'Tis the Season to ...

Share a Meal

Celebrate the Year Past

Enjoy Company of Others
you have worked beside



and ....
      Learn Stuff!



Today was the
Cake Decorators Association of Victoria
Christmas Celebration and Demonstration

Today we didn't DO
We Watched and Learnt how to make
"Missy Mince Pie"

Isn't she a Cutie?

Looking forward to making her!

On Ringo Lake - Part One

This year I have decided to (try and) keep up with Bonny Hunter's latest Mystery.

There has been a lot of sidetracks,
distractions and....
unmovable obstacles
which have kept me from getting started on this new project.

And when I finally sat down to sew,
I found I had to blow the Dust Bunnies out of my 'old faithful' Pfaff Synchrotronic 1229, and give her a much needed Service.

When I need "Little Miss Reliable" this is the one I go to.


NO fancy Computer programming, I can turn her off - go have a cuppa
and when I come back - She is ready to roll!


So today, with the temperature outside hitting 37C (That's 98F), the errands done and Spike hiding in the coolest part of the house,  I buckled down and got the first clues completed.

All the Nine Patch Blocks - DONE!

Looking forward to Part 2.

* * *
Click HERE to Go to Bonny's Monday Mystery Link up
 to see what others are doing
On Ringo Lake!

It's beginning to feel like Christmas . . .

Strasbourg Christmas Market 2017

For many, Christmas Time starts when the decorations come into the stores

Or the Christmas Markets Open

Or when the Christmas Tree

Soaring above the Plaza

Lights up the Night Sky for the first time.

But for our Family the cry of Christmas is Coming happens when we see the First Blossoms burst from the Jacaranda Trees.

A Vision of Purple and Green on the Horizon.

Today I saw the first Colours of Christmas -

Time to Decorate!

Getting back into the Groove. .

Cricket on the Telly

a new Mystery on the Cutting Table 

Happy days!

Now - Will I be able to keep up

with

Bonny Hunter's 

On Ringo Lake

Happy Thanksgiving

For all my Friends and Readers in the USA

I hope you have had a very Happy Day.

When I look at this piece of fabric, 

a remnant of the first ever Quilt material I've bought.

 I am thankful that it took me into a Fellowship that spans the Globe.  

One that cuts through the barriers of Race and Colour and Language

 of Age and Experience.  

And I am thankful for the friends I have made.

Where else did you Go - and you did WHAT ?

Continuing on from my last Post with a Photo a Day . . . .

HELLBRUNN PALACE

Famous for it's connection to the 'Sound of Music' movie it is somewhere you can have a Beautiful Day out.

But be Warned -
Make Sure you stand on Dry Ground
because Otherwise you WILL get Wet.

Hellbrunn Palace is also known for it's Trick Fountains that spurt water on the unwary!


EIS REISENWELT

That Circular hole in the side of the Mountain is the Opening to The Biggest Ice Cave in the World!

We climbed for 45 minutes to get there and then 70 minutes INSIDE.

700 steps in to explore just 1 km of the 40 km Cave then 800 steps out again! - AWESOME.


After testing my Stamina and Phobias in The Ice Cave, our next day was much more restful.

Five and a Half Hours in a Train.
Travelling from Salzburg to Zurich

The next day it was back on the train.
This time a trip to BRUNNEN and Home to the Swiss Army Knife.

I love the Ominous Mountain Peak behind the Victorinox Factory.

Another Day -
Another Mountain

And a Cable Car ride to FELSENEGG Lookout
and Chocolate Cake - Yum !

Exploring Zurich

Inside BEYER Watch and Jewellery Store is a Clock Museum.

From Stone water jars to the latest Wrist watch for a Racing Driver.

And this beautiful Crystal and Gold Pocket watch made in 1855.

We wandered though even more Museums and marvelled at intricate work done without modern equipment.

And then, It is always a "Special Moment" when you see something you actually own!

A little Thumbelina Doll at the Toy Museum which in itself is quite small, but packed with 300 years of Toy History.


Back to Strasbourg

Our time away is almost at an end - so it is back to Strasbourg to have one last weekend with our DD and fulfilling a Promise to see
the Astronomical Clock.

A marvel of Modern technology?

NO - Built in 1574 and renovated in 1669 it is still precisely accurate today!

Just one more excursion left -
DD wanted to take us to BASEL Switzerland
Where she showed us places she had 'discovered' when she had visited on her own.

But her Ulterior Motive became known when she challenged us to Climb the Church Tower!
This is a feat for those of .. Slim build and no Fear of enclosed spaces.

That is no Gargoyle on the rooftop- It is Our DD and she ended up INSIDE the Spire!

As they say...
All Good Things Must come to an End
and so it is time to head home.

Just How far away is it?
Well, according to the signpost, Sydney is just 14,000 km and Melbourne is a few Clicks further on
By Air it will take us 24 hours to get home.

And with that we leave our DD to finish her work in Strasbourg and wait for her to return home -

This year, I can't wait for Christmas!

Where did we Go - and What did we See?

Our Return trip to France was to visit our DD for her Birthday, and something we had planned before she left home.  But it is a VERY long way to go 'just for Dinner', so we decided to see as much as we could while we were there!

If you would like to read a more detailed 

Account of Our Adventures it is over on "Myrtle and Me" 

- There is a link on the sidebar ⇘ 

Now that I have been able to get my Photos sorted
Here are just The Highlights - with a 'Photo of the Day'.

Frankfurt Zoo


This Beauty and I 'faced off' through the Camera
and I was very glad there was thick Glass between us - especially when She took exception to having her Photo taken!

Birthday Dinner

The Reason for the Visit
Because we always need a reason!

Strawberry Parfait
with Raspberry Sorbet
and a Candle!

Evening Walks

Strolling back to our Hotel along the Ill River seeing the Cathedrals in a very different Light.

European Parliament 

A Stunning Complex of Modern Buildings sitting on the edge of an Ancient City.

Petite France

The Heart of the Tourist Precinct
- Petite France is Picture Perfect every Day

Notre Dame - The Climb

Climbing the Cathedral was a highlight
Finding the Stonemasons
("I was here") Marks was an unexpected treat.

Sunday Excursion - 3 in 1 Day Trip


The Castle - Haut-Koenigsbourg

Fully rebuilt from Ruins in 1900 as a Tourist Attraction

was our First Stop in our Alsace Adventure.

La Montagne des Singes

Monkey Mountain -
A Sanctuary for the Barbary Macaque Monkeys

I wondered exactly who was entertaining whom!

The Volerie des Aigles

Beautiful BIG Birds of Prey put on a spectacular aerial show.

So many awesome photographs it was hard to find the best one!

This one shows just HOW BIG these Birds are.




Moving On ... to MUNICH

and OKTOBERFEST

An Unexpected and Certainly Unplanned Bonus when we decided to break our trip in Munich.

A wonderful Family event for everyone!






Taking the Tourist Bus was the best way to see the City when you don't have a lot of time -

The BMW Centre and Museum was a very futuristic Building that has been used as a Movie set.



Next Stop - SALZBURG 

That is AUSTRIA

not 

AUSTRALIA

"No Kangaroos in Austria"

I got the feeling the locals were a little 'tired' of being asked where they can see Kangaroos.

The Hoensalzburg Fortress

It has Dominated the Skyline above Salzburg since 1077.
The Fortress now accessible by Funicular has a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside.
It also houses what I considered the BEST Museum display ever.

Untersberg

We Climbed a Mountain to stand at the foot of a Cross 

and see this Breathtaking View.  

(Bumping into two groups of Aussies while we were there!)

It was truly incredible

And all we could say was

Oh WOW!

* * * * * * * *

If you want to 'read ahead' - there is more over on Myrtle & Me
If not - I will conclude our Photo a Day Post - Tomorrow.