Everyday Living

Wachau Valley – Danube Delights III

~ Outdoors, Travel

Hello dear friends and Happy Tuesday. Make yourselves comfortable, and prepare for travel via your armchair!

“But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭59‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We are glad that you have joined us on the sun deck of the Viking Egil to take in spectacular views of the Wachau Valley as we continue our journey down the Danube River. We had our camera at the ready as we sailed three hours through this enchanting region of southern Austria in which history, culture, and sheer beauty combine to create a picture like no other.

One of many castles along this stretch of the Danube, Schonbuhel Castle stands on the south bank between Melk and Willendorf. Located on the bank directly over the river, this is one of the most photographed castles.READ MORE

Salzburg – Danube Delights II

~ Travel

Happy Thursday! We are so glad you are here as we make another stop along the Danube River! Today we are visiting the birthplace of Mozart!

“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV

Passau, Germany,  known as the “City of Three Rivers”, was our first stop along the Danube after leaving Regensburg. Founded by the Celts more than 2,000 years ago, Passau is one of Bavaria’s oldest cities. The German-Austrian border begins here. The city’s St. Stephens Cathedral is home to one of Europe’s largest pipe organs. From Passau, we took a drive into Austria through the beautiful countryside and quaint villages to visit Salzburg.READ MORE

Simple + Southern Sunday No. 464

~ Simple + Southern Sunday, Travel

“How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭36‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Hello October! With less than 3 months until Christmas I thought, why not start today with the photo we took a couple of weeks ago of the Silent-Night-Chapel. This church is in Oberndorf, Austria and stands at the site of a former church that was destroyed by flooding. This is the church where Franz Gruber, schoolmaster and organist, first performed a song for which he had written a melody for a poem by Joseph Mohr. He sang Silent Night here, for the first time ever, on Christmas Eve, 1818. Amazingly, he was called on to do music that night and used his guitar because the organ had been damaged by flooding. Floods wreaked havoc on the organ and later the church, yet such calamity brought about the most beloved and probably most sung Christmas song ever, worldwide!READ MORE