Sarah von Allmen

@svona

English by birth, Swiss by marriage, living in rural Alsace. Family historian (MSc Genealogical Studies), avid reader, amateur musician, and crafter.

591 Siguiendo594 Seguidores383 Publicaciones

Bluesky

¿Es tu perfil?Reclámalo y svona.dirty.social es tuyo.Reclamar perfil

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 3d

Occupying my hands while I watch the European athletics: pineapple socks for daughter #2. #Knitting #Tricot #FairIsle

A partly knitted sock on wooden needles: the calf section features large pineapples on an off-white background.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 7d

Sorting books post-move, and found a Georgette Heyer I didn't remember

Book cover of The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer: a Regency gentleman in medallion with a countryside background.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 15d

Goodbye for now. #Neuchâtel #Suisse #Schweiz

A square with outdoor restaurant dining. The main feature is an old building with pointy turrets which looks vaguely like a fairytale castle.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 15d

Our annual trip to Neuchâtel for 1 August. #Suisse #Schweiz #FêteNationale #Bundesfeiertsg

Fireworks exploding in Starbursts of silver and gold.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 16d

Room with a view #Neuchâtel #1Août

View of a very blue lake with a section of port in the foreground.

The port of Neuchâtel : a border of trees with boats behind. The main Post Office is an imposing building beyond the port, and part of the town is visible in the background.

The town of Neuchâtel see from our hotel window with the castle and collegiate church in the mid distance.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 21d

Au soleil #CatAndDog

A black Cavalier King Charles and a grey tabby cat snooze together in a patch of sunlight.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 22d

Found these when we moved house and have no idea where they came from. Too recent for Dad's Navy days, and he wouldn't have needed them as a Scouter. Too advanced for my lovely Beavers, so can only think I got them when I ran a base on Norfolk Scout night activity?

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 24d

Sunset in the garden this evening. #Alsace

A forked tree trunk and foliage are silhouetted against a sky shading from gold upwards through pink to dusky blue.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 25d

Lilou is helping fill the bookshelf. #MovingHouse

A grey tabby cat with a white bib and paws is sleeping on a bookshelf between an elderly paperback edition of "Lord of the Rings" and an even older pink hardback copy of "Good Wives".

Sarah von Allmen@svona· 28d

Sunset this evening. #Alsace

An ornamental street lamp and three trees are silhouetted in front of a dark hillside and a vividly coloured sky in shades of orange and deep pink.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jul 16

A rainbow to welcome us to our new house.

A rainbow arches over some rooftops. In the foreground is a garden bounded by a high hedge.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jul 13

On duty with the Musique Municipale for #FêteNationale. Alsace has one of the best regional costumes! #BastilleDay #Masevaux

Rather ropey sheet music for the Marseillaise, La Masopolitain (a march composed by a former conductor for the town of Masevaux), and the Chant du Départ.

Official tribune with local dignitaries and a group of small children in traditional Alsace costume. (White blouses, red skirts and black ponies for the girls, plus oversized black bows in their hair.)

The fire brigade band: dark blue trousers, pale blue shirts and silver helmets. They are playing a variety of natural wind instruments, ie bugles, etc, with no pistons.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 29

I went (to help!) at a church jumble sale in 1979, just before I went to university, and couple of my old Sunday School teachers grabbed me imediately. "Look! We put this duffle coat aside for you - it's 10p if you want it?" It served me through uni and beyond....

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 29

A 1950s style dress (black velvet and gold stripes) which I bought for 10p at a church jumble sale c.1978. I don't fit in it any more, and reluctantly passed it to my younger daughter a couple of years ago. (Photo taken in my room at UEA prior to (?)Chinese New Year dinner.)

5 university students (UEA) in their glad rags heading off for a posh night out c.1979.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 29

The temperature has dropped noticeably, but it's still hot, so how about a little cross stitch before bed? #CrossStitch #PointDeCroix #Embroidery

Embroidery hoop with work in progress: irises in shades of pink, purple and blue.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 29

A rather threatening sunset this evening - more storms to come?

A wooded hillside in silhouette with ominous clouds in shades of pink/grey above.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 23

A fun knit as requested by daughter #1. #HandKnit #FairIsle #Tricot #FoxSox

A pair of dark grey hand-knitted socks with orange heels and toes. The calf section features fair isle detail including a band of fox heads.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 20

Masevaux decided to advance #FêteDeLaMusique to today (Saturday) instead of the official date tomorrow. Our choir and orchestra participated as usual, rounding off nicely the 2025-2026 season. #AmateurMusic #Harmonie #Choir

A small mixed choir (15 individuals) with their conductor singing as night falls.

A small wind orchestra (~30 members) playing in what appears to be a semi-circuar amphitheatre as night falls. It's actually a recent construction in the small Alsace town of Masevaux.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 19

When the rehearsal room is just too hot. #AmateurMusic #Harmonie #Masevaux

An overheated wind orchestra setting up outside

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 14

Geek Unchained convention day 2: Zelda and Pokemon. #Cosplay #Zelda #TeamRocket #TeamSkull

A cosplay version of Zelda wearing a long blue dress, blonde wig, pointed ears and a gold tiara

Cosplay versions of Pokemon villains Jessie, James and Guzman.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jun 13

Geek Unchained convention day 1: the koroks ride again. #cosplay #Zelda

3 young women wearing costumes inspired by the koroks from Zelda Breath of the Wild. Leaves, elf ears and the colour green feature heavily.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· May 31

Ensemble vocale had a rubbish dress rehearsal, but we nailed it at the concert! #AmateurMusic #Choir #Harmonie #MusiqueMunicipaleMasevaux

A small mixed choir (and conductor) wearing clothes meant to evoke the jazz era. The blokes have mainly gone for waistcoats and trilbies, while the ladies have used it as an excuse to dress up in flapper dresses, boas and feather headbands or silly hats.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· May 18

Here's my #BirdOfTheDay (on the alt theme of #Feeders) - a cute long-tailed tit.

A long-tailed tit perched on an ovel wire spiral bird feeder containing two seed balls

Sarah von Allmen@svona· May 12

Upcoming concert alert. The choir numbers are pretty much ok already, but orchestra is *cough* more problematical as far as I'm concerned. 🙄 (The pieces are great; my flute playing isn't.)

Poster in shades of yellow, orange and red advertising a forthcoming concert with a jazz theme organised by our local amateur music association.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Apr 29

Senior cat having a moment - trying to pretend her claw's not caught in the pen pot.

Tabby and white cat sprawled on my desk with a pot of multi coloured pens and a Bluetooth speaker.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Apr 1

My beloved labrador Jessie kitty-sitting all too long ago 💔

A prone golden Labrador with three small tabby kittens between her front paws.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Mar 3

Found a nice little shelf unit for the entrance hall. Small grandson and cat promptly colonised it. 🙄

Small hall table with 2 shelves. Top shelf has a nice wooden bowl for keys etc and a small vase of artificial flowers, but also a child's sunhat and glasses. Second shelf has a dog's lead and a recumbent cat.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Feb 11

Here we go! Spring concert is on the loose theme of jazz and its influence, and choir kicked off rehearsing this evening. #AmateurMusic #MusiqueMunicipaleMasevaux

4 choral music scores: "Joshua fit the Battle of Jericho", "Mack the Knife", "Blue Skies", and "Caravan".

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jan 28

Damp and misty in Alsace this morning.

A mildly spooky forest hillside shrouded in low cloud. In the foreground are bare branches covered in raindrops. The predominant colours are muted green, brown and grey.

Sarah von Allmen@svona· Jan 25

Curtain call for our wonderful musicians. The boss (grey waistcoat front left) arranged the music specifically for these guys, most of whom have accompanied all 6 of our operettas since 2009. (First flute/piccolo not visible.) #LesClochesDeCornevile #ComicOpera #AmateurMusic #Masevaux