Count down day 62, Wednesday

day 62

• I like being able and being expected to hang out my laundry...

there is a controversy about that "right" in some areas of the USA at the moment.

Count down day 63, Tuesday

• day 63 I like being in a room of 5 friends and then notice that we are from 5 different continents!

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What I like 'bout here, The Count Down, Day 64

Day 64 till the flight to the USA.....

I like going for a Pole Walk about with friends
The kind of a walk that Ends
with a Breakfast
of fresh baked rolls and breads,
with various
jams and spreads,
tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar
and olive oil,
Eggs boiled hard,
wonderfully strong coffee All
Enjoyed on a fabulous Stone deck
listening to birds - watching
dogs romp 'round the garden and pond.
I like going for a Pole Walk about with friends.

Wednesday night in Germany

This is what happens on a Wednesday night at our church. Fußball!

We had over 2500 people gathered on Wednesday evening (for "Wednesday night supper"). We had several "small groups" going - one in the main sanctuary, one in the foyer, one in the bar, and one outside. Here are a few pics ...

First - outside a rather large "small group" is gathered.

Go Deutschland!

German vestments.

Inside - another group anticipates a German win ...

... and in the bar?

more people.

dinner on the lawn - Wurst, Pommes und Brot!

Hopp Hopp Deutschland!!!!

What I like 'bout here, The Count Down, Day 66 & 65

Day 66: Poppies growing as wild flowers alongside the roads and in the wheat fields.

Day 65: Sitting and sharing lunch with the older ladies from the Gemeinde "church" www.feg-rebland.de and finding out that "little Old ladies" are the same around the world.

48K for a 48th birthday

I decided, that in honor of my 48th Birthday, I would do some-thing that I had not done before.

For this special day, Thursday, June 10, 2010, I determined, as my challenge, to bike ride for 48 Kilometers.

And I did!

On a hill above Lörrach-Stetten on our way to Adlehausen. I am in Germany, the cows are in Switzerland.

I never tire of the wonder of being in two countries at once!

Taking a break in Adelhausen. We had just completed level 4 and 5 hills to get here. The water was a welcome addition as we had almost finished our own.

We made it down the hill to Schopfheim for a mid-morning refreshment and enjoyed some people watching. Hit a top speed of 57 kph coming down the hill ... I love speed, but I love my skin too, so I slowed down a bit ...,

Happy birthday to me ... I had fun!

now what shall I do next year?

What I like 'bout here, The Count Down, Day 67

ok, So we missed the drama of marking the 75th day til we fly back to the US. For those wanting to know - it was last Thursday, I am off by a week and a day.
Moving on: Purpose of this blog entry is to take note of the things I like about living here in Germany. Hopefully I'll make at least one a day to contribute to the count down.

Day 67

I like being able to ride my bike home from the grocery with Baguettes sticking out of the basket. It makes me feel so continental, however, not French, as they would not have paper wrappings on the bread as the Germans do.!

45 is not really that bad. After all, if you play a 33 at 45 it sounds funny

Happy 45th Birthday!

The Händel Torte,
in honor of my musical man.
Happy birthday was sung as Handel's
Water Music floated through the background.

(yes from a box, I could not resist the name but ain't it purty)
This is a Torte, not a Kuchen, or a cake. Tortes are a whole cake cut into thin layers which are then then spread with a whipped cream. Not cool whip, but hand-mixer whipped whipping cream and perhaps flavored. There is no 10x sugar butter frosting found in this culture. Perhaps a more known example of a torte is the Schwarzwald Torte or Black Forest cake. However a glance at my Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book, 1989, p. 82 recipe looks nothing like what the Oma up the street makes and it has no Kirchwasser.
A Kuchen here is a more familiar form of the pound cake found in the southern United States, with a couple of exceptions: it is not as sweet and it is a bit on the drier side. The kuchen however is still as rich with eggs, just not as moist as its US cousin.

Mothers day 2010

This weekend my children showered on me a wonderful Mother's day. Besides being wonderful children themselves, I was presented with a beautiful poem, a tasty cake and an elegant tea party.

Wils' elfchen (an eleven word poem)

Liebe
die Freude
ich mag dich
ich lieb dich Mutter
Mutterstag

beautiful tea set by SAM

Shy bakers cook great cakes!

Bärlauch Pesto, seasonal eating

Bärlauch is a garlicky leek tasting plant that is a sure sign of spring in Germany. In the States it is called by the name of Ramps or wild leeks.

When gathering from the wild here in Germany it is better to pick before the Lily of the Valleys spring up as the leaves look about the same. The Lily is poisonous and the other is not; although one must also pick the Bärlauch before its flowers start to bloom as they become poisonous then also. So your window to enjoy this great spring delicacy is not long. and you need to know what you are doing or buy it in the store.

A couple of Fridays ago we were by a friends home and they happened to have a patch of Bärlauch and she cut a large bunch. I happily went home and created the following new favorite of mine Bärlauch Pesto.

for 2 people:
50g Bärlauch (Ramps), 20g Pine nuts, 50-100ml cold pressed Olive oil, 50g grated Parmesan cheese. For nuts I did not use pine nuts but ssubstituted and combined nuts to get my 50g with Walnuts, Hazelnuts and/or almonds. Walnuts straight are my favorite taste.


Very simple to make: gather ingredients,

gind up nuts and cheese with a stickmixer,

drizzle in some of the Olive Oil,

start to add the Bärlauchs/Ramps

add more of the Olive oil as needed to keep it moist,

finish mixing to your desired texture, smooth or more smooth,

serve over pasta, season with pepper and salt and enjoy!

Since I had more than 50grams of Bärlauch/Ramps, I made a large batch and froze most to have for later after the plants are out of season.

I also use the same recipe with Rucola (Arugula) to make a pesto as a change from the normal Basil.

Links of interest:

caloriecount.about.com/blog/partners/ramps-wild-leeks-delicious-spring-treat-b414072?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_20100416&utm_term=continue1

dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/ramping-up-for-spring/