The Lower Dairy at Williamsburg

Beautiful Swiss Yodelers

For my assigned Adobe Illustrator Face-card project, I portrayed a Swiss yodeler playing her accordion like the one in the video above. I recorded these girls on 6 October 2013 at the Alplerzmorge brunch and cheese market. This was held in an empty field that was a 45 minute hike up from the Weissenburg train station in the Simmental Valley.

For part of the above art project, I created the pattern of the traditional Swiss material to use on the Yodelers' bodice and on the background of the card. I have also used it as the left border of this website. The yodelers' eyes sparkle and her lips look as sweet as those on a Russian stacking doll-baby. The accordion looks like it is actually bending. I am really happy about the results.

An exciting part of the cheese market festival was the opening of the Leiternweide Suspension Bridge for public use. The purpose of the bridge is to provide hikers easy access to the other side of the gorge and hiking is big business in Switzerland. It was my intent to go across the bridge and I did with Kurt Wuethrich, his cousin, Margrit, her husband Sepp Bader and my cousin Kimberly England. But I wasn't quite prepared for the 90 minute hike straight up the mountain, often on slippery muddy paths, sometimes even through waterfalls, to get to the bridge. But I made it. There were wonderful cable rails which I used to pull myself up. It was glorious to arrive at the top to find the bridge.

Suprisingly, the big event for me was walking down. We chose to go down the opposite side of the gorge. For the most part it was easy, just a lovely hike on a trail that a carriage could use. The part that was interesting was when we got off that trail to cross back over to the cheese festival. We came to a path that zigzagged down the mountain. As much as I tried, I couldn't prevent my shoes from sliding down this trail. We didn't have hiking poles and there were no rails. Either options would have solved my problem. I finally took off my shoes to see if my toes would provide a bit more stability, but it wasn't going well. Kurt didn't have too much trouble with sliding and he came up and offered for me to put my hands on his shoulders while we went down. I was so grateful. I mostly just slid behind him with my feet in the snow plow position all the way down. It was very humbling and I was so grateful to him. Kimberly and I washed my feet in a stream and I shod myself for the rest of the hike.

So it was a fabulous experience and beautiful to see, but the next time I attempt it, I will plan for a hike instead of a little stroll. I had no idea what we were attempting. I didn't even wear the shoes that I normally use for our hikes. I had even considered wearing a dress - normal for me, but I think it shows how unaware I was of the events ahead. I loved being there. I wouldn't have missed this experience for the world.

And now I own awesome hiking boots.