Wine Country ♥

We had a great weekend with Shyla and Grant in the Southern Austria wine region. Just an hour away from Graz and close the Slovenian border we have our own Napa or Tuscany.

It's really a little slice of heaven (with some slices of wurst on the side).  I feel bad showing my family these photos after the horrible, devastating droughts (and now wildfires) Texas is having.  I wish I could export chunks of the green hills to them.

the Gang

ripe for the pickins

never been in an English car

our accommodations (winery, restaurant (buschenschank) and guest rooms..all owned and operated by one family through many generations)

so cute

we had the dog

shyla and grant got an elephant

dinner time

Buschenschank food. All from the region. No hot plates, but lots of yum stuff.

{pic from internet}

Vanilla ice cream with Southern Austria's claim to fame: kürbiskernöl (pumpkin seed oil) drizzled on top. Sounds gross, but unbelieveably GOOD.

a day of wandering.

and gymnastics.

and kitty loving.

these signs to various buschenschanks pop up at forks in the road and are quite daunting. this is the tallest.

walking out of the church and into heaven.

an Austrian family of blondies all in traditional dress at lunch. how Sound of Music!

Italian and Irish (can you tell which is which?)

lovely boys (after some vino).

and the girls. (wined up + some schnapps too)

Had a surprise visit from Kim and her sister-in-law. So fun.

I'll leave you with a shot of the calendar in the girls' bathroom at our hotel.