where others come for vacation ...
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It's Christmas day and we hear the calling of our Christbaum (Christmas Tree) up in the woods of Klewenalp. We take the cable car up to Klewenalp station and head out on our pilgrimage.
I have a walking stick (courtesy Armand) carved out of a beech tree last night, but with slippery icy patches on the slopes, I'm really regretting not bringing my spikes. The other three are happily skipping along like a walk in the park while i'm having to watch every step. They ask me to stop thinking & just feel the snow underneath, but fear finds me frozen on the slopes more often than not. I still can't help admiring the pristine beauty of the alpine panorama.. the snow highlighting each curve of the mountains.
Finally we're at the Tree.. Yippee!! I manage to smile :)
Happy to find all the decorations still in place after four winters. Too bad there's no snow on the tree. Well, one can't have it all! We add a couple of ornaments, light the candle, offer our prayers and then it's Glühwein, Basler-läckerli and Chocolate time... 
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We're celebrating Christmas Eve with our friends in Brennwald "literal translation: Burning Forest". Yeah.. No need for a campfire, that should keep us warm naturally 
The last rays of the Sun are already spreading golden hue over Schwalmis summit as we park. Not too much time to admire the view, we need to get to our campsite before dark. Russell and Cara scamper up the path to lead the way and we follow suit with our backpacks.
As we start to gain altitude the dirt path gives way to snowy and sometimes icy path. We soon arrive at an Alpine Hut.
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It's yet another grey wintry morning. Yawwwwnnnnn.. My still sleepy head starts conjuring up fancy excuses to stay in bed -- Well maybe in an hour the fog might disappear - that might be the more appropriate time to really "Rise and Shine".. I close my eyes just for a second.. A tug on my hair wakes me up.. It's the cats.. They're hungry. it's already 8:30AM!!! Time sure flies quickly whlist snoozing... zzzz... zzz...
With breakfast inside them, the cats are happy to curl-up in their hammocks! I look outside.. The fog is here to stay. No chance for Sunshine to breakthrough this thick cover today. We're surrounded by Grey -- moist greyish white fog everywhere.. No more mountains, lakes, greenery!!! I feel like the world begins & ends in our apartment and suddenly it's there.. A Silence that's thick enough to be cut with a Knife. Where every little sound whether it's a dog barking, bird chirping, car passing by or ship horn has it's space and is not distracting. We let it engulf us and Time seems to stand StiLL..
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Today is Mutti's funeral - the day the five elements of her body make the final journey back to Mother Earth...
The Requiem Mass will begin at 10AM at the Village Church (Kirche).
It's 7:30AM and Lukas feels he needs to visit Mutti while she is still in the little Chapel. Her Urn is decorated with lavender roses and surrounded by flowers baskets.
As we're offering our final respects, the Sigrist (Church caretaker) walks in. He says it's time to move Mutti's Urn to the Kirche.
The flower baskets are too heavy for me to lift. As i look for a smaller flower arrangement to carry, the Sigrist asks us if we would like to take the Urn back to the Kirche.
I'm completely overwhelmed as I gently lift the Urn. I feel Honored and Tears start to flow on their own as my mind walks down the memory lane while my legs walk me to the Kirche..
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- Hope dies Last -- Sep 30