Tuesdays around the world..

I have been bringing spring inside my home. During my walks, I love getting into the meadows and bringing a few bunches of these amazingly beautiful flowers.  The window sills, our dining table and little corners of the home are spruced up with the bright colours of spring.
How has spring been in your part of the world? Or are you experiencing a different season? Link up with us at Communal Global and let us know..

Yay, it's March!!

March is here with a big surprise, BLUE skies!! I woke up to a gorgeous sunrise, one that I hadn't seen for months, followed by picture perfect skies the entire day. In my time spent living here, I have come to learn that such days are precious, not to be wasted indoors. I went on a very long walk, taking in sights of the first blooms of crocuses and snow white drops in private gardens. My heart leapt in bounds at the first sight of colour springing forth from the ground. Gardens were dug, some still working on them, tulip bulbs were springing forth new shoots and the birds were singing a lot! I thought, I must share this beauty that I was surrounded with today.

It's about time..

...for spring to show up.

What say you?

Today..

As I write this post, its snowing softly outside. And I'm sure the town and the surrounding villages look exactly as seen in the pictures below.

(Above pics taken during the last snowfall 10 days ago)

Winter this year as been so very different. We have been experiencing cycles of snow, melt, snow, melt.... which I think makes it look even prettier. Nothing beats the feel and look of fresh snow. And before it gets slushy to a blackened mess, it's all melted and gone, making you long for more. 

So as I enjoy nature's miracle within the warmth  of my home, am curious to know what's your day like? Link up and let us know...

Fasching's parade

It's Carnival time in Germany, or rather kind of coming to an end. On Sunday afternoon, we attended a parade  in the neighbouring village of Wombach. To watch the pretty girls in bright costumes march,  floats go by with quirky costumed revellers,  and catch some candy amidst the shouts of "HELAU" which is a carnival greeting. It was extremely fun to wait and watch what kind of float would come next. I think, apart from collecting thrown candy, all the children loved the LEGO blocks who looked very colourful and unique. My personal favourite were the Grimm brothers fairytale characters. They sure got a chuckle out of me.

Sharing Instagram pictures of the fun filled afternoon.

What's happening in your part of the world? Link up and let us know..

Today...

(Spring flowers on my coffee table)

Today, am grateful for thoughtful friends who know what brings a smile to my face. When the weather is low and grey skies are the norm, it's colour like the above that lifts me up. 

What are you doing today? Link up and let us know..

Today...

is cold and grey.

It's kind of hard to get through such days.

I need no more convincing that I will miss winter. No, never.

What's your today like? 

How about you sending me some snow?
To brighten up things, a bit!!

Chirp chirp..

We have a bird house, FINALLY!! I have always wanted one. Back home we had a lovely terrace garden with a pretty lawn and plants that flowered all year long. Tiny feathered friends would visit us once in a while. As much as I tried I never found a pretty house for the little ones. Once we arrived here, I was amazed at the different kinds that were readily available. The saddest part was that I had no garden.

For the past few days I have been noticing small yellow and black coloured birds sitting on the fence of our balcony searching for food. The sight of them made me decide to get a house. While sonny insisted on building one himself, I knew it would take him a veeerrry long time to make one. The above house comes in bits and pieces with instructions to assemble. He spent a good 3 hours putting it together for me and proudly filled it with bird seed and placed it out on the balcony.

Now the problem is that our balcony faces our living room with huge french doors. Though the doors are always closed due to the cold, we have constant movement inside our living room cause thats the place where we spend most of our time in. I spotted two birds helping themselves to the feed and when I slowly came out to the living room, they flew away never to return..:-(

Sonny is convinced that these two have told all the other birds that there is a woman constantly waiting for them on the other side of the glass doors and so nobody will ever visit AGAIN.

Tell me, should I move the bird house away from our sight or let it be? We want to watch the birds feed..

And along with your thoughts, please do link up with us and share your Tuesday too.

Lavender and bees

The weekend's gone. It was very beautiful, sunny and lazy.

For a change we didn't go anywhere. 

I lazed around and spent lots of time with my prettiness..:-) along with lots of tea!!

If they did count the cups of tea that I downed, my neighbor's must have been really wondering what must be wrong with me.

The lavender flowers are finally blooming. There are quite a few of them. 

The ceramic heart with the lavender flower print was a gift from my kids.

They won a gift hamper from a small shop and this is what they surprise me with instead of buying something for themselves. It looks pretty on the garden table.

Now hubby's waiting for his surprise from the kids...:D

For the past 3 days, I also have been having a lone visitor to my garden. Can you spot Mr bumble bee up there? He spends about an hour going from flower to flower searching for his share of nectar. I wonder where is the bee hive cause that's where he is taking all my honey!!

Tuesday's around the world

(I am always intrigued by the German'S creativity with plants and flowers. Gifted by hubby on my day)

Hubby and I celebrate our birthday's 5 days apart. Today is his, mine was on the 24th. My family took me by surprise by forgetting mine...:D I was pretty amused! 

Today we have been busy perking up the house for him, preparing cards. Last night I was baking till quite late for his fellow colleagues at work. Did you know that in Germany, the birthday boy/girl has got to treat his fellow workers with cake and coffee? I didn't know and now I know why. The first year his birthday was on the weekend, last year he was in India. I was so glad that I was spared the first two years. Baking for Germans gets me all stressed up cause no way do my cakes match up to theirs.

Anyway, I am now off to begin preparations for tonight's dinner and bake a cake for us. 

What are you doing today? Link up with us and let us know..

HAPPY MAY DAY

Do you have those days where you try to fit in too much to do and end up being kaput...:D Well, I am a person at times with scattered thoughts in my brain, wanting to do this and that. And God forbid, if the sun should be shining as it was yesterday then I add a washing frenzy to it too. Sigh!!!

Many of you must be wondering whatever happened to the garden since it's last post. Well, the weather turned horribly cold and it looked like it was not the best time to garden. Hubby dearest suggested that I bring all the plants in considering the fact that we had spent a small fortune on it all. Well, I didn't see myself doing the circus of panting all my way down to the cellar with heavy planted pots. 

I kept repotting some of the plants on a hold and hoped for the best for the remaining ones. They did survive the cold...:-)

Yesterday, I repotted the rest and I must say, my little balcony is lush with green. We should be spotting a pop of color in a few days. For now, the forget me nots are in full bloom and I spot buds on the lavender bush.

   In all the madness, during a quick dash to the marktplatz, this little vintage postcard caught my eye!!! A perfect one for this tired woman...:D

SO, what's your pick ladies?

Well, today I am relaxing with my man and a glass of wine!

HAPPY MAY DAY people!!!

Fruit cake for tea.

Tis the season to be berry!

The makerts are overflowing with berries of all kind. Name them, they are all there.

For the past 2 weeks the kids have been wanting to have vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries and chocolate sauce. That's all they have been wanting as dessert. I thought it was time for a change...:D

So here's what they were treated to last evening. Victoria's sponge cake with cream and strawberries.

Beat 3 eggs separately. Cream together 175 gms unsalted butter and 175 gms sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the beaten egg. Fold in 175 gms of sifted self raising flour and spoon the mixture into a prepared cake tin.

Bake at 180 deg celsius for 20 to 25 minutes(I kept it a wee bit longer and ended up browning the sides)

While the cake cools.....

Wash, wipe and cut the strawberries. Whip 500 ml double cream along with 3 tbsps sugar until thick.

Once cooled, cut the cake in two(alternatively you can bake 2 cakes if you like) and sandwich them with the cream and fresh strawberries.

What are you doing today? Link up with us and share your world.

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?

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.

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? 

Tuesdays around the world

I am overwhelmed with all the colors of spring in everybody's corner of the world. It more than makes my day to see blooms of hyacinth and daffodils springing out from the ground awakening from their deep slumber.

As you can see from my pictures, we are still waiting for that burst of color.

And while we wait, others too are getting ready to begin their work with the arrival of spring. For instance those cruisers that are docked by the River Main. During winter, there are no Schiffahrt or river cruises happening. Reasons being too cold and possibilities of the river freezing. The germans do love sitting out in the open on their cruise.

With the temperature warming up I too should be presenting pictures of lovely green to you, soon.