Our first job each year is to maintain the passage to our Bergheim.Enjoying the warmth of our remotely controlled cabin temperature, we are thankful to greet a new day.Another “Must Do” is gathering as a family to celebrate birthdays, graduations, and other milestone events.Later, during our summer at Bergheim, we are greeted by a different sunrise.
Our summer at Bergheim was occupied by landscaping, garden maintenance and a family trip to France, punctuated by the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral.
We watched in dismay as this iconic cathedral burned.
In July we began our family trip to France on a Tauck Bridges Rhône River Cruise, starting with a few days in Paris before taking a high speed train to Lyon where we embarked the MS Emerald. I hope you won’t be overcome by the number of photos that follows.
Our first night in Paris was the meet and greet by the Tauck tour directors at the top floor of our hotel overlooking the Tour Eiffel. The next day we toured the Louvre.
So, here’s Mona who needs no introduction; the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and dear Venus
Just a short walk from the Louvre is Basilique de St. Chapelle, built in the 13th C. This is my third visit to this method of teaching the Bible in stained glass.
Before leaving Paris, we had both a lunch and a supper on the Eiffel Tower. A night cruise on the Sceine, provided another tower view.
.
Next, by way of a high speed train, we arrived in Lyon to board the MS Emerald and the start of cruising the Rhône.
Night cruising on the Rhône River.
A stop at Tain-l’Hermitage wine region, a tasty on board selection of both wine and local food.
We spent a day in Southern Provence in the Camargue, home to a family that raises prize bulls trained for the ring where they are the heroes which live to perform again.
Pulling in to Avignon with a shot of the half-standing bridge, and a Ferris wheel.
Arles and the Cafe Jaune where Vincent Van Gogh spent time during his stay in this city.Pont du Gard, an aqueduct that carried water to Nimes during the Roman Era.Here’s our Christmas picture for 2019.This was our second cruise with Sanja, now the Maitre de l’Hotel, who introduced us to the Executive Chef.
We returned home to Bergheim and undertook the process of preparing for winter. We were fortunate to find a logging expert with heavy duty equipment to spend two days felling and trimming trees that had become injured and over matured.
Don Smith is a master at sculpting landscape.
December, with all the holiday preparation and family time together, is a truly special month. We are blessed to have a family that enjoys celebrating time together. We hope that you, too, will enjoy this season and find new meaning in the advent and arrival of The Messiah.
