Hunt for the pumpkin: Every year we are searching for the finest examples of different pumpins, large and orange or small and brown, not to forget those thin green ones or those white ones, looking like an UFO ...

Fruit Basket: My first price at a lottery, a fruit basket fresh from the market. To be collected at our town hall ... our town councillor hands over my price a basket full of fresh fruit

Eggenburg Mittelalterfest (medieval times festival): During one weekend in September the whole town of Eggenburg changes into an old medieval times town. There are wooden "town walls" where you have to pay to enter the town. On the marketplace and on several other places are crowds of medieval dressed people, simulating the times of old. This year Terry and Annabel were dressed correct!

Schoenbrunn Zoo: Sissy had a day off at Schönbrunn zoo ...

Harry Potter Event: Once a year Terry celebrates a festival for Annabel's birthday.  This years motto once again was Harry Potter! So Annabel and her friends experienced a whole school day at Hogwarts, teachers, lessons and exams included! pupils Dobby a friend - our dragon pupils a Sphinx from a riddle

AniNight: A three days convention for cosplay people united in the interest of Manga drawings.  Annabel and her friends have been there ...

August 2005

Burgruine Landsee: After our visit to Burg Forchtenstein we discovered the remains of Burg Landsee. This was also former property of the Esterhazy's but was destroyed centuries ago. Nowadays an association tries to rebuild parts of the castle.

Burg Forchtenstein: This castle was part of a round trip in Burgenland. First we visited Burg Forchtenstein where the family of Esterhazy had a large treasure chamber. There we had a guided tour through the castle.  the castle from the street ... and from inside coat of arms way down! Fire! Insignia of Esterhazy now that's a family tree! treasure chamber archive ready for a small army

Steam Traction Engine Rally: Once a year all those steam engine people here in Austria gather themself somewhere on a field to celebrate tha anual Steam Traction Engine Rally. Full steam ahead!

Schloß Hof: This has been the palace where Prinz Eugen von Savoyen stayed during summer. After years of wildness they decided to restore that building to its origin beauty. The buildings were fixed, furniture repaired and the gardens recreated.  This now is the venue for future events ...

Sea Roses at our garden: A very good season this year!

Dino's Birthday: Celebrating old friends ...

July 2005

Animexx: Annabel and her friends preparations for the oncoming cosplay event, the Aninight ...

Legoland Guenzburg: On the way home from Disneyland Paris we made a one day stop at Legoland Guenzburg near Munich.. one of our rooms during our stay birds view of  LEGOland some very  ... ... nice castles

Disneyland Paris: This was our fourteenth, fifteenth or whatever visit to Disneyland. It  is our all time high location in Europe. So we stayed for seven days in Paris ... gas ballon for soghtseeing a lighthouse at the Newport Bay Hotel Phantom Manor Teresa's best Steamboat Willy on parade Dumbo on parade do you have  something to eat? our friend from  under the castle Minnie on tour Annabel Regina Stitch

June 2005

Annabel's active days at school: Dozens of weird girls together for one week. Aaaaarrgghhhhh!

Quilts and Patchwork Exhibition Klosterneuburg: The task was to show sunflowers on all these quilts ...

Night of the churches: For the first time there was the "Lange Nacht der Kirchen" (long night of the churches) in Vienna. There have been 1200 events in nearly all of the churches in Vienna. We visited ten churches during the night, the last one after midnight. Church St. Anton von Padua where we made a trip up to the dome not much between us and the abyss a view from the top into the church my companions up the dome Kirche am Hof Kirche am Hof Kirche am Hof where craftsmen showed some techniques of restoration a church Schottenkirche Franziskanerkirche where we visited the crypt of the monks inside ... ... the church Padre St. Anton von Padua

Konzert für Europa, Schloß Schönbrunn: For the second time there was a classic open air concert in front of  Schönbrunn Castle. The "Wiener Philharmoniker" with conductor Zubin Metha played a variety of songs: 1. Wiener Blut / Johann Strauß 2. Ouvertüre 1812/ P. I. Tschaikovsky 3. Nimrod aus Enigma Variation / Elgar 4. Carmen Vorspiele / Bizet 5. Klavierkonzert Nr. 1 / P. I. Tschaikovsky 6. Semper Fidelis / J. P. Sousa 7. Stars & Stripes Forever/ J. P. Sousa 8. Zugaben it was FREEZING cold! a view from the Gloriette 100.000 visitors! a view from the castle Lang Lang and Zubin Metha

May 2005

Mothers Day with Sissy and Oma ...

Kahlenberg near Vienna: A view from Kahlenberg over the city of Vienna.  the building site of the new hotel the Uno-city, the Danube, some districts of Vienna

Böhmischer Prater Mittelalterfest (medieval times festival): The first medieval festival this year started at the Böhmischen Prater, an amusement park in Vienna.

Annabel's Firmung: After half a year of confirmation lessons Annabel got the sacrament of confirmation ... Pfarre Akkonplatz Annabel and her sponsor Pfarrer Hans Hans, Annabel and Terry Terry, Annabel  and Dr. Landau (Leader of Caritas) meal at Karin and Barbara decoration made of Teresa Annabel and Terrys gift: a poison ring half of the people and here - especially for Brigitte: an applecake with honeydrops and after all ... ... a visit at the Prater floating at the Donaujump my precious! and another turn at the roller coaster ...

Terry's sporting holidays at school: Terry was one week near the Kloppeiner See for some sporting activities. From possible sports like biking, surfing or golfing she deceided to take climbing lessons ... recreation at the pool up ... ... up ... ... and away! the others

Dolls and Toy Museum Baden: A small but well equipped private owned museum. Many dools, dollshouses, bears and other toys on two floors inside a small house near the casino.

A trip to Baden near Vienna, Casinopark: In the beautiful city of Baden near Vienna is the large Casinopark, named after a nearby casino where you can play at theRoulette-, Black Jack- or Baccaratable. now is that a huge ball? the Casino Baden side entrance Lanner and Strauß upstairs ... a temple entrance to a cave a view to the old town Beethoven Temple Russian "Damenkapelle"

Sissy & Michael 25th wedding aniversary: Some impressions ...

A tour to Lower Austria: A visit to a large fleamarket at Aspern and Großenzersdorf ... some fleas other fleas ... "Freiheitsplatz" at Aspern

April 2005

Türkenschantzpark: A visit to a large park at the discrict where my parents live ... the "Paulinenwarte" a lookout tower erected from our last emperor,  sadly closed  theses days pansies   violets   To Be or Not To Be - that is the question

Gradma's Garden: A glance at grandma's garden ...

Happy Birthday Irmi: We had an invitation for Irmi's 85th birthday dinner. She had some visitors from Hungary, but unfortunately they got lost with their car on the way to the restaurant. So dinner startet one hour late ... waiting for Irmi ... Irmi & Sister this Schnitzel especially for Gitti ralatives from Hungary before the meal ... after the meal ... little & big birthday cake Irmi & grandpa flowers by Oma

March 2005

Orchid exhibition: Sissy, her mother in law and me went to an orchid exhibition at the Reservegärten Hirschstetten. Here are some pictures of those wonderful flowers ...

Happy Birthday : Birthday party at my parents for Sissy, Teresa and Michael. No details are given to the public but all in all there were 116 candles burning! 20 candles! waiting ... Olé good as always Happy Birthday!

Spring 2005 at our garden: The snow is gone, the flowers are coming ...

Orchids at home: Here are some of Sissy's plants ...

Easter: After the egg-hunt at our garden we had dinner at my parents ...

February 2005

Orchid exhibition: Sissy and her mother in law went to an orchid exhibition at the Palmenhaus Burggarten. Here are some pictures of those wonderful flowers ... the palm tree house at the Burggarten

A visit of Anni & Walter at my parents: Anni and Walter, relatives to my father, visited him for dinner and afternoon tea ... Anni, Walter, grandpa grandma and Anni Walter and grandpa enough to eat one of the private collection of grandma

Textil Müller: Last saturday we made a trip to the country heading Kritzendorf near Klosterneuburg. There is a large store for sewing and DIY supply, Textil Müller. An El Dorado for everyone ... upstairs is the regular shop ... and downstairs ... ... the fleamarket

SNOW!: For the second time this winter we really had SNOW! The first one we had aprox. 50 cm, this time some 30 cm snow. So Good Bye car, and Hello boots! the streets ... .. where ... ... we all ... ... live

Valentine's Day: Day of flowers? No! Day of the giant candy! Terry presented her little sister a small candy, or did she?

Townhall Währing : At around 1900 Währing was a small village of it's own. At this time they built that town hall.  A few years later Währing altered from a small village to a discrict of Vienna.  This saturday there was one of the very rare occasions where the public was allowed to climb up the tower of the town hall.  And so we did ... the town hall ... ... of Währing the festival room rich decorated ... ... pillars up a staircase to the roof up a spiral staircase ... ... to the clock room and up a spiral again ... ... to the top room a marvelous sight ... ... in every direction this tower is the ... ... highest point of Währing

Happy Birthday Mike: Here are some variations for your birthday cake ... Halloween Halloween Halloween Harry Potter event Annabel birthday Opa birthday Mike birthday Annabel birthday Annabel birthday

January 2005

Stephansdom: On a sunny saturday we climbed up, and up, and up the stairs of St. Stephan in Vienna. The right tower by foot (343 steps). the left tower with the Pummerin bell by elevator ... St. Stephan front there we go ... 343 steps up finished skyline of Vienna skyline of Vienna nice roof ... ... full of tiles a typical city house

Anker Stone Block Building: With a friend we built some stone block buildings out of Anker stone blocks. Other than modern toys these stone blocks are neither glued together nor do they have other interlocking devices ... only gravity ... ... no glue thousands ... ... of small blocks

2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009

pictures, words and computer time by mike
some additional pictures by Sissy & Terry
email: mike at brandls dot info