Jet Lag

We just got back from the United States.

It's funny to notice little things after being away, even though it's only been about 6 months since our previous visit.

Some things feel foreign, sometimes I feel a little foreign, and other times I love the familiarity. It's like an old friend who you can pick up with without skipping a beat.

The variety always amazes me, too... the complexions, subcultures, styles, foods - those are things I desperately miss after all of these years away (not to mention friends, family, and my parents' dogs).

Mieka and Josh were happy to see us. Mieka was eager to celebrate my birthday in hopes of stealing a bit of cake (she was unsuccessful). Since she has Addison's disease, she is constantly hungry and will do anything for the smallest kibble. It's sad and sweet all at the same time.

Joshua was so delighted to run in the first snow of the season. I always seem to forget he is such a behemoth and looks like he belongs in a zoo. What a sweet boy he is.

We miss everyone already.

I hope to catch up a bit this week and write about our trips to San Francisco and Ohio. It was such a great visit and so nice to have some sun!

4th of July

We took full advantage of being in the US last month and even bought some sparklers to have some fun with once the fireflies had disappeared for the evening. I always buy extras when they have them in Germany - at my other favorite holiday - New Years.

I love uniting holidays. I think it's a combination of the fire works, cook out foods, and the fact that people gather with the community that make me love it so much.

There are several events going on in Munich today -

The Amerika Haus has a cookout with live music.

The International neighborhood festival in Haidhausen at Johannisplatz starts at 14:00.

There is also the Thai themed Khao-Pansah-Fest at Westpark.

It looks like there are plenty of options to enjoy the day for those that want to celebrate.

We'll head to one of them until the heat becomes too much and then it's time to come home for more American foods.

We're Moving!

It's been so hard not to share this, but we're moving! Things progressed much quicker than we expected, but we are thrilled.

I'd love to tell you that we are setting up home in Paris or Tokyo... but we're staying put here, in the little village that could - Munich (at least for now - who knows what the future holds).

Our beautiful new apartment is an alt-bau (old building) with tons of character, creaky wooden floors, spacious rooms with high ceilings, and a beautiful little balcony off the kitchen. It gets tons of sun light, which gives me hope that I can rival my Mom's herb garden. Not only that, it's in our same neighborhood, so parting ways with our home won't be so difficult.

While we were back in the US, I constantly saw beautiful pieces of art that I wished so desperately to have wall space for. On every shopping expedition I would say, 'we need more walls!'

I have a great collection and love for art - from my beloved Joe Sorren 'Portrait of Emily', to the piece from our wedding, prints from etsy, antique maps, and zillions of photos from our travels.

And to add to my collection, my parents gifted me the beautiful 'States United' print from etsy's Beauchamping. It's a thoughtful reminder of my home - and it's even heart shaped, just like Ohio, 'the heart of it all'.

Now all we need are more guests!

Wir sind hier!

... (we are here) - Back in Munich that is.

I have to say it's really a bizarre feeling to be 'home' after 4 months on the go, but for some reason home has become relative and this also feels temporary. We've grown accustomed to being transient. I'm sure after the jet lag wears off and we are back to our old stomping grounds it will be a good dose of reality.

We have stacks of mail to go through, daily life to get back to, and favorite foods to devour.

I'm looking forward to:

- cooking
- eating mass quantities of delicious cheeses
- admiring how wonderful our subway system is

- seeing what's changed in Munich (we even have a new subway stop!)

I'm not looking forward to:

- freezing temperatures

- missing friends + family

- not having authentic {insert ethnic food dish here}

- not spending 23.75 hours a day with Stefan

Even though we've traveled to far away lands many times, this time is slightly different, because we were gone for so long. It's actually hard to remember what life was like before we left. We grew accustomed to changing scenery, languages, cultures, hotels, and living even smaller than normal. While I am really excited about getting back to the normalcy of daily life - (you really wouldn't imagine how difficult it can be wondering how you'll get your laundry done or missing the ability to cook meals for yourself) we also face the trip return let down.

The challenges through out the trip were more personal and often came from unlikely places. Being confronted with how others live can be sobering, humbling, and difficult.

We often vacillated between feeling as though we could help save the world and as though the world's problems are immensely larger than us. We would jot down notes, quotes, and striking sites as they happened, hoping to capture the feelings and emotions we went through. Traveling constantly and for such an extended time made us work at not becoming desensitized to what we were seeing and experiencing. It opened our eyes to the intricacies that are unique to each culture and having a best friend to share the experiences continues to give us many interesting conversations.

After being gone for so long the culture shock becomes somewhat normal and slowly it becomes even more difficult to figure out our place in the world. It's not so simple to return home and feel purposeful or as though what we are doing with our lives is meaningful. The lessons on the road are immeasurable.

As we reflect on things it's easy to forget the sweltering heat of Southeast Asia or the occasional difficulty of frustrating your spouse. We have a good laugh when thinking of one of the most stressful periods of the trip - driving on the opposite side of the road, and hearing each other say one too many times, 'Hon, - uh Hon... I think you're a bit close over here' or dealing with a renegade taxi driver. Thankfully for the most part those were our biggest hang ups.

While living abroad is a fantastic experience it's not always as romantic and exciting as you would expect. The most challenging part isn't necessarily the language or cultural differences, but never feeling completely at home. One of the biggest struggles is the more you open yourself to other cultures, foods, and people, the more you have to leave behind and miss. This trip has only reiterated that point.

Traveling seems to give more answers, but also plenty more questions.

That being said we usually just quelch missing everything with discovering something new and planning our next adventure to have something to look forward to. We already have a getaway booked for Easter weekend!

Plenty of recaps and photos to follow. We have over 30,000 photos to go through!!

Our new addition!

I'd like to introduce you to Mieka's brother Josh!

He was an enormous surprise for us - literally. He's just over a year and weighs just over 90 Lbs and he is insanely sweet.

My parents have had him for a month and were able to keep him a secret from us until we got home for Christmas. You can imagine how excited and surprised we were to see him wearing his bright red bow when we arrived from the airport.

He's extremely handsome, somewhat clumsy, and very curious / skittish, but he's a great addition. I need a dog in Munich!

reunion

Being home I quickly realize how much I have changed. While it's fantastic to see friends and familiar faces, I see how different our worlds are. It's not always easy being between two cultures and not quite knowing my place in either one.

Sometimes I walk a fine line of not wanting to disappoint my parents in being too happy in Munich, despite the fact I know they want me to be happy. I like to think I have a knack for focusing on the positive and seeing the bright side of things and living in Munich is no different. The prospect that I could stay there for a longer amount of time or forever is daunting to them. At times it's daunting to me as well. I get the itch for something new and different, despite knowing the quality of life will be tough to match.

It's extremely difficult not to have the answers over something as seemingly simple as where we will live. Most people choose stability in their lives, since we're creatures of comfort and routine, however I find myself going the opposite direction and questioning if that's normal or what is wrong with me. Life abroad isn't easy or straightforward, and at times it can get lonely, but every day is a challenge. I sometimes think that's what makes me thrive and keeps me appreciative of the simple things.

This past weekend was the reunion from my University, which is really a spectacular place. Everyone wanted to talk about life and what they have been doing. They had plenty of questions for me, including where Stefan was. It would have been so much nicer if he was here - everyone missed him and every little detail reminded me of our time together on campus where we met.

These are the people that I shared some of the most wonderful years of my life with, yet things are different. Some are married, some have children, and it's reality that we'll never go back to what we had - living in a neighborhood with our closest friends or staying up all hours of the night to talk with few cares or problems. The lessons I learned are still profound. I still prefer experiences as opposed to things and think time spent with people is the most important gift to give.

I'd rather go to an intimate dinner and share a meaningful conversation than go to a house party and drink cheap beer out of plastic cups or eat cheap pizza late into the night, but for one weekend it's nice to play college again. I love to appreciate our experiences that helped to shape us into who we are.

While I'm home I have the quintessential questions about when I'd be moving back, how well I speak German, or how we can afford to travel to so much. Below the surface there's so much more. The experiences that I've been given, or chosen for that matter, have really shaped me.

Through my German classes I've had to interact with so many cultures and speak with so many people who are facing similar, yet entirely different struggles. That is something most of my American friends have never and will never encounter. I admit that I do find it difficult to talk about world issues with so many people who have no interest in traveling for whatever reason. It's difficult to explain that the world is much larger than their hometown or trying to tell people about my classmates who have come from Iraq or another asylum seeking country without sounding haughty. I love learning from others and I realize I'm often the first American some people have ever met.

It quickly makes me realize that life is full of choices and priorities. My choice has been to share my life with someone I love and to learn about the world by experiencing it first hand. I have an inner need to take life in until it makes me want to cry, but I really wouldn't want it any other way.

The emotional roller coaster of saying hello and goodbye to the people that I love the most will never get easier, but slowly I do consider the fact that's the price I have to pay to be between two cultures. While most of my friends do live in the US, they don't get the privilege to visit friends and family for weeks at a time. It's easier to take things for granted when it's never been any different. That's a luxury that I don't have, but another reason that makes me so sure of my choice in choosing the life that I do. My friends, on the other hand, get to appreciate never having to miss things or to feel slightly misplaced as if they are on the outside looking in.

Everything reiterates how incredibly happy I am and I still feel the same way as when I graduated from college. I'm excited to share my enthusiasm for life with the world and yearn to help others.

big backyard

Whenever I come to visit my family, I absolutely love sitting in their backyard and listening to the noises or watching the animals (rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks) enjoy their dewey breakfast.

My mom has been having issues with her flower pots. It tends to be the chipmunks that scavenge around, but then she saw this nosy rabbit. Isn't it adorable? I love those tiny legs.

I miss woodland animals. I've only seen one rabbit ever in Munich - right near the US consulate.

Fire Rainbow

Yesterday I called my Grandma's house to chat with everyone and wish them a Happy Mother's Day. It's so nice to catch the entire family in one place. It really makes me miss those American family get togethers.

As they passed the phone around I kept hearing about the most beautiful rainbow and how unique it was. Once my sister sent me a picture I immediately recognized it as a rare Fire Rainbow, thanks to the WebEcoist.

Isn't it so beautiful? I never realized wishing my Mom a beautiful day would end up being so special!

They said it was stretched out and slowly became thinner. It only lasted 15 or 20 minutes, so it was definitely great they caught it.

Another work of art is the Sistine Chapel puzzle that my Grandma finally finished. She said it took 5 or 6 weeks from when she began and it was so much work that she thinks she'll be glueing it and having it framed.

Sounds like a wonderful get together had by all... wish I could have been there too!

(photo courtesy of my sister Meem)

Snow Day

While the US is getting pounded by snow storms evidently not everyone minds being stuck at home.

My sister sent me this adorable photo of Mieka. She looks as happy as all of the neighborhood children who had several days off from school this week and had nothing to do but play in the snow.

I love everything about this picture - from the little star snowflake on her nose, to the little bubbles on her tongue, and her breath frozen in the air. She exudes happiness. Thanks for sending that Meem!

It's no surprise that I want a dog. It's so difficult to be in such a dog friendly city, where I constantly see people on the subways and in the parks with their partners in crime. Having a dog isn't conducive to our small apartment or our on the go travel plans... and so I will have to wait.

New Day in America

This morning I headed to my German class with a red cardigan and a blue and white scarf for some understated American spirit. It's incredibly difficult living far away today. Not because I feel some dire urge to be standing on the Washington Mall with few toilets available (according to the news, if 2 million arrive, there is one porto potty for every 400 people). There are also freezing cold temperatures, and a very minimal view of anything other than the back of people's heads for hours on end. It's difficult because I truly miss the camaraderie. I'm certain I would be watching the events on TV, just as I will be today, but it doesn't make up for the American spirit that I dearly miss.

German spirit, and more specifically Bavarian pride, come in very different forms. There is the constant deferral of patriotism for reasons stemming from the dark past. If you spend enough time here you will soon see the pride is still alive and well. Some may even say it has ethnocentric tendencies, especially the foreigners who are constantly being reminded that they even though the law welcomes them, they will more than likely remain oppressed for several generations.

Something I truly love about America, 'the country that always lands on its feet', is that despite being a mix of cultures, nationalities, and races, there are some days and events where people unite. I realize it's not always been that way. Progress does take time, but it's nice to see that it happens.

I also realize not everyone is an Obama supporter, but to me the Americanness is something beyond him or his capabilities. I appreciate that he's a bit of a rabble-rouser and able to inspire so many, because I think Americans can be fairly passive when it comes to politics. It's also possible that it only appears that way considering how much coverage he had and how much money was invested into his campaign, but people definitely look for a positive change.

I'd rather see it as a fire lit from within and hopefully people see that they can make an impact and they are capable of more than they ever thought possible. There's a hope for something different and more freedoms for the people that make the US such a unique and special place.

I'm back in German class and it always shakes me to my core, but not because the grammar is brutal or because every noun has an assigned article. I think I learn more and question more about the social issues and struggles facing people from various cultures, nationalities, and races while I am there. I am constantly analyzing the place of a foreigner in the German world, obviously because that is something I identify with.

That is one aspect that my slightly sheltered American upbringing that I've really been able to come to terms with. Each day while I sit among classmates from places like Iran, Syria, Bulgaria, Australia, Spain, the UK, Kosovo, Brazil, Turkey, Russia, and a multitude of other cultures, I realize how fortunate I am. I am not fighting to survive. Life has been relatively easy and I know that I have two perfectly good homes. There isn't anything I am fleeing.

I realize just how blessed I am due to forces of fate, to feel safe, to have the support of my family, to receive a wonderful education and to have the ability to graduate from a university that focused on service work. It makes me feel very responsible for helping those that aren't afforded the privileges that I have.

Something Germany is severely lacking, is the inclusion of the foreigners. It's a much colder place than what I am familiar with. Here I notice so many politically incorrect things that make me cringe and an overall critical attitude towards each other. I attribute that to the fight to get ahead, or the feeling that they are being taken advantage of due to their liberal social systems. I realize in the US I have a slight bias. My social and economic circle doesn't often cross with people who don't come from similar means, which is one of the reasons I am forever grateful for this experience.

Life here can be so bureaucratic that even volunteering or being compassionate towards others isn't easy, which is difficult. Somedays I feel like I am fighting to belong and yearning for community and connections that are thousands of miles away. Here that is entirely a foreign concept. Since they had such far right leanings during the early part of the 20th century, at times I think they have tried to make amends by opening their borders even if they are resentful. I'm sure they get even more angered by the fact that Germans are not repopulating their country and fewer and fewer people are having children.

So... if you got this far, I'm hopeful that it is a year of change. Not simply for a change in politics, but a change in people realizing how much we can learn from each other and that a little compassion goes a long way.

As said in the Declaration of Independence 233 years ago:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." 

Child Life in all Lands

While I was home, I stumbled across this antique book from 1906 about 'true stories of boys and girls in every land: their sports and games and how they live'.

I haven't read the entire book yet, but I immediately flipped to the section on Germany, and got a good laugh out of the description and drawing.

It says:

"This mode of swaddling has its advantages. Baby's limbs are in no danger of being broken by an accidental fall; he cannot scratch his little face to pieces with his sharp, rosy nails, after the manner of American babies; and he may be placed on a table, a shelf, or the counter of a shop, like a plate of soup, or a loaf of bread, or a parcel of goods, or anything else which cannot move."

I'm sure those were the days, when you could put your child on a shelf.

Here's another great excerpt:

"A party of peasants once had to carry their child some distance before they came to the church in which it was to be christened. It was winter, and the snow lay thick on the ground. After the christening ceremony, the parents, the sponsors, and the friends took something to eat at a near-by inn, to prepare themselves for the return journey.

They then set out in great good humor, and reached home safely with the pillow, but there was no baby in it. Perhaps they had by mistake held the pillow upside down; perhaps the blue bows had become loose; at any rate the baby had slipped out, and was found lying on the snow, half-way between the church and the village. Fortunately, he was a sturdy young peasant-child, and escaped with a cold in his head, which the fond parents tried to cure on reaching home by popping him, pillow and all, into the oven, that was still warm from the baking of the christening-cake!"

This book is certainly going to be filled with other gems. I can't believe how times have changed in just over 100 years!

Birthday

The holidays are always action packed with Christmas, New Years, and my Birthday all falling around the same time. This year I celebrated my birthday twice. Once with family in DC, and again when we were back in Ohio.

After all, who doesn't love an excuse to eat cake?

In Ohio, we decided to go to The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant to celebrate. I really liked the variety and small portions, although once the chocolate fondues came out we were feeling very full. It was a great way to spend the evening.

My sister made some wonderful cupcakes to my exact specifications and even Mieka enjoyed some 'frosty paws' (ice cream for dogs).

I really love being able to spend my birthday with family. That was very much my favorite gift of all.

Soon I'll write about the other fun things I received during the holidays as well! Thanks to all of my friends and family for making it such a fantastic visit home. The time always passes too quickly!

Take Munich Home

If you live in the Munich area, and are an ex-pat like myself, you probably try to think of what to bring back home for friends and family. Beer is the obvious choice, but it's not always simple to import, even if you attempt to play by the rules of imports and customs.

Right now the tourist information office at the Hauptbahnhof is clearing their stock of its Munich Loves You items. While it obviously took a lot of cues from the famed I♥NY campaign, I liked the Munich Loves You / München Mag Dich slogan. It at least gave a reason to update the t-shirts, because lets face it, there are some seriously ugly t-shirts that I wonder how anyone got paid to design.

The Munich Loves You shirts, items from the 850th celebration (which was this year), and any stein with the slogan are dirt cheap. The half liter glasses that I bought, were only 1.90€ each and a glass maß (1 liter) is 2.90€!

Early surprises

The past few weeks have been really busy and trying for me and Stefan. It's been difficult to only have time together on the weekends, but we try to make the most of it. Fortunately that looks to be something that is going to taper down, especially with the holidays around the corner.

We will be heading to the US to celebrate Christmas with my family, which will be the first time for us to celebrate with them since I moved here. This will also be Stefan's first proper American Christmas.

The past few weeks I've been stocking up on German treats for everyone at home. I can't wait to enjoy a loud, children filled family gathering and having some of my Grandma's wonderful baklava.

There's also talk of my parents getting another puppy, so Stefan is keeping his fingers crossed for that. That would mean 8 muddy paws to clean, 2 baths to give, and a lot more work. Even so, we'd at least have fun playing in the snow with Mieka, the family dog.

During our visit we will also be making trips to New York City to visit friends and then make our way down to Washington DC to see more family. I'm looking forward to the calmness before Obama's inauguration.

Not only do we have that to look forward to, we even have some guaranteed time together in the coming year. I always keep an eye on affordable flights and today we booked two!

First, we'll be heading to Rome in late February. Can you believe I've never been to Rome? It's one of Stefan's favorite cities and I am sure we'll have a great time. The art historian in me is going to absolutely love it, especially since I won't have to fight through loads of tourists.

We're considering a stay at one of the convents, which offer rooms, but I know they also have plenty of design oriented hotels as well if we need a fall back.

For the second trip we will be heading to Cairo in March. I am simply in awe that I will be seeing the Giza pyramids for myself. We're also in luck, because my old roommate Kate used to live there, so I am certain she will have some fantastic tips.

I would definitely say 2009 is off to an amazing start.

(images: flickr - washington dc, rome, cairo)

Heirloom cookbook

While I was on the internet hiatus I was able to really work on a rather large project.

I decided to make an heirloom cookbook filled with our favorite recipes as well as family favorites from Stefan’s family and mine. I have had this in mind for some time and thankfully I had a large stock of photos that I have taken of various dishes over the years. At the last minute my Grandma gave me some of her recipes that I didn’t have photos for. I improvised by taking images of ingredients and her.

Once I was finished making the book, I decided to add photos of the people that gave me the recipe, as well as little quips about occasions when we eat the particular food or what it reminds me of. After that was completed I added a simplified family tree in the back. It’s rather amazing, but I can track some of my mother’s family back to the 1500’s!

Rather than tackling this again, because it was much more time consuming than I could have ever expected, I will continually make pages of new favorite recipes and combine them for a second book once I have enough.

My sister said the book has already arrived and she said it's absolutely beautiful. She sent me these pictures until I am able to pick it up next month. I'm so excited!

Congratulations Obama!

America undoubtedly likes to keep people on their toes... and it always seems to land on it's feet.

While I think Obama has his work cut out for him, it will definitely be an interesting time for the US, the citizens of America, and of course the rest of the world, whose interest has been captured once again.

reverse culture shock

It never fails that when I arrive back in the United States I notice many differences. The people in the US seem to be louder and more casual, they communicate more with each other in passing - making small talk and excusing themselves when they enter personal space. 

In Germany, it's a dead give away you're foreign if you offer up an 'entschuldigung' (excuse me) when reaching over someone or bumping into them. I can completely see how Americans are viewed as being friendly but not always following through with social appointments, however meeting people and establishing friendships is also very different. Germans are more reserved and have many 'bekannte' (acquaintances) for years. Their friendship circles are smaller, but more established. I attribute a lot of this to the amount of space in America - interactions are less, while in Germany people seem more concerned about what their neighbors are doing and make sure people are following the rules.

The shopping areas are landscaped and aesthetically pleasing enticing shoppers to spend, the toilets lack a 'shelf' and the toilet paper is, in my sister's comparison, 'less like a paper towel'.

Despite rising food prices, I'm still quite surprised how inexpensive food is and how much of a variety there is in the US. Everything is bulk even at a normal grocery store. Suddenly deciding on what kind of cereal to buy becomes a major decision. There are always new things and new varieties of even the most familiar products. In Germany we often have 'nur für kurzeit' (short time seasonal items). I do my best not to get attached to special soups, yogurts, or speciality flavors... or I do things the American way and stock up on things I really love.

Then there is the portion size. When I'm home I always hear how America is obese, which can be attributed to many things - driving everywhere, having over scheduled lives, having fast meals on the go, genetics, etc. I notice many of the fast food restaurants try to shape things up and promote healthier items.

It's interesting to me how I can be so out of the pop culture loop. There are plenty of television shows that I have never seen and hear people talk about, and new teen queens waiting to take over their predecessor's waning positions.

I hear people complain about gasoline costs, especially because the US does not have sophisticated public transportation and I wonder how this is going to impact their future. It makes me appreciate my subways so much more. In the US outside of large cities it still seems to be a status thing to not take public transportation. I'm intrigued to see how that will change.

I've also started to see ways that I have really adapted to the German way of life. I use a lot of ground almonds in baking and thickening sauces - they aren't so easy to find here. It's also not so simple to find single things, such as one pudding or carrot. 

That's one of the most difficult aspects of being an international resident - you always miss foods, places, and people, and no place ever feels completely like home. I've learned home truly is where your heart is, which for me is spread through the United States and Germany.

Now I have to deal with bulging luggage as I attempt to take pieces of the US back to Germany with me.

Grandma's cookie jars

My Grandma is an avid cookie jar collector. She began her collection in 1962 and it continues to grow. It's a bit of a funny collection, but it does make gift buying rather simple. When I was a child we told her that she should bake a different kind of cookie for each jar, but that never happened for obvious reasons. I was even guilty of breaking one - a San Francisco row house... oops. Anyone who knows my Grandmother has memories of her and her cookie jars.

I love bringing friends to my grandparent's house because they are always amazed by what a collection she has. At last count she said she had roughly 300 scattered around her house, and then she has some holiday cookie jars in storage.

One of my favorite things about them is that each contains a scrap of paper inside referencing what year and sometimes date she received it, as well as who it is from and who wants it down the road. Whenever people travel she requests that they look for one, which can be rather difficult in foreign countries. I did find a makeshift handmade covered jar in Ireland, and of course a Bavarian motif in Munich.

My favorite cookie jars are the NYC taxi, from my great-grandma, and the little white 招き猫 (Maneki Neko) 'beckoning cat' that Stefan and I gave her last year, which brings luck, creativity, and purity. The Dutch girl is also quite sweet.

I should start looking now for something cute and unique to give her this year.

Young's Jersey Dairy

Young's Jersey Dairy on the outskirts of Yellow Springs, Ohio is a wonderful place for everyday people to enjoy farm life. They have a small petting zoo that allows children (and adults) to get up close to goats, cows, pigs, and sheep. They are also renowned for their homemade ice cream. Combining animals and ice cream always makes for a wonderful time.

We met up with my aunt and uncle as well as several cousins and their children for a night at the dairy farm. It was so nice to see everyone and see how much all of the children have grown, but of course the time always passes too quickly. I loved taking pictures of the little ones and having willing models like the little guy (Tony) that said, 'I did a different pose this time. Did you see how I tilted my head a little bit in that one?... Did you get me feeding the goat?'

I also could not get enough of the animals. I always love brown cows and the calves were just precious. I had a bit of difficulty photographing them, because while I was just as entranced as the younger visitors, a goat was trying eat my camera strap.

We also were fortunate enough to see one of Yellow Springs beautiful sunsets over the corn fields. It was just spectacular, as you can see for yourself. I didn't even enhance the photo.

Even the city girl in me thinks how fun it would be to live on a farm with a lot of land and some sweet animals. What a wonderful summer evening.

My mother's garden

I would have loved to have inherited my Mom's green thumb. It probably doesn't hurt that my parents have a sprawling backyard with a lot of sunlight, but everyone seems to be able to grow beautiful plants - except me. It feels like home to sit outside with the morning dew and through the day to hear the delightful chirp of cicadas.

Every year my Mom grows enormous bushels of basil and makes delicious pestos from scratch. It has made me a pesto snob and I can't eat any that isn't fresh. Unfortunately I can't seem to grow my own basil.

Not only does she have various herbs and vegetables, but also some very beautiful flowers.

My grandmothers have always had a large variety of plants too. One owned a greenhouse, complete with a 100 year old ivy plant that was later stolen. The other grandmother had papyrus, which fascinated me as I learned Egyptians made paper out of it, and an enormous aloe plant that I learned is fantastic for kitchen burns. Surprisingly my mother in law had never heard that.

One of my favorites that my Mom has would be the 4 o'clocks from my great-great-grandmother. It has been passed through the family and spread through it's off shoots. It's a strange heirloom, but it's a neat thought that my grandmother's grandmother was tending to this same plant more than half a century ago. I can only hope over time to inherit the green thumb the ladies in my family have. Until then I will be happy to sit in the backyard and appreciate nature. It's one of the simple things I enjoy about being home.