Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘cows’

A Bustling End

The last two days of our marvelous three week trip to Switzerland were a bustling, busy, blessed time. Our daughter, DeDe, and her hubby, André, treated us royally with a trip to Chamonix, France on Monday and then a tour of the Gruyère Cheese Factory in Gruyère, Switzerland on Tuesday.

Up, up, up and over!

That’s the Rhone River Valley below.
We were headed through Switzerland to France.
It was a surprise gift for us
plus De’s best buddy, Laina (our daughter#2),
and her daughter, Katy.

Wow!
Look at this chalet next to ours.
We stayed in one named “Soli.”
(That’s De’s hubby’s nickname)
Enjoy the views out of every window!

See the snow covered peaks up there? We took a cog train up to that glacier!!

After settling into our beautiful chalet,
we walked to the place where the cog train (tram)
took us up to the top of the high peaks
where the glacier is.
With climate change, it is melting fast!

Here are Laina, DeDe & Katy –
taking the tram up to the glacier
that you could see from that first window view.
Bob with Laina & Katy at the glacier.
Here’s a live view of that trip up in the tram to the glacier…

That night we were treated to a phenomenal dinner.
My choice was veal with mushroom sauce. Mmmmm!
Thank you, De & Andrê.

We’re so grateful for their love of us and one another
… and their generosity!

Tuesday morning we drove back
up and over the mountains into Switzerland
to another surprise destination:
the town of Gruyere.
Gruyere is our favorite cheese.
How fun to see the place where it is made!

Wow! Look at the gruyere cellar where the rounds are aging!
De is showing us how heavy a round of gruyere is!

Tuesday night we returned to De & Andre’s chalet in Vissoie.
We packed, and prepared to go to Geneva to fly home.
Wednesday was supposed to be a smooth set of flights home.
However, with the Queen’s Procession,
our flight to London was delayed,
so we missed our connecting flight from Denver
and had to spend the night there.
This morning we finally made the flight to Bozeman
where our kind neighbor, Gary, met us and drove us home.
It’s a gray, dull, cool day …
not like the warm, blue sky days of Switzerland.
We’re spoiled!
But our hearts are filled
with the beauty and warmth
of our fabulous trip.

The rolling hills and milk-producing cows of the Gruyere area.
Here’s the fun of cheese fondue
and having our grandson, Nick, join us.
Our 3 grandsons & their sweethearts
were with us for so many fun and delicious occasions.
What a joyous three weeks we had!
Goodbye, France and Switzerland… thanks for the memories!

Thanks so much for traveling with us.
Back to reality in Montana now.
(Not a bad place to return to –
just a little smokey and cool right now)

Our house is behind those trees.


God bless you, family & friends.
We love you. 😍😘

See ya tomorrow –
Hugs, JanBeek

(of course God is willing, Laina!!)

Embrace Gladness

He has made me glad!
This is the day the Lord has made,
And I rejoice with each breath.
I treasure each beautiful memory.

Memories are God’s gift to us.
Activities are life’s treasures.
Highlights are those that make us smile.
My highlights and Bob’s are different.

Ask him about his favorite time
During our three weeks away,
And he will not hesitate.
It’s the Swiss fighting cows!

(Actually, he corrected me:
Cows are in second place…
Family comes first – whew!)

Visiting Pipo, the Swiss cowboy,
And seeing his award-winning cows
Was a unique, memorable experience.
But it was not MY favorite!

As I have shared in prior posts,
It’s the people who rise to the top.
It’s the people who make me glad.
I will enter their pictures with thanksgiving in my heart:

First of all it’s family:
Our daughter and her husband
And his mom, dear Denise…
How blessed we are to have them in our lives!

Do you have family far away?
So far that it’s hard to see them often?
So far that you missed them during the COVID crisis?
But always in your heart, making you glad?

Of course, in our case, the scenery
Is a huge source of gladness.
DeAna married a Swiss, so we HAVE TO
Go there to visit as often as possible.

Being able to see our children
And spend time with our growing,
And maturing grandchildren
Is my greatest source of gladness.

Throw in the bonus of meeting up
With my cousin, Tommy, in London
And visiting with Derrick & Jackie in Downton,
And you have gladness on steroids!!

You’ve met some of the folks below already.
If you had a chance, and you could post
A picture of the folks who make you glad,
Who would they be?

These boys make my heart sing!!

Mike is our oldest. Here he is with his fiance’ Tania.
Tania gave us a walking tour of Sierre –
And they took us to brunch & to their apartment –
Along with Mike’s middle brother, Nick.

Nicky, the middle grandson, is such a sweetheart
And so is his girlfriend, Celine.
He & Mike created a spreadsheet of our daily activities –
And made sure we were taken care of!

Wouldn’t that make your heart glad?

Our youngest grandson, Chris, is busy –
Busy with his work and his schooling,
His girlfriend in Colombia, and also
His school’s extra-curricular activities.

We treasured the few times he was
Able to make time to be with us.
Here he is with his mom, our DeDe.
These two definitely make my heart glad.

Embrace gladness, dear friends.
Cherish the time you have with your loved ones.
Remember the days of joy and shared love;
Tuck them in your heart – and thank the Lord!

Here I am with our son, Ty.
He makes me glad, too.
Time with him and his family
is a treasure to cherish.

Take time to share your gladness.
This is the day the Lord has made,
So treasure it in your heart…
And sing with me, “He has made me glad!”

What or who makes your heart spill over with gladness?

See ya tomorrow (God willing) –

Love,

JanBeek



Embrace the Spreading of Unity

https://www.wcax.com/app/2021/08/08/vermont-artist-spreads-symbol-unity-around-world/

Click on that link!
It will take you to a video
about the spreading of unity
as a theme on a painted cow.

I loved it…
and decided it was
too good to keep to myself.

Unity is Power.

Ban Divisiveness!

Bee amazed at the World Cow Maze
shown on the video that is linked above.

We’re all spots on the same cow!
Check out that link above to see how
this huge maze
in a corn field was created.
A-MAZE-ing!!

Embrace the spread of Unity.
In it lies our future as a world at peace!

What can you and I do to spread
the concept of UNITY
in our corner of the world today?

Let there be peace on earth…
and let it begin with me.

Have a peace-filled day.
See ya tomorrow (God willing).


Love,
JanBeek

Embrace Montana Vistas

Here is the Madison Valley and Range
as seen from the Gravelly Range

We went on an adventure today into the Gravelly Range
with our friend, Julie, and her dog, Zeke.
Come enjoy the Montana Vistas with us!

The Gravelly Range is just south-west of Ennis. We were looking for wildflowers. This is the time of year when they usually are prolific. However, it has been a relatively dry spring and summer so far, so the flowers were not as colorful or plentiful as usual.

This field of flowers is irrigated –
so they’re not the “wildflowers”
we were looking for.
See that line up the mountain?
That’s where we are headed.
We drove the pick-up with trailer
to the base of our destination
and took the ATV up from there.
Julie & Zeke rode in the back.
TazE sat in my lap.
Bob’s the driver.
TazE enjoyed the views.
That mountain above TazE’s head
is called the Sphinx.

The clouds made the sky
so beautiful and interesting today,
but they also threatened rain.
Fortunately we had about an inch
or two of rain last night,
so it settled the dust.
And it held off until
we were headed back
home this afternoon.

Zeke was quite interested in the beauty
of the Madison Valley vistas.
This is Caroline’s tree!
We always think of her when we see it.
Caroline loves tree skeletons!
As we climbed, the clouds moved
out from the Madison Range
and began to cover the valley.

This is a purple sticky wild geranium. Julie has an app on her iPhone that allows her to take a picture of a flower and then have the phone tell her the name of that flower. What a cool app! “Picture This” is the name I think. I need to check it out.

I can’t remember the name of this hairy wildflower.
Isn’t it interesting?

We reached a place where the road was closed
and we could go no further.
So, we stopped and rested a while
and let TazE and Zeke run around.

Julie took our photo,
and while we were distracted,
Zeke went out exploring.
Zeke found some wet, runny cow poop
and thought it was great fun to roll in it!

Like I said, there were more cows than wild flowers,
so of course, there were plenty of places
for an inquisitive pup to explore!!

Julie was intrigued by some of the leaves.
I walked beyond the closed gate and
took this photo of the US Forest Service sign
and the field of wildflowers beyond it.
They were more brilliant than this photo shows.

Heading back down the mountain, the cows bellowed at us!
They were not happy that we were disturbing their peace.

TazE continued to enjoy the views with us.
The sprinkler systems keep the fields green
in spite of our near drought conditions.

The storm clouds threatened … and we got a few raindrops on our way back to the pickup.

See the squall on the other side of the valley?
You can see that it is raining there.

Ah, home – with great memories of beautiful Montana Vistas!

And a beautiful sunset ended our day…

I hope you had a beautiful day, too.
Embrace Montana Vistas.
Come visit us!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Let’s Go Swiss

A couple of months ago we took a little stroll through my home state, Montana, via the lenses of several very talented photographers.

Then the next day I invited you to Switzerland where our daughter, DeAna, lives with her husband and family. It’s our go-to place when we have saved up enough to travel… and are free to do so. Three of our grandchildren are there. Of course, it’s a wonderful place to “have to” go!!

Today in my “Antelope and Attitude” post I told you I dream of traveling in 2021 back to Switzerland. For my new followers, I dug out this old post and decided to update it and let you see why I love Switzerland so much.

We sat on a patio with this view eating raclette with our daughter last time we visited her in Sierre, Switzerland, spring of 2018.
We visited that quaint village and attended the wedding of a Swiss friend.
Here are our three Swiss grandsons, Mike, Nick & Chris. That was several years ago when we visited at Christmas time. They’ve changed considerably since then!
Here’s their mom, our daughter. DeDe. Such a sweetheart! She never changes.
Her sons, on the other hand, do! But, okay, let’s look at some of their Swiss scenery. That’s why you came, right?
The lakes are sites to behold!
Castles are plentiful!
Riding in the car with my son-in-law driving on these switchbacks is an experience to remember!!
Flowers in springtime are everywhere!
Towns often were built almost to resemble fortresses.
Grape vineyards border towns and cities where the ground is fertile.
How they built castles on such high, rocky mountain peaks is beyond me!
Every square inch of the sunny mountainsides of Switzerland is terraced and planted with grapes. (This is Lake Geneva). It is near Valais, the canton where De & Andre’ live).
The lakes in Switzerland are numerous, clear, clean and so picturesque!
Castles in Switzerland are plentiful and always points of great travel interest.
In every town and village, the church steeple is always the highest point!
The way they tuck houses into crevices is amazing!!
Trains are a wonderful way to see Switzerland.
You can set your clocks by the trains and their arrival/departures.
The train system is amazing in Switzerland. Andre’s uncle was an engineer who helped design some of these bridges!
Mmmm… Cheese Fondue!
Delicious melted cheese with potatoes, pickles and onions
is “the best” delicacy of Valais! (Of course that’s in my biased opinion).
Raclette is my favorite Swiss cheese.
I love the Swiss cows. We have one of the queen cowbells hanging in our kitchen here in Montana!! I’ll show you that another time.
We usually visit in springtime or in winter (Bob loves to ski), but autumn is a gorgeous time in Switzerland, too.
The Matterhorn is one of Switzerland’s most famous landmarks.
This year De & Andre’ were working at a mountaintop restaurant at a ski resort where the only access was by chairlift. Can you imagine the views??
I love the springtime the most. Flowers are everywhere and the mountains are green and alive.
Oh, here are some more of those gorgeous Swiss cows!
Switzerland is beautiful in every season!
Thank you for visiting a few scenes with me. Thank you to #IloveSwitzerland for most of the images. Some are mine, though. Isn’t it an amazing country?
This is my oldest grandson, Mike with his significant other, Tania. We can hardly wait til the next time we get to go and visit with them. Kids grow up so fast, don’t they?
Doesn’t matter what season it is, we know our “DollyWolly” will be there to greet us!!

Thanks for visiting with me for a while. Hopefully someday we will go back… and I hope you can visit Switzerland for real yourself someday, too.

The Lord be with you and keep you safe.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
See ya later!

Let’s Go to Switzerland

Today at d’Verse Lillian challenged us. Since we are not able to travel now because of the Covid-19 pandemic, write a poem that takes every one along with us on a trip we have taken in the past. Here are the directions:

  1. Write a poem that is a travelogue of sorts.

2) The TITLE must include the name of the place we’ll be visiting

3) Post the poem to your blog AND add the exact URL for your poem to Mr. Linky below.

4) REMEMBER to either TAG dVerse in your post, or include a link at the end of your poem that leads readers back to dVerse

So, travel with me to Switzerland where or daughter and her family live.

Let’s Go to Switzerland

Switzerland is a wonderland
Where visitors love to go.
Springtime’s filled with flowers;
Winter – with magical snow.

We rode the tram to the top of the Alps
And stood on the mountain’s summit.
A trail for skiers led to the base,
But we stood back; no desire to plummet!

A favorite meal in the state of Valais
Is raclette, luscious melted cheese.
It’s made with milk from sweet Swiss cows.
Come and enjoy a day with us, please!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

(https://dversepoets.com)

Google Your Symptoms

I sniffle and sneeze –
I cover cough and hide my wheeze;
No one needs these bugs.

My husband had it.
He generously shared it.
Thanks a lot, dear Bob!


Told my FaceBook friends-
They offered lots of advice:
Gargle. Honey. Rest.

I have tried them all.
The drippy nose continues.
Please pass the Kleenex!

Friends offer to help.
Invitations are declined.
Don’t want to spread this.

Snuggle up in bed
With the friend who doesn’t care
If you sneeze on him.

My TazE loves me
Whether I am sick or not.
Her kisses are free.

Sometimes I wonder
Where my dog gets all of them.
Wonder who’s kissing her now…

Photo by Ana Francisconi on Pexels.com

Hah!
Stay healthy, my friends.
Let your best friend comfort you.

Hang in there!!
Send prayers and flowers!
See ya later.

How D’ya Save ‘Em?

You have a secret?

A way to save dying plants?

We brought them inside.

Don’t think that will work

The freezing, frosty weather

Got them ‘fore I did!

Poor Geraniums

Bit the dust with early frost.

How do you save ‘em?

 

I think that Derrick

Posts tantalizing flowers

Just to frustrate me!

Derrick wants me to

Feel like a total failure…

Those are HIS flowers!

 

And he posts

Gorgeous photographs of cows;

Maybe I should switch.

 

Perhaps saving cows

Is easier than flowers.

What do you think, huh?

portrait of cow standing in pasture

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

If a cow doesn’t produce,

Is it a Milk Dud

or an Udder Failure?

   

My flowers are toast.

Do you have some tips for me?

How do you save ’em?

 

71212928_756366374818358_1409176978816237568_oSee ya tomorrow.

 

Be Led, Not Driven

The Purpose Driven Life

I have an affection for Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life. It has so many words of wisdom – and it helped me as I was trying to define my purpose for living. I had recently suffered a burst appendix and had almost died. Prayer, God’s grace, a skillful ambulance driver, and a careful surgeon gave me back my life. I looked earnestly for clues about how I might live purposely for God to thank Him for my survival.

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This book of Daily Inspirations is a complement to The Purpose Driven Life. I used it as a devotional and as a journal, writing in the margins and at the top and bottom of the pages each day.


Soul Feast

But recently I read a quote by Marjorie J. Thompson in her book, Soul Feast.

Thompson wrote, “I admit I do not care for the language of ‘driven-ness’ in recently popular books and seminars…” She went on to explain “… it is significant that the Bible likens us to sheep, not cattle.”


My Haiku

Giving overtime thought to Marjorie J. Thompson’s  quote I wrote the following Haiku:

Live from a posture
Of profound trust and deep love
Be sheep, not cattle

 

Deep Conversation

My husband and I had a deep conversation about life and death, purpose and the difference between being led and being driven. When I am weary, Jesus leads me beside still waters. He refreshes my soul.

alberta amazing attraction banff

Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com

Cowboys here in Montana drive their cattle to the next pasture and farmers in Switzerland drive their cows in the springtime up to fresh grass from the lower meadows where the beautiful animals have spent the winters.

agriculture alps animal background

Photo by Krivec Ales on Pexels.com

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But Bob’s point as my hubby discussed the difference between being driven and led, was that cattlemen drive their cattle for the same reason shepherds lead their sheep. They have their best interests at heart. (Well, they may be driving them to market!)

There is a connotation to the word “driven” in our American culture. It seems to imply push-push-push, a relentless effort toward getting to the top.

 

Hope for the Flowers

I was reminded of a book for adults and others (including caterpillars who can read)  titled, Hope for the Flowers, by Trina Paulus. It was copyrighted in 1973, but it is as pertinent today as it was then (and it still is available on Amazon.com).

As I recall the story, the caterpillars in this clever little tale are climbing over the top of each other, creating a  “caterpillar pillar.” One little creeper is on the outside edge, getting tired of the climb, wondering if it’s worth it. She asks a fellow climber as she looks at the daunting distance to the top, “What’s up there, anyway?”

“Just other caterpillars pushing each other off so they can be on top,” her climbing companion explained as one of the fuzzy creatures came tumbling down and crashed to the ground.

(How sad, huh? I am fascinated by these wonderful creations and their metamorphosis.)

caterpillar close up hairy insect

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Right about then the disillusioned climber caught the eye of a beautiful butterfly cruising by. “Climb on down,” he encouraged. “Spin yourself a chrysalis, rest inside, and eventually you will emerge a butterfly like I did. Then you can join me.”

(Of course those quotes are from my memory, not the actual book. I loaned it out to someone…. don’t remember who… but I have ordered a new one. Hope for the Flowers is a terrific book to have on hand as a reminder of my journey!)

Moving Down the Administrative Ladder

I discovered this beautiful, child-like, but profound, paperback when I was working as a curriculum coordinator in the district office at a school district in central California. My office was waaay too far from the children. I had been an elementary teacher for over 20 years and the principal of a K-6 school with over a thousand students for nearly a decade. The “caterpillar pillar” (that ambitious climb to greater “success”) led me to the district office. I knew after only about three weeks that it was not where I belonged.

I stuck it out for two years. Did the best job I knew how. Wore at least a half a dozen hats (Federal Programs director, language arts and music coordinator, in-service leader for new teachers, mentor for new principals, etc.) I learned a lot, and am glad I did it,but generally, I was not happy. My love & my gift was teaching children and helping “my staff” grow to be their best selves. I loved the interaction with the students, the teachers, and the parents.

As I climbed back down the “pillar” and announced that I was going back UP to the classroom (as soon as I rested a year and earned my butterfly wings), I was told, “What are you doing? That’s the wrong direction!”

Some warned, “You can’t go back down! People will think you’ve been demoted!”

“Yes, I can,” I insisted. I slid into my chrysalis, listened to The Voice of Reason and Transformation, rested, and devoted more time to my family, myself and my God.

I emerged a happy butterfly and was led back UP to a group of first graders. At the end of that year I led them on to second grade. What joy! I still hear from some of those children twenty years later. Several of them are my Facebook friends!

Best move I ever made!!

antenna beautiful bloom blossom

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com


The Voice

Contemplative time
Creates vessels of vision
Hear the “still small voice”

.
Let God fill you up
with new creativity
Receive fresh insight

.
I encourage you
To let contemplative time
Be a microphone

.
Let unstructured time
Be a transformative time
Listen to The Voice!


Take time to rest.
Build your chrysalis.
Listen to your heart.

Find your True Purpose!

You may want to consider getting Rick Warren’s, The Purpose Driven Life,
and the accompanying inspirational/journal:

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and look for Hope for the Flowers. It’s out there…

Be Led, Not Driven

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