Picnic on the Gurten

The Gurten is Bern's "Hausberg" or local mountain. It isn't all that tall, but you get a lovely view of the city as you take the cable car up. The young adults had a picnic there last week.

Just to prove that we are here.  One of the young adults took this picture of part of the group, and insisted Sue get in the picture.

This is the view on the other side of the mountain.

A Visit to the Seat of Government on Swiss Independence Day

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A Visit from family

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Alphorns at the Jodlerfest

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At the Young Adult Weekend Camp May 27-30

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Black Forest Cakes, Swiss Style

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Swiss Billboards

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A Swiss Funeral

We got to attend a funeral this week. They do the burial first, and then walk to the church for a memorial service. The pallbearers have to be young and strong, as they carry the casket on their shoulders all the way out to the burial plot. In this case, it was about a 5-minute walk. Then they set it on the wooden supports over the grave, where it remains during the short graveside service.

Lowering the Casket

After the "Pfarrer" or minister says a few words, the pallbearers actually lower the casket into the grave. Then, starting with the family, the mourners take turns approaching the grave, saying their "Good-byes" and throwing a rose in on top of the casket.

Easter Dough Bunny

Every season here has its bread specialty. So, naturally, for Easter, we have bread dough Easter Bunnies. He looks pretty cute, and not too hard to make.

Frey Chocolate Factory Tour

In March, we got to take a tour of the Frey Chocolate Factory before we played our alphorns for the Seminary and Institute Europe Faculty Meeting in Zurich. As part of the tour, we were allowed into the employees' company store. This is our "haul." The bags of chocolate covered confections were only 3 francs for a kilo. (That's a steal!) The boxes of these "Pralinés" (kind of like our See's candy) were given as gifts at the end of the tour, retail for 8 francs each at Migros, and contain only about 10 different candies in each box. They were making the chocolate popcorn when we toured, so we got some to try. Not an American taste. But I just had to get the cookbook and messenger bag as souvenirs.

Senior Missionary Conference in Salzburg, Austria

In March, we joined 18 other couples for two days of meetings, training and exchanging ideas. Our first night, we ate at the Laschenskyhof, outside Salzburg. If you ever have a chance to go there, you should. I have never in my life tasted such delicious food. Everything was outstanding. This was the dessert. From the top, there were small pieces of at least 5 different fruits, then a scoop of pineapple mousse, then a layered ice cream cake on a crust base, a scoop of rich chocolate mousse and two preserved Satsuma plums. I just had to take a picture!

A trip back to Mozart's time

This place has been serving food for over 1000 years. Fortunately, it's not the same food! Now they play and sing music from Mozart's operas while they serve food that the "upper crust" ate during his time. Both the music and food were excellent.

Elder Hetherton

Sometimes missionaries spend time in hospitals. We were there, fortunately, as visitors. Poor Elder Hetherton was there to get his appendix out. A rugby player, it takes more than that to get him down.

Happy Tram

The wind and snow, and a pedestrian's artistic eye, gave this tram a personality.

Pansies' Last Stand

These were my balcony flowers on January 31st. The next day, the temperature dropped into the 20's, and didn't get above freezing for two weeks. That pretty much finished them off.