Beautifully Simple

The new year has started

and I try to make life simple, beautiful and happy.

Often we complicate life and it is not necessary.

Make it simple

enjoy the long hugs

the walks in the fresh air

the sunrise

the flowers along the road

sitting in peace

a chat with a friend

a smile for a stranger

feeling the breeze in your hair.

 

Have a beautifully simple Day!

and

Have a simply beautiful Day!

 

Remembering Christmas

My Christmas Memories

When I was a child in Germany

we celebrated Christmas in the evening 24th December.

Dad would get a real tree in the morning and we were allowed to help

decorating it with our handmade decorations

like paperchains, straw stars and lanterns etc.

We made candle holders out of walnut shells.

Then we were sent out the room for a while.

We had to listen for a little bell.

Once we heard the bell we went into the room with anticipation.

The tree was lit (with real candles) presents under or next to the tree.

We did not open presents then.

Mum sat at the piano and played Christmas carols, we sang to it.

Then us children played Christmas carols on the recorder with my mum.

It was a wonderful happy, warm and peaceful feeling.

Then a record was put on with the Christmas story and a choir singing carols,

only then we started to open presents.

Everyone was happy, Dad watching the tree carefully with the candles.

We loved to blow them all out.

After all this Mum served a lovely small dinner with filled Vol-au vents,

and home baked Christmas cookies.

We spent a happy family evening together.

Always a magical Christmas for us, a special time,

and I remember it fondly filled with so much love.

 

Christmas tree 1969

Christmas Tree 1983

New skirt – handmade

I saw this beautiful crocheted skirt on Yochet’s blog here.

A great skirt, I love knitwear, so there was my project.

Just finished it and I am so happy with it.

Look for yourself.

front

side

back

all

I really enjoy wearing it.

Thank you Yochet for letting me know how to do it.

Great fun!

 

Sunday Cake

I received apples from a friend and they were lovely, too many though,

so I made a German Apple cake according to my mum’s recipe

in my heart shaped cake tin.

It will be delicious with a cup of tea.

A wonderful way to spend Sunday afternoon!

 

Sending love to you all!

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday !

News Flash 200 000

My dear Readers and Followers of my blog,

I am happy to announce that as of yesterday

I had 200.000 clicks on my blog since I started in 2012.

 

That is amazing.

 

A big Thank You to all

who clicked and even read or commented on my blog.

This blog makes me happy and I aim to make you all happy too.

 

Much love to all of you wonderful people!

It wouldn’t be the same without you! 

 

Kitchen Capers and my Primula

Liz from Leaping life blog inspired me with her Kitchen Capers.

Liz made her own loaf of bread.

I was itching to make my own bread too.

Looking up James Morton on you tube

I found an easy recipe – a mug bread.

 

 

The result was fantastic,

and half the bread was gone within minutes.

Thank you Liz for your yummy post,

I will certainly do it for next weekend again

as we were all so impressed.

 

My Primula was very busy making more flowers.

Look at the difference from my last post here.

Welcome to the Forest

Last weekend, the Borough I live in had a special celebration.

The Borough is called Waltham Forest, it has a nice forest close.

This Borough has become the first Borough of Culture

as a London Borough.

The launch of this was celebrated on 3 evenings along the main street.

The Townhall had films projected on it:

Different Artists performed in the street:

    

All different ‘light’ ideas looks fantastic.

A ring of light made incredible patterns in the sky

and could be seen from far:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With my dance group I performed some dances we had learnt.

The atmosphere was amazing and it was so much fun!

( Some Action Pictures)

My favourite dance was Chorus Line!

I felt humbled and privileged that I am part of such a lovely community

and could give something towards the celebration.

All pictures are my own, taken on my phone.

Looking forward to more events during the year!

Weather Forecast over Christmas

Heavy showers of Blessings,

Strong winds to blow your troubles away.

followed by warm hugs and kisses

to put a smile on your face.

 

Quince jam

There were beautiful Quinces in the shop

perfect for wonderful tasting jam.

They were extremely hard to cut  – all worth it in the end.

The jam came out so good, tasting and smelling so yummy.

This is my favourite jam followed by Apricot jam.

 

Have you ever made it or tasted it?

Quince Jelly is amazing too.

 

Danny’s Summer Travels

I, Danny was fortunate enough to accompany my mum and family travelling to Bavaria.

First I found great bushes to climb in my auntie’s garden

while my mum tried to shoot dinner (at a Middle Age Market in Schongau)

….. we did have salad that night…. 🙂

We enjoyed driving along the Kochelsee in beautiful sunshine,

then up a mountain

and down again to the Walchensee.

There we went with a cable car to the Herzogstand and enjoyed the hot weather in 1600m height.

It was so wonderfully warm, the view was breathtaking from the top seeing so many more mountains of the Alpes.

I was allowed to sit right by the window in the cable car so I could see better going down.

It was an amazing experience for a bear. ( just a bit hot with my fur)

I am so grateful to see so many beautiful mountains, lakes and winding roads in hot sunshine.

On our way home we stopped at a really little lake/pond with a duck family which was brilliant to cool down after a hot day.

( this little one was the slowest…. so was my mum with taking the picture…)

 

A great day out for all of us!