The star

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Follow the star!
You may end up in Sonnenhof, the House of Stillness, in Switzerland, where I photographed the nuns' bright Moravian star.

It is also called a Herrnhuter Stern.
You can find out why in a previous post.

Merry Christmas to my Christian friends and happy Chanuka to my family and Jewish friends.
The two holidays starting on the same night; this has happened only five times in the last 111 years!
Double joy!
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(Linking to inSPIREd Sunday.)
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Cherry trees under netting

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While exploring the farms around Sonnenhof, I was fascinated by this huge "cage" of trees.

Rows and rows of cherry trees, all enclosed by netting.
There must be a hundred!

On one end, the "cage" was open and the upper netting was rolled back.

I imagine this saves the cherries from hungry birds and bats.
Leave it to the Swiss to cover the whole orderly orchard in such an orderly way.

Looking down from the monastic house Sonnenhof, you can grasp the size of the orchard.
Imagine the color and the fragrance when all those trees are blossoming in May!
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The bells of Sonnenhof

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The monastic Community of Grandchamp is centered in the French-speaking region of Switzerland and it has a smaller branch, called Sonnenhof, in the German-speaking area.
Here are some pictures of the Sonnenhof chapel during Advent.

Simplicity and silence play a major role in the life of the nuns and their volunteers and retreat guests.

The Community focuses on this icon, the "icon of the Holy Trinity," which depicts the visit of the three angels to Abraham and Sarah at the Oak of Mamre.

A small bell is struck once to open each of the four daily offices (prayers).

You can just see her silhouette here in the darkness in the cloister outside the chapel, but the sister is ringing the bell to call everyone to compline, the last prayer of the night.

This is the bell and knotted rope, with the village of Gelterkinden below.
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UPDATE: To the folks dropping by from inSPIREd Sunday meme--you can see more about my monastic life as a volunteer for 2 months in the posts starting in November.
(Linking to inSPIREd Sunday blog.)
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Sweet pair of goats

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Still have some pretty things to show you from Sonnenhof, like this sweet goat which lives at a farm not so far from the nuns.

The goats share a yard with chickens which live in this nice chicken coop.

Goats are notorious for eating (and often killing) trees so this shrewd farmer has enclosed his tree with a electric fence!

Here is the farmhouse, goat pen, and cattle stable.
The farm is also named Sonnenhof.
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(Linking to Camera-Critters.)
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The Swiss love their nature

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In Switzerland all roads lead to forests, or to mountains or to lakes.
What a country!

The forests (at least those around Sonnenhof where I stayed last weekend) are full of bird houses.

Many different styles, I guess for different kinds of birds.

The trails and forests are also thankfully full of benches.

Snow poles, almost as tall as me, had just been put in for the coming winter.
There are reflectors on top.
The poles tell drivers where the road is if everything is covered by snow.

Frost next to the forest, on the non-sunny side of the mountain.

Swiss call them "yellow trees."
The signs tell how long it will take you to walk to the next village or nature place.
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Switzerland has only one national park.  But with nature like this all around, who needs more?
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Der Sonnenhof, built in 1799

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Here are some views of Sonnenhof, "the House of Silence [or: of Stillness]," where I was welcomed for several days by the six Grandchamp Sisters who live there.
It is a branch of the Community of Grandchamp, in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

 
The back of the house.

The house was built in 1799.
See all about it at the sisters' website!

Seen from afar, alone on the hill.
It is indeed a quiet and secluded place, very special.

A sister rings the bell four times per day as a call to prayer.

The covered cloister leads to the chapel.

The view from the front door.  Below is the village of Gelterkinden.

Guests who come for retreats leave their shoes at the door.

The entrance, with mountains reflected.

Another bell.
Bells are important in monastic life as a call to prayer and meals.
They mark the rhythm of the daily life.

A vine in winter on the wall.
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See my previous posts about Sonnenhof and about Grandchamp, where I am volunteering for two months.
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(Linking to Our World Tuesday.)
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A water buffalo farm, in Switzerland!

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A farm full of water buffalo -- in northern Switzerland! 

I found it while staying the last few days at Sonnenhof, the French-speaking Community of Grandchamp's "branch" over in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.
One of the nun-friends walked me up the mountain to see the impressive  water buffalo.

The youngsters still have stubby horns.

We saw no one around to ask, but we are assuming these animals are raised for milk and maybe also meat.
The best mozzarella cheese is made from water buffalo milk. 

I had fun posing with the big tightly-wrapped hay bales.
You can see one of the farm houses in the background.
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(Linking to Camera-Critters meme.)
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A weekend away, away

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This is where I am this weekend!
At lovely Sonnenhof, the Community of Grandchamp's "House of Stillness" in the German-speaking region of Switzerland. 
It is in a secluded place on a hillside. Six nuns and right now fifteens retreat guests are staying here. 
Down below is the village of Gelterkinden where the old church rings bells several times an hour.
You can hear the distant church bells in my little video:

To see more about the Canton of Basel-Landschaft, at the very top of Switzerland, see here.
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