This plant is from our estate. We have quite a lot spread around, mainly at the foot of the various small trees we have.
Daily Archives: 02/12/2018
FOWC with Fandango: Relative
Is this guy my relative? I suppose he is. When you have a grandmother that had 11 surviving brothers (3 died when they were still babies) then there must be quite a few relatives around. She had an album full of old photos, ladies with hats and long dresses and men dressed up with their neckties and waistcoats, all for the photographer. The photos are all now in my possession.
I recognised a couple of the photos being her parents, and when she was a little girl, but there are many who I have no idea who they are. I asked my dad, but he did not really know either. He met a couple of her brothers. Most were farmhands, living in the country and he spent few holidays with them as a boy. I asked how they were and his definition of knowing someone was “he liked his drink or not” so that was that.
But they all have a the same expression somehow: family likeness. Perhaps this was one of my grandmother’s many brothers. He has that family look around the eyes that my dad also had.
RDP Sunday: Sing
Once upon a time when Mr. Swiss and I were younger, in 1990, we had the opportunity to visit Marrakesh in Morocco with his company. It was a three day stay and I saw things I would never have a chance to see again. One of the visits was to a bedouin tent in the evening with food and entertainment and there was quite a bit of singing.
I was invited to join in and of course I did. I was 30 years younger and still had some energy in my bones. Singing with the Moroccan ladies was a bit different to our singing style, and I do not know how they managed those high pitched sounds.
Of course the Moroccan men also did their bit, but they were more interested playing their instruments.
And the food was good as well, of course. Although we were given knives and forks I think we all tucked into it with our hands.
Of course I can sing, but whether I hit the right notes is questionable. Today I just might sing along to music in the radio. My dad sung with another two guys when he was in army service in the second world war to entertain the troops, when they had a break in fighting and yes, he once was present at a concert given by the great Beniamino Gigli, the Italian opera singer. He appeared in the army restaurant in Italy, with his daughter, and sang a few songs. Whilst he was singing the military police locked all the doors to ensure none of the soldiers left and when the concert was finished they began to examine the papers of the soldiers present. That evening they arrested many for desertion so my dad said. It was war time.
Good Morning
And it is a windy morning this morning, although the photo of my back garden Jura is from yesterday when I was wheeling home in my chair. I even shut one of the windows as there was a cold full scale wind blast blowing through the apartment and I do not usually feel the cold so much. Mr. Swiss is still sleeping as he still has the old idea that Sunday is a day for a “lie in”. Since becoming a golden oldie I no longer do “lie ins” but stop hugging the bed when I feel like it. I like to have my action in the morning.
So what did we do yesterday. Yes, I decided to venture into town. Saturday afternoons are always a little more lively than week-days, Our advent calendar in Solothurn, based on the widows of the old Arsenal, opened it first window. It is a local tradition at Christmas time. I do not do christmas or any religious festivals, but like to see the decorations, especially with my camera.
And now our town Christmas lights have been turned on as it as the first Advent. I must say our town is progressing with the illuminations. For years it was just groups of lights on the walls, resembling illuminated bunches of grapes and not so many. Now I noticed during November there was action with lorries and men fixing up lights everywhere. It looks like an illuminated snow fall on the photo, with our Bieltor in the background.
The lights were hanging everywhere and we are gradually getting into the Christmas mood it seems. This is the main street leading to our market place with the Jesuit church on the left. My No. 2 son belonged to the cathedral boys choir in the olden days before his voice broke (he is now over 40 years old) and they usually held one of their Christmas concerts in this church performing Handels Christmas Oratorio, as well as a few other concerts in other Swiss towns.
I wheeled on down to the river and realised that the gulls were slowly taking over. It was a wonderful day for a river experience with a perfect background sky.
There were gulls everywhere landing and taking off constantly and for me a delight to cature them with the camera. I think they were showing off for me, but I loved. It seems the river wall was the ideal place for their antics.
There were even a few swans joining in on the river.
I took this photo after I crossed the river. The buildings on the bank are one restaurant after the other. If we go into town for a meal, we usually choose one of these restaurants, although the days of eating out are no longer for us. We golden oldies prefer to rest at home and avoid the stress, unless it is a family outing of some sort.
Even the local butcher had decorated his window with Santa. This is actually the only remaining butchers in our town. There were more, but as the owners of the shops retired, the shops were closed. Today everyone seems to be buying their meat in the supermarkets, I know I do. Although I like to buy it fresh across the counter and not already packed in cellophane. I can buy as much as I need and choose what I want. I suppose that it was happens when you marry the son of a wholesale butcher. Although he did not become a butcher himself, he did a few apprentice years training and I learned a lot from him about meat.
Eventually it was time to wheel home, although this time I took the direct way. It was a little too chilly for a wheel along the river bank. I will be back as on 5th and 6th December as we are having our Christmas market with some interesting stuff and I will be busy with my camera.
See you around, have fun with the day.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 