opened the book:  Essentials of Italian Cooking. The Pork Chop above is complex in flavor and in preparation--well, at least for me--so I […]

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