We are spending part of the morning at Sunny Days. Michael has to write a short report for work. It shouldn't take him very long.
We met with Frau Meier for a couple hours starting at 4:00 PM for cake and tea. She made the carrot cake from scratch. The cake didn't rise as high as she would have liked it to. It was so moist and delicious!!! For me, it didn't matter. She said the carrot decorations were made of vegetables, too. She likes a white blood orange tea which complimented the cake so much. She didn't think I had enough cream with my cake so she added another huge dollop- or two.
She is quite an interesting person to speak with. Michael and I were both wrong about her age. She told us she will be 99 years old in December. Can you imagine what advancements and changes she has seen in her lifetime? Frau Meier has quite a sense of humor. In fact, when we were leaving, she thanked me for her yearly talk in English. She said she can't wait for next year. She has a walker which she probably should use more than she does. Frau Meier calls it "my Cadillac". She thinks it can actually get her to Bönigen. It is only funny if you know where these places are. We wanted to help with dishes but she said, " My husband will help." We know her husband had died years ago. When we looked puzzled, Frau Meier said she named the dishwasher that. He would never help with dishes and now "my husband" helps all the time.
She has a beautiful flower garden. Her cacti, which are in large pots, are in bloom. Frau Meier was excited to tell us her Queen of the Nile cactus had five blossoms this year. She has cone daisies, geraniums, salvia, chrysanthemums, zinnias, hibiscus, roses and so many other flowers. She also has a little herb garden. She has a patch of dandelions and some other plant that she takes the tender center leaves for the salad she loves to eat every day. If you are 90 years old or older, the village of Unterseen gives you an assortment of annuals in a pot. I think she would rather perennials so she could plant them in her garden and enjoy them year after year. She certainly has a green thumb.
Before we went to Frau Meier's, Michael and I took the boat from Interlaken West to the first stop, Neuhaus. I suggested we go to Restaurant Neuhaus Zum See for lunch.
The light in the channel was perfect for reflections so I played around with the camera.
This was the view from the table at the restaurant.
We started with a salad. In the U.S., we have tossed salads while in Switzerland all the vegetables are in separate piles. There is no mixing!! French dressing in Switzerland is white in color. Michael and I both had the trout from the lake sautéed in butter. Great choice! The trout had sliced almonds on top and we both ordered boiled potatoes instead of the rice or french fries. It came with seasonal vegetables. Beautiful view, tasty food and great conversation!!! The white wine wasn't bad either.
We were going to take the boat or the bus back to Sunny Days but we decided to walk back.
We walked through the Weissenau Nature Reserve. The reserve is a former flood plain that was regularly flooded by the Aare and Lombach Rivers until the end of the 19th century. The reed bed, reed meadows, floodplain forests and dense undergrowth form a near natural shore, in which numerous animals find a habitat and rich food supply. While certain species of birds breed in the Weissenau, others use the area to migrate through or spend the winter. There are postings detailing the flora and fauna of the area.
Too bad fishing is not allowed in the reserve.
So many smaller fish.
You can sit in the blind and watch out over the reeds. You have signs that identify the many birds that may come to this area.
Flowers and berries are an attraction for the birds.
Walked by the Weissenau Castle. Today only ruins remain of the castle. The castle residence and tower, portions of the castle building and the curtain wall are all still standing.
After we left the reserve, we just walked along the channel back to the Interlaken West train station. We were not the only people whom decided this was a beautiful day for a walk.
We stopped and sat for a few minutes.
The paddle boat was coming into Interlaken West.
I had some time in the morning to do a little writing. So, these are some observations and things I forgot to include over the last few weeks. Construction: I can’t believe how much is taking place with new apartment construction and repairs to the railways; especially the tracks from Bern to Geneva. Sometimes, it causes the trains to run a few minutes late (später). This must drive the Swiss crazy. People: With the remodeling of the train station at Interlaken West, I miss seeing the elderly gentleman with his dog. He used to sit every morning and watch the trains pass for an hour or two. The man always tipped his hat when I smiled and walked by. I also have not seen the gentleman whom lived under the roof at Frau Meier’s apartments. The gentleman whom always walked in last with the Wengen Bell Ringers did not join them this year at the festival. He looked like he has had health issues this year. He has lost weight and is having difficulty walking. When I was at the cheese parting at the Justistal, we could hear the deer in rut. Such an eerie sound! As we were walking up the hill to the festival, people would just stop in their tracks when they heard the sound. Even I did it. The fishermen on Lake Thun are still fishing in the same coves. There is a deer farm in Spiez. I check in which pasture they are grazing, every time I pass by on the train.
Frau Meier made an observation about flowers. She said the flowers in the French section aren’t as pretty as in the Oberland. She said the line is at Gstaad. Now that I think about what I have seen so far, I think she is correct. Farming: This week seems like the week to dig up the potatoes. Corn, for the cows, is being harvested as the stocks have dried. The fields of sugar beets have not been touched, though. Red and green lettuce should be ready to pick in a couple weeks. Leeks are still standing tall.
Another day comes to a close.