Hi there! I’ve been off the blog for a while. Travel and edits have made the days fly by but I really want to share a bit of our adventure with you. My Friday In France posts will be back next week – directly from France, I’m happy to say!
For the past two weeks, my husband and I have been settled in a delightful village high in
the Uri canton of the Swiss Alps. The sounds of cowbells and joyful birdsong supply the background music, hiking trails abound, the people are kind and friendly. The scenery is captivating with endless spectacular gondola rides to glaciers at the top of the world and inviting roads (Really … ? A car can get down/up there? Yes!) leading us to unimagined surprises.
Our view from the house is spectacular … no … make that breathtaking. We like to explore and it has been a distinct pleasure to be a guest in this beautiful country. You can imagine how busy my camera has been! I would love to share some of the countryside with you and will put together a slideshow … at some point … I’m looking forward to sifting through all the photos to pick out just a few.
Here’s a shot of my “office” ~ did I mention I have also been working on edits? In a setting like this, I haven’t been able to moan about it! Besides, edits only make our work better so that part of the writing process is something I actually enjoy. While we were here, I received word that The Promise of Provence is a Finalist for Literary Fiction in the 2014 National Indie Excellence Book Awards. Great motivation to keep writing!
Now I’m having a problem stopping myself from showing you more. Just two! And then I’ve got to get back to work.
Of all the doe-eyed cows I’ve photographed here, this is my favourite! How’s that for a bell? Sheep and goats have bells too but this is the prizewinner!
And now this video from the Niederbauen Paragliding area. Take a gondola up and glide your way down. I have to confess we kept our feet on the ground but spent a few hours up there, taking photos and admiring the sport. It was amazing to watch entire families participating with a child on their lap (in full safety gear, of course). Have you ever tried this? Isn’t the setting beyond beautiful?
And now, I want to leave you with this video that I hope will make you smile as much as it does me. We have heard a few spectacular yodels here … and in the most unexpected places. How much fun would it be to yodel like this?
We’re taking the train to Zurich today and flying to Nice tomorrow. Honestly, we would be happy to stay here longer but … on the other hand … we’re counting the minutes to our arrival back in Nice!
What travel plans do you have and are you considering home exchange? Got questions about it? Just ask me. You know I love to talk about this fabulous way to travel! Now back to editing …
Bon weekend!
P.S. You can always click on the photos to enlarge.
Patricia Sands 
I’m envious! How nice for you and tomorrow it will be Nice for you!
LOL! It will be very Nice indeed!
Love the office girl. Does she keep you supplied with glasses of milk?
LOL! She’s a beauty, all right! I am crediting her with some assistance with the delicious local chocolate I consumed!
Oh, Patricia, I SO envy you! What an serenity inducing place to relax, to write, and to edit. Soon, you’ll be in the spot where your heart yodels. No need to echo that through the mountains.
Loved the yodeler. I admire his talent, but I COVET his hat! I need that hat for my collection.
WOOOOOOT and congratulations on the well deserved recognition for your novel. I am thrilled for you.
Me? Travel plans? In nine sleeps I get to leave for a free-to-be-me road trip to Pennsylvania. We’re having a Burns Girls Family reunion (five of us plus umpty ump grands and greats and steps). After that, I plan to go wherever whim takes me. How long will I be gone? Beats me!
I would tell you to enjoy France, but that’s a given, isn’t it?
Hey Gloria! Great to see you here! You are, IMHO, truly a road trip QUEEN! I love how you just get behind the wheel and go! You could definitely plan a lot of great routes over here. Have a wonderful fan reunion and I’ll watch your posts to see where the trail takes you after that. Safe journey!
The view from your office is, indeed, breathtaking. Wow!
Exactly … if there’s a word we have overused in the last two weeks, that’s it … WOW!
First, congratulations on your book. That’s so cool. I love, love, love the pictures, especially the cow with that magnificent bell! Holy cow!
And I really like the poof-ball hat that the yodeler is wearing. That’s really something. I never knew they yodeled any more! I don’t need to tell you how gorgeous the Alps are and I’ll always remember one of my favorite countries that I visited in Europe was Switzerland. Lucerne was so pretty. You’re having a wonderful time and that is just awesome!
Thanks for your thanks, Patricia! You know exactly what I’m talking about since you have visited here yourself. You are right about Lucerne and today we spent the day wandering around Zurich which is also extremely beautiful. There’s a lot to be said for this country!
What lovely music! But I’m happy you can’t yodel!!! 🙂
LOL – I am very intrigued by it, I must admit!
Wow! Can we swap?? 😉 Congratulations! And good luck with the awards.
Thanks, Madhu! What travel plans do you have coming up?
An African Safari in September! 🙂
Gee, Patricia, if only I could have a dollar for every time I said, “If only I could yodel,” by now I’d have exactly … one dollar. Maybe I’ll try to yodel or wear a fan shaped pom pom topped yodel-ing hat when I next beg my boss for a raise so I can visit someplace/anyplace while I still have breath in my being. Seriously, I love that picture of the cow with the honking bell. If I were that cow, I’d be looking over my shoulder too. You know what she was communicating to you, “Okay sister, here’s your chance — get the shot!”
I’m telling you, I did have ‘a moment’ with that cow. I don’t know what it is about yodelling but I’ve been intrigued since I first visited Switzerland and Germany back in the day. Go figure.At that time I believe my interest was highly influenced by beer consumption …
By the way, did your boss have a good trip to France and was she successful in photographing the gardens? Did Julie ever contact her?
My boss had a GREAT time in France. I’m not sure if Julie contacted her, but she seemed very pleased with the helpful feedback you shared. Thanks. She brought back “gourmet” soaps for my colleague and I. One of mine is in my favorite color: black.
I’m glad to hear she had a great holiday. It’s always a pleasure to share info that might enhance someone’s travels over here.
what a fabulous photo of your office.I felt like I was there with you!
Congratulations on your award, and I am counting the days (10) until I get to go to Provence to co-lead the trip with you.
I am so looking forward to experiencing YOUR Provence.
See you soon.
Susan
Thanks! I can’t wait until you get here too! It will be magnifique!
Of course my French heart is a little sad. This year I will travel the US, the country I love as much as my native France. I want to say BRAVO for the award The Promise of Provence just received. Well done!
Lovely, lovely views that your eye captured so well. I like cows and this one looks so gentle.
Profitez bien de vos vacances en France!
Et vous aussi! I’m looking forward to hearing about your road trips in the USA.
Thanks also for the BRAVO! Most appreciated!
It looks like a heavenly place. Just came back from Taos New Mexico and now we are getting ready to sell our place and move to Spain in the fall. Busy but exciting times. Also doing the final edit for book #4 Amanda in Alberta – The Writing on the Stone. No rest for the awesome!! (people like you and I)
Darlene! That’s so exciting. You must tell me more about your decision to move to Spain. Do you know precisely where you will settle? My sister is just south of Granada and that’s a fabulous area … 1/2 hour to skiing and 1/2 hour to the coast. Granada is an exceptional town.
We haven’t entirely decided where we will settle. May try a few areas first. My hubby’s parents live near Alicante so it may be on the Costa Blanca. I am connected with your sister and the area she lives in looks great as well. It will be near the water for sure. I have been to Granada and loved it!
Sorry, I am connected with Marianne who I thought was your sister. I am not connected with your sister but perhaps we can all meet in 2015. That would be so awesome.
Fabulous! I would one day love to try to hang glide. Very popular in the Italian mountains as well and from where we have a summer place in Italy at the base of the Abruzzi parc we can see the gliders passing by! Enjoy Nice….look forward to reading and seeing more!
The base of the Abruzzi Park! Lucky you. That’s another lovely area. Hang gliding does seem like a very peaceful sport. Just think of some of the incredible photo ops while doing it!
Well talk about jealous – that’s indeed what I am. Those views are indeed breathtaking. And to call it work? Really?
Congratulations on the award nomination and good luck. I love it when I hear stuff like that from names I recognize.
Interesting about the yodeling – my mom could yodel. She was never able to explain to anyone how she could do it, or how she even discovered that she could do it, but she was a yodeler. As kids we used to laugh at her, now I’d give my eye tooth to hear her yodel one more time.
Thanks for the mini cyber vacation. Now back to work.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Thanks for the congrats! Seriously, I was deep into edits (and still am … waiting for the next round back from my editor) and that scenery inspired me to keep at it! How cool (and bizarre) about your mom being an accidental yodeller. I wish you could hear her again too.
Oh yes! There’s no place like the Swiss Alps. Well, I’m equally happy in many areas of Europe and each have their special calling card.
Sheri, you would certainly know all about that! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment. I would love to hear more about your experiences living abroad for so many years.
Patricia – I’m not receiving a confirmation that I’m signed in to receive e-mails when you’ve posted a new blog at your new sight. I’ve signed in twice but I’ve never received a completed confirmation.