the week :: through the lens

it has been on the back burner, i have not been taking a lot of photos for a while now, and that should change. so i put the "hand made" lens back on the camera body and got started this week. it touched me in a special way, as i wander and have the camera ready be it in the kitchen, or living room table... this enables me to see with new eyes and i like it. we will see if it sticks, it is a start to a new friday review of what caught my eye. there is to be said, that i was inspired by erin boyle and her blog "reading my tea leaves". she does a wonderful job and it is so inspirational to have a look at her photos...

:: 1. starting the week with a hearty vegetable turkey soup

:: 2. the leafs are falling

:: 3. bundle up and play music...

:: and more soup, please!
   the header in a major swiss newspaper on thursday morning, "take a deep breath"

:: 5. naomi's crafty toy to play with femur, our cat

räbeliechtli

thea's school is doing this räbeliechtli-umzug every year and we like to carve and go for the walk around the neighborhood. carving was exciting and thea wanted a cat on her "räbe". amos drew one and naomi helped thea with the carving, such a good group project and it turned out very cute.

the carving is my favorite part and then going for the event itself is more like "we have to". the kids all like it a lot and sing the räbeliechtli songs. it was at least not raining too hard, just a little drizzle (i left the camera at home). the most important part for thea, there were hot dogs served at the end of the walk and hot punch.

the days are getting shorter and the cold is creeping up on us, it's november and supposed to be cooler already a bit like winter. the flower boxes are still out though and i'm planning to take them in "yesterday", well it didn't happen, so it will have to be done an other day. and that's fine too. some times the räbeliechtli is more important at least in thea's mind and that is fine with me.

rugelach

i remember those sweet treats from back when we lived in boston. the rugelach was definitely a wonderfully sweet and delicious treat from the blue frog or some other pastry shops along beacon street toward brookline. this is the first time i made it on my own, the wonderful cookbook from smitten kitchen has been inspiring and got me "back on track". as sometimes, i just need to be reminded of a taste, and i want it so much, that i get myself organized in the kitchen.

it was super easy, to whip together the dough and with a bit joy and lots of happy expectation energizing me, the more messy part of assembling the rugelach was done in no time.
everyone in the house loves them and i do think the idea of raspberry jam and chocolate is fabulous. i will make them again soon.

the week :: through the lens

it has been on the back burner, i have not been taking a lot of photos for a while now, and that should change. so i put the "hand made" lens back on the camera body and got started this week. it touched me in a special way, as i wander and have the camera ready be it in the kitchen, or living room table... this enables me to see with new eyes and i like it. we will see if it sticks, it is a start to a new friday review of what caught my eye. there is to be said, that i was inspired by erin boyle and her blog "reading my tea leaves". she does a wonderful job and it is so inspirational to have a look at her photos...

:: 1. on the fireplace mantel

:: 2. the sweets of last sunday got ordered and reordered and eaten!

:: 3. and an other plate of wonderfully delicious peanut-butter sablés

::  4. femur our newest house mate

:: 5. singing and singing some more it is exciting once more to practice for an advents service
       (something like that....)

today

falling leafs, sun rays beaming and i'm off to cello lesson with thea. strolling through the martini market in town afterward and i'm sure we will eat some kind of sweet treat or maybe fallafel...
it's early november and i love each and every moment we can be outside without having to bundle up!
those days will come too, and i'm sure, we will embrace them when they arrive.

our cat is just now arriving... more of that an other day!

the call

i had a reporter along for leaf raking duty in our garden, all photos above taken by thea

and it was wonderful, last saturday afternoon. the sun was out, the leafs have fallen from the trees, at least some and this coincidence called for raking duty. as we had the chestnut tree pruned in february, there are not too much leafs falling, but still, those want to be gathered. and so thea and i were following the call happily.

and so it goes, she still likes it to jump into the collecting bucket and stomp the leafs. and best of all, when i pull the bucket around with closed lid, what a hiding place!

weekending

joel was gone for a few days last week. and the week went by so super fast, sunday afternoon approached rather fast and though we all were looking forward to have him back, all of a sudden he is back and embracing all of us again.
a quick decision of "lets have desserts in the garden", it was so warm and sunny and i couldn't help, but we needed to go out of doors. it wasn't just us people who felt like that, but the chickens too!

we spent some wonderful moments together reconnecting and sucking in all the sun we could. i was knitting on for A's scarf, so fun and super quick. it's now all finished and the boy is happy. for me it's on to the next project, i should decide how to quilt that target quilt, which i put together this past summer....
i will and it will be fun, but it takes a lot to make me sit down and get started. it is somehow a brave thing to start sewing, it's in a way deciding to do it this one way and that is it, no looking back, no changing away from it, that is scary for me.
but i will get started!

the week through the lens

it has been on the back burner, i have not been taking a lot of photos for a while now, and that should change. so i put the "hand made" lens back on the camera body and got started this week. it touched me in a special way, as i wander and have the camera ready be it in the kitchen, or living room table... this enables me to see with new eyes and i like it. we will see if it sticks, it is a start to a new friday review of what caught my eye. there is to be said, that i was inspired by erin boyle and her blog "reading my tea leaves". she does a wonderful job and it is so inspirational to have a look at her photos...

:: 1. the last of summers flowers

:: 2. the box of ping pong hands at the front door

:: 3. something new, i absolutely love the mammut vest

:: 4. something old made new, for a friend

:: 5. falls bounty in the kitchen, when it's a foggy outdoors

autumn leafs :: singing

autumn, the colors, the garden, nature at it's latest and last time of the year, to bring out all it's life and strength. telling me stories and making me smile and be still in awe and wonder.
the running is great in this season, it is just right in temperature and great for surprises of sun rays and fog playing games. leafs turning their color and leafs dancing, just for me!

we are preparing to sing at church with the "kantorei" and an ad hock orchestra, on sunday morning the 18th of december. it will be antonio vivaldis magnificat. there is still a lot of work to be done, but we already get a little taste of what it will be. it has some wonderful passages, rhythms that challenge me, half tones not that easy to stay on with, whilst the soprano sounds next to me. though it is really wonderful that i'm able to carve out the time for the rehearsals and spend a few wonderful evenings singing. the season of long evenings indoors has arrived and it is perfect for this time of the year, to involved with singing, laughing and working with my whole body.

fire in the livingroom

a leisure sunday afternoon, raining and cool, perfect for a fire in the living room. our fire place is not very practical at all, and the heat is disappearing out the chimney in a whim. never the less it makes for a good moment of making the fire, enjoying the moment of light and warmth....
there was lots of wood splitting done by amos and wax melting by joel. wicks twisted and all of it put together and dipped in the melted wax.
the result, a handful of fire starters. exquisite ind hand made, well working and a wonderful afternoon of working together.

such moments are filling my motherly sole with joy and thankfulness. just being and doing and enjoying it all. as a result there is even something to look at and be happy about it.
it hasn't been all easy on such afternoons, with teenagers in the house. they much rather would love to sit in front of the screen and play what ever game is on top of their list. or just hang in their rooms and listen to music, watching you tube movies. but instead, we got a meal prepared by elias, while amos and joel were working. a yummy pot of pasta and sauce bolognese, comfort food for all with good conversations and laughter.

outdoors :: painting

thea wanted to paint and it was somewhat nice outside. at least it was not raining and i absolutely prefer for her to paint out of doors. there are a few less risks in regards to paint on places i really don't want any of the pink or what ever her color of choice is at the moment.
so we got ready behind the house and she got to mix her colors just the way she wanted to. great fun and i liked it. a quick run to the camera and some pictures got taken.
it is funny, how i sometimes forget to carry the camera around though in colorful moments, even running around the house and fetching the camera was fun. it is exciting to take pictures of paint-mixing-trays, as much as it is exciting to observe the painting process itself.

and i have to hold back, just let her work, let her choose and decide...
usually she doesn't want to stop painting, different this time, there were two pieces left "for you mama", great i jumped right in and grabbed the paintbrush, while she lingered and played with the swing.

i love the garden and be outdoors, even if it's a bit chilly.

the week :: through the lens

it has been on the back burner, i have not been taking a lot of photos for a while now, and that should change. so i put the "hand made" lens back on the camera body and got started this week. it touched me in a special way, as i wander and have the camera ready be it in the kitchen, or living room table... this enables me to see with new eyes and i like it. we will see if it sticks, it is a start to a new friday review of what caught my eye. there is to be said, that i was inspired by erin boyle and her blog "reading my tea leaves". she does a wonderful job and it is so inspirational to have a look at her photos...

:: 1. a new little project, simply a winter shawl

:: 2. loving the look of this boarder girl

:: 3. bitter sweat as autumn is

:: 4. the birthday book, thank you friend

:: 5. and one more orange, on our front steps

all orange :: for me

as in the past, i have no clue, how my family and friends come up with a theme color for my birthday!
but this year as in the past it's all composed wonderfully in a shade of one and the same color. all orange, for this year and i love it.
a wonderful breakfast dinner, all prepared and ready, by the family...
my sister in law visiting with her daughters was a nice surprise and catching up with her lifted my spirits. a neighbor walking by, i quickly invited her over, as she usually is in a gloomy mood, she was surprised, that i invited her in for a cup of tea and dessert. and left the my kitchen in much higher spirits. these are the moments of yesterday, which were very life giving.
as well as one more family with a gang of kids coming in mid afternoon, my parents and elias coming home after work with a big hug for me. life is full and rich and i love the bounty of all it has for me.