SNOWY WALES & SWITZERLAND

The snow has gone now, but this was the scene last week as I looked from a bedroom window. I don’t know why I didn’t take pictures of the snow at its worst, but even so, our part of Wales suffered considerably less than the majority of the UK.

This is the view overlooking our back garden out up to School Hill, you can see the narrow lane up to the school as it cuts through the snowy scene at the right hand side of the picture. If you click on the picture it will enlarge allowing you to see a house in the clearing which is the Old Rectory and just to the right of that, obscured somewhat by the trees, is our village school that has about 28 junior pupils and sadly, like many schools in surrounding villages is under treat of closure.

Dear George, in the summer he is very much an outdoor cat, but at this time of year, like me, he prefers his creature comforts and can usually be found on a comfy cushion by the fire.

Back to Switzerland for a few more pictures..... The riverside walk where in the summer many restaurants have tables set outside for alfresco dining.

I never can resist a pretty cat.... I found this one sunning itself on the riverbank. Pure white except for black eyebrows.... Beautiful!!

Vineyards hug the hillside

Oh! now there's a gorgeous little puppy dog... I wonder who he belongs to?

The Church in Eglisau. It has magnificent bells which we heard ring out the old year and ring in the new.

Wonderful frescoes have been uncovered on the walls.

Neatly maintained courtyard

I never fail to be fascinated by the half timbered houses so typical of Switzerland, Germany and Austria and of course in numerous villages in the British Isles too. Most of the houses in Eglisau are built this way with vertical studs and cross pieces of timber which are filled in with brick or stone work and then plastered over..... and they comes in a wealth of different styles, shapes and are painted in beautifully contrasting colours.

This is Neunkirch a town near the German border we visited....

This beautiful property is about 300 years old and has recently been purchased by a friend of my son’s who is in the process of renovating it and converting it into apartments. It has a labyrinth of cellars and even a magnificent ballroom with exquisite fresco painted walls and ceiling.

Snowy scenes around Neunkirch.....

When time allowed I enjoyed walks along the banks of the Rhine to the pretty village of Tossriedern....

The Rhine can be seen to the right of the pathway....

I always stopped to admire this beautiful lamp....

Unfortunately this interesting antique shop was always closed when I walked by..... but the little garden was a delight... being full of attractive art objects....

I guess the owners were cat lovers.....

I would have loved to take this one home with me.... she's beautiful!

Whilst in Switzerland we encountered a number of these unusual stoves..... My son has one in his farm house. I was amazed at the amount of heat they give... fuel is fed into the furnace section which is usually in the kitchen and....

.....on the other side of the wall in a living room this ceramic tiled stove gives off the heat. I liked the way it has its own built in seat. Yes, very warming when outside temperatures are sub zero.

Timber stores were a frequent sight... all so very orderly and neat.

This picture illustrates how huge trees have been felled and sawn into perfect planks, each one kept separate from the other to allow air to circulate and dry out. If you click on the picture you can see the perfect rings of the tree.... fascinating!

Well... and here comes that adorable little puppy dog again.

Have a wonderful week, keep safe and warm
Marion

STEPPING INTO 2010

I hope that you had a very Happy Christmas and as we step forth into not only a New Year, but a new decade.... my hope is that it will be enriched with many blessings for you all.


The view from our village of Cadair Idris Mountain

It was 16 years ago this week that John and I moved from the Cotswolds and embraced our new life at the Old Police Station in this small village in North Wales. We have faced many challenges and a lot of hard work along the way in the restoration of our home..... and I have had several health issues to contend with during this time too, but looking back and taking stock of where we are today, we feel well blessed with our lot and have no regrets.

Despite loving our home as we do, we put it up for sale last year.... Yes, it still surprises me that we did this, but John was thinking ahead and felt that something smaller would be easier to cope with in the years to come. It was with great reluctance I might add for both of us..... I knew it would be very hard for us to leave.... and for me, particularly my garden..... however, we felt that if it was meant to be we would get a sale..... if not, then we were meant to stay here..... we did not get a sale and I believe that we are meant to stay here. I’m happy about that!

John and I have always had a project or two on the go and during the time the ‘For Sale’ board was up we both found it quite frustrating not to have some homemaking/improvement project to turn our attention to. Our garden was tended as usual but any new plants that I just couldn’t resist buying, were simply planted in pots awaiting a possible move.... but it didn’t happen and so, as we now step into 2010, I have to tell you how happy I am.... full of the hope and anticipation of picking up the threads of our dearly loved home once again and weaving the fabric of our future here at the Old Police Station.

This picture of Mount Snowdon was taken from the coast road looking across Cardigan Bay. I zoomed in a little too much, hence the lack of clarity.... nevertheless, I think you can still appreciate what a spectacular sight it was with the blue sea in the foreground.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR IN SWITZERLAND:

We spent Christmas and New Year in Switzerland, visiting our son Christopher and his wife Agata. They have recently bought a farm house in the old town of Eglisau, in the canton of Zurich.... this beautiful town straddles both sides of the river Rhine. C & A have great plans afoot to renovate and restore their new home..... so we helped them make a start..... and apart from Christmas Day our time there was very much a 'hands on working holiday'..... Fences were erected, gates posts put in and new windows installed... and that's just mentioning a few!

When our flight landed at Zurich Airport it was snowing heavily.... just what you expect for Christmas in Switzerland.... however, the snow came and went and came again, we also enjoyed frosty days, sunny days and raining days too.

This is Eglisau... taken on a sunny day from the bridge that spans the Rhine. C & A's new home is just a couple of minutes walk away from the banks of the river.

The old town is a lovely place to wander around..... made up of these beautifully constructed medieval half timbered houses, their timber structures painted in wonderful bright colours. I can just imagine how glorious they will look in spring and summer with flowers spilling over from many window boxes.

On the south facing slopes above the town are many neatly tended vineyards from which Eglisau produces its own wine.
I have other pictures that I'd like to show, but I'll leave them for another post.

Now, before I go, I can't resist showing my last picture.... Our latest project at home has been to fit this little wood burning stove in our sitting room. All the work was completed one Saturday late November..... it is simply wonderful and we've asked ourselves several times why we've never thought of installing one before. We burn a mixture of hard wood logs and smokeless fuel and on recent days of sub-zero temperatures, I don't mind admitting that it has been rather difficult to tear myself away from its toasty warmth.

If you too are experiencing the same wintery weather at us in UK and most of Europe... keep warm and safe.