Seven Days - Holidays, Hounds, Harebells and Glaciers

So as always inspired by Jacqui, The Barefoot Crofter - here's the last seven days. As we got ourselves ready to set off on our holidays, the hounds packed up and left to visit their lovely Aunty C. Not only a chef extraordinaire probably the lady with the biggest heart I've ever met. I hear whilst Peedie left his bag (he's famous having been sponsored by a leading dog company before mind on.......) I know they've settled in well. Although life down south is proving to be a bit fragrant for Aunty C as the water change affects Peedies innards someat awful. So we went off on an adventure. As well as being a Rock God, TRG is a mountainer, I certainly know how to pick them eh? 

We headed for the alps and all things alpine. A revisit for TRG to his much loved mountains of holiday of his childhood. The mountains were indeed impressive we reached the 'Top of Europe' with its glaciers spilling over the mountain tops and alpine choughs eating out of your hands. On the top of one we even found a botanic garden with 600 species shrouded in mist. It seems mist happens a,lot in the high mountains, they seem to like their clouds close to hand rather than up in the air. 

I have to say I've never really been a fan of mountains, they're impressive and all that but they hurt my legs when I climb them. These mountains however were ingenious, they had trains and cable cars going up them. I certainly approve of that. They also have good fun names like Schynige Platte, which of course I instantly turned into 'Sniggle piggle'. My German is coming along quite nicely let me tell you.  Next time I'll pop in some photos of the actual mountains once I borrow them from TRG. I came home, as always from holidays with not much aside photos of flowers. But, I guess you'd expect that of me.

Campanula alpestris 

So we walked on ridges and around alpine lakes looking out to the Eiger. And, like the true flower person I claim to be I took photos of wee flowers like this bonnie alpine campanula.

Lobelia at Schyngge Platte. A great way to display a wee beauty in a small space or on a table outdoors.

And we took time to look bonnie lobelia's in jars at the cafe on top of the mountain. Lets be fair here just cos we're mountaineering, doesn't mean standards slip.

And just cos you might think we could have taken all these photos in a garden centre heres a shot from half way down the mountain in a train. A most sensible way to climb up very large Alps, I'd say. So we took our trusty cup for tea home to Scotland. Remembering all the fun train rides, glacier looking and flower spotting when away.

Home to lots of eggs and visitors looking after the hens. Lots of eggs and visitors can only mean one thing.

Of course it had to be a pavlova. So when TRG has given me access to the 'proper' alpine photos, I'll let you have a neb (look) at those. Until then, there's plenty pavlova left, grab a plate. Just don't mention it to the hounds, they're not back yet. Our little secret, right. And, its time for breakfast, perhaps a wee bit just to help get it finished!