A Collection of Gentians

This is the same story as with the orchid collection, more to come and some will have to wait now til next year.

Gentiana purpurea

Gentiana asclepiadea

Gentiana campestris

Gentiana lutea

Gentiana nivalis

Gentiana punctata

Wengen Ski Area in Summer

Wengen Milk

Here in Wengen it is possible to wander along to the local dairy, Chas Gruebi, with your milk-can and have it filled with fresh raw milk. Hans, the owner, has three milking cows. All Wengen cows go to the Alp for summer, except these three. On average they produce about 50 litres of milk a day, which is distributed to local hotels and sold to customers on request.

It is advised to heat the milk to 70 degrees before use.

The taste differs daily. This is according to the weather and flora variations of the grazing. Have you seen the Swiss hay fields? They are awash with colour due to the diversity of wild flowers.

It would be so interesting to do an HPLC to discover the phyto constituents of this milk and make a comparison with supermarket milk. Lets not stop there, how about the amount and types of bacteria, and whether they are a  healthy addition to human micro flora, or disease causing?

Here are some happy cows.
On Männlichen

And on
 Mettlen Alp

Alpine Lady's Mantle

Alchemilla alpina

Pfarrer Künzle (there is more about him in July 2012 under Hypericum from alp to oil) writing about Lady's mantle in 1911, says the alpine version is of higher nobility than her sister, with the same properties but of a stronger grade. He interestingly also says of Alchemilla vulgaris that it is strongly radioactive. A hundred years ago this word had a very different meaning to today and refers to 'life energy' (Science of Being by Eugene Fersen, J. F. Tapley Co, New York 1923, pg 141).

A research comparing constituents of the two species would be an interesting project.

Alchemilla vulgaris

Alchemilla alpina

Schynige Platte to First

A few days ago I went for a wonderful hike from Schynige Platte to First. 

Fabulous weather, beautiful views, great company.

Here is the panorama after about an hours walk.

Here is the panorama we enjoyed at lunchtime.

Just in case you're not sure ...... I zoom in to the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Views on route to Männlichen

A Collection of Orchids

The idea here is to post videos of all the orchids found in this area. There are several still to come and some of those will be next year.

 

Nigritella nigra

Black Vanilla Orchid

I originally thought this was a Frog Orchid, but now I think it is a new one to me, the False Orchid.

Chamorchis alpina

Epipactis atrorubens

Dark Red Helleborine

I think this is one of the Fragrant Orchids, it certainly has a lovely scent.

Gymnadenia odoratissama

Listera ovata
Common Twayblade

Coeloglossum viride
Frog Orchid

 

Traunsteinera globosa

Round-Headed Orchid