the rocking chair pillow

we had to clean up the guest room, as a new roomate was moving in yesterday. so for right now, there is no official guest room in our house anymore...
well, we have still space and beds for guests. there is the second living room, there is a pull out sofa. and some other option is, to put the boys into the same room by pulling out the matraz from under amos bed. this results in an extra bed in elias' room, while he moves in with amos...

in that guest room was a rocking chair and that chair was catching thea's attention. now i felt like there is a comfortable sitting pillow missing. thea herself didn't mind. but my attention was caught and the fabric was quickly picked out. there was some batting leftover i could locate and within a couple hours the rocking chair had it's comfortable pillow. of course thea was super happy and now, reading in her room will regain some interrest.

monday morning

and here we go, it's super cold. this weather even has a name "russische kältepeitsche" (russian cold whip), as the stream of cold air is moving in from the east. themperaturs are sinking bellow 12F. this is really cold and even during the sunny afternoon today the silver in the thermometer didn't climb above 20F.

instead of running in the morning, i went to row in the basement...
and as this is really boring, i took advantage of listening to a sermon of a friend of ours. it felt rejuvenating and instead of nature around me, it was good to get thinking about forgiving and being forgiven. being loved by the Lord more than i can comprehend.
a good start into a busy monday.

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. looking at nature, discovering the beauty.

:: 2. our little monkey, seems cold while clinging to the hazel.

:: 3. coming home

:: 4. a rare ocation, but so wonderful and great to listen

:: 5. while the meal is hot, the steam shows how cool it is in our kitchen...

on a winter's walk

visiting our cousins back in the valley was decided on the spur of the moment. thea crabed her penny board and i the camera. we hopped on the train to visit the R's. Joel was going to join us 20 minutes later and the boys 2h later, for dinner.
it was all so nice looking, that the two of us, who were early, could not resist, but got off the train a station early. we decided that walking the 2.5miles was just the perfect afternoon activity for us.
we started out with thea on the board, just standing and holding on to me...
it was ok for me, i reall got a good workout, pulling the girl along. and then she got herself in "trouble", when she said: "mama, i think this is my time doing sports for today!" first i had to laugh out loud and then explain to her, that i do sports not her right now. she quickly understood and went ahead on her own for the second 2.5miles. yes this way, both of us got our sport taken care of for the day.

and i was super glad i lugged the camera along, even though it was a bit heavy...

a dusting

coming home from a week in the mountains, where we were skiing and boarding, hiking and absolutely enjoying the snow and the outdoors a lot. it was nice to have wonderful dusting of the beautyful white over the weekend.
i headed out in the morning, no the sun was not out all day but still a few nice pictures were taken and i feel fine with them. it seems like catching the mood of lenten, being able to be still and reflect, take time to just not hurry around and about.

of course there is that "fasnachtsmontag" here in our town, which i absolutely not understand, as lent has started last wednesday... i guess in this area people do not care about the church calendar anymore. well i do and i take this monday to ease into the routine of the every day with the kids. monday is chore day, for me and so it is for the kids too, as they have the day off. heaps of socks from all those days in snowboard boots or ski boots... heaps of thermo under layers... and we all don't mind, as we enjoyed the the activity and we have this extra day.

be still and do the chores without grumbling or discontent.

on vacation

enjoying a daytour on the skis. going up on skis with fur and riding down in the best possible powder snow. just perfect, there is nothing else i wanted to do and have today.

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. winter the trunk is renewing its bark

:: 2. the wonderful poster announcing an exhibit about "johannes itten and art"
       at the central library in zurich

:: 3. this was dinner yesterday, we do love fondue!

:: 4. an evening of puzzle, at the end we all stood around the table and tried to help.
 

:: 5. the orange stool, a bright point in my every day life

Äss-bar

i was at school today. the morning started out with a bit of snow, in the air as well as on the ground. such a lovely dusting. though by lunchtime, it was mostly gone...
a quick walk through the city, a short stop at äss-bar. this is my usual place to quickly grab some food. it's a superb place to eat what's thrown out yesterday and sold for a small price. a great way to fight food waste and enjoy a small yummy lunch like cheese quiche and even piece of pastry, for overall 3.50 Fr. frequently i by bread for dinner there too. this or that whole wheat or barley or a delicious loave of dinkel.

this a bit of my day...

my longish shawl

it has been a while since i took this shawl from the needles. it is not really knit in my favorite colors but then again, when i wear something gray or steely blue it works just fine.
and it is definitely very cozy with the wonderful grey alpaca wool. the colorway is a silk/wool which is also very comfortable and just teh best to wear in this winters moment.

the temperatures have dropped below zero (30F) which is very much where it should be in the months of winter. so this seems just right to be twirled around my neck, yesterday-today-tomorrow and who knows for how many days more.

and then those started little projects, no they are not mine, really!
we had  community evening last sunday and there were just about half of the group, people which did not know how to knit. so we taught each other, how to knit. it was fun and for some of us very new...
in any regards, i take those started little projects and will finish them up. just as plain and easy as they got started. and in some way they will be put together and mounted on a canvas. if it turnes out to be a some what pretty picture, i will consider to hang it up. let's say, i will keep you posted and for myself, i let the idea float and will work it into what ever it is loonging to be.

looking up

being out in the neighborhood, for a walk with thea, made me look around. mostly up into the trees and the clouded sky. the sun came and went, it was rather cool and just as it is supposed to be, february like.
when i came home and looked at the photos taken, i was amused and them. they very much resembled the walk, the february air. cool and kind of gray, some blue sky, some intense moss like green of themistle toe. a bit of color from a line of flags, hung up last summer for a neighborhood celebration. fun and a bit of excitement still in the air with it.

the hazle is in full bloom. i love the looks of those long "blooming" brushes, sometimes almost as big as trees. they don't affect my immune system, so yes they are just wonderfully pretty to me.

and then today, we enjoyed the start into an "off" week, a do wat we want. a week of reading, listening, playing music and for some of us studying too! i'm all embracing it as it comes along...

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. card games on sunday afternoon

:: 2. the missed christmas star...

:: 3. time for dessert and tea (my new favorite, ginger mint, fresh not dried or anything)

:: 4. thursday night's sky

:: 5. homework finished for the week!