We woke to snow this morning. It didn't last long here, but we went to Appenzell and there it was accumulating. With Advent fast approaching, the snow sets the tone.
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| Singrüeni, front |
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| Singrüeni garden |
We stopped to see an exhibition by craftspeople and artists at a fine furniture maker - so much creativity that I thought you might like to see, too.
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| The furniture makers do marvelous custom work and restorations, speciallizing in inlays of varied woods. |
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| Detail on a closet |
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| Wood figures in Trachten (traditional Appenzell dress), of painted old wood with clay heads |
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| St. Nicholas and Schmutzli going to a typical Appenzell farmhouse-barn by the Säntis (I think) - Maria's mountain . This was meticulously painted with tiny brushes. |
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| Another detailed painting of an actual place in the area. |
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| A young metal worker (not shy about his faith, married with four children, living on an old farm high in the mountains) had his wares out in the snow. He makes paper-cut like designs in heavy steel. This is an outdoor Ofen, to be filled with wood then burnt down like a "Swedish Candle." It has a grill on top for a soup pot or what you wish. |
Inside, besides the exhibits, we saw and heard young children in folk dress playing wonderful Appenzell music on traditional instruments. One small boy was using a saw machine to cut out Christmas ornaments. Even smaller boys were manning a table that presented each visitor with a gift to take home:
It is nice to enjoy the creativity of others sometimes, even it requires braving winter roads in the back country.
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