It’s my first trip without Lucy. I see traces of her everywhere I look. The girl who stands in line in front of me at the check-in counter wears a…

Continue ReadingNew life

Bella, the female St. Bernhard who belonged to the vigilius owners, often played with the children of guests currently visiting the mountain resort, a pastime which included generous amounts of…

Continue ReadingThe St. Bernhard-Dachshund

I wouldn’t normally have an ice cream but the raspberry ripple at the wee cafe down at the harbour is so tempting. I like the girl that serves there, too.…

Continue ReadingWaves

               A peninsular outcrop of granite covered in larch and pine juts out into the lake, actually a reservoir of water snaking through an idyllic Alpine mountain valley with a…

Continue ReadingRetreat to Paradise

The men stood motionlessly around the lake. Quietly, almost cautiously they had made their way as lumbering shapes here, one after the other, sometimes alone or in small groups. Even…

Continue ReadingThe Grim from Lake Jocher

I love the outdoors. I love cycling. I love coffee. Imagine my delight when I spotted the billboard for the Bike & Bean on Highway 179 in Sedona, Arizona, right…

Continue ReadingMy lucky day