The Little Women were impressed with the old town’s Baroque architecture, which includes a cathedral, churches and fountains.

Although the Little Women have seen a few White Christmases, this year was the first time they enjoyed a White Easter, with several centimeters of snow on the ground on Sunday morning.

Fortunately, the weather improved the next day, and they visited an open-air museum with buildings from rural areas near Salzburg.

Apparently the people there have a tradition of building fences without nails, because the museum included four or five different types of such fences.

Another highlight of the museum was its Austrian tractor exhibit.

The Little Women finished their time in Austria with a visit to Hellbrunn Palace, built 400 years ago by the prince-archbishop of Salzburg.

Hellbrunn Palace was not a residence (as our readers can see from its almost closet-like dimensions in the photo above), but a Lustschloss or “pleasure palace.”  It was a place where potentates could bring their friends for the day to forget about their cares (e.g., possibly breathing the same air as commoners) back in the city.  The palace is perhaps the only place in the world that features warning signs like this one:

Most readers will recall that this is the international sign forbidding the doing of jumping jacks in the presence of death-ray cross-fire.  However, at Hellbrunn it also means that visitors should not let their cameras get wet, because even in a garden scene as peaceful and elegant-looking as this

lurks di-hydrogen-oxide horror.  For example, there are fountains hidden in this dinner table and in the chairs (except for the host’s spot) — the perfect thing to wake up your guests who have had some wine and are dosing off.

In such a place, danger is everywhere, including in this fountain disguised as a deer head.

But at Hellbrunn Palace, water isn’t used only for nefarious purposes.  It also powers some clever moving figures:

At the end of their visit, the Little Women discovered that Hellbrunn also has a great park.  They agreed that any palace with a playground that has four types of swings is definitely a pleasure palace.

Each of the kindergarten classes made different styles of lanterns.

Older kids carried different things and/or wore different costumes.  Note the large cow bells that the boys in this next picture are carrying.  The bells are very loud, which explains why some of the students are wearing hearing protection.

The kids in the really crazy costumes were collecting money for something.

At the end of the evening, Annika walked home from the parade while munching on a Grittibänz, a little Swiss bread shaped like a Santa Claus.

Afterward, she even claimed to have had a good time.

Unfortunately, when Mrs. Potato Head finds out, she will probably want her earrings back.

Keeping with German (but apparently not Swiss) tradition, Annika received a Schultüte (School Cone) on the Big Day.  It was made by Jenelle and filled with some small gifts.  The night before, Jenelle pronounced it “the world’s cutest Schultüte.”

Annika’s schoolhouse is being renovated right now, so until October she is attending forest school three times a week.  In the morning, she and her class take the train two stops into the mountains and get off at a little town.  They they hike about five minutes into the forest to their “classroom.” The children sign songs, play games, observe the forest and make crafts.  On some days an additional teacher works with the students who are non-native German speakers.

In the first picture above, Annika is wearing a fluorescent/reflective necklace, which the kids wear while walking to school.  Swiss school children are taught to stop at a crosswalk and, if they see a car coming, hold up their hand or wave to get the car to stop.  Once the drive stops the car and waves back, the children cross the street.  Waving to stop the cars is Annika’s favorite thing that she’s learned at school so far.

Shamrock Pizzas

The Little Women went on a shamrock treasure hunt, following arrows to a special prize:  Finger Puppets!

I finally finished some matching dresses for the little ladies using Simplicity 5695.  I had actually cut out the pieces last May, but due to our move to Switzerland, I just now got around to finishing them.

Here is a dress I made for Annika from Simplicity 3859, also cut out back in May.

I think it’s adorable.  Annika apparently doesn’t.  I cannot get her to even try it on, even though pink is her favorite.  Ditto for the other dress above.  I’ve resolved to only make clothes for the twins going forward, since they’re not opinionated. . . yet.

Yes, I am still *loving* my new sewing machine!  It runs beautifully.  ’Nuf said.

Followed by:

Aha!  Caught you!

I had just put on a new roll of toilet paper, and they did unroll it down to the cardboard tube.  Annika was also helping, but by the time I got the camera, she evacuated.  But don’t worry. . . there’s more.

While I was on a phone call, Annika was cutting paper.  And just like I did while I was five years old, she decided cutting her hair would be more fun than paper.

Yes, this all happened on the same day.