For instance, this little place down the road that sells lots of different pumpkins! We saw this one day while riding our bikes.
Babysitting sweet Marlee
Babysitting Marlee, Ayong, and Deacon
It's amazing how one little classified ad brought us together with a few great families with boxers.
Babysitting has really been a saving grace for this temporary situation of living without pups.
Driving through my village one day, I found myself behind a horse and buggy with a dog in the back!
Soufflenheim, France
Mid-week field-trip gone wrong
Shannon and headed across the border into France to visit a big grocery store for French goodies and also a town known for its pottery. Due to craptastic traffic, we arrived late in town at lunch when everything was closing and we had to leave shortly to be back for her to pick up her kids. Basically, we drove 3.5 hours round trip to hit a French Piggly Wiggly store and visit two pottery stores.
I'm not even into pottery.
It's a little funny.
a pottery barn.
Get it? pottery barn?
Will and Anita's Visit from Luxembourg
Good timing! The annual Weinfest was happening downtown Stuttgart.
Will and Anita
This clown guy was very funny!
at the train station bier garten on the way home
Mex- respected resident of the train station bier garten. He's always there!
Garmisch & Oberammergau
A quick overnight to visit Tomlin, Gayenell, & family. I caught up with this crew during their few day stop in Bavaria. I tagged along to visit one of Ludwigs' palaces and the grotto. We visited Oberammergau in the afternoon. It was great to see these faces across the pond!
I like these two Texas girls.
The Grotto Entrance
Fast fact: I am unintentionally collecting wine. We buy bottles during travels and never drink them because they bear a sentimental significance. They are not expensive nor rare but I just can't seem to let go. This is stupid, I know.
Our 'new' Bordeaux barrel
Champagne in Esslingen
Shauna had rare time off from work and we spent of one of those days in Esslingen shopping and stopped for champagne at the Kessler Sekt Cellar.
Pink champagne
Kessler Sekt Cellar
Thanksgiving
Meet Chester. We ordered him from a local butcher. Thanksgiving is of course, not celebrated in Germany so the turkeys they are raising are for Christmas/Advent so they weren't sure if they would be fat enough for our Thanksgiving. We were scheduled to pick them up the day before but when we arrived we were told they were still alive. Hmm... There is something about knowing your dinner is still alive and since I had all day to think about it, I named him Chester. He was delicious --although not cooked quite properly. It was our first full bird and we did ok but definite room for improvement!
Where Chester lived. This cute little farm/store/place in Mauren--not really sure what to call it- They even had goats and pigs out front and the baby goat gave kisses. Shauna kindly accompanied Lisa and I to order our turkeys so there was no miscommunication.
My bunnybear carving it up with champagne
Our village has their own Christmas market but it's only one day. We went down and listened to band and enjoyed a bit of gluhwein with a few other villagers.
Kim's Christmas Market Visit
Kim and her family moved to Rome earlier this year (wow, right!). I was so excited when we finally nailed down a time for a visit to me! Well, me and the Christmas markets! They truly are a unique experience and very festive. We even had a dusting of snow... We visited Ludwigsburg in the morning and hit Esslingen in the afternoon...just in time for the sun to set to see it all lit up.
All made of chocolate.
We both bought a few of these.
We both dropped them at some point during the day and broke them.
Ha!
The medieval part of the Esslingen market is full costume. Even the latrine!
The goods on this side are very unique and most, handmade.
Opening night- Packed house!
It was great to see Kim and I cannot wait to visit her in Rome next month!
Basel, Switzerland
Basel was not the intended destination. Lisa's pup, Maisy, needed leg surgery from a special Vet in Lorrach, Germany. It was a 2:30 drive with an early morning start so I went with her. Lorrach happens to be a 9 minute train ride into Basel so after Maisy was checked in we had the better part of the day to wait until the surgery was finished so we hopped the train into Basel for the day. I had read many times about Basel's Christmas market. It was always written as one of the better ones but really, it was just very expensive--like everything in Switzerland. It was nice but we have certainly seen better! Basel itself was a pretty city but it's hard to pay 9.80 for a Starbucks gingerbread latte.
(but I did)
True statement. 9.80CHF ($11.01) for a gingerbread latte. If you've heard how expensive Switzerland is, you may not realize it's that bad. It really is. It's a hard sell in the cities but you get over it when you go to the Swiss countryside where it's unlike anything anywhere. Worth it.
In the cities, meh.
My cute British/Swedish friend. Wait, no. She's 'lovely' or 'brilliant'.
Shannon and I often take turns 'translating Lisa'.
The shops aren't quite as elaborate as Germany's mega-decorated huts but there were still quite a few cute ones!
We did experience an excellent mustache sighting at the train station!
The route to Lorrach took us through the Black Forest. We found the snow in Feldberg! It's the closest ski resort area to Stuttgart. About an 1.5 drive. It's not quite snowed under but I'm sure it will be soon.
Maisy's surgery went very well and she is recovering nicely. It was a long day but a good trip!
~~~~
Christmas tree up. Decorating done. Shopping done long ago. Packages mailed in September. Leaving time to just be.
To enjoy the Christmas spirit. Bake. Visit with others. Craft a little.
Eat without guilt.
Love on my Mikey.
I love this time of year!
No comments:
Post a Comment