In these days of political dissension, remain cheerfully hopeful, like Linus. Carry your security blanket with you. Mine is a pillow that I brought from Montana to Switzerland as a reminder:
Dream a little dream with me
Carry your security blanket or pillow and your positive energy wherever you go. Dream of a better world. Dream of a place where the security of sanity and compassion are the norm.
Happy end to October, my friends. May your day be as beautiful as mine!
Hugs,
JanBeek
That’s our DeDe. It’s been a wonderful visit here with her and our extended Swiss family & friends. Peaceful. Beautiful. Loving. 🥰 Homeward on Tuesday. 😣🤨🌨️🥶‼️
There’s our daughter’s apartment building. They live on the 4th floor. This is the building across the road from themAnd there’s the church tower across the street. Its bells chime every 1/2 hour from 8: am to 8:pm
They produce a delightful time signal. Beautiful Alpine scene as Autumn is in full swing
Churches usually dominate the highest place in cities & villagesVineyards are everywhere in this region near BarbarescoWe enjoyed wine tasting hereThe display of food at our B&B was amazing This cheerful fellow was our breakfast server at DaMamma B&B in Alba
Amazing landscape
Now we’re headed back to Switzerland. It was a wonderful trip to Italy.
Mmmeals here prepared by my chef son-in-law, André. Ammmmazing!!
Tasty as it is pretty!Deeelicious salmmmmonAnd a yummmy cake to celebrate our great-grandson’s birthday. Deeelightful!Our middle grandson, Nick, shaved his head to match our oldest grandson, Mike. They are as much fun as they look like they’d be!
Yesterday we attended a wine/raclette/music festival in Sierre, Switzerland. Our grandson, Mike, was there with his wife, Tania, and our great-grandson, Ethan. Today we are Celebrating Ethan’s 2nd birthday. Here is Mike… and here’s the fife & drum corps:
Fife & drum corps
After the festival we had the privilege of visiting with Chantal. She is our son-in-law, André‘s cousin. She lived with us for about 10 months in CA back in the ‘70’s when she was about 17. Such fun to catch up with her again! Being with family & friends is what this trip to Switzerland is all about!
Chantal with us
I went to church this morning with Denise (André’s mom). It was a beautiful morning.
Sierre’s Catholic ChurchThere is their apartment building. And this display of water fountain and flowers is right behind/beside their apartment building:That round building with the bell tower is right across the street from where Grandmama Denise & De/André are living.
It’s such a pretty day here!
It’s rare to see these buildings in disrepair… even the ones built in the 1700’s! But sometimes they do show their age. More typically, the buildings are in pristine condition… like at this winery. De helped Bob select the perfect bottle to share at today’s party. Yes!
Santé, my friends. Thanks for visiting JanBeek. See you tomorrow.
Sierre, Switzerland Grandmama (Mammie) Denise was happy to see us!We were delighted to have all 3 of our Swiss grandsons join us last nightCéline (Nicky’s significant other) joined us briefly. Such a sweetheart!André (our son-in-law) fixed a gourmet dinner for us. Yummmm!Which grandson is craziest!?
We spent from 6:30 am Tuesday to 7:30 am Wednesday on 4 different flights to get to Geneva. De & André picked us up there. The 2 hour drive to Sierre was gorgeous! Pictures don’t do it justice. Zoom in on those terraced mountainsides covered with vineyards!
That side of the valley is more rugged…There are the vineyards on the north side of the valley. The southern side of the valley doesn’t get the afternoon sun. No vineyards there. This is the view from our 4th floor patio“Grampy” Bob is sooo happy to be with our daughter, DeDe, again! So am I!
The left hand doesn’t know What the right hand is doing. The left hand doesn’t see What the right hand is doing. It doesn’t understand What the right is doing. The left doesn’t care About what the right is doing.
Doesn’t know or see, Doesn’t understand or care. Which is it? Or is it all four? This can happen in my body – It can happen in your body – It can infect any body.
Infection requires intervention. Intervention is communication. Communicate to know, to see, And to understand. But first, the left must care What the right is doing.
I can communicate. I care, so I want to know. I see, so I want to understand. Do you see? Do you know That a part of the body is suffering? Do you listen, question, care?
Two key people in our body Have resigned their positions. We are the left hand… They are the right. A crucial part of us. Do we see, do we know? Do we understand what’s happening? Do we care?
The left hand needs to know What the right hand is doing. The right needs to know What the left is doing.
We need to see, understand, care. I heard. I care. I can commmunicate. Have you? Do you? Can you? Will you?
We are all in one body. United we stand. Fractured we fall. Communicate!
With Love, JanBeek
P.S. This was written for my Madison Valley Woman’s Club and their “left hand” – The Nearly New. It’s a terrific organization of volunteers. Right now there is a rift. I am praying there is honest communication – and healing. Pray with me, okay?