Monthly Archives: May 2008 - Page 3

Flowers and photos

Posted by on 9 May 2008 1 comment

Today was my first day of a three day weekend with perfect weather! Herr and I went on a four hour walk up the hill near our house, then walked the streets back. Along the way, we saw some beautiful spring life.

Rhododendron flower.

Rhododendrons are popular here and come in many colors. Ours are white, and we saw pink and purple on our walk today. We also wandered into a cemetery not too far away, and it was absolutely beautiful. Germans respect their dead, and the cemeteries are proof. We actually saw two cemeteries on our walk. The first was a war dedication for both world wars, and the second was for families with a shrine too!

Rhododendron flower.

We plan to do a great deal of walking tomorrow too (with mid to high 70s and sun, you would want to too!). Herr and I are both working on our portrait photography because Herr will be the photographer for my brother’s wedding in July. We’ll be doing a lot of walking with my other brother and his wife to do some practice shooting. :-)

Visit a Library near you!

Posted by on 9 May 2008 No comments

We visited the public library here, and I was thinking about joining before we found out how much it was. Twenty euro! A year! And an additional one euro per DVD! Unbelievable… so please, go to your library and enjoy the FREE services!!

Speaking of libraries, I really miss my colleagues back at the Johnson County Library. They just ran a teen video contest for their “Big Read” program, and they have some fantastic submissions! We are stepping up our own services, such as gaming tournaments, but my own contributions have been continually hindered.

Libraries are good! Visit, enjoy, and support!

Spring!

Posted by on 7 May 2008 2 comments

The weather has been perfect, and will continue to run in the mid 70s throughout the week. Our back yard looks like an oasis, with our land lady’s weeping willow species dangling over the fence, and the fence itself disappearing in green foliage.
Herr has planted several vegetables and flowers that have sprouted up, and we are finding more flowers in the front yard from previous tenants. We have a cluster of rose bushes, and rhododendrons! Herr has taken care of the lawn and gardening, so the place is starting to come together.

Rhododendrons

Now all we need are some hammocks… I have a three day weekend, so I look forward to taking advantage of the weather! :D It’s finally spring!!

Bamboo

Posted by on 5 May 2008 No comments

Bamboo is one of the best resources ever! I would rank it next to water in usefulness. It is among the fastest growing plants, very easily replenishable, and can produce more oxygen than a tree. And it is a grass! It can be:

  • food (I usually use bamboo shoots in stir fry) and drink
  • woven goods such as towels and bedding (already have the towels that are absolutely fantastic and want two more, sheets and blanket are upcoming) and clothing (on my wishlist are bamboo pajamas and robe)
  • household items and furniture such as bowls, plates, utensils, vases, tables, and chairs
  • building material for flooring, etc.
  • paper
  • and more I can’t imagine

The bamboo materials I have already are very durable, and I am excited to try sheets, blankets, and pajamas! Herr and I are discussing planting some bamboo as well. We have a side yard that does not get used, so a bamboo screen would be nice outside the study window. Bamboo goodness… :D