The other side of pastoral.

Pastoral

One of my regular walks with Heidi features this old farmhouse. You'd think I'd be bored after walking the dog past it about 25,000 times, but in the spring and summer, the house is completely hidden by the amount of foliage those trees bust out. So in reality, I've only seen it about 3,000 times and, much like German beer, German farmhouses don't get boring until after at least seven in one night.

*ahem*

That analogy doesn't work at all, does it? What I mean to say is, this many-windowed charmer is still enchanting and I will miss it when we're gone.

A little dingy

Not a lot to say right now. Gearing up for our weekend in Amsterdam.

Apples

The apples are ripe every-where in Bavaria right now. Every time I pass a tree I want to stop and collect them all! Fortunately, we have access to some plentiful trees on post, and this past weekend, we stopped to collect some. They are small and powerfully tart, crisp and bright. I made an apple pie right away, and have tagged a large portion for a batch of apple butter. I'd like to make some more pies, too!

Almost-symmetry

Day before yesterday it was a lovely, sunny, quiet morning and I grabbed the dog and my camera and headed out to our favorite walking path. Stopping along the side of a sturdy corn field, I pulled out my camera, focused, and... nothing. C'mon clicker - click! Is it on? Yes. Is it focused? Yes. Is it... missing the memory card?? YES.

The next day it rained.

Tough lesson, but learned. Put the dang memory card back in the camera right away.

Heidi and I love the same kind of weather: cool, breezy and dry. Sunshine is nice, but only if we can enjoy it curled up in a shady spot. For running, playing, hiking up hills and staying outside for hours, we prefer the type of weather that makes us appreciate fur coats or wind breakers. Today was such a day. The light made for less than spectacular landscape shots and the wind made it impossible to focus on close-up shots, so it was nearly a bust for photography purposes. For walking though, it was just right.

Frosted Corn Silk

Maybe it's because I'm still tired from yesterday (long day) and I had to get up early again this morning. Or maybe it's because this month has been a whirlwind of activity and I'm just mentally drained. Maybe it's because in all my effort to make sure everybody else is prepared for this fall, I keep forgetting to be gentle with myself. Whatever the reason, homesickness has hit me like a ton of bricks. As much as I love and appreciate living in Europe - it is not home. I miss sitting on the porch in my in-law's back yard, laughing with the family that was mine even before I married into it. I miss artichokes. I miss driving up the foothills to see my mom, the mountains beckoning. I miss sourdough french bread. I miss the smell of the beach, tawny hills, scrub oak and friends. I miss cows. I miss being surrounded by my own language.

The corn is ripening. The immature ears still have pink silks. They look frosted with dampness and (pop culture alert) a lot like those little floaty white things in Avatar.