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A summer walk by the lake in Lawrence = sunflowers, grasses, and lots of birdsong.
While walking, I spied for the first time, a white wooly worm. Someone said that means we'll have blizzards this winter?
There is a great bench at the end of this walk. Perfect for letting all the the rambling thoughts I have had while walking coalesce into something. Or not. I don't know about you, but I have a LOT of ideas while I am walking. Some are better than others. All warrant exploration.
It was a sunflower kind of weekend at the farmers market on Saturday.
I went for an even 1/2 dozen for the table in lieu of my usual mixed arrangement.
I also had my eyes peeled for the ingredients needed for this crunchy cashew thai quinoa salad.
He had some GREAT red peppers...
... and her Malabar spinach is so good I got some of that to include as well.
These two cuties were busy chewing on things and not at all sure they wanted to be at the market, but were going along with the plan. They won the award for cutest feet at the market this week.
The main topic of conversation was... wait for it... RAIN. When it was coming. How much we were going to get. Radar was consulted for the latest information. We like to remain optimistic here in Kansas.
Just as soon as the chopping was done, the sunflowers were arranged in a pitcher.
And then taken outside where they were photographed from every angle possible.
I am not sure I have seen white sunflowers before. I like them. A whole lot.
Today I sewed a strip of trim inside my Bavaria journal and called it done.
Here it is. The good, the bad, the ugly, the hilarious, and the unforgettable. A real time capsule of our time in Germany.
My sister made the journal for herself, and then (lucky for me!!!!!) decided she wanted a different format and gifted it to me. Oh happy day.
It may be my favorite of all my travel journals to date. To work in on the trip, I mean. I love them all equally once they are completed.
The size was perfect.
Small and uncomplicated.
With pages for sketching and painting.
Sister had done some collage work in advance. Which was so nice.
And, plenty of room for recording all the important events.
The accordion shape was great to work with.
I could lay it out flat and also work on several pages at a time if I wanted to.
I have said this before, but it bears repeating... if you don't have someone you can travel with that likes to draw blind and semi-blind contour drawings, you are missing out.
It also helps if they say, "I think I'll paint a mountain scene" and you can say "oh me too". Your two drawings will not look alike. That's ok.
If you go to Wallgau, I hope you attempt to draw the church, as well as the mountains. It imprinted them in my brain in a way the camera never could.
We went to the Franz Marc museum one day, and promptly came home and applied all that we had seen there. Each to the best of our abilities. You can't ask for more than that.
This teeny yellow car really had 2 tail lights, but I only had room for one, you understand how that can happen I am sure.
My map of Germany. Not accurate. Extremely fun to draw and paint all the same.
Sister and I in our "house-dresses" on the balcony in Wallgau.
The end. Thank you sister for making this journal for me. I will take one just like it for our trip next summer.
If you are a Harry Bosch fan, you've probably already read the latest installment of the series. But, if you are like me, and read/listen at a more leisurely pace, and still have a day job, which limits your reading hours, maybe you haven't gotten to it yet. In which case, add it to your list.
I always like to catch up with what is happening with Detective Bosch. He's the guy you want on the job if you have been wronged by someone. Several old partners make an appearance in this book as well as his half brother Mickey Haller. I will not divulge any plot lines, suffice it to say, it's a decent whodunnit and there is some foreshadowing about a cold case he will be working in the future. Recommended.
There are so many possible variations on a theme with zinnias. There is the multi-color hodge podge bouquet whose blooms are selected with no forethought at all.
Followed by the "lets keep it in the violet/pink family".
How about some Zinnia peruviana, Andes Jewel? They are perfect for a tiny little vase.
And if you are smart like I was, and order 2 packets of Queen Red Lime zinnias you can have a big bundle of just them. They remind me of old taffeta gowns. Dresses you used to play in when you were a kid. Back in the days when you could go to a great second hand store, and find something to play in for a dollar or two. I have very specific memories of a couple of dresses like that.
Then there are "the reds".
This orange one with a single circle of petals reminds me of a present I got for Christmas one year - liquids that you could pour into molds and make into flowers... and maybe other shapes? I just remember the flowers. The name escapes me...
The pure contentment found in grabbing a jar and heading outdoors, scissors in hand, to snip some blooms and put them together in a way that pleases you is one of life's greatest joys.
The other night someone was sending me cloud signals.
I don't know who it was.
Or what they were trying to say for sure.
But I think it was something about "day is done".
And I liked it.
The hand-made chickens and heart from Bad Tölz arrived this week in the package I mailed to myself from Germany.
They were immediately unpacked and introduced to the pom-poms and hand-sewn puzzle balls made last summer and fall.
Along with a paper garland from "Art in the Park", they make a lovely new over-the-table display.
When I walk by the table, think of the fun Joan and I had sewing the puzzle balls, and meeting Lisa in her little shop in Germany.
A crazy riot of color hanging over the table should be the cornerstone of all home decorating. That would be the first sentence in my book "Tall Tales Style", if I was writing such a book. Which I am not.
This full basket is an indication of the selections at the market on Saturday.
Lets start with the flowers for my table shall we.
Normally not a huge fan of cockscomb celosia, when I spotted it in combination with the sunflowers, it was so stunning, there was no question which bouquet was coming home with me.
The rest of my basket contents are below.
More blueberries to freeze. Basil for a caprese salad and home-made pizza, salads for this week, and fresh crunchy things to serve as vehicles for hummus.
The selection of peppers this week were eye-catching.
As was this lady, perusing the produce at Mellowfield Farms...
...where they had beautiful rainbow chard and summer squash.
They are right next door to the Wohletz Farm folks and my friend Madeline.
The peaches ladies were back.
And if you needed flat parsley, there was a nice selection of fragrant herbs.
Someone was captivated by the entertainment.
And you can see why. %*&#@!! I am kicking myself for not taking a video. So you could hear why.
I bought a tomato to go with the basil...
...along with some carrots,
from these farm gals.
I guess it's a good problem to have to want to buy something from every farmer there.
The last thing I want to tell you about this weeks market is - Rudbeckia Triloba "Prairie Glow".
It stopped me in my tracks when I leaned over to pick up my basket after paying for the flowers. There is always something new and beautiful waiting to be spotted at the Farmers Market in Lawrence Kansas.
Random events from the week included taking my everyday journal to Alchemy coffee on Massachusetts street so I could make some notes about Bavaria. While it's still fresh in my mind.
Many moments were spent admiring the lovely combination of the blue thistle & the golden yellow black-eyed Susan on the dining room table.
A faint, yet persistent, noxious odor, whose source could not be identified, led to the cleaning of the refrigerator.
Did I mention they have these insanely delicious butterscotch donuts at Alchemy? I sat on a stool in the front window and picked it up with my hands and took a giant bite and did not even consider for a second what anyone walking by would think as the crumbs stuck to my lips and fell on my shirt. I closed my eyes. I lived in the moment.
Zinnias were arranged in the bottle from Wallgau that originally contained cream for our coffee. I think it looks perfect next to the little vase from the Budapest flea market.
Clouds were watched longingly and rain was wished for.
As you can see it was an action-packed week. But let's be real. The best part was discovering my new weekly ritual. And I don't mean the refrigerator cleaning.
It was good to be back in Norway with my friend, Harry Hole, these last few weeks. He is the dedicated, yet greatly flawed Inspector, with the Norwegian Crime Squad in Oslo.
There were many twists and turns in the plot of The Redeemer, where there are bad guys who have some decent qualities, along with guys you think are good that have done bad things. It kept me on my toes. One of the things I love best about all the Jo Nesbø books is listening to the narrator tell me all the places where things are happening. There are no street or city names in Norway that can in any way be confused with anyplace else on earth. Which I adore. There is something quite enjoyable about getting lost in a novel that takes place in another part of the world.
If you have read The Bat, The Snowman, The Leopard, or any others you will probably like this one. It’s not quite as terrifying as the previous Joe Nesbø novels I have read. Well, except for this one part, which I won’t tell you about. Definitely recommended.
Make yourself a cup of tea (or coffee) and pull up a chair. There is no way I can shorten the story of THIS day in Bavaria.
On the day we went to Bad Tölz , we stopped on the way to bathe in the Isar River. Except we couldn't because there were hikers around.
Instead we jumped the fence and went into the fields to play with cows wearing bells. We explained to them that cows in America don't wear bells and we can't help it that we find the sound so charming.
The plan, once we arrived, was to wander a bit and check out the farmers market. Which we DID.
There was much to see.
Including the market! I was delighted to find blueberries. From a very nice German farmer. Who was gracious enough to pose for me.
There was also a pen/paper store. All stores like this must be explored. It's a rule when you travel with the Moss Sisters.
We might have started to run when we saw these umbrellas and tables and chairs all set up so invitingly.
This is the table we sat at while we enjoyed our cappuccino and watched small boys discuss important topics (should we go left or right ahead?) while on a bike ride.
It was while we were on our way to check out the church that I spotted this little quilt store.
Completely enchanting.
Inside, Lisa, the proprietor, was giving a lesson to a friend. They were happy to stop and chat with us. Lisa actually broke out in a rendition of "It never rains in California" and "Going to Kansas City" when we told her where we were from. I am not making this up.
One of the best parts of travel is making connections. Finding things in common with people you meet.
Lovers of quilting and fabric can always spot a kindred spirit.
We of course made purchases. How could we not?
Then we moved along to that church waiting to be explored. I love to check out churches, and when I find one that is not occupied, I test the acoustics. Which I did from that golden-colored,elevated, pulpit thingamajig on the right. I am pretty sure sister said she thought I sounded like an angel.
The alleys of a small town are a wonderful place to meander. We admired flowers and buildings and all the ordinary things of life that don't look at all commonplace to someone from Kansas.
Finally we headed back towards the river.
But not before peeking into back yards and seeing little cottages that made us want to knock on doors to see if anyone was home to "play house" with.
And that my friends, is the story of our trip to Bad Tölz, faithfully recorded, especially for you.
If you get to Germany, and specifically to Bavaria, you will want to make a trip here. For all the reasons I mentioned above. Including the chance to see a cute baby wearing a knitted hat while being held by her beer drinking, bearded, father.
The end.
This past weekend, all the tomatoes at Tall Tales Headquarters were harvested.
Not because they were ripe. But rather because they were being consumed by something(s) other than the occupants of the house, who pay the mortgage.
Something that came out under the cover of darkness, with a long skinny tale, and wreaked havoc in its wake. Chris is formulating plans for next year's crop which will take into consideration the prevention of this kind of outright plundering.
Tomatoes were front and center at the farmers market this week. Beautiful. Just sitting there. Waiting for salt, bread, mayo.
Cantaloupes have also appeared. Waiting for pepper and a side of cottage cheese.
Radiant bouquets of brightly colored flowers. Not waiting for anything. As usual, I made this my first stop.
When I turned around after making my flower purchase my eyes fell on them. Oh dear the cuteness. They may win the prize for Farmers Market Family of 2018.
I was especially excited to find my first peaches of the season. These are not gorgeous peaches. They are peaches that are ready to be eaten. NOW. For breakfast. I may have frightened the women selling them with my enthusiasm. I had begun to worry there would be none, then I rounded the corner and spotted them. I can see how they thought I might be pouncing on them.
Malabar spinach! Something new for me.
And what about the eggplant? I mean the one below. That looks like a real person.
This lady won the award for combining comfort, organization, practicality, and flair all into one very good look.
I do not know what was on the stick this family was trying out, but I can tell you it was certainly being enjoyed by all based on the finger licking I observed.
I love a good display at the market. This week the corn and summer squash caught my eye.
Finally, that egg on the top that looks marbled is a duck egg. The extremely nice farmer that sold me this dozen was careful to explain there was a duck egg in the carton and that if I had any baking planned it would add "extra richness" to anything I put it in. You better believe I snatched it up. I am thinking it needs to go in some kind of cake. What say you?
Herein lies the tale of the trip to the Zugspitze that ended up being a trip to the Alpspitze, that we got to by way of the Alspitzbahn cable car which gave us this totally cool birds-eye view over Garmisch Partenkirchen.
Ascending up into the clouds and being able to explore a bit way up high was pretty amazing. We also spotted this little miss who did not forget to bring her hat or purse with her on the adventure.
Once you get off the cable car there are lots of trails to choose from, depending on how much time you want to spend and risks you want to take. Sister and I elected the adventure trail which was described as a good choice for "less sure-footed guests, families, and seniors". We chose it because we are family.
There were so many pretty flowers along the trail. Some familiar, others I hadn't seen before. There were trails leading off the main path and many opportunities to explore - all well marked.
After we had been ambling for awhile, and knew we were about at the spot where we would take another cable car down we came upon this. Sister looked at me and said "do you think that is how we are going to get down?" She will deny it now, but there was a definite tremble in her voice. Some of you may recall that in Budapest we took a ride on a ski lift type apparatus that we had to jump on and off while it was moving. I think it was Budapest. I can't seem to find the post I did about it. Maybe it was a post Sister did?
Anyway, we did have to jump on a slow moving car, but it was enclosed and very easy. It was fun though to TELL Sister that I thought we were absolutely riding down in the ski lift contraption thing. I might have also mentioned something about us having to go way up high again before we turned around and went down. AND that the ride took 20 minutes.
The fact that I harvested 4 beautiful roses during these super hot days of summer is nothing short of a miracle.
Which I do happen to believe in by the way. Ordinary, small, wonders. That's my definition of a miracle.
Mid-week post from home, where cakes have to be made, cats paid attention to, friends cherished, meals lingered over, zinnias sketched, roads driven, walks taken ...
and a meeting of "the makers". Because as Pam says "makers gotta make".
And if you are one, you know EXACTLY what is meant by that.
On the day we headed out for parts west on the Deutsche Alpenstrasse we did not intend to encounter a detour for experienced hikers on our brief stop to check out a gorge. But we did.
Since it was in English, we should have known they were not kidding.
Because I had not planned to hike such a trail, I was unprepared for the amused glances at my feet when I happened upon 3 German super-hikers who found my choice of chaco sandals most unsuitable. In my defense, I was heading back to the trailhead at the time I encountered them and not forging ahead in a fool-hardy way.
The sandals were fine for the monastery at Ettal where we sniffed fragrant roses and looked at beautiful art work. They also were perfect for sitting in comfort under a tree, while feasting on a slice of an apple concoction (whose name escapes me at this moment), at the Konditorei we found in Oberammergau.
We were enchanted by Oberammergau.
In addition to amazing geraniums, they had bird feeder houses that I want Chris to try and make. He likes it when I find projects for him. They also had the perfect hat for me. Which is saying a lot.
Sister did not have them ship home this super cool giant wooden owl. But wouldn't you want to have one if you could?
We forged on towards Lake Bodensee. Along the way we made wrong turns, it was hot, and there were detours because of road construction. Lindau (an island on the lake), was crowded, we struck out at the place we were planning to have early dinner, and we found out later we got a parking ticket as we failed to use some kind of a machine to pay for parking?
We laughed in the face of these unfortunate events. Later. At the time we were irritated. Did I mention we ended up eating a hot dog at a stand some place on the way home where three men were laughing at us as we ordered? And no, it was not a good hot dog. And I burned the roof of my mouth.
I only mention these things because they are a part of the EXPERIENCE. And isn't it true that these are the sorts of things that make the BEST stories for later? I took this photo as we beat it out of Lindau, trying to shake whatever curse we picked up as we crossed the bridge on our way into the city.
P.S. go here to read Sister's version of this day.
On our first full day in Wallgau, after stopping at the Bäckerei Eichhorn in Krün, where I happily munched away on my first taste of dense, heavily seeded, German bread with butter and cherry jam, we headed to the Leuitascher Geister Klamm. But before I forget, let me mention that in the parking lot at the bakery, before we started our adventure, the navigation system in the care somehow got switched from English to German.
As you can see above, we passed many things on our way to the gorge. It had been our plan to pop into the tourist information center in Mittenwald to figure out how to get a pass for our car to go into Austria, to go to the gorge from there, but the fellow there told us to park the car and "just go there and follow the brown and white signs".
We did exactly as he directed and found the walk along the river and through the meadow to the waterfall trail was lovely. And refreshingly cool. And we made nary a wrong turn on the way.
After the waterfall there were some talkative goats and a steep path up to the walk that was above the waterfall.
The meadows, the flowers, and that amazing blue/turquoise river... these are things I was not anticipating. I had thought a lot before leaving home about seeing the alps and how magnificent they would be. When you live in Kansas you tend to think looking at mountains is pretty fantastic. But all of it together completely exceeded my expectations.
By the way, did you know you can talk to a live person from a car with a German navigation system and they may or may not be able to talk you through your issue? I am not going to tell you how often we spoke to them while we were in Germany. It may have been more than three, but certainly not often enough to get on a first name basis.
It was completely delightful to get back to my farmers market this weekend.
Thank you Karen for saving the last of the peonies until I returned from Germany.
Although I will say, it was really hard to pass up these yellow beauties.
As well as the combination bouquets. There will be time for those.
Sweet corn season has started. We will be eating it regularly for the next few weeks. Right off the cob. I also saw this great recipe that I want to try.
I did not bring home any cherry tomatoes, but I most certainly did pick up some baklava.
No blackberries for me either, but you can bet I got 3 pints of blueberries.
There were lots of women with cute hats at the market. I bought a hand-made hat in Oberammergau that I will be sporting as soon as it arrives in the package I mailed myself from Germany. It's good to know I will be in good company. Sporting my sky piece. As Chris called it.
Right this moment the smell of peonies is permeating the house. A most pleasing fragrance.
After they were arranged, I set about cleaning and freezing some of the blueberries. Then I made a blueberry cake. As soon as it was in the oven I sat down and ate a bowl of blueberries with muesli for breakfast. Nothing better.
None of these mammoth sunflowers came home from the market with me, but gosh aren't they amazing? What's not to like about toddler-sized flowers?
The summer of 2018 will go down in recorded history at Tall Tales Headquarters, as the summer of the most incredible zinnia cutting garden EVER.
I planted a total of 6 different kinds in early May and did my very best to keep the ground moist and allow them to successfully germinate.
I adore the ruffled petals of the Giants Mix. They may be my favorites.
I ended up with a nice mix of bright colors along with those incredible Queen Red Lime that are pink/purple with a green undertone. Actually they are my favorites.
I also like that I have big ones and little ones and they are all on long stems.
It's very hard not to call Purple Prince my favorites too.
The bottom line is I love them all and it feels so decadent to walk outside and cut whatever I want. Anytime. For a big bouquet, or a little bouquet, or a nice medium sized bouquet.
All seeds ordered from Burpee. I wanted to get them from Floret Flowers, but they were all sold out by the time I got around to ordering. I was well pleased with how these performed for me.
I finished Britt-Marie Was Here on the flight back from Munich. I would call this a great little vacation read. Nothing too heavy. Just a story about a person trying to figure out how to live their life. Same as the rest of us.
There was a really comfy oversized chair at our house in Wallgau that we turned around to face the windows, to better take advantage of the view. Perfect for reading in. Knitting too. Dozing as well for that matter. This is not a great photo, but you get the idea.
I also took the book to the park one day for a little stroll, so I could sit on a bench and read. Taking books to parks is something I just don't do enough of in my regular life. But in my vacation life, I do.
On my walk home from the park I spotted this place that would have also been nice to stop for a reading break. Imagine if there had been a cat on that cushion waiting for me to pet while I read.
Sister did a masterpiece of me reading at the table one night. Be watching for that for sure when she posts her journal pages on her blog.
We spotted this nice lady knitting and reading in between eating her cake and drinking her coffee at a bäckerei in Mittenwald one day.
I wished I had brought mine so I would have eaten my carrot cake a bit slower. However, I did have my travel journal with me and made note of what a good idea this was, for the next time we are on the type of vacation where it is important to stop for a sweet and coffee in the middle of the afternoon.
The very second the woman (who spoke no English) checked us into our place in Wallgau, and showed us (using hand signals) how to work the stove, run the washer/dryer, connect to the WiFi, and operate the lock on the door as well as open the windows, we headed outside to explore our neighborhood.
And what a place it was.
Beauty like this is universal, no words were needed to express our pleasure.
We pointed.
We squealed.
We said "look at that!" and "but did you see this?!"
And whenever we spied people in their traditional clothing we got extremely excited but played it totally cool like these are things we see every single day at home.
Once again, I have to thank my sister, the vacation rental master, for finding us such an idyllic spot. We found Wallgau to be the perfect village from which to explore Bavaria. You can do as much or as little as you like. Stay tuned for more tales in the days to come about our adventures, and the lovely people we met.
This post will not appeal to all, but for my beer drinking friends, and you know who you are, I felt it my duty to sample the beer whenever we stopped to refresh ourselves on our travels through Bavaria.
From the very first taste, on our first night in Wallgau, sipped outdoors, with a view of the alps, while we tried to decipher the menu, every single one was delicious.
Whether accompanied by a schnitzel, a pretzel, a bratwurst, a veal chop, or all on it's own, each was refreshing and exactly what I wanted.
And that's saying a lot for someone who generally prefers a bold red wine with my meals. When in Germany, or any country you are unfamiliar with, it makes sense when you are eating the local fare to drink what the people who know best, are drinking.
Each tavern, bar, restaurant, or pub served them in the BEST glasses. We did also spot some exceedingly large glass mugs being used by the customer wanting a larger portion.
My recommendation, for your trip to Bavaria, is just order a local beer. The exception to that will be for you Nancy. You should engage in a careful study prior to embarking on your journey, making a list of all the ones you will need to sample, in order to systematically check them off as you go.
Today, after a walk in the neighborhood, followed by a garden inspection, and making zinnia arrangements, I sat down to download photos from Germany.
This after watching a YouTube video about how to organize photos on a MAC. Because surely, if one can drive on the autobahn while being passed by Porche's going 250 kilometers, one can master organizing files.
I have about a million thoughts swirling in my head about our time in Germany but mostly I am still editing, processing, half the time thinking I am still there.
And that I should go paint something in my journal.
Or go look out the window to see what is going on in the neighborhood.
Or tell Sister "hey lets go to the bakery or the park".
Or for a walk by the river...
...or a stroll up the lane.
What I mostly want to say is Bavaria is a paradise for walkers, hikers, bikers, strollers, and people who just want to look. We avoided the big places and kept to the small villages which charmed us. Utterly and completely.
View of Wallgau from the trails above the village.
What a spot we landed ourselves in. My but the world IS full of beautiful places.
