Laowai

Some flowers and some colors are making me happy this week.

I finished all the blocks for my quilt and ordered batting. I’m going to try bamboo batting for the first time – I’ve heard good things. Now that I see it as a photo those two blocks on the lower left should not be placed next to each other. Must rearrange. 

Bea brought me a mini bouquet today.

And the colors of my dish towels are nice to look at.

I think the best part of the Chilbi is that it is in our town – it’s a five minute walk from our door. No struggling to park or driving half way around the lake to enjoy the crowds and the overpriced fair foods. I don’t think I would be nearly as into it if it wasn’t so easy to just mosey down. And also it’s fun to look out our apartment window and see the lights at night.

Today Bea gathered all the berries that she saw on her way home from school. And then after she went to bed I played with them and arranged them and photographed them. Aren’t they so so pretty!

And also, I just love that this is the type of thing that my daughter does. She’s one of a kind and she is so dear to me.

We (well three of us) went for a little walk over the weekend. We went to an area along the Sihlsee (a lake close to our home).

We’ve driven along this lake and along a big rock formation many times. but until this weekend we didn’t notice that it was a World War II fortification. We arrived and parked across from it just as a public tour time was finishing. So then I went down a rabbit hole of web sites that show all the fortifications that are hidden in plain sight around Switzerland. The translation I read was a little rough but it seems like inside this rock there were accommodations and a kitchen and communication devices and anti-tank guns. There was a metal doorway right where the trailhead started – I wish we had come just bit earlier for the tour! It’s all very interesting.

Here is a photo that I found that shows the rock – can you spot the openings in the rock?

And here are the photos that Brian took that show the camouflaged openings in detail open and closed.

It’s hard to find sewing projects for Bea (other than Halloween costumes) these days. It’s even harder to make a project that she actually likes and will wear. So I’m extra pleased that the new pajama shorts I made for her were a success. I used a new pattern called City Gym Shorts. It’s a free pattern from the Purl Soho web site. The fabric is just quilting weight solids that I had in my stash. I changed the pattern slightly. Instead of a separate piece for the waistband I just added a little length and made a fold over style waistband. I can’t wait to make some more!

While the girls are back to school I have spent the last couple days doing lots of baking and a little organizing around the house. It feels good to have some routine again and I’m proud of my girls for getting back to school so effortlessly. They both seemed very relaxed and mature about the first day of school. 

I thought they deserved some back to school doughnuts.

And look! Amazingly, our patio sunflowers survived being left alone during some very hot days. When we first got back from the US I thought there was no hope. They were completely wilted with lots of brown leaves at the bottoms of their stems. But I watered a bunch and then we got some rainy weather and now they are blooming and making me smile.

We’ve been home for almost a week. We took our time adjusting to Swiss time and we’ve tried to enjoy the last bit of summer vacation before school starts on Tuesday.

Jetlag:

Mini golf – or as our English friend calls it – crazy golf:

The pool and friends!:

It’s chilbi season:

The hard part of summer is only seeing Brian for 3 days out of a whole month. He’s home now so we’re enjoying him. We’re off to the Lake for a picnic right now…

Lightning bugs, corn on the cob, big oak trees, fields of beans, tall corn plants, Faygo, Target, waffle cones, big mown yards, too cold air conditioning, The Chippewa River, blueberry pie, games after dinner, screens, Vernors pop, thick shady forests, pop tarts, car rides, bean salad, mosquitos, friendly people, wet dogs, queen anne’s lace, hotdogs, watermelon, big skies with shapely clouds, main street and… family.

And now that we have been in the US for nearly a month I’m ready to be home. 

Today Grandma C. and my girls and I went for a walk at Dow Gardens. The gardens looked lovely and I was curious about all the investments that were made recently. I especially liked seeing the areas that were new when I worked at the gardens and are now grown up and mature and beautiful. 

That room below is the most enchanting room I’ve ever been in. It’s off the main living area of the Alden Dow Home and Studio. It’s a screened porch type room filled with beautiful vintage modern furniture. The screens disappear and you get the most comfortable shaded view floating over the pond. Not that I’ve ever spent more than a few minutes at a time there… I can dream.