"We're leavin'...."

"on a jet plane! Don't know when [we'll] be back again!" :) Caio all! Thank you for the warm goodbyes and loving celebrations.

Peanut Butter Fingers

For anyone who would like the recipe, here are Grammy's famous Peanut Butter Fingers from the wedding day. The are very sweet. They do well with modifications so go ahead and fiddle with the recipe if you like! Of course, I make them vegan :)

1 c. Flour
1/2 c. Sugar
1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 t B. Soda
1/4 t Salt
1/2 c. Butter
1/3 c. Peanut Butter
1 Egg
1/2 t Vanilla
1 c. Oatmeal
1 c. Chocolate Chips

1.) Combine all except c.chips
2.) Blend until coarse crumbs
3.) Press into greased 9x13 pan
4.) Bake 350 for 20-25 min
5.) Once removed, sprinkle asap w/chocolate chips
6.) Cool to allow chocolate to harden.
7.) Mix PB Drizzle: 1/2 c confectioners sugar w/ 1/4 c peanut butter & 2-4 T milk. Drizzle over chocolate.
8.) Cut & enjoy :)

Thank you.

Have you ever paused to observe that moment in time when you were at the crossroads of indulgence & restraint? What did you feel? A rush of emotions? Maybe the battle of greed and gratitude?

It is such a moment of life. And today I felt that.

It was when I was standing there looking at him, hearing his voice, and trying to imprint in my memory every last bit of him. It was when I was leaning in to my third "last" hug...I was noticing. Don't I take a fourth? What else is there? Then I turned, still unsure, to walk out the door with tears welling in my eyes and heart...and I was observing the battle in myself. I closed the door and stood there for a second on the walk to steal one last look back, and suddenly it stopped. I turned up to the sky and the words, "thank you" drifted up into the night, taking with them the struggle...and I became peaceful.

The dreaded packing...

We did a "mock packing" today to see how well our stuff would fit into our luggage. So far, we have two extremely large suitcases with clothes, a third with boots, coats, kitty litter & food, and a fourth with shoes, and miscellaneous toiletries, books, and other various nonsense. I have to say, the today's event facilitated my changing from a state of carefree bliss to utter tension and buzzing nerves. Can I just tell you, German cars are not that big. We are going to arrive to meet this poor family with FOUR suitcases of our own, TWO cats, ONE computer bag, ONE au pair, and ONE husband. And I am praying to whoever can hear me that: 1. they dont go running, 2. we fit in that little car.

My mother recently said to me that she thought it might be easier on me that daniel and the cats are coming... and I have to say that is far from true. I am moving all of the things I hold most precious to me across seas and extremely concerned about their comfort. This is hardly a breezy adventure to me. It is not often (enough) about me at all. Dont get me wrong, I do often daydream about so many grand experiences I hope to have there, but I spend more time considering how my host family will feel about all the accessories their au pair is bringing with her, how my cats will adjust to their 12 hour druged plane ride & fourth home in less than a year, and how my dear husband will feel about leaving his big american, english speaking, trans am racing, comfortable world for a cobble stone street, tiny town, crazy-new-language speaking, 350 sq ft cottage living, kind of life. Yes, all my thinking is exhausting me. And I have been asking these questions since last October when all the talk of this trip began. And, thrilled I will be soon enough, to recieve some actual feedback on all my questions.

According to a google search for Wedemark, Germany, these are some lovely gentleman's photos from his trip to the town we will be living in/near by. Enjoy :)

Projects

This weekend we perked up the cottage by painting the plastic adirondack chairs fun colors. We painted yellow, lavendar, green, and blue. :) We also planted lots of new flowers (columbine, iris, azaleas), a few hostas (i am learning about what these things are all called), and made a new patio out of flagstone. :) My dad would be proud. Unfortunately, we forgot the camera, so no new pictures. This was a great holiday. We enjoyed lots of fresh flowers cut from the yard, yummy fruits and veggies, and lots of sunshine.

Hope you enjoyed your holiday! :)

Life the last few days...

Onigiri - Japanese rice balls

Just a thought so far....but I am considering making these Japanese rice balls called Onigiri. The photo shows them in the triangular shape but you can make them into balls too. They have little strips of nori (seaweed - the stuff on the outside of sushi sometimes) and a filling. I have read that some people fill them with umeboshi plums, or ginger strips and avacado chunks... i think plain will be nice. I absolutely love the slightly sweet, earthy, nutty taste of short grain brown rice by itself. I will let you know if I make them, what they end up with inside, and how they taste!

Good to have you home again.

The boys came home from N. Carolina last night. D2 fell off the bike yesterday and hurt his hand so they came home a little early. It is scary to think of how many accidents occur on motorcycles and how many people in my family ride them. Thank goodness that each fall has still left each person whole. :) I am glad to have the boys home. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.


So today I am going to show Jeannine, aka M2, how to make homemade soy yogurt. She suggested using fresh vanilla beans. I am so excited to cook with them! I have never used real ones. :)

This is the yogurt maker that I own. I really like it. Its not necessary to have it to make yogurt but it really does make it much easier, I think. I got the idea and recipe from Mireille Guiliano. Maybe you will try making some for yourself? I think it is super delicious with a fresh cut banana and orange in the morning. My Oma adds grapes, strawberries...actually, whatever fruit is in season. No sweetening necessary and a lot of fun to know you made it and its good for you! :) Just a little plug from me - if you make it with regular dairy, maybe treat yourself and buy organic milk. It will be so much healthier for you. Its fun to do good things for ourselves. :) Enjoy...

Homemade Yogurt with a Yogurt Maker

INGREDIENTS

1 saucepan

1 tablespoon of plain yogurt as a starter or 1 tablespoon of a commercial starter culture available at natural food stores

1 quart of 2% milk - (I use soymilk)

Yogurt maker with cooking thermometer

INSTRUCTIONS

Warm up milk on medium-low until bubbles appear around the edge and steam rises from the surface. Remove saucepan from heat and place thermometer stirrer. When temperature hits 110-115º F add starter to one of the jars. Add some of the heated milk and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan a little at a time stirring well.Fill in 8 jars, cover securely with lids and place jars into the yogurt maker Put into “machine” (really a temperature-controlled warmer) and follow cooking instructions. It will take 6-10 hours (easy to do overnight) depending on tartnness and firmness desired. When done, chill jars in refrigerator a couple hours before ready to eat. You can keep yogurt for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Homemade Yogurt Without a Yogurt Maker

INGREDIENTS

1 saucepan1 large bowl

1 small bowl

1 tablespoon yogurt starter or plain yogurt

1 quart 2% milk

Yield: 8 Servings (4 ounces each)

INSTRUCTIONS

Warm up milk on medium-low until bubbles appear around the edge and steam rises from the surface.Pour into large bowl to cool until temperature hits 110-115º on thermometer or if you don’t have one, do what the locals do: the temperature is correct when your index can stay in the warm milk for ten seconds. Put starter in small bowl, add some of the heated milk and stir until well blended. Pour small bowl mixture in large bowl a third at a time making sure to stir and blend well before each addition. End with a final stir making sure all is well blended. Cover with a thick towel and keep in a warm place 4-6 hours until set. Refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.

Lilacs & China

Yesterday I was reading my mother-in-law's Miss Manners book on the way to Dr. Y's 90th birthday party. It spawned an interesting conversation with my mom about the loss of interest in our country in "the art of living," which I was meaning as certain acts of social ettiquette, homemaking, and family traditions/rituals, etc. She was saying that the kids of her generation linked things like setting and enjoying a family dinner table and bed making together with the the character traits or behaviors (like excessive control and suppression) that their parents displayed and decided to throw them all out the door when they were growing up and seeking to change the way people looked at and treated each other. She concluded, "thus, hippies." I asked her to elaborate and she said something about how, "along with that stuff you are reading about, came the idea that the child cannot speak unless first spoken to." I told her it is unfortunate that people thought that way because to me the scenario seemed hypocritical. In reading the Miss Manners book I got the feeling, as I have from experiencing some of these things around Dr. Y, that setting a table, usings china and linens, sending out a hand written thank you note, fresh cut flowers, or a tidy bed are an act of respect and love for the person you are sharing it with. I have always felt like someone very special to Dr. Y because he took the time to do these little loving gestures. It occured to me that in the 50's and before they worked really hard to show adults this kind of respect, consideration, and little acts of love, but that the children were not always treated with that much care. I think the generation my parents came from was trying to teach the world that we don't just "count" when we've hit the magic age of adulthood but that every human being, regardless of years of experience in life is respectable and valuable. So, it was not in fact the china's fault that people were treated poorly. This was an interesting conversation to have with my mom. She looked and me and finally said, "you know, I understand what you are saying." So, problem solved I guess. Or at least, perspective understood. It was not the actions that were the culpret, it was the thinking. Luckily the people of the world are becoming more concious of and aware of how their thoughts, words and actions are effecting what's around them.

So, go ahead, break out your china, or handwrite a thank you card, perhaps sit down for a homemade family dinner, and spread some love and respect today!

So you can see where we are going...

See Hannover....thats us :)