The mountains suit me well........

It has been a very busy time here over the past week - especially the weekend. Last Sunday, all 4 of the younger generation members of my family, as in 3 kids and one daughter-in-law, were all in different countries. I have an adventurous family, it seems. Germany, England, Switzerland and New Zealand. 

So there was a fair amount of zapping all over the place, which means that I am still recovering. 

Anyway - more of the "now" later - let me just finish this lot of Swiss photos before I forget! 

The rain was very good for Marge's garden, and by the second week, the sun was shining and everything grew over night, and bloomed. And her garden is spectacular. 

There is a new cable way being built up the mountain, and one of the huge carparks is where all the bits and pieces are laid out, rather like a giant Meccano set, and the huge helicopters fly up and down the mountain, carrying all the pieces and slotting them together. Incredibly clever, and very efficient too. Fascinating to watch. 

I was outside one day when I heard the helicopter, turned around and just grabbed my phone and snapped a couple of shots. I couldn't see what I was doing because the sun was bright and the eyes are not good, but I captured this.....

The helicopter bringing down one of the old Rotair cable cars from the top of the Alp. This is the home of the world's first rotating cablecars, you see, and they have brand new ones up and running now. 

I was so thrilled that the photo worked, and when you realise that those cable cars hold around 65 people, you will understand that it is not small! 

I popped in to the Benedictine Abbey one day, because my friend Kelli in Oregon wanted to see inside - it is a beautiful place. Huge. Ask me what yodelling nuns sound like inside...... There was a time was found out! 

Very peaceful and quiet on this day though. 

You will all know this view by now. I can't stop taking photos of it. Marge's balcony.  I mean....what can I say? 

The balcony was a nursery this time. In one of her geranium pots hanging on the wall, was a nest, and it had about 5 eggs in it. The chickadees sat on that nest faithfully, and then one day, the feeding started, and the eggs hatched over about 4 days, and we sat inside and took photos of the parents.....

Nature is marvellous, isn't it? 

Another one of my favourite places is the little waterfall. In the forest. It is all flat and easy to get around, and so I had to go, on a hot, hot day. 

I just love it. It is tucked away, and I can always hear the water long before I get there. So then I slipped off my shoes and stuck my feet in the icy mountain water, straight from the glacier up above. And I sat on my rock and just breathed the alpine air, and marvelled that such beauty was there for everyone to share. 

At the same time, there was a school adventure outing in the forest, but bless their cotton socks, they gave me space and kept away while I sat there. 

You know, my sister commented on the fact that, by the time I left, I wasn't falling asleep in the chair all the time. And people said I looked 10 years younger than when I arrived. I actually think I did too. 

Maybe this is why. 

xxx

(I got the info re the capacity of the Rotair from the Table Mountain Cape Town wikipedia entry, because I couldn't find the details for Titlis. I assume they are about the same! My sister, by the way, was sent to Cape Town when the cable car opened there, to assist with the launch, and became the living link between the two cablecars!)