Baptismal Font in Thun

We attended church in this small, member-built (1952) building every year we visited Switzerland until they dissolved the Thun Branch in 2008. It was the oldest branch in the church. (It never grew big enough to be a ward.) Since it was the first church building built in Switzerland, it had to have a baptismal font, but I never knew that. It is concealed under the floor of a classroom in the basement. It has no heat and no drain. You are looking at the "water heater". It is a giant coil, attached to an electrical cord. It did a fine job. To drain the font, they pump the water out. Unless the pump doesn't work. Then they take it out by the bucket-full. We didn't wait around to see if the pump worked.

"Chlauser-ball"

Here are some photos of the decorations and the young adults for the 70's themed dance they had last Friday. I think "Chlauser" is from "Samichlaus", which is their Santa.

Two sides to Switzerland

We've walked past this house every time we go to the market and have watched it through the seasons. I can't decide which season is prettier. What do you think?

Can you guess what this is?

No, it's not a white jellyfish in a black sea. This is a light fixture by the tram station. The snow falling on it has melted from the heat of the lamp, but freezes into icicles before it can drip off. You can see the snow continuing to fall around it.

Winter arrives with a bang!

We went from pleasant days to well below freezing in two days, followed by a LOT of snow. Anyone want to ride these bicycles? (Those "humps" in the background are ornamental grasses, tied up for winter.)

Christmas in October

Here is Christmas in Switzerland---in October! Because of mailing times and costs, we had to be prepared early. We fit all of this into 3 boxes, and $200+ later, Christmas was on its way!

My Favorite Tree

This is a view from our bedroom window. There was a beautiful evergreen tree on this spot when we got here last year. I was so sad when they cut it down a few days after we arrived. This tree was in its shadow, and showed its gratitude for the new-found sunlight but putting on this great display, and keeping its leaves longer than any other tree in the neighborhood. (Perhaps you can see the "snow-plow tram" in the background, ready for its winter duty.)

Late Fall Colors

Even though we were running to catch the train, I had to stop and take a picture of the trees on the hill behind the train station.

Happy Balcony

Well into October, the "jungle" in the balcony was thriving. With no hard frosts, we enjoyed this view out our window for quite a while. This picture was taken October 27.

Sad Balcony

Then it turned snowy and cold so suddenly, the flowers were totally unprepared

First Snow on the Mountains

It is early October, and the mountains have their first coating of snow. Now, instead of gray, they are white. Lower down, some of the trees are still quite green.

Fall is on the Way!

We see this tree from our apartment window. It is amazing how the leaves are turning yellow in the same order as the sun hits it each day. It looks like the sun is shining, even when it isn't!

Threshing in Zäziwil

The "one-lunger" tractor on the right is powering the thresher on the far left through the belt you see. How much faster that is than the hand threshing that was also demonstrated. As you can see, it was a picture-perfect day!

Swiss Luxury Travel in the 50's

We saw this tour bus in the Ballenberg parking lot. Dated 1952, it was top-of-the-line! Lots of glass all around for good viewing, plush seats--it's all there!

Can you see the net cargo shelves above the seats? This was the way to travel!

A Mini for The Foxes?

This must be the car we should have.

Swiss Farmer's Exhibition

One Monday, all the Swiss Farm organizations and many of the farmers filled the Bundesplatz with information and product stands. Question: Is this a milk can?

Or is it a snack bar?

They were giving out free samples of something, but we didn't try it.

Is this what famous looks like?

You may have to turn your monitor sideways to read it, but this is the article that appeared in the newspaper, "The Berner Oberländer" about our playing our alphorns in Spiez. The title is "Californians on the Alphorn." And never mind about Steve's "stage name." That is another story....

"Dinnerplate" Dahlia

This huge flower is in front of the Stake Center in Zollikofen. Steve's hand is almost touching it. It is really that big!

My Balcony "Jungle"

This is the view from our living room out over the balcony. Much more pleasant than in the winter. Except for the poor Edelweiss on the right. It is living, or rather, dead proof, that Edelweiss do not like rich soil...

Pimp my what???

I had to laugh when I saw this ad. A "Sparschwein" is a piggybank. This is an ad for a bank, promising higher interest, free e-banking, free credit card, etc. (Credit cards usually have annual fees here.)

Back to School

School has started here. Steve wanted you to see this sign with its Swiss German dialect, saying, "You'll stop for me, right?"

Another sign...

This sign adjacent to a public swimming area and park, says, "Men's section. No women or children." I thought that was interesting when I first saw it in May. Then we walked by during the height of swimming season, and I caught enough of a glimpse of one man to see why they have the sign. (Some men like to sun ALL of themselves...)

Welcome to CAJAF in Lenk

We were invited to the "Conference Annuelle des Jeunes Adultes Francophiles", the Young Adult Camp for French-speaking young adults, in Lenk in the Simmental, to play our alphorns for the opening night, and to give an alphorn workshop the next day. Since the Swiss were hosting (the young adults were from France, Belgium, and many other countries besides Switzerland), they had a welcome table set up, with samples of fondue, chocolate, other treats, and a mannequin head with an apple on it and toy crossbows to use to try to shoot the apple off. We played our alphorns off and on all afternoon, as people arrived.

Our view in Lenk

We had this lovely view from our window, whenever we were in our room (which wasn't often!).

Accommodations in Lenk

This was our room with a view. The bathroom was down the hall and around the corner. The heat was turned off for the summer, and it was chilly! Fortunately, the quilts were warm.

Our Alphorn "Classroom"

Here is where we set up for our Alphorn Workshop.

We Made It!

Here we are, loaded down with four alphorns, two backpacks and two waistpacks, having ridden one tram, two trains and a Postbus. We have arrived successfully at our destination of Sportcamp Melchtal, where we got to spend four days working and serving with 600 wonderful young adults.

The View from our Window

This made all the preparation worthwhile. I could sit forever and watch the mists rise and fall over all the wonderful shades of green.

Young Adult Camp at Melchtal

This free slideshow personalized with Smilebox

The Austrian Girls

Besides classrooms, our Institute building had three bedrooms, and ten Austrian girls were staying there. Here are some of them ready to attend "Swiss night." Don't they look great!

Beaten but Unbowed

This tree symbolizes making the best of a bad situation! It has been knocked down for some time, as you can see the newer branches reaching skyward, but it is growing, and doing the best it can. There is a lesson in there somewhere...

How many Alphorns can you carry???

Here is my favorite companion and porter at our little local train station. This is just a warm-up. We will have to carry these alphorns plus the carbon fiber horn plus a suitcase and sleeping bags and CPAP machine on three different trains and one bus to get to the Young Single Adult camp next week. And then on one bus and three more trains to come back home five days later... I probably won't have a free hand to take a picture of that to post!

My favorite "Packesel"

In Engelberg, on our way up to play at the top of Mt. Titlis, which is higher than any of those mountains in the picture. Elder Fox is carrying two alphorns and a bag with the day's necessities.

I found "Wall-E!"

Here is Wall-E actually working in Switzerland. His job is to sweep up all the bits of broken pavement that spilled as the little loader was loading them in the trailer. You can just see the outline of his operator in the picture.

"The House" in Summer

I posted pictures of this neat old house in winter and spring "clothes." We pass it on our way to the store. Here is how it looks in summer. As I had thought, you can hardly see it for the vegetation!

More of the Amazing Scaffolding

We went by the town that is re-roofing their church, so I tried for better pictures. It is tough from a moving train, but here they are.

Balcony flowers update

Here are two views of our balcony from the outside. The flowers make it look cheerful, and the greenery cools our balcony. The fellow who lives above us is a big soccer fan. ("YB" is the Bern team.)

Swiss Building Methods

Look carefully--what is this a picture of? (Hint--it is NOT a pagoda.) I always wondered how they re-roofed the incredibly steeply pitched roofs of the church steeples. Now I know. That is scaffolding that you see. Amazing.

A Swiss Bride

Marion Eggman married Roy Hansen on Friday in the Bern Temple. She is a fashion major, and designing and making this ensemble was her major project. She worked on it for almost two years.

Picnic on the Gurten

We had an activity last Tuesday on the Gurten, Bern's "personal mountain." Here is the view of Bern from the little "Gurtenbahn" train, almost at the top.

Here is a picture of part of the group. Notice the pot that had potato salad in it. Lots of lettuce left, but the bowl of rolls is about empty!

The Birthday Cake

Here is a birthday cake to serve 30. Very American. Only the decorations are Swiss. (And they are in English!)