MOTHER'S DAY IN VIENNA

   Sign at the very old train station

I knew that Mother's Day in Vienna was going to be rather lonesome with no kids or grandkids.  So, we had to find something interesting to do to occupy our time.  We attended our house church in the morning then met our friends Jake & Christine (Bruce wasn't feeling well so he and Barbara couldn't make it) to ride the train to the country to attend the Schmid Family Hof Fest.  

 
This family sells homemade jams, relishes, wines out of their shops in Vienna. They invited their customers to a festival at their home in order to "wine & dine" them.  There was a big barn (I have always loved barns!) from which they served the food (feast.) 

     


There were various breads, meats, cheeses, spreads, salads, and oh yes, desserts,  wine & coffee.




 The four of us ate for around 20 Euros total.  We tried many foods for the first time.  We had some amazing wine that they produce themselves. 


We were given a tour of the vineyards.
There's been a lot of rain this year so there was tall grass between the rows when ordinarily there is not.






They have state of the art equipment to process the grapes and bottle the wine. 

  The drum workshop

Donkey rides for the kinder

Even though there were about 100 people there, it seemed much like one big family.  We all sat in beautiful warm sunshine on long tables between the barn and the house.

Anxious to return home in order to talk (Skype) to the kids and grands, we embarked on our train ride back to Vienna.  Due to the 8 hour time difference we could still be home in time to receive and make our mother's day calls.

Stay tuned for the upcoming blogs on Italy with the girls and Greg's & my holiday in Hallstat, Austria.   

LICHENSTEIN CASTLE, THE ZOO, SCHMETTERLING HAUS

In April Jeff, Erin, Sam, Silas, and Selah visited.  We had a great time.  One day Jeff, Greg, and Sam went to visit a castle while the rest of us went to an Easter market.

The zoo was a big hit!  I took the kids while Jeff and Erin were in Italy.  I was a little apprehensive about taking all three kids on public transportation with no help, but they were troopers and did well.  The day was the first really nice warm, sunny day of Spring and record crowds were at the zoo on that day.  We met my friend, Kim, and her three kids.  It was a very stressful day trying to keep up with all six kids in the hoards of people.  We did lose Sam for a brief time, but he assured us he really knew where he was and wasn't lost at all.  Of course, I was worried out of my gourd until we found him.  I look forward to going back to the zoo when there a few less people. 

Carli, Cotter, Caleb, Sam, Silas

We actually spent more time on the playground in the zoo than seeing the animals.  We could keep up with the kids a little easier.

Carli was a great help with Selah

Sam, Silas, Selah in front of the Butterfly House

Feeding on fruit

Lots of cocoons of all sizes

WACHAU VALLEY OF AUSTRIA

 Last Saturday we rode the train with our friends, Jake & Christine, to Spitz, Austria, located in the Wachau valley.  The day was warm and sunny.  We meandered down the streets, marveled at the amazing vineyards, explored the ruins of an old castle, went to a boat and train museum, and ate some great Austrian food.  The landscape on the  train ride (3 hrs. total) there and back was lush and green with signs of gorgeous Spring blossoms everywhere.

                            Vineyards as far up the hills as the eye could see

                           Looking down on Spitz from the tower of the castle

                                                        The castle

                                       Apricot trees in full blossom

                              Restaurant where we ate lunch outdoors in the

                                     courtyard-lots of old world charm

                           

                              View from cafe where we took a coffee break.