November-ish

Snow and Rain = Soggy

Today I did my annual amble through a Christmas-y Zürich to see the greens, the sparkles, and the lights. They were compounded in reflections from puddles everywhere. I like Zürich; I didn’t like wet feet. Since I rarely go to the city anymore, it was bearable. I did take a couple of pictures to share with you.

The pretty Rennweg; the drippy Rennweg.

Getting Ready

To Prepare For Advent

Today we had a pretty snow to set the scene and mood for my seasonal decoration change. Down went the Fall leaves in oranges and earth tones, and up are going greens and white and silver, with touches of frosted rose. This year - again - Christmas will be celebrated mostly away, so the brights reds and greens go there. 

Spring bulbs in the earth, and summer plants in the greenhouse. Let it snow. 

Gifts of Advent calendars for us two. 

And Birthday gift from son one, for when the decorations are up. 

Much more to do, but it is a start. 

Christmas Market

Small Town, Big Event 

Today some of us went to a local Christmas market after church. This is the kind that is up for two days. Stands are put along the main streets of the city center - all closed to traffic - and crowds come out to enjoy Glühwein, Fondue, Äpfelkuechli, and Wurst, and to buy sundry specialties or handmade goods or Advent wreaths. 

Not yet Advent, but soon.

A pretty town

This bread was a meter long, more than a yard. A looooooooooong roll of Wienerli hung above. A length of the latter went into the former, with various toppings, and Voila! Sandwich. One could ask that it be cut into sections. 



Thus

This is an old army field kitchen (the black machine, not the girl). 

Sami Klaus is having difficulties.

The Reason for the Season

Lovingly crafted

Saint Nikolas and two Schmutzlis had a basket of goodies for little ones who would say a poem. (At least that used to be the deal.)

Christmas markets opened this weekend in big cities all over Europe. 

Happy Birthday

To Me!

I have a gift from a sweet lady. This kind of gift says “All is well with the world,” despite all the storms of adversity in so many lives of our loved ones. There is a plan, and we are in the Planner’s hand. 

Now to paint. Then dinner with Better Half this evening. 

American Road Trip 5

Happy Birthday!

Martin Luther was Baptised and Christened on this day. His physical birthday was yesterday; his spiritual birthday today. So, hereby a party is in order. 

Two young people from America arrived at our place this morning. We plan to listen to a local concert this evening when they recover some stability in their overtaxed frames. Yes, they are sleeping. One can get on the local time tomorrow. 

But, back to the American south. The gents wanted to see Civil War battle fields. So we did. I find wars disturbing and wasteful and a rather stupid way of resolving disputes. ( I know there are evil people that need to be repelled sometimes, but I don’t have to like the process.) I did like the hike at Pickett’s Mill. There is no mill, and it was a dreadful place to battle, but if one focuses on the pretty fall forest path, all is enjoyable. And the children got to exercise, and go from red trail marker to red, RED, RED OVER THERE! 

As I said, dreadful.

Where the Mill used to be. And here we changed from red trail markers to blue, a big adjustment. 

Next one, bigger.

November Days

THE Autumn Menu

When this season rolls around every year, it brings my favorite menu items: along with the venison and Wildschwein come the spiced pears, wild cranberries (Preiselbeeren), caramelized Chestnuts  (Maroni), pickled red cabbage (Rotkraut), wine gravies, and all the melded flavors. 

This past weekend, Better Half and I went to our new village’s newcomers welcome day. In Switzerland, one is a part of a local community, not just a citizen of the country. When one moves, you sign off in one place and re-register in a new place. *(Note though, you can still send me mail at the old address. After a quarter century, I don’t wish to change hundreds of contact addresses. Our young people collect it for me, and I get it quite regularly.) We were given a very blustery but informative guided walk through the village to hear about the glory days of weavers and embroiderers, when a great deal of money passed through the region. Swiss textiles were exported world wide to all fashion markets, and most were made in this region. Special houses were designed for the trade, with particular windows for various jobs. This is now the “Appenzeller style.” But also note: as usual, a few people got very rich, but the handworkers were pitifully poor, so Appenzell is still thought of as a poor Swiss canton. Partly this is because from the time of the World Wars, when exports were halted, and afterward when countries like the US started their own textile markets (why send your cotton to Switzerland, to be woven into cloth and embroidered, when all the new immigrants can do the labor at home?), the textile workers had to return to subsistence farming to survive.

Anyway, after that tour, we went to a very fine restaurant for dinner, with such a menu as described above, with fresh baked sourdough loaves, our venison grilled on the open fire a few steps away, the accoutrements, wine, and painted decor. When you come to visit, we will take you there. 

I don’t have any pictures from that, but on Sunday we celebrated a birthday in the family, so we had a big gathering at another nice place, and I did get a pictures.

Nüsslisalat mit Speck und Eier. That’s bacon and egg on cress. 

White with appetizers and salad

Red with meal

Lecker = delicious 

Cinnamon apple rings

The season

The place - this used to be a Post coach stop in another age.

Fall Light

Evening

Still no frost, so the leaves are bright in the setting sun. 

Hello November

Blessed All Saints Day

…to all ye saints.

No winter yet here, so we are enjoying the last glorious bloom of the Dahlias and flower pots. I cut some after we returned from our trip.