You can hardly say these words without humming a little of that famous tune. “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,” . . . “Brown paper packages tied up with strings.” I have always loved this movie and recently fell in love with it all over again – in 2 different ways.
Last Thanksgiving holiday I traveled with my husband and 4 kids to Paris, Germany and Austria. One of my twins had served a mission for our church in Germany prior to this trip and wanted us to see the lands and meet the people she loved so much. Our travels took us to some lovely places such as Erlangen, Nuremberg and the wonderful Christmas markets. Then we arrived in Salzburg – the heart of where “The Sound of Music” was filmed. It was like we could hear those very “Sounds” as we bounded off the train. We had arranged for a tour guide to show us the highlights by van and had no idea the idyllic scenery we were about to see.
As “Luke” drove the van, the six of us were regaled with colorful stories of Austrian history, the making of “The Sound of Music”, and behind the scenes movie making adventures. At one point he motioned to a hillside where he said “Door Me” was filmed. “Door Me?” I didn’t remember that part of the movie. Hmm. Again, another reference to “Door Me”. My twins and I exchanged a confused glance when one of them realized he was quickly and in an Austrian accent (not too different from that of Arnold Schwarzenegger) saying “Do, re, mi”. LOL!
After kicking up our heels in Maria fashion and singing in the gazebo, Salzburg had secured a place in our hearts as a favorite stop on that trip!
After falling in love with Salzburg and all the movie-making nostalgia, I was invited to a “Favorite Things” party. We were to bring 3 of our favorite things (each under $12), wrapped up all pretty to give to someone else. I brought 3 pairs of my favorite no-show Stance socks. Our host April made us a spread of her favorite recipes including quiche, charcuterie trays, and yummy goat cheese salad. She had little brown paper packages tied up with strings and a game to guess the missing words from the famous song. It was a blast! I came home with a book of 100 poems, a journal, and the best laundry sanitizer on the market. How fun!
I quickly used the idea again to throw a bridal shower for my nephew’s fiancé, Claire. All the guests brought their favorite things and we each went home, the new bride included, with new favorites to remind us all of each other. It was also a great way to get to know each person and to combine extended families and make introductions.
