Seeing the falls he named in honor of his queen, David Livingstone wrote in his journal, “Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.”
Waterfalls and all God’s natural beauty affect me the same way. This country of Switzerland is so full of those “scenes so lovely.”
Waterfalls and bridges in Switzerland amaze me!Chalets with lovely flowers aboundThis was on the way to Zinal yesterday But De & André’s is the best!
As we venture out, the lovely scenes are amazing in every season here.
Tania at Hotel Weisshorn – photo by Mike Solioz – taken last autumnWay back when … we climbed waaay up with DeDe.
Scenes so lovely!
Flowers are abundant in private gardens and public places. André’s croûtes au fromage (potato or bread w cheese, etc.) is a Valaisan specialty. It’s a “scene so lovely” too!
André and De are so generous as they share their chalet, meals, transportation and their love with us and with De’s best buddy (our daughter #2 Laina) and her daughter Katy. What a grand reunion we had with them here yesterday!
Katy, Laina, me, Bob & DeDe
Hebrews 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Last night Mike & Tania joined us for a fun evening of raclette & karaoke. Chris & Nick and their girlfriends came, too. Ah, we are so blessed with this wonderful Swiss family!
Thanks for joining me and sharing these “Scenes so Lovely” today. Wish you were here in person! Come back tomorrow, okay? See ya then (God willing).
What a wonderful way to spend a Monday afternoon in Switzerland! DeAna drove us up to Zinal… just to enjoy the time together, the scenery, and an ice cream. We did all three. Wanna join us?
Mountain majesty
Views usually not seen
Except in movies
Sharing with our De
Made all the more beautiful
By stream and mountains
Blue sky up above
Flowing River at our feet
Life can’t be more sweet
Then add some icecream
And the cows that made the cream
Surely it’s a dream!
Hearing the children
Laughing and playing outside
Yes, it’s Paradise!
Meantime, the Groshongs
Continued their hiking fun
In this same region
Found a gentle cow
Grazing on the Swiss hillside
Up close – personal!
Lucky the bovine
Was feeling cooperative
But don’t press your luck
Here comes another
He’s looking mighty leery
Don’t try petting him
Onward to glacier
Visit before it is gone
Then back to Zinal
What will tomorrow bring? Come back and see! I love sharing with you. Which of my pictures today did you like best?
Our weekend began with a cloudy day in Sierre, Switzerland, but soon the sky cleared and the weekend was sunny and beautiful.
It was a beautiful fun-filled time with family and friends. Let me share some highlights with you. We’re having such sweet Swiss times! One highlight of our weekend was a choir festival in Véraz (near Sierre) where our daughter, DeDe, and grandson, Chris, sang with the Chippis choir.
Every day here in this beautiful country is full of the blessing of family and friends. Sweet catch-up time. I love sharing the fun with you.
Me with DeDe at the choir festivalBob with DeDe
After the festival, we went to André’s brother’s fiancée’s place for a raclette evening. So nice to have catch-up time with Kad & Roger.
Meantime, our friends, Jim & Terry, took the bus from Vissoie up to Grimentz where they are enjoying a few days of hiking in those fabulous mountains. They’re sharing a few photos of their experiences. Have a look!
Wow! Great photo, Terry!Terry, the hikerJim … the trooperHah! Listen to Terry’s description of their hike and Jim’s take on this!
Yes, the mountains are alive with the sounds of water and hikers and joy! Once upon a time, a dozen years ago, Bob & I took that hike. Now we are content to enjoy those high Alpine views through others’ cameras! Oh, and from the bus- of course.
Thank you for your responses to our posts. We love sharing our trip vicariously with you, dear friends. Wish you could be here in person.
Yesterday our daughter, DeAna, drove us down into the Rhône River Valley, through Sierre, and up into the Alps on the other side to an area called Crans-Montana. It is where she & André lived 30 years ago when they first moved here. On the hillside e hind the restaurant André managed way back then are a few chalets. One of them, built in 1772, is owned by ZuZu & Célia. They invited us to spend the day there with them.
ZuZu (Christian Zufferey) was our AFS son in 1980-81. He is André’s first cousin. He and Célia prepared an amazing meal for us! The first plate was an outstanding eggplant quiche. The second plate was lamb (my favorite) and a ratatouille. All the vegetables they grew in their gardens here in this gorgeous high Alpine place.
The opportunity to be together again with ZuZu was so very special. After the meal we shared various liqueurs – also made by them using various fruits, etc. that they grew.
After our time there, De took us back down into Sierre where we had a nice visit with our friend, Christiane Rielle.
Then (as if day was not already blessed enough), we were treated by our DeDe and our grandson, Nick, to a wonderful dinner at Capri Restaurant in Sierre before returning to Vissoie for the night.
Then today we went on a guided tour of Sierre. Our grandson, Mike’s new bride, Tania, provided the tour. At the Sierre Tourisma Office, my buddy Terry found a hat for a souvenir… and I found a terrific pair of funky glasses that I could not resist!
Now you can see why I didn’t bring a pair of sunglasses with me on this trip. I needed THIS pair!!
Bob, Jim & Terry Groshong, our MT/CA best friends, learned all about the history of Sierre. There is the town hall behind the 4 of us. If you saw my post about Mike & Tania’s civil ceremony, it’s the same place where they were married last weekend.
Then Tania guided us to an old (1700s) chalet. Look at they key Jim is holding. It opened the cellar door where we did some wine tasting.
Next Tania drove us to Chateau Mercier where she explained the history and we tasted more fine Swiss wines.
Lovely Chateau Mercier has beautiful gardens, too. We walked around and admired them before going to Chateau Villa for Raclette dinner. Mike joined us there.
Mike & Tania’s church ceremony is Sept. 20, so we have another couple weeks here to enjoy the hills alive with family. Stay tuned!
Jim & Terry will leave tomorrow – so you can say farewell to them for now nit’s been wonderful to have them with us this week!
I can never tire of these beautiful Swiss Alpine views! Come back tomorrow. We’re going to take the bus down to stay with André’s mom. I’ll share those views with you, too..
Thanks for traveling vicariously with us! Bee 🐝 well, dear friends! See you tomorrow (God willing).
Yesterday and today we woke to the magical sound of children across the road from our bedroom here in Vissoie, Switzerland. What a joy!
Yesterday evening we were treated to an Alphorn concert. Nine dear people (one being our grandson, Mike) played this age-old instrument. I became acquainted with it when I was a child. My Uncle Hans was my mom’s oldest sister’s husband. He was a young German-Swiss cheese maker when he moved from Switzerland to Washington back in the 1930’s. He & Aunt Evelyn had 3 children. He taught them all to yodel and he taught his son, my cousin, Hanslie, to play the alpenhorn.
Mike is on the left.
My mom would be so proud to know her great-grandson is following in the musical tradition of her family! I get sentimental and cry when I hear these instruments and think of how mom & my aunt and uncle would have adored hearing this!
Today our friends, Jim & Terry, are here to enjoy a few days with us in this marvelous place. Last night they were able to meet Mike & Tania and we all celebrated Jim’s 75th and DeDe’s 55th together. André fixed an incredible dinner of ribs with a medley of vegetables. Yum!!
Here is yesterday’s delicious roast beef lunch.
Last night’s ribs
It is so wonderful to have my forever friend, dear Terry here to share these experiences with us.
This is Vissoie’s Main Street
Later this morning we’ll walk down that street and get a few groceries at the store. Wish you were here to go walking with us!
See ya later! Thanks for traveling vicariously with me. Hugs, JanBeek
This is the view from our balcony. That’s a beautiful castle on the mountainside
In front of our 4th story balcony we see the roof of the circular Catholic Church and we hear the bells ring every 15 minutes from 8: to 8: I love it!
Yesterday our grandson, Nick (the middle one – the fun-loving guy who has a band called Fluffy Machine) and his girlfriend, Céline, took us to nearby Martiny for lunch and a fun tasting experience at a micro-brewery.
Our lunch spotBob, Céline, Nick & Grandmama Denise
When we arrived on Thursday night, we had cheese fondue in Denise’s backyard with all 3 of our grandsons and their girlfriends plus our daughter, DeDe & her hubby, André.
Here is Bob on Thursday morning at Denise’s breakfast table:
The views from our balconies are wonderful – and the terraced vineyards on all the steep Alpine mountainsides here in Valais (the French part of Switzerland) are spectacular! God really worked overtime to create this scenic place!!
This is the house across the road from us. It was built in 1772. The plaque between the windows there tells the years it was renovated. 1772- 1946- 1976
Thank you for traveling vicariously with us for these next three weeks. What would you like me to show you next? Tomorrow is Mike & Tania’s civil ceremony. I’ll share. Come on back!
Just meditate on this scene; Let the beauty soak into you. Thank God for the beauty around you. You’re blessed. You know it?
No human can recreate what God has done. Meditate on the wonders of the universe. Thank God for His many blessings, And have a wonderful Thursday, OK?
Just 5 more days ’til we leave to go To Switzerland for our grandson’s wedding. We are anticipating the beauty we know We will experience there. Come back…
I’ll share!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. God bless you! See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Your prayers for our wise preparations and safe travel will be very much appreciated!
Click the link below if you’d like to have an hour or so of beautiful meditation music (water sounds, flute, etc.) while you count your blessings.
This is “Lucille.” Yesterday we joined 12 friends and went on a trail ride into the Gravelly Range above Antelope Basin.
Lucille is our ATV (all terrain vehicle). Because she’s a redhead on whom we have a ball, we named her after the actress/comedian, Lucille Ball.
Are you old enough to remember her?
Anyway, we met at Antelope Basin about 50 miles south-west of Ennis, and took the trails through the Gravelly Range to our destination of Hidden Lake.
It was a blue-sky-perfect day with temperatures not rising above 80 degrees. We had not been up to this site for over a year. In the meantime forest fires had ravaged the trees and changed the landscape.
This tree was lush and green last time we were here.
We stopped and chatted with our friends awhile before taking a lunch break.
Good buds: Sherry Riggs and Penny Hocking
TazE was quite interested in what Rex & Penny Hocking were getting from Linda Schott. Mmm … fresh and yummy Flathead cherries!
TazE was interested in Bob’s Cheetos, too!
After lunch we traveled on up to the lookout above Henry’s Lake.
The wildflowers were prettier than I have ever seen them this late in the summer. We had quite a wet spring and that helped!
Traveling back down, we could see our Madison Valley in the distance.
We gathered to take a group photo of our ATV friends. And then some couples and quartets, too.
Top left: Kris & Bob (CG’s cousin) with CG & Caroline Bottom left: Penny & Rex Right: Sue & Bob Welna
Here are our five ATV’s. You can see that Lucille stands out among all those earth tones!
Most of the way to and fro the trail was a road also traveled by cowboys in their pickups, tending the the cattle up in the verdant fields.
Some of the trail was rocky, steep and pretty hairy. But, we managed just fine… and I am so grateful that Bob and I both had enough stamina to enjoy the trip.
We Thank the Lord for our neighbors/friends (the Welnas and Hockings) who came to help Bob prepare Lucille for the trip, and then returned this morning to help him put her back away. God bless them!!
Maybe you’ll come join us one of these days for a Montana trail ride. Ya think?
I’d be tickled to see you!
Just give me a call and let me know when you’re coming. We’d love to see you and treat you to a Montana trail ride!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Click on the link below if you’d like to enjoy Dale Evans & Roy Rogers (my favorite cowboy) singing “Happy Trails to You.”
I have taken a week off from blogging… time to enjoy company … time to enjoy summer finally!
July is a month Of special celebrations First: Back on the road
Bob, TazE and I were invited to join our friends, Mike and Julie, on an ATV ride into the Gravelly Range.
Julie & Mike brought their wonderful dog, Zeke.
The wildflowers were out in full bloom, and my friend, Susan Phillips, captured their beauty magnificently. What you see is the Madison Valley and the Sphinx in the Madison Range in the background. Impressive, huh?
Thank you, Susan, for letting me share some of your photos.
I captured some of the panoramic scenery. It was such a pretty day!
The fields of wild mustard and other wildflowers were breathtaking!
The fields are so green. The cattle are happy grazers!
Bob & I thought this was a beautiful place to stop for a lunch break.
That’s Bob holding TazE’s leash… And Julie bending low in front. She and Mike were our drivers… and Caroline & CG were the trip organizers.
Caroline & Chuck- dear friends!
Then, other dear friends, the Tillions, came from California to spend a few days with us.
Ingrid & Alan Tillion
We went to our nearby tourist attraction, Virginia City, and enjoyed time together there. No time to blog… too busy being in the moment!
Ingrid & Alan almost missed the hailstorm – but not quite! We got hammered!!
We went on the 4th to watch the parade from the comfort of our friends’, the Washburns, beautiful yard. They provided breakfast and lunch for an amazing group of their friends. We felt privileged to be included and to be invited to bring the Tillions with us.
Alan, Bob, Jan & Ingrid Such a beautiful Independence Day!
The parade came right in front of our lovely, shaded area at the Washburns. I loved the painted horse.
Back at home, we were treated to our own neighborhood parade with the Welna Family… too cute!
To continue our July celebrations, we went with the Tillions to Bozeman on July 5th, and we all enjoyed a yummy brunch at Jam! (my favorite BZN brkfst)
Mmmmm… it was delicious!
We didn’t stop there… yesterday we invited our pastor, Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds, to come celebrate her birthday with us. So you can see why I have not blogged for a few days. It’s been a wonderful time of face-to-face with people who are dear to our hearts. No better way to celebrate!
Happy Birthday, MGR!! We’re so happy you are a part of our lives! You make us happier with your presence.
It’s good to be back on my blog. I thank you for visiting and sharing time with us. I hope you will share how you are celebrating July, too.
Happy Trails to You!
See ya again soon, I hope. Have a beautiful rest of your week. What will you be doing? Tell me…
If I had space in my WordPress photo gallery, I would show you a series of photos of this place in Ennis, Montana where we are blessed to live. BUT, to add more photos, I have to erase older photos. The program tells me I am at 100% capacity! How does Derrick Knight manage to post so many beautiful photos of his garden on https://derrickjknight.com every day without running out of space? I need to discover his secret!
Meantime, what I did was put the photos on a Facebook post – and give you the link here so you can go there to see where we are inviting you to come visit. I hope you will/can check it out!
I’ll put one here as a teaser – hoping you’ll click that FB link and go see more, OK?
Bob & Jan love company… and now that my hand is better and I can be a hostess again, I hope you will consider a trip! We are just one hour from Yellowstone – and the entrance (nearest us) to the park is open now – and the road that takes you to Old Faithful is open, too… following those terrible floods a few weeks ago. Beekman B&B is full July 2-6, but after that, July is clear on our calendar!!
Our kitchen windows with the gorgeous lilac bush
I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. It’s our daughter’s 35th anniversary this weekend… DeDe, the one who lives in Switzerland. We look forward to visiting them in the end of August.
Meantime, my devotional today in “Mornings with Jesus” encouraged me to “Find a quiet place. Write down any problems that surround you. Thank Jesus for being bigger than those problems.” It is not hard to find a quiet place here… and it is easy to live gratefully for daily healing of my broken finger and hurting hand, and to thank God for the beauty of nature and the peacefulness of this place. Come see for yourself!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek
Tell me what you’re doing this lovely weekend… See ya Monday (I’m taking a day off tomorrow) Hugs, Jan Beekman
janbeek 