A Taste of Switzerland

I have hundreds of pictures, all mixed up on memory chips, cds and flash drives. It will take me weeks of concentrated effort to organize them, and post them for you.

In the meantime I will just post a few at a time while Dave and I are busy packing up the remaining stuff at the house in Illinois, since we are moving on Monday... yipes!

Some of these pictures are from the little village of Zuoz, which had historic homes and streets and the yarn store!

I loved the painted walls of the stucco homes. This one was a very new house but we also saw homes that were 1000 years old.
This twig sculpture was in Blumengalerie in St. Moritz. Very Andy Goldsworthy-esque. I can relate.

I am still waking up 7 hours too early and finding ways to get a bit of work done. Then I will return to bed for another four hours of needed sleep.

It is a busy life these days...

Thanks to my wonderful hostesses, Pia Maria Inderbitzen and Verena Matter who made me feel totally welcome and loved. The love is returned.

Melody

Last Daz of Teaching
Todaz will be the last daz of mz visit in St. Moritz. The time has gone bz so fast and everzone is promising to share their pictures with me via email, so there will be manz more pictures than I have alreadz taken, which adds up to over 300.

Tomorrow Verena Matter will drive me back to her home in Zurich and then on Thursdaz I will flz home to mz sweet Dave who is alreadz waiting for me at OHare.

 

I will have one daz to recover from jet lag and then we will pack up the moving van and saz Adios to Carz IL.

Can this all be happening so soon? Zes!

 

Then I will post again in English...just when zou are learning mz new language...

Love zou all,

Melodz

A Daz Off

 

Saturdaz in St. Moritz and I have finished mz first week of classes with mz verz wonderful students. We had so much fun, with three hour lunch breaks dailz, usuallz up in the mountains, on glaciers, or walking in beautiful scenerz.

I am continuallz overwhelmed with the views, the lovelz skies, and gardens and storzbook homes in the villages. I promise a huge amount of pictures when I return next week.

Todaz I will take it easz, mazbe onlz one mountain walk...

Then on Sundaz a new class of 21 comes in for a three daz workshop. Manz of the students are alreadz well known Euro Quilters and I will no doubt be challenged and amazed bz their abilities. Mz one problem is that <i have worn out two camera batteries and altho <I have mz charger here, still have not been able to get an adapter to fit for a recharge. This is a minor problem as I am sure I can arrange to have a student sent me shots of the new workshop results.

Thanks for zour patience with the sporadic reports. Onlz two computers for the whole hotel. I am luckz to find one available.

So until next time, enjoz zour daz,

Love Melodz

 

What is Dave up to while I am in Switzerland?
'

Dateline Palmer TN:

I wasn't going to tell you about my story involving 5 baby ducklings because now looking back on it " what must have I been thinking".

The day started out like any other day "up on the mountain". Which by the way the phrase "up on the mountain" is used by those who live "up on the mountain" in order to distinguish those who do from those who don't. I get the feeling that those who live "up on the mountain"see more eye to eye with those that can claim that phrase. Kind of along the lines claiming to be a Catholic while in the company of Catholics. When this is done there is a mutual understanding that Catholics are superior to all other religions and trust no one who claims something different.

Sorry I got caught up in that little understanding of our new culture. By the way we "live up on the mountain" and as long as we stay "up on the mountain" we have nothing to fear. What?

So while I was at the flea market in Monteagle I came across a large metal cage that was holding 5 adorable puppies that were the cutest littlest orphans with no mommy or daddy or any relatives that were willing to give them a loving home. The sign said "free"and the puppies were squeaking "take me, take me, take me. How I managed to harden my heart and convince myself that these pups weren't coming home with me is beyond me. All I know is I must have ice water running through my veins to be able to just ignore the little whimpering pleas to be rescued. How can you love a man capable of those atrocities?

As I continued my tour of the grounds faint cries in ducklatin emited from underneath a display table which held a gruesome display of butcher knives,cleavers, and animal butchering devices. Pulling back the blood stained table cloth revealed 5 (yep 5 ) of the cutest and littlest ducky orphans I have ever seen. When I inquired about the ducklings I was told that they were indeed orphans and had little chance for survival ( no mommy or daddy) unless I knew someone with a pair of mature ducks that might raise them as their own. Well this must be a sign from God cause I've got two ducks that are living an unproductive life and these rascals are just what they need.

Being the sceptic that I am I was able to create a deal as such I would be allowed to return them if the mature ducks refused to accept the babies or if the babies didn't buy into the ducks as their new mommy and daddy. I needed these clauses in the contract because I was paying $15 for the little orphans and their future was quite uncertain, along with my money.

During the ride back I couldn't escape having thoughts of being a person that has just saved 5 baby ducks. They probably would have been used as experiments which involved those butcher items on display (gross).

When I arrived home with the baby ducks the future parents were sleeping on the banks of the pond. As I got near the water the babies could sense it and began to quack up a storm. I lowered the cage on a bank near the mature ducks and opened the door to freedom. The door hadn't even open all the way yet and these baby ducks swam as fast as their little webbed feet ( really cute feet) could take them in the opposite direction. Quickly getting to the other side of the pond I ran. I didn't want them to get out of the pond because I had my doubts as to being able to catch them. Once they realized I was waiting for them on the other side they did a 360 without missing a stroke or would that be a kick. Well this turned into a great circus clown act at my expense. While the baby ducks simply swam from one end of the pond to another without a hic-up, I on the other hand had become coated in mud

and was quickly losing my enthusiasm for all of this.

I tried, I honestly gave it all I could and it just wasn't mean't to be. So with the final leap attempt to coral the little orphans success was mine if that's what I call success. The mature ducks never showed any interest in the babies and the babies acted like,,,,,well,,,,,babies,,,,,,SCARRED OUT OF THEIR LITTLE MINDS.

I returned them the same day, not willing to risk the possibility of their previous owner maybe not showing up the next day. After all I had $15 at risk. So I handed the little ducks back to him and said

"sorry but they just didn't want anything to do with my ducks". And he replied "I didn't think they would, you living "up on the mountain".

True Story

Missing you more than the baby ducks,

Ducky Dave

Brie for Breakfast...How Civilized
I will be eating myself out of mz clothes while I am here. The cups of coffee are teenz but I have switched to a full pot of Earl Grey for my caffeine and it seems to be doing the trick. The restaurant provides a huge breakfast buffet including all kinds of fresh breads, croissants, rolls and cheeses, butters, jams, until I am bursting. Then there is the eggs, sausages, bacon, potatoes and fruit. And of course muesli and assorted cereals with FULL MILK and joghurt.

We are given 20 Swiss Francs a daz for our lunch which never gets used bz thriftz Mel. At breakfast I make up a roll with ham and slabs of gruzere and a couple of pieces of fruit and then at noon I eat quicklz in mz room. I am saving mz monez for a big cow bell ala the Swiss custom. Thez are hung on a big embroidered leather strap and weigh a ton. We need one around the new house, to call in Dave from the field...or the garage or wherever he has wandered off to.

Mentioning Dave gives me a pang. I am soo lonesome for him. This is the longest we are apart. I miss our dailz fone convesations. boohoo. Same with mz sister Brooke who emails me at night when <i am just waking up. <it is like talking to her dailz.

Now I must get to class.

Since mz travel laptop died I am having a dickens of a time remembering what <i teach each daz. How dependant I have allowed mzself to become.

But I have an inkling what we will do this morning and bz afternoon, perhaps the rest of the exercises will surface in the old noggin. I might as well use mz brain, since <i brought it along.

Love from Swityterland.

Mel

Different Kezboard make me look stupido

It's a surprise to me that there is a different kezboard lazout in Swityerland. The y and the z are switched. It must be because thez use the z so much more than the y or thez donät use the y at all. And the apostrophe is not where <i expect it to be either, so <i am alwazs looking for it. And zou know how often <i use an exclamation point in mz dramatic writing. Where is it? I have to search and that takes time and the next person is waiting behind me with breath down mz neckö.
We have had a busz daz todaz with a three hour break to take a trip up a mountain, and then back to class until 6pm. <i am so exhausted from the middaz hike that I dismissed everzone earlz. The students were relieved to be able to stop deciding what to do next. WE have made 7 quilts in one daz.
What I need?
Wine.
More tomorrow... i hope...
LOVE mELODZ

Still Awestruck

It is 7.30am and I woke needing coffee. And being a creature of habit...the internet.

I never mentioned the motorcycles on the drive down from Zurich. They are everywhere, in full leathers and fancy helmets. Intersperced with bicyclists, in their cute tight pants and fancy helmets of the other variety. So many on the roads are going straight up it seems. O for the thighs of youth.

There seems to be no end to the endurance of these riders. I just witnessed a young girl put on a huge back pack, almost as large as herself and then take off on a bicycle. It didn´t look like she was just going around the block.

I have the day off today which will afford me some time to stroll about St. Moritz. I can´t believe I just said that.

Last night we walked through town to a wonderful restaurant where we ate dinner. We all said we weren´t hungry since it was only three hours after a large lunch, but I managed to snarf down the most delicious specialties of the house. Risotto with crimini mushrooms and grilled stuffed slices of beef tenderloin. The stuffing was lemon butter and herbs. Omigod. I will be saying that often, as I become a real porker. The wine was Spanish and I had a good deal of it, ensuring a more than perfect night`s sleep. The walk home was brisk as the temps fall into the crisp range. I was happy to have my hand knit shawl for my head.

The hotel is across from a lake, one of six in this valley and there is a fine river running through town too. Every bit of water I have seen is crystal clear and turquoise.

I am not making this up.

I wish I could post pictures, but this computer seems to be without a usb port.

I must find coffee.

Fairy Tale Land

 

I had a very good and easy flight into Zurich and walked right past the customs agent without stopping. I gave him a nice smile and made a swift exit.

My hostess, Pia Maria Inderbitzen (doncha love that name?) was there to meet me and then she took me on an all day tour of Switzerland. Words Fail Me! This is the MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ever. A perfect day weather wise, fantastic scenery, a tiny nap midway and then a stop at a story book village with a peek inside a church built in 1406. I kid you not. There must be some law that every house must have a window box at every window, with gigantic red geraniums, unless the house is periwinkle blue, and then it must have lavender petunias. I will be taken a zillion pictures, but using the hotel computer, I doubt I will find a way to post them.

So in the meantime, rent the Sound of Music and that will serve to show the immense beauty of these mountains.

 

And now I must go EAT AGAIN. My first meal was grilled lamb tenderloins on a spinach salad with pine nuts and balsamic dressing, chased with prosecco. Omigod.

All my Love from St. Moritz

Lucky Mel

Hoping to get off the ground...

The day has finally come for my trip to St. Mortiz for PIVA. At least I hope the day has come. The stormy weather has really beaten up our area, although nothing bad has happened in Cary. But just tons of trees have toppled onto houses and cars, and flooding in the lower elevations is causing power outages for thousands.

My flight doesn't leave until 1:45pm so there is hope that I may get out if the planes can get in. O'Hare declared its greatest number of cancelled flights in history today. O boy.

I have been having signs of "The end is near" for my career too.

1. The wheels finally fell off my carry-on

2. The lightbulb (which costs $305 to replace) failed on my digital projector just before my lecture in New Hampshire last week.

3. My laptop, my trusty travel laptop quit on me as I was finishing up my Power Point presentation that I had hoped to make in St. Moritz. My backup laptop it in Tennessee with Dave. I started over on the desktop and will be able to use a memory stick, hopefully, instead.

4. I have no more fabric left to dye. None. Well, that's a good thing, so it doesn't belong on this list I guess.

There are two batteries for my camera all charged up and ready for picture taking in the Alps. The Alps!!! Omigod. I haven't given one bit of thought towards going to Europe for my very first time.

I will be excited when I step off the plane. You can count on it.

The hotel will have internet and I am bringing all my cables to download pictures, so we shall see if I can blog them... If not, I will still try and update the trip.

I return on September 6th, God willing, and then its the big reunion with Mr. Wonderful Dave, who I am missing soooo much. Love, Melody

The Garden in August

Designing my Studio Space

One of my dear readers sent this link. Isn't this fun? Even the cat can be placed in the room. This is merely a fantasy. Popeye won't visit me, as he never gets to eat in my studio, so what's the point of being there?

I have included my slippers, tv and laptop. I have three doors and two windows and that makes fewer places to put furniture. There was no icon for the sewing machine, so we just have to imagine that. And even more unavailable are Rubbermaid box icons. I always have several piled up around my studio. It looks like my missing six feet of space will be in another room. Not to worry, I do have the adjoining room too.

The entry door opens out to the other room and then on the left side is the door to the balcony (overlooking the downstairs dining room). It stays open for air flow. We might as well remove it from the hinges and get it outta there. The next door is a closet which is under the eaves. I will store my piles of finished quilts in there, as well as my drawers on wheels. It is loaded with all the stuff that used to inhabit five chests of drawers. Obviously the contents have been greatly reduced.

I save way too much. I am down to just the necessities. We'll see how long this 'simplicity' lasts.

There is absolutely no room for yarn in this space. I will have a two and a half car garage for that.

Lunch with Laura

One by one, my pals are taking me out for lunch. I should move away more often. We went to our fave Panera, in a different town, so we could order something else other than our 'regular'.

The discussion swept the gamut from chickens and inlaws, to not getting dressed until time to wear clean pajamas, to what our next project will be. After all these years Laura has decided to renovate her sewing room from the ground up. Wow! It's about time. We have both seen so many fabulous studios in the homes of those we visited, and we always wonder "Why don't I have a studio as nice as this? I am IN THE BUSINESS!"

Part of the reason is that we would have to stop, clean it out, and redesign it and "Who has the time?" we both chimed in. But now, Laura and I both are about to do that very thing. She is drawing out on graph paper the size of her room and has cut out little shapes of tables and cabinets and is moving them around to see how it will all work. She has a fellow already lined up to make custom sized cabinets to hold her quilts and a table that will allow her to work all in the same room as she sews. Fabulous! And she so deserves this space to suit her needs.

And then, Moi? What kind of sewing room or painting room or studio will I design for myself?

Duh.

Um.

Too soon to tell. I know I have a room to use. It has great southern light. It has three doors and a closet. It can be anything I want. But at this point I don't know what I want.

And there is no rush. None at all. Since my move Part Deux will begin Sept 10th, I have many nights to dream this up. That is what I will do. I will set my brain on Studio Design and see what it invents.
P.S. Take a look at where I will be teaching in Switzerland. http://www.piva.ch/

Going Places with Quilting

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Laura and Melody in Japan

Quilting has taken me both near and far. Japan twice, New Zealand, Canada twice and all around the country. It would be easier to say where I didn't teach, rather than where I did. In the West I didn't teach in Utah, Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico and the Dakotas. In the east I haven't taught in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware or West Virginia. In the South I haven't taught in Mississippi, Louisiana, or Georgia. Neither in Alaska or Hawaii.

And I have never taught in Tennessee! I did work as a vendor when Laura and I had a booth at the Nashville show, but that wasn't combined with teaching. So if I were aiming to hit every state in the union, I have fallen short, but it sure seems like I have been everywhere.

Yesterday I sold my dye racks and all the rest of the stuff associated with dyeing to my friend and fellow art quilter Anne Lullie. She will find a place in her basement for all this stuff. So in the future you can order fabric from her. ( Surprise, Anne!) Wait a while tho, as it is still full of wet fabric in my dyeroom.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and am missing the teaching already. The airports you can keep, but the classes and the guilds are so fun. Maybe I will have a chance to teach again in Tennessee. After I get settled...

Squish Squish in Cary

Good thing the house is on a hill. The rains came again and again and water poured down the yard into the houses behind us, filling basements, poor darlings.

The garden is quickly becoming a jungle.

The trees are loaded with soaking leaves, which is much better than the drought situation we had in previous summers.

Cousin It continues to exceed its supports. Every year we cut it down to bare wood and we think it will never sprout again. Ha! Wrong every time. We have a new one like this at the Palmer house, but it fails in comparison to this baby. The flower buds have already begun to form and we will see one more year of blossoms before we leave for good.
That leaving for good looks to be Sept. 10th. NO it has not sold yet. We will reduce the price as soon as all the interiors are empty and cleaned to within an inch of its life.

I am not leaving these hosta behind. It would be like leaving my children. I will replace the holes I leave with beautiful compost and seeds for new plants. Honest.

And Now...

I must focus on the next exciting adventure starting on Friday.

Switzerland!!