My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things.

Yes, we have been in Salzburg, Austria via Munich, Germany. Home of “The Sound of Music” and Mozart’s childhood residence.

We spent one day in Munich before catching a train to Salzburg. I say a train because it wasn’t the one we had purchased a ticket for. Jay was having such a great time wondering how I was going to tell the conductor I had us get on the wrong train. Oh, a smile can go along way. And, with that we arrived 30 minutes earlier than we were supposed to. In my defense, it said Salzburg on the front of the train.

The one day in Munich was touring Daucau concentration camp. We won’t go into any detail. This is what we will say, Hitler was a very sick human being. And, as we said a few years ago regarding Normandy, everyone, particularly our young graduates, should be required to experience walking through one of these camps so this war is never forgotten. This camp was one of the first ones built where many experiments were performed and much of the pictures for propaganda were taken from this camp.

Continuing for a moment regarding this sick human being. In 1938 he built a retreat called Kehlsteinhauson (also known as the Eagles Nest) on a mountaintop at approximately 6,000 overlooking Salzburg. Although no one other than the guards ever spent the night there, many meetings with the Nazi Party for planning all his evil doings occurred there. Mussolini gifted this fireplace piece to the retreat. There was also a tearoom where Eva Braun entertained.

Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Every morning you greet me. Small and white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet me. Blossom of snow, May you bloom and grow, bloom and grow forever. Edelweiss, Edelweiss, bless my home-land forever. Amen, Lord, bless our home-land.

On our drive down the mountain we ran into another parade. German parades and celebrations are not as long as the ones in Spain.

One of my favorite things is the opera. Jay thought he left that piece to Becky, however, he was excited to attend this event. Mozart wrote many beautiful pieces. We had the privilege to attend a dinner with a five piece ensemble dressed in period pieces and playing Mozart. A soprano and an alto opera singers sang both duets and separately from three different operas, “Don Giovanni”, “The Marriage of Figaro”, and “The Magic Flute”. The service captain sat us at the front table. He said, “it will be as if they are playing just for you.”. He was right.

Our mode of transportation was going to be bicycles until we reached our first hill. In addition to walking, taxis and tour buses became plan B.

The Sound of Music is one of my favorite movies. I wouldn’t try to guess how many times I’ve seen it. One more “dream” scratched off the list – to visit the places Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg. We even stayed on the property where the famous scene “Maria and the children falling into the lake” was filmed, Hotel Schoss Leopold. Oh my, you should have seven our room and view! Unbelievable!

All you Sound of Music buffs are going to enjoy the next few pictures. You might begin singing Do-Re-Mi. Get ready, Strommers, this is a trip for you.!

Do a deer, a female dear. Re, a block of golden sun. Mi, a name I call myself. Fa, a long long way to run….

So, a needle pulling thread, la, a note that follows so, tee, a drink with jam and bread. That will bring us back to do. Do re mi fa so la the do, so do.

Let’s move on to another part of the movie – The wedding. St Michael Bacilica, the chapel used in the movie, was located in the lake country in a town called Mondsee. The lake used in the fly-by at the beginning of the movie was on the way. We sat and watched all the paragliders.

The Abbey is still a working convent. The only time one is allowed in is for mass on Sunday.

There is so much we could show regarding The Sound of Music. I won’t bore you any more. The crowning building in Salzburg is the fortress perched high on her own mountain. We climbed it. It was so steep! The view of Salzburg is outstanding.

We know Jay’s favorite thing is spearing Lionfish.

Did you know the Lord delights in you? Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The Lord your God will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing”. Psalms 37:23 says, God, “delights in every detail of your life.”. Did you know you are the apple of His eye? It says that in a few verses in the bible. You are his favorite thing.

How about you? What are some of your favorite things?

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels.
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles. Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings.
Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes.
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes.
Silver white winters that melt into springs.
These are a few of my favorite things.

How did Sound of Music end? “Climb every mountain, search high and low, follow every by way, every path you know. Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, till you find your dream. A dream that will need all the love you can give. Every day of you life, for as long as you live….Climb every mountain till you find your dream.

Keep dreaming. Next stop….

Blessings, Jay and Kelly