Pics for Easter

Schnecke (snails) made from modeling clay: (remember to click the pic to enlarge)

... flowers from the garden (the white daffodils remind us of VA, the vase - originally from Germany - has returned home):

... and Art for the season (lest we forget):

A Poem for Easter

Zur Osterzeit

Die ganze Welt, Herr Jesus Christ,
zur Osterzeit jetzt frölich ist.

Jetzt Grünet, was nur grünen kann,
die Bäum' zu blühen fangen an.

So singen jetzt the Vögel all.
Jetzt singt und klingt die Nachtigall.

Der Sonnenshein jetzt kommt herein
und gibt der Welt ein' neuen Schein.

Die ganze Welt, Herr Jesus Christ,
zur Osterzeit jetzt frölich ist.

Friedrich von Spee (1592 - 1635)


A literal translation does not have the grace of the language, but the meaning is clear, regardless of tongue:

The whole world, dear Jesus Christ, at Eastertime is made glad. What would be green is made green, the trees rise to flower again. All the birds sing. So sings and rings the nightengale. The sun comes back and gives the world a glow. The whole world, Dear Jesus Christ, at Eastertime is made glad.

The poetry above was on the front page of our local (community) newspaper.

April Fools!

Hey everybody! Remember when the signs of Spring were so prevalent (flowers, yard work, frog signs)??

Psych!

It is snowing today. No, not a little 'dusting' but big fat happy flakes coming down and laying it on thick!

But I'm looking forward to the weekend. It's supposed to reach 70°F on Sunday...

The following pics should tell a bit of the story...

Front yard, as I type this the road is now covered...

Our dafodils are NOT happy with this change in events!

Apple trees have buds on them...or did!

Backyard is getting covered...again....

Cooking with Babelfish

Since I have not mastered the German language, as of yet, I have need of a handy electronic translator to help me read directions whilst I cook, lest the porridge get burnt, thus the help of BabelFish. In the kitchen this evening. whipping up a German version of mac&cheese, I came across an instruction I could not figure out. I have to share this translation with you as it made me laugh and cry at the same time. Laugh because I did not think it would take so many words to say a simple instruction (in English) and cry because I could not believe it would take so many words to convey an instruction (which in English is quite simple). I also "cry" for tomorrow I start language school, auf Deustch, and will be in the midst of "too many words" to say something simple....so here it is: "Fügen Sie nach Belieben ein Stückchen Butter hinzu." It translates to: "Add a bit of butter"
PTL for electronic translators or our mac and cheese would not have tasted as yummy as it did.
This Monday I do start language school. Please keep Paul in your thoughts and prayers as he is "Mr. Mom" for the next 8 weeks or so and that he will be able to read the back of mac &cheese packages correctly and not burn the frozen pizzas or forget to pick up one of the kids. LOL

Spring in Rümmingen

Yes we have the beautiful flowers popping up.......















We have spring yard projects started......



















There are seed booths at the farmer's market.....















But it is not spring in Rümmingen until the signs and barriers for the frog crossings go up!





... do not laugh, Richmond, VA has it's own salamander crossing!

DOH!

Ever have one of those days? you know, when things are going pretty well, then you do some bone-headed thing to mess it all up?

I had mine.

I brought a monitor home from the office to check my G4 (just to make sure it survived the trip in a crate). Got the computer unpacked, checked for damage (none noted...which is always nice) and plugged it in...no...wait...did I really just plug it in? I mean, did I really just plug it in WITHOUT first switching the power tab over for European settings? Um. Yeah. 

POP. Fizzle. ssssss...the lovely smell of burnt power supply in the afternoon...it smells like...well, it smells like I need a new computer.

Now I'm faced with the prospect of either getting a MacMini or getting a used power supply...you do the math.

I need some sleep.

Not since 1929...

...has there been this much snow in the Lörrach area. And it is still snowing off and on. Most unusual, according to the locals. Kneedeep on the Vosteen kids is deep, for them...and now they know what snow-tunnels are!

We have food, water, electricity and a mom-and-pop store within walking distance so it's really not that big of a deal...now that the driveway has been cleared from the snow-plow pile. O'course, now I will REALLY be able to tell my grandkids "when I was your age I used to have to walk to work in the snow, uphill, both ways" (but don't worry mom and dad, we can actually drive...unlike in Richmond, where two inches of snow can bring the city to it's knees...God bless the Winterdienst!!).

In Prague

Arrived in Prague yesterday evening. Why Prague? Well, I've never been, and it seemed like a good idea, and after all, it's in Europe, right?

Well, no, not really...I'm attending a meeting of a whole slew of other media professionals from our company. We're going to be sharing resources, tools, tips and tricks...it should be a good trip. Yesterday we spent the majority of the time talking about what we are doing right now...and that was a bit odd...you see, I've only been here since January (exactly 2 months as of today) and most of our time has been spent getting settled in (first in the Ferienwohnung, now in the house) getting our crates unpacked, getting the kids into the schools, and generally trying to adjust...and, wait, I have a job, too? On the up side of this, seeing and hearing what other offices are doing to help their personnel has been very inspiring. It's VERY cool to be working for an organization with so many bright and able people.

I'll post some pics of the city, and since I may not get back out during daylight hours (our schedule is rather packed), these may have to suffice for the view of Prague...

Fasching!!

What in the WORLD is going on around here? Everybody has confetti in their hair, the kids are dressed up as if for a halloween party and it sounds like a drum-corps competition is going on in every small town...

Welcome to Fasching.

From the beginning of January through Ash Wednesday (and a little beyond) the local towns and villages in Southern Germany, in fact, in most of Germany, celebrate the end of Winter with a combination party/carnival/masquerade. It is similar to the Mardi Gras or Carnival of New Orleans and Central and South America, but with a few regional differences thrown in. The music is LOUD. Brass bands, with a solid drum line, are the main form or noise. They are called "Guggemusick" groups, 'gugge' being the word for the sound of a paper (or plastic) bag being popped open and shut (a loud annoying noise) so the bands are basically just groups designed to make a lot of noise. Now, don't get me wrong, these groups are actually pretty good. They would put many a 'pro' drum line to shame back in the states, and the costumes are way over the top. I really wish I could have caught some audio, so you could experience what we did, but let's just say "you had to be there".

On the down-side of Fasching, it may have had some significance at one time, but I have not found out much except that it has it's roots in Roman Catholicism, with a lot of local traditions thrown in (ok, yes, it's syncretic...). The pagan festivals of 'chasing away the Winter' and old fertility rites were merged into the the time between Epiphany and Easter, and so you have Fasching. In some towns, the festivities get a bit out of control (with so many people wearing masks, it can become a matter of "anything goes") but in our little corner of Germany, the season seems to be more of a "let's get together and have a party" event. The food, I must say, is excellent. I am sure that the locals make a good bit of extra change during this time, with the extra people in town and the additional revenue from the food and drink. One interesting note: stupid drunk guys are stupid drunk guys no matter where you are. There are always people who take the idea of "party" too far and get themselves into a pickle (literally), and I am not sure that they were up for work the next day...

On the other side of the coin, the majority of people seemed to be having fun playing or listening to the music, dressing up in outrageous costumes, doing traditional dances and generally just having a wonderful time. Each town has one or two clubs or 'cliques' that the adults may join. Our own village, Rümmingen, has it's little cliques called the Dorfhexen (literally, the "village witches"...and no, they are not into Wicca, or majick, or any of that other junk...think more along the lines of "Hansel and Gretel" meets Morris Dancing, ok? They are the group in the red kerchiefs, yellow tops, and green dresses in the pics below). I'll just have to let the pictures tell the rest of the story...

God's little weather test area

Oh look, it's raining, no, wait, it's snowing...no...rain...no, sleeting. Wait five more minutes, it will change.
I am amazed at the weather here. We literally had one day last week when we had snow, rain, bright sunshine, sleet and a little hail all within the space of less than an hour. It's like our Creator was trying out some new combinations just to see how we would react. From our vantage point, up on the side of the hill in Rümmingen, we can see the weather coming up the valley from France and Switzerland. It may be pouring rain, but you can see the sun coming right behind it. Yesterday, I took a walk with my son...he needed to get out (kind of like a puppy needs to be taken out for a run around the park, ya know?) and I wanted some fresh air. Well, the air was certainly fresh when we started out...blue skys with some clouds flying through...but once we reached the bottom of the hill and were heading up the sidewalk it had started to rain. Not just a little 'drip-drop' here or there, but driving, in-your-face, I'm-going-to-soak-you rain. Granted, we were prepared for the weather, I had on my foul-weather pants (thank you, Pop!) and my two-layer coat, PV V2.0 was in his snow-bibs (for outside messing about) and his hooded parka. We stayed dry, except for our faces. But through the rain, I could look up the road to Binzen and see sun shining and bluer skies following. A few more minutes of trudging (yes, trudging, you know: "To trudge: the slow, weary, depressing yet determined walk of a man who has nothing left in life except the impulse to simply soldier on"*...ok, so we have a lot more going for us than Chaucer, but the quote is great!) anyhoo, more trudging and, behold, the rain stops, it actually warms up, we can unzip our parkas and are feeling quite warm by the time we return up the hill to Casa Vosteen. Through the whole trek, my son did not complain, did not whine, did not fuss about "I'm getting wet, can I go home?"
I am seeing that our walk with the Father is pretty much the same. We start out our journey in pretty good weather, then the rains come, the storms rage, and we may be tempted to turn back. But if we "soldier on", keeping our eyes on Him we will come through that valley and see the sun shining ahead. The great thing about this is, Jesus does not change like the weather. He never altered His path, once He started down it....and when I think about what my life would have been like if He had said "gee, this is just too hard, I think I'll change my path"...well, let's just say that I'm pretty darn happy to be where I am and doing what I am doing and when it gets difficult, I'll keep on keeping on...
oh, look, it's a beeeeeeeutiful day (now).

*Geoffrey Chaucer, from "A Knight's Tale" 2001 Colubia Pictures