Frühlingsfest 2012

Today I will share pictures from the Frühlingsfest we had over the weekend in our village. The day was picture perfect, clear blue skies, extremely warm, lots and lots of food, beer and color. The mood was festive with lots of music and chatter. It felt as though everybody had woken up from their bout of hibernation, eager to step out and bask in the warmth of sunshine.

As in any fest, there were colorful stalls selling lovely handmade wares. With Easter round the corner, easter bunnies,and decorated eggs were a familiar sight. I do not know, does an easter hen exist?

Not to forget the food. Lots and lots of it. Home made conserves, sauces, marmalades....

and baked goodies too. (Since there was a mad crowd, I refrained myself from asking what the circular goodie was. And now, I cannot find it in the bakeries. Does anyone know what is it?)

This was how it was made. 

We decided to give the bratwurst a miss and gorged on some turkish delights. Spinach rolls and yummy meat balls. DELICIOUS!!!

The kids spent some time bungee jumping on a trampoline and while they were at it, my heart kept skipping a beat!! Silly me....:D

Where you live, do you have such festivals to welcome the changing seasons?

Burst of color

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my previous post. It helped to know everybody's thoughts. I have decided to leave my froggy friends the way they are, just as I wanted them to be. I just love how earthy they look and blend easily with the greens. BUT I will go along with Shireen's suggestion and buy birds for my little one to color and then fix them on in between some flower pots. 

Here's my hyacinth bud slowly taking it's time to bloom. Every now and then, I get a slight whiff of it scent.

The daffodils are in full bloom right now. Whenever I buy seasonal flowers, I see that they are not in bloom, but instead are either young saplings or are filled with buds. You would want to see the prettiness at home, wouldn't you?

Honey bees have been dropping by every now and then to take in their share of nectar. I haven't tried capturing them on camera, but instead just watch them in awe making trips from flower to flower.

To paint or not to paint?

The pots are all planted,

The balcony sort of cleaned.

Soon I will be surrounded by pretty flowers.

But right now I feel like an old woman, wobbling around the house.

How could I have forgotten that gardening is indeed a good workout.

Don't you love these little fellows?

My daughter wants them painted, I like them as they are.

So what do you think?

To paint or not to paint?

Garden break..

On Saturday, after the floh markt visit, hubby and I dropped by OBI, a store he frequently goes to for all our home repairs and maintenance needs. While he does this, I love walking through their gardening section admiring all the plants, the pots, ornamental flowers, pretty garden accessories and so on. 

When we left India, I was heartbroken to leave all my plants behind. Most of them having been with me for years. One of my top priorities before coming here was to find a nice home for them. As luck would have it, my sister arrived to the city I was living in and gladly adopted them. (Since then, she too has moved and has found a new home for them. Which means, I will never see my green friends again..sob sob!!)

So over here, I had decided not to go through the heartbreak of planting and then abandoning my plants again. But, my love for plants is so strong that in a few months I succumbed to my passion. Living in a land with changing seasons does take a toll on nature and by the time winter arrived my garden was dead.

  

On Saturday hubby pulls me aside and says "This is our last year living here and Germany is a gardener's paradise. Go, make the prettiest garden you have ever made". My man who previously envied me spending time in a garden now wanted me to make one.

So here I am, making trips up and down, throwing out the old, planting in the new. The feel of mud in my hands is sheer bliss. I am also thinking of getting in a garden chair or two. The balcony is way too tiny and it faces my neighbor's bins..so much for a view. Let's see how it all goes.

Finding treasures

So here's what I got at the floh markt for our little lady's room.

It's a miniature form of a lady's corner who loves dressing up and also needlework and maybe crochet.

All tucked neatly in a frame.

There's a small purse on the floor, a mirror and some jewels too on the table. The moment I saw this frame I blurted out that it fits so well for Miss A's room.  She currently loves crocheting and is also in the transition from a little girl to a lady with lots of cosmetics scattered on her table along with some wool and crochet needles. And not to forget her love of purses which always lie on her floor.

I really didn't know what she would think of it.

As we walked home, I was having second thoughts of keeping it for my collection.

But then, the moment she saw it, that face of her's broke into the broadest smile on earth.

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

(I bought this lovely hand painting of the Lohr castle at last years Frühlings floh markt. It sits atop my kitchen cabinet. A reminder in the future of the beautiful village I once lived in..:D)

What are your weekend plans people?

I have got the kids summer wear and jackets out from hiding and guess what??

Looks like they need new clothes = shopping!! 

On Sunday we have a Frühlingsfest( Spring festival) in our village.

Lots of beer, bratwurst, our first flohmarkt( yippee!!!!), Eis, color and not to forget...

plenty of sunshine!!!

Curious to know what this fest is like? Click on here to see the pics of last year.

The Creative Itch.

Do you get the itch?

The creative itch to make something?

It need not be anything fancy.

Well, I get that once in while!

And when I do, my darling hubby dreads it.

All I needed was an empty tin, a pretty spring serviette and some modge podge to transform into this.

It now sits on a ledge in my bathroom waiting for some fresh grass and poppy flowers to be placed in it.

What do you do when you get the itch?? :D

Frühlings Konzert

Spring has begun today, officially.

Our village is having a Frühlings Konzert to herald the new season..

All of us, amateur violinists, cellists and flutists will be playing.

My violin and I welcome thee SPRING.

What are you doing today? How are you welcoming Spring? Link back and let us know.

With the temperature touching a 20 C, it is time to bring out the open shoes and lighter clothes. My little one was more than excited to be wearing her spring shoes again. My little one with the big feet. Can you believe that she has just 2 more sizes to grow to reach mine? I am a mommy with small feet.

This also means that it's time to wash and dry the winter wear, woolens, boots and all!! Pack them up for the next six months and bring the spring/summer wear out. 

Time to get busy!!!!

First signs of spring..

I have been going on walks...

long walks, short walks.....

I pass through pretty homes with big yards..

and I cannot help but be filled with ENVY..

yes ENVY.

(purple crocus at the Spielplatz)

Every yard is bursting with blooms of purple and yellow crocuses and snowdrops!!

And why envy?

cause I have no yard of my own.

I wonder, what is it like to peek out of your window and notice the change of seasons happening right in front of your eyes? IN YOUR YARD..
Do they feel a sense of excitement at the first burst of color ?
or is it just another season of Spring? I wonder...

(Schneeglöckchen or snow drops)

Yard or no yard,
I delight at natures marvel and head on over to the local spielplatz for the much awaited pictures of Spring!!

A Sunny Tuesday

TuLiPs + SuNsHiNe = BLISS

It's too beautiful a day to be cooped indoors. After what seems ages, yes ages, the sun's out!! I am headed out and hope to spot a few spring flowers. Keeping my finger's crossed.

How about you? What's your today like? 

15..

That's what my man blurted out while we were having breakfast. Not understanding, the kids and I replied in unison"15 what??"

15 more months to return back HOME!!

And I thought I was the only one counting...:-)

It doesn't feel that long anymore and we are eagerly looking forward to the day. Just the thought brings a twinkle to my eye( according to hubby...he can see the twinkle)