Why I Still Miss Japan

Germany's nice, and all, and there are some things I love about living here. But oh, Japan! Watch this lovely little video and be enchanted.

Fasching Shenanigans

Yes, it's that time again (or it was a couple of weeks ago--as usual, I'm a bit late in posting). Have a look at a bit of the craziness of a small-town Fasching parade:

The uncharacteristic moments of sunlight gave me a bit of trouble with the photography. Mind you, it was absolutely freezing as well. But we got a fair amount of candy, thanks in large part to The Girl, who is fearless at leaping for anything thrown in our direction, and even walking right up to someone on a float handing out free (full-sized!) tubes of foot lotion. I got hit on top of the head HARD by a flying Snickers bar, but no one cared, and I ate it later. Adult-sized garden gnomes, walking Euros, questionable logos, a soccer team dressed as Native Americans, and a haul of hard candy we'll never eat--fun times!

Another Day in Nancy, France

I know what you're thinking. "Hey, Hausfrau, it's the first of February, but these photos look as if they were taken in December. In fact, those last two seem to have been taken at a Christmas market."

Sadly, you would be correct. These were taken on a pre-Christmas day-trip with good friends. They'd never visited this lovely city a couple of hours away, full as it is of Art Nouveau architectural details and loads of delicious Quiche Lorraine. We had fun meandering, eating and drinking, and letting The Husband ask for directions (go figure--I can speak French while he cannot).

Despite the cute shops and gorgeous Place Stanislas (considered one of the most beautiful city squares in Europe), never go to Nancy for its Christmas market. Go somewhere else--anywhere. 

Over and out.

Snow Day

Wednesday, late-afternoon, behind our house

Around here, we don't generally get many full snow days, as the roads are usually pretty clear by mid-day. A two-hour school delay is more common but still doesn't happen all that often. So, the kids were pretty happy to get to sleep in quite late yesterday and then come downstairs to waffle batter and a roaring fire in the wood stove. It was nice. The Husband exercised, the Boy hit the video games, the Girl managed to clean her room, and I did lots and lots of pinning. Oh, and we all took a couple of turns on the Boy's new pull-up bar (a couple of us were given slight boosts).

You know, I've learned to embrace winter here--I don't even mind shoveling snow as much as I did a few years ago!

Wherever you are, I hope you're staying warm.

*I'll be back soon with some day-trip photos from before Christmas--I keep forgetting to load them on my laptop!

Photographer's Wife, Yosemite

Charis, Lake Ediza, California, 1937 by Edward Weston

Lips unmoving,
there's too little to say.

With feet propped on stone,
a new kind of cold.

Ice sheets below,
where silence pervades

And against this wall
a soul waits, unfazed.

Girded for war,
but heaving to be free

Why bother to blink,
with one's heart frozen shut?

Now once more, please,
and relax this time.

Then ready a fire
for the photographer's wife.

~a bit of poetry I wrote for Mag 142

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Lovely medieval Rothenburg, eighteen years after our last visit. This time, with The Girl, The Boy, and The Dog in tow. More touristy now, but still entirely charming. Christmas shops, the obligatory schneeballen (only fan: The Boy), an afternoon walk along the Wall, the Night Watchman's tour after sundown, and an enjoyable (but unphotographed) rustic country meal in Hotel Markusturm (dinner and hotel both recommended). A delightful autumn weekend away.

Ireland: The Burren Perfumery

While driving around the near-lunar landscape of the area known as The Burren in County Clare, we managed to make our way to a stop recommended in one of my guidebooks. The Burren Perfumery is buried deep within this already-isolated region, so getting there via the tiny back-country roads wasn't exactly easy. We almost turned around in frustration a couple of times, but we ended up being glad we didn't.

We were rewarded with a visit to this lovely place, which became a highlight of our trip.

All of their herbal products, from the soap I bought for the friend watching Yoshi for us, to the calendula balm I bought myself, to the Harvest fragrances I coveted, are truly all-natural and often organic.

It was a beautiful, sunny day. After making my purchases in the shop, I thoroughly enjoyed wandering the award-winning herb garden paths, taking way too many photos of various plantings. Aren't the spiral wire plant markers cute? I think I'll make some of those for my own garden.

We were pretty hungry and thirsty after our meandering drive, so we couldn't resist ordering something from the adorable tearoom.

We saw this guard-kitty and also the Perfumery's owner, Sadie Chowen, with her little daughter in tow.

Let's just say that it was all very much my cup of tea.