Snow in 2005

January 2005 we had visitors from the Netherlands: namely Josca and Dirk, who took us out for a week-end in Andermatt. We sledged, I crawled backwards on the piste for 10 km with the snowboard attached to me, until I guessed it would be faster to take it off and walk holding it... It's all very good, but is it... entertainment?! Not for me obviously, and don't start the - how come? you ARE from Russia? gags! I am not made for either skiing or boarding downhills, the only thing I can do well downhill is roll cheese, well I have never tried, but very eager! Alright?!








Yes I am 35 and all I can do is sledge, please, continue laughing... if you must! And yeah! I look really good in all the gear, but that's when I am standing with both feet firmly planted in the snow, as soon as I move though, what? yes. I fall indeed. Very confidently, too.


Josca and Dirk ski really well! John had fun snowboarding, too. That's at least until he finished the day, bent down to take the board off, fell backwards, knocked himself out, and came back in 25 minutes to his senses losing his short term memory... Pays to have two doctors visiting, but I tell you, that was one of the longest nights I remember... Every five minutes almost to the second his memory would "reset" and he would ask me again and again the loop of the same questions, like how did we get to the hotel? Did I drive? What has happened? Did the kids have dinner? and so on and so forth, after four hours (multiply by twelve times an hour) and getting closer to midnight I decided that he won't remember anyway, and started answering with the first thing that popped into my head, like we flew in a helicopter, you were hit by a meteorite, and so on... He might be cross with me now, but that's what stopped me from strangling him then, so I say, whatever works for you... No?



The village of Andermatt was beautiful, and John wanted to go snowboarding again the next day, and it took all my persuasion and both doctors to prevent him... he couldn't remember doing it the day before you see...













Just before the operation we went to our Carona botanical gardens up the hill for a walk, what a splendid view, what a sunny crispy day, how much fun for all the family!




















Papa's knees are tired, he needs to rest, well, the faithful daughter will wait for him...






Come on Papa! You have had your rest, we walk on now! Come with me!

































































































Waiting for papa to come out of the hospital, we have made bunny-guards to greet him, he claims we didn't visit him a lot, but what with mama not driving and being snowed in on Friday and the roads not being cleared till Sunday night... well, we went to collect him, didn't we?!
















































December 2005 - we are comfortable with where we are, we understand enough of Italian now and start talking back. The house feels like ours, and the girls have fun everywhere and anywhere.

John is still on the crutches but walking around and clearing snow, too. Bless him.

The white stuff - 2004

Through the years we have enjoyed the snow so much, too much really, that it stopped to surprise us, and now just brings out grunts and complains that we have to clear it up, and that it's slippery, and the tires need chains, and so on and so forth. But let me go back for a minute and imagine it as seen through the eyes of a child! They still get excited the night it starts snowing, they still check first thing in the morning if it's white yet, and here are the images that we've collected through the years of living in a snowy place of ... well, the white stuff.










The girls have always been up to it when it concerns the day out in the snow sledging or building a snowman

Paint the moon giveaway

Annie Manning (aka Paint the moon) is having an awesome giveaway, so why are you waiting, go check it out, she has some spectacular actions for PS and Elements users, and I for one love using them...

I hope, I pray, I wish I could win, keep the fingers crossed for me!

Over $1300 in prizes to nourish your creative soul!!
And that’s not even counting the smaller giveaways during the week!

This giveaway is all about Creativity and Inspiration. Not only are all of the prizes included something to help nourish that creative energy in your photography, but there will be a couple special guest photographers making an appearance this coming week with fabulous articles to share on the subject of keeping yourself inspired and how to keep creating fresh images. Hang out at our Facebook page so you’re sure not to miss out on a single thing (and while you’re there check out the new exclusive offers and areas for Facebook fans only) and hopefully catch a surprise mini giveaway or two!

Some of you may ask what the big deal is … why do I do these giveaways?? I love sharing all these wonderful vendors with my customers and friends. It’s a good way to expose you to wonderful new resources, it helps my friends and valued vendors out by introducing them, and I get to share these awesome goodies with all of you, whom I appreciate so much!!

These are my valued vendors and friends that will be providing all the awesomeness … each day I’ll feature a different vendor here and reveal what their contribution to the grand prize will be (some totally AMAZING prizes!!). This is going to be fun!!

Friday – Swanky Stitch (Facebook) and The Rusted Chain (Facebook) …. their feature and awesome prize reveals will be posted later this afternoon!

Saturday - Ivory and Moss (Facebook) and Jaime Mancilla

Sunday - Petite Peanut (Facebook) and Whisker Works (Facebook)

Cyber Monday – Lensbaby (Facebook)

Tuesday - Robin Long Photography (Facebook)

Wednesday - Frances England (Facebook) and Crawler Covers (Facebook)

Thursday - The Green Goat (Facebook)

Friday - A very special and very BIG treat from Paint the Moon AND a $50 Gift Card from B & H Photo

Here’s how this AMAZING event is going to unfold for you all! Each day of the week I’ll feature a different vendor or two here on the blog and reveal what the “prize” is from those particular vendors that will be included in the grand prize bundle. Each day I’ll have a little giveaway for those who stick around to play on our Facebook page … the more people we get playing, the more surprises I’ll reveal. At the end of the week I’ll have a drawing for the BIG GRAND PRIZE!! But wait … that’s not all!! There will also be a second prize valued at $250.

Go to Annie's page here to read the rest, and enter. And have a nice day wherever you are.

Traversata 2010

The finishing line is blown up...

Canoes are ready... to catch any drowners, dawdlers and my husband if he again tries to leg it to Italy... Ready and in position
My better half is ready and promising to keep a straight line this time and to leave the canoeists alone.

Just waiting for the official times of the 2 and a half kilometer crossing of the lake to be added online, between clicking refresh button time and again, I thought I should use the time wisely instead and show off some of the photos I snapped today of my wonderful husband, and some other swimmers that took part in the 78th crossing of Lake Lugano.

This is how it starts, we don't get to see it as we are waiting on the finish line, so I took this image from the newspaper online clipping (they are fast) of Ticinonews. So about 500 swimmers (530 this year record) go in water on the other side of the lake and proceed for 2,5 km in vague direction of the opposite shore in the hope to arrive to the public beach, or as it would be better known by Italian speaking public Lido of Lugano.

They are coming! I can see them with my bare eye... All 500 odd of them.
And here is my husband, and still despite his promises he ended up tangled up on the floats to the side of the finishing line with people pictured here in the boat shouting themselves hoarse "To the LEFT! Keep to the LEFT!" Except of course, when you are swimming with the face in the water it must be hard to hear...
He made it anyway, and in comparison with last year took 20 minutes off the time. This year he did the 2500 metres in 59 minutes according to the date stamps on the photos. I am so proud! The whole family is very proud! And now off to check the official times... again.

Must sees around the area

If you ever tire of catching lizards and bugs in our back garden here are



10 favourite places of the Biddis family are ( in no particular order) as it comes to my mind really

1) our swimming pool, it's Olimpic sized, and open-air, and it's rather vast and beautiful, you are allowed to jump and generally have fun in it, like a bomb-diving 42 year old wouldn't be frowned upon for instance, it has got two types of lizards for children to catch in the grounds, if you are into it, and it is a pool Italians cross the border for and bring their families for a Sunday out to.



2) Val Verzasca with the Dam where they filmed something of James Bond and a Roman bridge, famous with topless jumping German ladies.

3) Bellinzona Castles three one on top of the other, on the slope of the same mountain with magnificent views (wonderful day out, as children can really let the steam out running around after a tasty pizza) and parents can have a leasurely walk around and absorb the view


4) Monte Tamaro where you go by the cable car , and find yourself in Adventureland

for the kids, roaming cows and a super picnic spot, just plonk yourself anywhere in the grass :)

5) walk through the Botanical Gardens just a few steps up from our back door to the "Horses place" Alpe Vicania , through the forest down to Morcote and our lake , and a visit to Parco Scherer

6) visit to Town of Lugano, especially during the street performances of the Estival (summer festival)

7) High altitude Lake Ritom with a four hour walk through the Alpine meadows and marmots, and a multitude of insects if you happen to like those, as you will see the flowers you might have never seen before

8) Locarno and Lago Maggiore

9) Parco Ciani and Lido (beach)

10) our village, actually, pedestrian old part of it at any rate

Can't hunt for more photos, as it's close to midnight and tomorrow is a work day for JB, ttfn, sweet dreams.