Vacation Pictures

Hi everyone. I know it's been ages. I was on vacation in the States for three weeks and have quite alot of pictures to share. If you are interested in seeing my posted slideshows, please go to The Camera Lenz. I'm not going to post them here as well. Just to let you know....over 5600 miles and 14 or 15 States of travel...there's lots to see and I'll be adding more as I get things sorted!

Excitement in the Neighborhood

Today was an exciting day in our little neighborhood. They tore down a house. Yep..the whole house was completely taken down in the course of one day. I didn't even think to take pictures when it all started but believe me, it was a whole house, roof and all!

The work was so efficient and professional. They continuously sprayed water on the building to cut down on the dust. This one machine not only knocked the building down but put the remains onto the dump truck. I watched for a long time. I find things like this very interesting. And of course, machines and tools and stuff like that....I can't get enough of it! If they are going to build a new house on this ground, it is going to be quite a wonderful project to watch this summer.

Besides this, I have been keeping busy and enjoying my spring...bike riding outside again (hurray!), making the cards each month as part of the Hardanger Card Club and sewing on my Long Dog Sampler. I know...I haven't posted any new pictures of the progress. Sorry. I'll try to remember to take pictures of it this weekend!

I've been getting quite experimental with cooking. This was Kalbshaxe that I made last week. It was incredibly good! I looked up "kalbshaxe" in the dictionary and it said "knuckle of veal". I apologize...I just can't remember what "knuckle" it is!

Hardanger, Tomatoes and a Sunset

I haven't had many blogging moments lately, I know. But I'll catch everyone up on things now!
We got our second tomato this season. Yes...really! I wintered our one tomato plant and, though not pretty, it is producing.


There's several more growing. No, we won't be opening a tomato stand any time soon but it sure is fun to watch!

Here's a picture of the sunset last night. I can't say that it is because of the Volcano.....



But it certainly was a colorful evening.

And lastly, I put the finishing touches on my Hardanger Practice piece. I am done with it now. I've posted lots of pictures here......

It was a great learning experience and I had lots of fun working it. I think I've got the basics of Hardanger down pretty good now. So...it's on to my Long Dog Sampler until vacation. I don't want to start anything new at this point. Hope everyone is well and I do thank you all for reading and commenting on my blog!

Salzburg Day Trip / Mozartkugeln Taste Test

So, what did you do yesterday? We decided, very spontaneously, to go to Salzburg. One of the nicest things about living in Southern Germany is how close it is to Austria!


Although it wasn't really warm, it wasn't really cold either. The city was so alive. There were locals everywhere, tourists that came for the day or the week, and the atmosphere was springlike and wonderful.


There were signs of spring everywhere, in fact.

And reminders of the fact that is is Easter Weekend.

There's new things to see....I believe that the interior of the Hause der Natur is completely renovated and modernized as well as the outside. But you'll have to check it out yourself to be see for sure.

The fountains were still covered and the Neutor tunnel through the mountain is still under construction. But some of the cleaning is already done.

And ready for summer.......

I don't know when the last time I saw the Augustiner so crowded! Not only was the beer garden packed to the max but all three rooms inside too! There wasn't a piece of red meat to be had...only fish. Because the place is in a cloister, they are not permitted to serve meat on Good Friday. But fish, beer, schnapps....no problem.

OK, and for the most incredible news......there's something new!!!!! Mini Mozartkugeln!!!! I saw them advertised on TV and I searched until I found them. They aren't, at least at this point in time, available everywhere although the company Mirabell certainly has an amazing advertising campaign going on throughout the city. Well, I just HAD to do a taste test so I bought a bag of regular "Mozart balls" and the minis.

I only saw the minis available in this tub. The salesman said to try them first because they taste so different from the original. Of course, what did he think? I wasn't going to eat them even if they did taste different??

When cut in half, they look exactly the same. The minis don't come individually wrapped so the chocolate is pretty shiny. I believe that's because the thin aluminum wrappers on the originals leave slight indentations in the chocolate.

Even the proportions look the same. The same chocolate covering thickness in relation to the size. And the marzipan middle also looks to be proportioned equally as well. Please keep in mind, that I only did this taste test for YOU....so YOU wouldn't have to wonder about it. To save YOU the testing. And what was the verdict?? Well, both of us agreed 100% that they taste exactly the same! The smaller ones just have less of everything so the taste isn't as intense but Mirabell seems to have really made the perfect mini Mozart ball! And BOY.....are they perfect!!!!!

I can't imagine not wanting to be in Salzburg. I hope everyone can come and experience everything there is to experience. And, believe me, there's so much! Something for everyone, I guarantee it! And I leave you on this note..........

Hardanger Progress

I was going to tell you that spring in Munich is wonderful. The forsythia are blooming, the trees are starting to bud, the streets have been cleaned. I was going to tell you all that, but it's snowing so I'll just tell you that it's a very typical spring time here in Munich.

And everything is fine.

I've been having fun with my hardanger piece.


And lots of fun trying to think of new things to do.



I like using contrasting color on this practice piece.



And seeing how varied I can make each little motif.

This very thin yarn was exceptionally neat to work with and I also using floss as long as it is something that lays flat.

At the moment, the piece is on the back burner. I am busy repairing a hand sewn quilt that my Dad gave me 15 years ago or maybe even longer. He got each of us girls a summer quilt and a winter quilt, one from China, the other from Korea. I can't remember which is which. I do know though that they were all very loosely sewn and the stitches are very spread out. So years later, there's lots of repair work to do. The cat loves it....she thinks I'm doing it all for her. She gets to make a little nest in it. But boy does she yell when it's time to move the thing around!

Well, I'm off to the grocery store now...it will be such a lovely spring walk, getting wet in the snow.

First Bike Rides of The Season

Spring has come to Munich and I am counted as one of those who are very happy about it. It's finally warm enough to hit the trails instead of dream about them while pedalling away on my indoor bike.


It doesn't much look like spring yet. Everything is still fairly brown and lifeless.


But there's been alot of activity in my beloved park while I was busy riding indoors.


Most of the snow is gone but here and there I saw little patches of the old stuff hanging on, waiting for the warmth to melt it away.


There's new things to see.


And old favorites to check out.


I don't know what moss does in the winter but even now, when everything else is waiting to come to life, the moss seems so green and fresh.


The wild boar are out but very far away from the main roads.

But throughout the park, there are signs that they were very busy rutting around all winter long, looking for what ever it is that they eat.

A normally dead end road was wide open this fine spring day. No, I didn't go in...it's been "taboo" since I started riding in the park and I just couldn't bring myself to ride further. The gate is electric..what happens if it closed when I was in there???

The loggers have created new paths to explore and I'm feeling very adventurous! I didn't take a picture of it but there was one muddy road in the whole park. I saw it to the left of where I was traveling and mentally noted that I was glad I wasn't heading that way. I later decided to ride a trail I'm not familiar with to get back home. Wouldn't you guess...I ended up on that muddy road! It was awesome!! Mud was flying, tires were slipping...and if I could have recorded the smell for you, I surely would have!

Hardanger Practice Piece

It finally feels like spring has come to Germany. All the snow is melted and little flowers are starting to pop up everywhere. It feels good!

I'm almost completely recovered from whatever it was that I had. I almost made it through the winter without getting sick!

I'm still playing with my hardanger practice piece. Here's the latest:




I'm also learning what NOT to do!



I'm learning alot about what threads work best and tension.


Sometimes I put a little bit of something else here and there.


It's a fun, rambling sort of piece. I hope whatever you are working on brings you happiness as well!

Hardanger And CSA

Hey...guess what! In my last post I mentioned (okay..."plugged") CSA's Oberammergau Passion Play trip. But now you can combine this with something that is just as awesome.....an embroidery workshop!!! Yes, another "plug" but also an exciting and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Well, at least once a decade as that's how often the Passion Play comes around. Check it out!

I've really been practicing my Hardanger. Here are a few pictures of what my practice piece looks like now.

It's really neat looking. Well, my other "hobby" these days is going to the dentist and it's about that time so.....until later!