The first berries are ripe in our own backyard! I spent time picking red current yesterday under the hot sun alongside my daughter, and then painstakingly removed each one from its tiny grape-like stem. Served with double cream from Gruyère and sugar, they were a feast fit for a king with toasted Tresse and local cheese.

I sit back and sigh a comfortable sigh of summer...

This morning... fresh breakfast muffins!

The Noro scarf is finally finished. The feel of this thing is home - if you haven't had one around your neck or falling over your shoulders, I strongly recommend you learn to knit!



Made of silk, kid mohair and lamb's wool, the knitted fabric is soft enough to wrap a baby in but warm enough to wear on the coldest winter day. Some have asked how I can stand knitting in the heat of summer... well, it is the one thing that winds me down. It is the single thing that takes my mind off whatever my mind won't stop working on. And what a relief that is! ;)

The little cares that fretted me,

I lost them yesterday

Among the fields above the sea,

Among the winds at play;

Among the lowing of the herds,

The rustling of the trees,

Among the singing of the birds,

The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what may pass--

I cast them all away

Among the clover-scented grass,

Among the new-mown hay;

Among the husking of the corn

Where drowsy poppies nod,

Where ill thoughts die and good are born,

Out in the fields with God.

--Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Walk home through town...










Yesterday brought out so many stunning flowers, and the sunshine brought the cats!










Soft pink chiffon against cold, hard grey... as life and faith against the backdrop of what man would make for himself.

Lavendar for the sweetest of all.

Recently, when I was feeling a bit under the weather, an American friend suggested I make jello. Oh! Jell-o! I knew there were a few packets left in the pantry from my last trip to the homeland, so I decided to make some up.

Remembering back to the days of potluck dinners and church picnics, I decided I would do a mould. How hard can it be? Well... apparently the art of jello moulding is a skill one acquires with time, practise, and a good helping of patience.

My first try was disastrous if not delicious...

I thought to myself... I'll just decrease the water and let it set longer. Next time I'll have a lovely specimen! (My reserve of jello was decreasing rapidly and is nearly depleated now, which, not necessarily sadly, will require a trip to the States to retrieve a new supply!).

The second try used up my coveted Berry Blue, and as I pulled it from the fridge, I was quite enthusiastic about the outcome. Will someone tell me... are you not supposed to dip it in warm water to loosen it from the edges like it says on the box?

My sorry mould was tasty in the extreme... but if I were to judge my value as an American homemaker on jello the way I judge my value as a Swiss homemaker on Tresse, well... I don't really think I passed!

Any advice from ya'll Stateside would be very welcome 'long 'bout now. ;)

Strawberry picking time in Jura! I love this side of the mountain! You can see more sky here - and the plains can almost be described as "vast", if you stretch it just a bit.

Sweet hands picking sweet berries...

cousins in the summertime; memories for a lifetime...

What happened?

I spent last evening cutting up berries to freeze, to puree, and to make into jam! It is so good that I've been eating it out of the jar by the spoonful this morning ... hurray for that little bit that doesn't quite make up a jar ... somebody has to finish it!

But make no mistake ... I'm saving some to eat by a Tom Sawyer pond come October...

Summer fruit!

Looking out from a darkness of the heart, there is beauty to see. There is light, and green fields of happiness. There have been times, days, when all I've seen are the shadows of a dim room; times when it doesn't occur to me to pull back the shades and look beyond myself. Have you been there?

I would guess that most people have. But beyond the me of myself, there is so much more to discover !

Last night was kindergarten open house ... and we all know what that means; nostalgia! Who doesn't remember helping tadpoles grow into tiny frogs?








Or planting a seed and watching it unfurl into a miniature forest? (or for the unlucky, watching it rot in an over-watered jar...)

The lighthearted afternoon of craft making; painting, paper mâché, crayons and glue...

There's no going back, but it occurred to me that blogging is something of a kindergarten, is it not? A time to create, to show and tell, to sit awhile and hear the story of another's life.

Summer poppies came up in our yard this year, and as we stood in the soft grass admiring them one of us asked, "Who planted those?".

And no one could answer that, because the truth is ... nobody knows! :)

Happy Father's Day

a new discovery...
































wedding in Romainmôtier

simplicity

bridal feet


















tiny get away car

I have this American friend who will be moving back to the US shortly. You can imagine how I will miss her...

Well, she is in the process of purging her belongings since it is so dreadfully expensive to ship things, and little by little I am inheriting a number of treasures!

Last week she showed up with this darling glass something. Hubby thinks it is a cheese plate (so Swiss of him to think that, non?). But I fancy it is used for cinnamon buns ... (yes, that's a lot of cultural stereotyping for a plate).

Needless to say, I made up a batch of the buns and here are the last two waiting to be gobbled up. But I think they're cute just sitting there encased in the love of a friend.

Bon appetit!

Switzerland won a game in the World Cup two nights ago! And though I work in the world of sports as a professional translator, I am not much drawn to them! I know, I know ... for shame!

What saves me is the fact that I have a son and daughter who love all things sport - so I hear the news from them and thus look less the fool at work.

ah hem!

Well... here's my little Swiss supporter cheering on the passing cars as they blare their horns in victory...

One more glimpse of old town Bienne. I will confess that I'm somewhat fascinated by it now that I've discovered it. The commercial district, where I usually go, is so terribly ugly that I have avoided visiting this city in the past. But Monday I decided to brave old town to see what there was to see; and having my sweet little girl along smacking on a very pink ice cream cone made it worth the while.

After seventeen years... what was I thinking? Why didn't I come sooner?

You should know that this little blog, and all the lovely things herein, is in part my attempt to counter an occasional bout of homesickness. As an ex-patriot who rarely fell victim to it before, it has been strange to struggle with it now, after all these years. Sharing these photos, and this gallimaufry life, with you has lifted my spirits and rekindled a love for my surroundings.

So these pictures today are for you, whoever you are out there peeking into my life. Thank you for giving me a reason to share them. xoxo

In case you're wondering... I told her to roll the dice! :)

Old Town Bienne