Driving home today, coming down towards Lake Zurich, I realised that unlike Lake Constance the day before, where the view was totally monochromatic and the lake dark, this was different. Here, the lake was an even, velvety mid-grey stretching either side of the dam, and the landscape around it was an interesting composition not only of blacks, greys withwhite patches of snow, but also the warm deep browns of leafless trees and from the stripped willows and the dry rushes, a really light golden brown, a surprising combination of warm and cool colours, just to prove that nature covers every possible arrangement.
It had snowed all morning up in the hills, sadly not giving us that hoped-for fantastic blue-skied panorama, and it just got glummer and wetter the closer I got to home. Fortunately, although I had plenty to do all afternoon, I did have a concert to look forward to:
220 enthusiastic teenaged girls have spent the last few weeks rehearsing for their Christmas concerts this week, and turned out an interesting selection of songs, most of which we might not consider particularly seasonal, but the scene was set and a fine time was had by all!
The songs were interspersed with short poems and readings from this corner and we heard all kinds of musical talent, from violin and harp playing and some great solo singers, to the keen participation of the school as a whole and a few amusing (and skillful!) accompaniments by teachers on piano, keyboard, guitar and flute – enjoyable and impressive.
Shining young faces wished us all a Merry Christmas as we filed past the donation boxes. They offered us biscuits and punch as we got outside – where, of course, it had begun to snow…
The Little Wash-House 
So pleased that it went well and was surely greatly appreciated by the audience – it would have been lovely to be there with you, a fitting end to the shortest day of the year! But we were definitely with you all in spirit and look forward to the CD.
And yes – I have often thought there is a distinct difference in the appearance of the Swiss lakes. I love your description, want to paint it!
Hi Mel, thank you for visiting Polonica: Home Again. When we still lived in Canada, my daughter’s school also organized a Christmas concert every year and it was always a great evening with songs, Christmas carols, kids playing musical instruments and performing little holiday themed scenes or reciting poems. This year in Poland, there was no Christmas concert in the new school. I miss it a bit. Perhaps I can suggest it to the teachers for the next year.
I hope you have wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.
To you, too, very happy holidays!