happy weekend

Just a quick update about the storm and hail.


Please click here to see the photo in big. I've uploaded some
more pictures on Flickr.

I've read in the newspaper, that the local winegrower
has a total loss as well as the veg farmers :( Life
is so cruel sometimes. Once again nature has shown
it's power. Now it's our turn to learn and change our
habits. Have we learned?

A friend is visiting me over the weekend, so no time
to hang around here ;) Happy weekend, dear friends!

tuesday

It started with sunshine.



This one is especially for you, Akiyo ;) Right in the
middle is garlic, but the other greens are wheat!



Neighbor's gardens incl. the garden I admire because of
it's simplicity and the big tree.


Suddenly at around 4 pm the rooms were as dark as if
it was already 8 pm.


Hail is so brutal.


The back garden after about an hour. I haven't been in
the garden afterwards. I don't know, how it looks like
on the front garden. I think, I'd cry...


Well, I'm learning...
to be patient,
to accept,
to forgive,
to let go,
to enjoy as long as I can
and a lot more.
All those from gardening.

on the roof

The March and the May look on top of a sport hall. I
love it! See my shadow and my bike's over there? :)

strawberries

We finally had our first strawberries from the windowsill.
I only got a little bite, but it was SO sweet! Yumm.. :)



Hope your weekend is as sweet as strawberry and I'm
wishing you a great new week starting tomorrow :)



P.S. I actually want to write about the concert we've
visited last Thursday, but I don't know how to get the
photos from my HP down to my compi. I don't have
the suitable USB cable and somehow sending via email
is not working too :( So, maybe you can enjoy some of
the songs we've heard at here. Lovely voice, great songs
- all written by herself - and a great band.

P.P.S. I don't watch tv very often, but I don't want to
miss this series every Sunday. His smile there makes
me smile too :)

learning

I never managed to work in the garden less than two
hours. Well, I enjoy it, so I forget the time :) Normally
I work either only on the front or only on the back
garden at a time, but today I worked on both, as there
were less bindweeds to see today :)



My back garden is not a garden to look at - it looks
higgledy-piggledy *lol* But the potatos are growing,
so are the strawberries (although the ones in the pot
grow a lot better than those in the gardensoil. Hmm..).
One marigold is almost eaten up by a snail (I think, it
was a snail). The cornus and blackberries are about to
bloom. There is also another plant with buds (in the
middle photo), but I don't know what it is. Do you know
it maybe? Could it be buddleja? I'm not sure..

On the front garden I cut the ilex down. Now it has only
a few leaves, but they are all okay. I hope, it will grow
better now. I've also cut the lonicera a bit. As I first
thought it was a box tree, I wanted to grow scions for
the back garden, but then I stumbled upon lonicera on
the web. Well, there are still a lot to learn in the garden :)



But there are also a lot to enjoy..



The peonies are blooming, the second rose plant
will be blooming in a day or two and my phuopsis
stylosa has also started to bloom. I hope, the lavenders
will be blooming soon. Oh, I love my garden :)

P.S. I've covered the soil around the strawberries with
straw. But I was a dork - I took straw, which are normally
use to feed pets. So now wheats are starting to grow among
the strawberries *lol* (well, now I can still laugh, maybe
I won't in a couple of weeks ;))

a sign?

There was something strange today (or yesterday,
as it's now past midnight). It started with a dream. My
neighbor wanted to move in to my apartment and I've
somehow said yes, as I got the chance to move to the
apartment on the upper floor without seeing that
apartment before. I could feel the whole house was
in the mood of moving - I saw worker with boxes, the
previous tenant, the landlord.. So I went to the other
apartment. A young boy showed us the rooms. It has
only 2 narrow, deep rooms. One as a living- & bedroom
and the other one (the door was hidden in a green built-
in cupboard, which I found quite ingenious) as a dining
room & kitchen. So, it would be a cutback from now.
From that moment on I was doubting about my decision.
I wanted to say no, but was afraid to disappoint my
neighbor. On the other hand, this upper apartment is
placed next to an old & dusty, but beautiful, romantic
studio with old tools and machines, where I could learn
from a master and come whenever I want to. What to
do? I woke up without any decision.

Later in the morning while I was researching about
something, I stumbled upon this interesting link. And in
the evening I saw the following video from TED.



A few minutes ago I got the Tiny Showcase's newsletter,
in which they've mentioned about dream.

I'm asking myself, either it is a coincidence or a sign..

t.t.t.

This must be the most crazy diptych I've ever made.
How could I combine my foot with the lovely roses
(maybe with the reason that both smell - one good
and one not so good? *lol*). No, this photo only reflects
two things I (finally) remembered to do today - to cut
the roses and to take a photo of the imprint of the shoe
on my foot (the roses don't smell at all and my foot..
uhm, maybe a little bit.. hahahaa...).



No normal choir session today. The choir director cannot
come today, so my 2nd alto friends and I are going to
have our own session privately. I think, I'll bring my friend,
who provides her apartment for our meeting, a rose.

konstanz

Let me show you some photos of my 'walk' (with my
bike ;)) in Konstanz yesterday.


This must be one of the most gazed houses in town, but
I never care about that. My eyes normally go straight
to the right: the balconies. Such a beautiful place!!!


An unremarkable back side, but.. what a house with so
many lovely details. No wonder they call this part of the
city Paradies (paradise).




There were another flea market on Sunday on a city
part, where I've never been before. It was just next to
the border line to the Switzerland. So idyllic and rural.


You can find old and new side by side - even on a house.


On the way back home.

Wishing you a happy, fresh week!

happy saturday

I was about to go to the flea market as I saw something
was waiting in my mailbox (can you guess, what it is?).
I was excited, but no time to go upstairs again - it had
to wait. Quickly I took a glance at my front garden. The
roses were blooming beautiful on the first plant and so
was the cotoneaster. It was full of bees and humble bees.
Mmhh... how I love the sound! bzzz..bzz...bzzzzz....



I didn't expect to find anything on the flea market.
Maybe you remember, I once said, flea market made
me sad. It did! The sad feeling was coming after I saw
a few tables. I already wanted to go back home, when
I saw something, that made my heart jumped. An
adjustable dolly!



My body doesn't have much curves, so that I could
never use a standard dummy. I was thinking of buying
this kind of dummy, but they were so expensive. So, I
was really excited, when I saw this. And somehow it
looked like a cage. I'm in love with the filigree of bird
cages, but I'm not fond of their purpose though (my
parents had birds in Jakarta, but they were in a big
aviary approx. 90 sqm with a garden in it - so it's not
comparable). This dummy is delicate, decorative and
useful - for 9 Euro: perfect!!

Back home I opened up the parcel. Have you guessed,
what it was? Yes, the happy package from Mitsy's
giveaway. I'm such an ace in the blog world *lol* I've
paused from the blog giveaway for a while, but as soon
as I attend one, I won again. But now I won't pause
anymore - why should I refuse my luck, right? :)
Thank you, Mitsy, for the isolated brooch, the scared
necklace (watch out this space - who knows, when
they'll appear there ;)) and the happy girls - my happy
girl is happy to meet her family ;) And thank you,
lovessunflowers, for your golden finger number! :)



After all the excitements I went to the DIY store. The
roses had mildew and the ilex has some yellow leaves,
with weird speckles on the back. I took a leaf with me.
The lady there said, my ilex must have fungus. She
handed me out a chemical thing, which would work for
both plants. As I asked her for something from Neudorff,
she said, that it won't work or one has to do it often, that
it's just as toxic as that other chemical thing. I hesitated
and came home with the chemical one. Ugh!!! At home
I regret it. I have to learn to stand behind myself and
stick to what I want to. Right? Yes! :)

Happy weekend to you!

P.S. Oh, talking about my luck.. I found a 5 Euro note in
the garden. But as I saw the daughter of my neighbor
standing there this morning, I was sure, it was hers. So
I asked her and she said yes. What a Saturday! :)

t.t.t.

A sweet choir friend is celebrating her birthday today.
Each of us will bring a flower for her. So, today I cut
my first flowers from my own garden. A peony and a
rose (there were two roses on the branch that I've cut,
as the plant got it's care cut at the same time ;)). I've
read, that peonies are best cut as a bud, when they are
still close, but the color is already to be seen. They then
will stay longer fresh in the vase. Well, I hope it's true.
Btw she was the first one, who has 'inspected' my new
home right after I've signed the contract and encouraged
me, that it's good to have a garden (I was a bit in doubt)
and she's right! :)



Yesterday we made some fresh lemon curd again. My
son and his friend have prepared the ingredients and
I was the one, who stirred it ;) The jar - covered with a
piece of fabric (a piece from the time, when I've learned
patchworking 8 or 7 years ago) and decorated with an
illustrated tag and a glass bead - is perfect as a gift.

So these are the two things which I'll give my friend as
her birthday present today :)

12 hours

12 hours and 1 minute was the time difference between
the two photos below. A coincidence - almost scaring,
isn't it?



I've started to make my own yoghurt last week. On the
left photo I was making my third kilo of yoghurt this
morning. Later I wondered, which other basic food I
could make myself. I could make tempeh at home, but
actually I'd love to make oncom even better, as I can't
get it in any Asian store in town (and I need it to make
combro - one my fave food). Well, I didn't find any
recipe to make oncom, but found this yummy blog with
mostly Indonesian food :) Boy, my mouth was watering
and I haven't had my lunch!

weekend

The choir weekend was great. The weather, the new
songs we've learned, the food, the view, the air... The
girls enjoyed the lemon curd and also my lentil spread
(used as dip for tortilla chips), which I've made using
the leftover of the Laksa soup.

My son was such a sweetheart. He sat next to me and
sang with us on Friday and Saturday. He helped the
other girls preparing breakfast, setting the table and
he baked a foccacia focaccia for dinner on Saturday.
And he read a lot. Asterix :)
Here are some impressions.


finished making the dough for foccacia


Left: watching the full moon rising. The silhouette of the trees and
the ski-lift looked like a fort. Right: the view from our bedroom.


A morning walk - isn't the view amazing?


The destination of our walk.


A cute, tiny house. I wonder, if it's also a summer cottage.

At home a nightmare was waiting for me - the result
of three days no weeding plus rainy days: the bindweed
had taken over the back garden, the rosebuds are full of
lice, the peonies were crooked and slugs are crawling
over the aubrieta. So I've been working in the garden
again these two days, between rainy sessions during
the day. Staking the peonies, planting even more garlic
around the roses and I decided to take a herbicide to
fight the bindweed (I'm not sure it helps for long). But
there are also good news: everything I've planted are
growing too, including the sweet potato, which has now
tiny white roots.
Well, almost everything. I hope, soon the lemon basil
and bilimbi will grow too (two ingredients I need for
Laksa ;)). I've brought the seeds from Indonesia a few
years ago. There my mom has them in the garden.



Oh, btw I was completely wrong about the house the kids
have built - it was meant for slow worms, not fairy nor
lacewings nor gnomes! Lucky worms :)

happy weekend!

No lovely, sunny weather today. But maybe it's better
for the journey to the choir weekend, as we have to
drive for 1,5 hours by car (although I don't like to drive
if the street is wet). It's good for the plants for sure, as
I can first water them again on Sunday evening.


I've planted two strawberry plants in a container on the windowsill -
just in case ;)

While the strawberries are growing, some 'enemies' are
coming (oh, garden crime time ^_^). My neighbor told
me, that they couldn't enjoy strawberries, as they were
always gone before they could pick them. Hmm... these
kind of 'enemies' or human kind? ;)


A blackbird crow far, far away and lice on my pansy (and rose too)

I'm wishing you all a great weekend! I'm sure, we'll
have ours :)

P.S. I just look out the window again: the sun's shinning :)

my thoughts

..and positive vibes are with you today, my friend!
Hope, everything goes smooth and we'll hear from you
again soon.

t.t.t.

Two Things (I've done) Today ^_^



A work in progress and ... yummy lemon curd!

Up till now I've been buying lemon curd in the shop
where I work. But ever since I saw Bee's post in her
blog (her citrus painting is as yummy!), I knew I'll
have to try it myself one day. This weekend we'll be
having our choir weekend, so I thought, it's a good
opportunity to try it. Mmmhh.. I'm looking forward
to Friday :)

hoping

Without a plan I've planted some of our fave fruits and
veggies in the garden, so sometimes I think, I need to
grab the plants out and replant them at another place.
Sometimes I also forgot, where I've plant things. So, this
should help me remember ;)


a click on the image will take you to the original photo with many
notes :)

I'm experimenting with the yam sweet potato. Normally
it should be hung horizontally in the water, not vertically,
but I'm a rebel (but not a patience one though, so I might
change my mind ;) ).

I'd love to plant some sugar pea and sweet corn too, but
maybe I'll wait till next year. I'm going to plant phacelia
on the rest of the field (which is not on the photo anymore,
but approx. as big as the terrace) to have better soil next
year (and of course flowers for the bees and me :)). And
I'm tempted to have my own composter, but I'm afraid
my garden is a bit too small for that (despite of the fact,
that it's sunny everywhere all day long - a bad condition
for a composter) :(

Talking about rebelling.. I stumbled upon this link. If
you don't have your own garden, but would like to, why
not join the group? I think, it's fun (I started looking for
orphaned places, even if I don't joined them, as my own
tiny garden will surely keep me busy ;)). You might find
people with similar interest here.

may

April is gone and May has arrived, together with the
rainy weather. Luckily it was dry on Friday though.
My son, my son's friend, his little brother and I went
to the forest for a walk. The kids were enthusiastic, as
they wanted to collect some materials for a house (I
forget.. was it for the fairy or for the lacewing? hmm...).
Each of them brought a plastic bag along. On the way
they found barks on the ground. Quickly they got the
bags full before we even reached the forest.

In the forest we stopped on a steep spot, where they
happily gliding on their bottom (uh,.. my son wore of
course his new pants). Afterwards their excitement
for the forest was gone a bit (they had the full bags
anyway ;)), but I 'forced' them to go on (bad, bad me
;)). Luckily they followed me, as some steps ahead we
found a place full of woodruff. The kids gathered some
for syrup :)



The reason why I 'forced' the kids to go on, was this place.



I simply love it! Going to the forest without visiting this
spot is like not going to the forest at all. I always feel
peace and joy there - it's always the reward of the walk :)



On that day, the poplar seeds were flying around. It was
like snowing :) The kids gathered them for their project
on our way back home. In the garden of my son's friend
they then build the house. I forgot to take photos of it, as
I was busy talking with his mother, who gave me some
plants for my garden - peppermint and lilac layers :)
After eating strawberry cake we quickly went home, as
my son would be picked up by his father. And me? Of
course I worked in the garden :) I simply love it!