on the ice

it is not usually cold long enough for the lakes, even the smaller ones, to totally freeze, here in switzerland. but the past 10 days did it and so we were able to enjoy a little stroll and some fun on the "bichelsee". this is a bigger pond, which is usually used by all ages to swim in the summer. it's shore is shallow and nature is kind of left alone.
for the moment though, one can walk and run and play and skate on the lake. it is not guaranteed by any authority, as they are just not doing this. though the local schools used the frozen pond for games and just to give the local school kids the opportunity to experience the spectacle. and we went too, yesterday afternoon, as we trust the locals to know their pond well enough to hop on the ice.

it was fun, to do something, which is just about every 8th year possible, walking on a frozen pond in the usually rather moderate climate of switzerland.

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 week started out with some knitting by the fire

:: 2. making music was going on, especially on wednesday

:: 3. comfort food on some cold evenings was wonderful, rice pudding and sauteed apples with raisins

:: 4. all the open faced sandwiches from the bakery we can get the left over from the day....

:: 5. and sometimes it's just too much for us, so we invite friends and neighbors to come and help us eat!

the chairs and rambling on

those old and loved chairs have crossed my path recently and i was intrigued by seeing them. it is not special in most ways, but i'm sure they would be able to tell their stories. but they can't talk and i just can't take my eyes off, regardless. still, very quiet, and speaking in their own language. imaginary stories and of times past.
so often we don't pay attention to those every day objects, the things we encounter in our daily routine. we are in haste, or feel like there is no time to stop the flow of what we are about to do. but it is worth, just a moment of still. staying put and open our eyes, our senses to what is happening, as well as to what has left it's trace behind.

many a person must have been sitting on those chairs, what about that numbering? carving and upholstery, it is a lot, it is so rich and adds a wonderful flavor to my goings about. i'm learning to take those moments of being interrupted, of being pulled out of the today and busy business. learning to observe and be gifted by the moment or the item, being allowed to enter my life.

a thank you to our for-fathers and mothers, the people walked on this earth before us, leaving a trace for us to encounter and wonder and enjoy.

weekending

a lazy afternoon at home, i turned up the heat as we have a bit of a cold spill, for a week now, we are in the low twenties, even during day times...
it is a dry cold though and that makes it bearable. on sunday we felt lie curling up in front of our fire place, it was wonderful, almost boring, the nice kind of boredom. when one feels like, it's ok to stay indoors in the cozy place we call home. not one sunbeam was tempting me to go out, no blue sky, no excited children's voices calling and pulling me outside. it was alright to stay put and knit and make music, read or even studying in front of the fire place was a comfortable thing to do.
as we do not know anything like "snowdays" or "white out's", here in switzerland, such a sunday afternoon is the closest we get to experience a stay indoors and just do nothing, feel comfy and enjoy the moment of nothingness!

so these are a few impressions, it was lovely.

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. predigergasse in zürich, it's on my way on tuesdays

:: 2. velorei what a very cool entrance decoration

:: 3. a wonderful window to stand in front

:: 4. and finally in front of my own house, it's cold and pretty

ice :: ring

it's the middle of winter and it is cold. i love it and enjoy each moment. even my ice-ring finally froze all the way through. it took about two nights of deep freeze outside in the low twenties. but today i could take the ice out of the form and am rather pleased with the result.

thea had an other problem, of course she want's to ride her bike, what ever it takes, no matter how cold or how icy it is. and as one can imagine, her chain is turning orange and red from corrosion. there had something to be done. joel looked after it and oiled it well. and of course, she will be out and about again tomorrow morning. it's ok, i can hold on and not refuse her to go to school by bike. she definitely is learning the skill of riding in snow and on slippery streets...

the mama is sitting down for a moment and praying for the accident not to happen, each morning, a quarter to eight, i need a moment of silence and crying out to God for protection. not just for thea, but the boys too, they are out and about with their bikes in any kind of weather. we do not have any snow emergency in switzerland, we just brace the weather and keep going...

o those painted rocks

this one is pulled out from the old year. i do like it though and it has become a bit of a lead into this newly started year. as i painted for many hours to decorate the lunch tables on my mother in laws 70th birthday party. it was definitely a labor of love and it turned out to be liked and enjoyed by her and all her guests.

so much to "gifting" with love to create joy. of course i was very glad i had helpers and i will take it not for granted to call those helping hands, my kids.

today i spent in school, for today and the next three tuesdays i'm taking a class in child development. of course much of is it not new, but good to hear again. and it is a class with lots of practical applications being exchanged and shared. it is part of the degree i'm working on in religious education. and i do enjoy it, lectures and some people i get to know, taking those classes alongside. well it's also a bit challenging, as i have to write little papers for each class, or some other kind of proof, that i was participating and studying... i guess it's good to be back in school, not much, but enough to get my brains stimulated and working again in a way that is really good.

so, let's paint some rocks again and think and ponder all those maslow, mary ainsworth, and more peoples ideas and ideologies. and i do keep enjoying the looks of my painted rocks...

sunday afternoon is for sledding

we spent sunday afternoon in the snow, on a cool hill, with our cousins. the bright fluffy white pulled all of us out into the weather. it was not too sunny, at least not while we were out... though it was wonderful, not too cool, but rather enjoyable. thea had the idea to call her cousin and we all ended up going.
a short train ride, a little walk and out there in the hill country we were.

 once again i would rather have stayed put, indoors with a cup of tea and a good book. but that's what kids are good at, they want to do and to enjoy and all of it is even better if it's white outside. so thea got us all going, including me, and we all enjoyed it. i really liked it a lot and even went over the jump a few times, with the sled, that is not something i usually, but it itched and so i did, to the astonishment of our oldest son...

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. candle, chai, cinnamon tart

:: 2. stars for for the birthday celebration

:: 3. and sometimes he sit's down to play again

:: 4. there is an enthusiastic girl sharpening her working tools

:: 5. and the flower reminding me of christ being born in the dark and cold world

femur the cat

o our dear cat, he escaped again today and i didn't run after him. he should not be out as he is still young and there are cars and a brook near by. though most of all, one can't catch him anymore. he loves the trees around the house and the birds are definitely interesting as are the chickens in the back yard.

we got him back and are happy, i guess i should get used to femur growing into an outdoor cat...

the 13th

it's naomi's 13th birthday!
yea! we love her and she is such a great and wonderfully spirited girl. it makes me happy to see her enjoying a big lunch table, grandparents and friends to gather and eat with.
the dessert party in the afternoon was her own wish and baked and cooked by her. just the perfect day for her birthday, as it was a teachers conference day and kids got the whole day off.
and of course a big thank you to all our grandparents and friends, coming and loving our girl in a special way on her day.

she was born on a super cold morning and quick to enjoy the rhythm of our little family. simply eating, sleeping and being happy and content. a bit later, she still loved people and even strangers, didn't mind to sit at the table with lots of people. and even better put herself to sleep by singing her own lullabies. yes a pretty sweet voice already way back as a toddler. she has grown into a fighter for the less fortunate and people must be treated justly. a strong will and still wonderful voice are her companions.

thank you naomi for staying with us, your mama and all the family, we love you
back to the 5th and the 4th

the new machine

we have a new machine, or shall i call it toy? in the house. joel and i have been thinking and pondering for a long time and then all of a sudden, there was the decision made. it was a bit of a surprise to both of us, but not a spur of the moment. joel initiated that conversation again and so we decided that it really was the right time. and all fit in perfect, joel arranged it all and picked the machine up last saturday, together with elias, he is excited about it too.
we even have a fitting room to set it all up, and now there it is, the rowing machine...

of course it had to be worked right away, everyone had to row the 500 meters and of course elias was beating each and everyone to it with his 1:37.
well there is really no harm in that, as he is our super competitive person in the family and probably the most fit and sporty. anyway, he is not doing as much as me, with my running and i'm not certain if he would keep up with me for a 10k (well i know he absolutely would beat me on a race over that distance, and that without training....). and now we can row for hours if need be...

snow and more

snow is lots of fun, and it has to be enjoyed, played with and built with. thrown at and thoroughly embraced. that's what the girls did when it all came down, that wonderful white toward the end of last week. there was the time to really enjoy it, as school started just today. a long christmas brake had us all in embrace until today.
plenty of stomping going on, i went twice running in that beautiful white, and it is not gone yet, so there will be a bit more time spent with it, in it!
it has been a wonderful two weeks, with the kids as well as joel being off work. we all tuned into a slower and later in the day rhythm, something like 9am breakfast slowly getting the chores and work we liked to do lined up and done. the boys went to the movies once and we all had dinner at a friends house. lingered around with knitting needles and o yes, i should not forget that some of us cleaned up their desks and rooms and work places. o wonderful time in between, i love thee.

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 reading boy

:: 2. the pretty table decoration by a niece. she went dumpster diving in behind a good will...

:: 3. not much longer, but the tree will be up until the 6th

:: 4. three kings bread, baked by elias

:: 5. learning to play and walk and enjoy the snow, we love to watch our dear "femur"