Dolomites July 2009

[Diane Clement]

not as clever as this

[tonyg]

Now THAT is showing off

What program are you using?

[Diane Clement]

Now THAT is showing off

What program are you using?  

Just Photoshop Elements - cut and paste - its great fun to play!

[Martinr]

Diane, you clearly have too much time on your hands,, you could try entering these in the artistic section at shows

Tonyg, I think you should take the wife and kids up as well On second thoughts, maybe you're right.

Peter, if you knew me well you'd know I was unlikely to trust in divine intervention but when someone sticks a chunk of metal securely into a very small summit common sense prevails. The rucksack you can see in the bottom right corner isn't on the summit block. There was a bit of a drop in between.

This was actually the only really exposed bit of this short climb and could be bypassed by the nervous. Recommended for all except those who know they suffer vertigo.

[Diane Clement]

Diane, you clearly have too much time on your hands,, you could try entering these in the artistic section at shows  

HAHA.  It was the five minutes in between repotting 500 pots of bulbs, ditto pots of cyclamen
...  and checking 12,000 names for the seed exchange for our starting checklist this year.

The latter job was finished yesterday (hence the playing on Photoshop last night), the repotting goes on today.  

[tonyg]

Tonyg, I think you should take the wife and kids up as well On second thoughts, maybe you're right.

My youngest would get there first without any help but the other two would not even watch 

[ranunculus]

Continuing the Via Ferrata theme (we would, of course, have done them all ourselves if our wildflower walks hadn't ALWAYS fallen on the same days) - - please find below three images captured from Porta Vescova of an elevated (but slightly rickety) slatted bridge on one of these iron stairways in the sky.


VIA FERRATA IN THE DOLOMITES

[Maggi Young]

Diane, that is quite FAB!! You realise, though, that we'll never believe anything you show us, ever again!??? 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

not as clever as this

My God Diane, what a giant Gentian !!!! 

[Martinr]

Cliff, how come you only photographed the easy bit of that route?

[Ewelina Wajgert]

VIA FERRATA IN THE DOLOMITES

it looks invitingly

[Martinr]

Finally a few spare minutes while listening to my favourite radio programme. Bet you thought you'd seen the last of this holiday

This set of pictures were taken on the Pralongia plateau, an area easily reached on foot or by a number of cable cars. Once up there the walking is gentle on tracks through the meadows with plenty of coffee & cake opportunities at the various rifugios. The only problem being if you leave it too late in the season the flowers have been harvested to feed the cattle in winter.

First up is a 5 spot Burnet moth enjoying the flowers
Allium schoenoprasum and, for those of you in the UK, yes it is the Chives you grow in your herb patch.
A Chrysalis, perhaps Anthony can tell us more
Cicerbita alpina, a lovely flower but I'm not sure the plant is 'garden worthy'
I did figure this one out with some help but I've forgotten. So someone please put me out of my misery.
Some Horsetails
Lilium bulbiferum

[Martinr]

Orchis mascula (?)
Parnassia palustris. I've now seen this 'moisture lover' in what appear to be very dry conditions in the Dolomites and the far North of Scotland. I'm confused!
A view from the plateau
A handy rest spot
The flower harvesters at work
Pyrola rotundifolia. I though this was supposed to be a shade lover but there was precious little shade where this colony was found.
and finally the rather pretty but ignored brown clover, Trifolium badium

[tonyg]

New views are never dull!
I too have seen Parnassia in very dry places eg edge of the ridge above Wengen, right on the edge, thin soil.  ... have to try it here then

[ranunculus]

Lovely images, Martin ... your 'Help required' image is of Common Cow-Wheat - Melampyrum pratense.