Laowai

Claire brought home the Diary of Anne Frank. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never read it before. But now that I am reading it I am amazed. I’m amazed at what a smart insightful person Anne Frank was. How can it be that she was only 14 and 15 when she wrote her diaries? Was she precociously wise because she knew unconsciously that she would not get to live her full life? I was at the point in the book where it was May 1944 and Anne and the other people in the annex talked of the coming invasion all the time. And then suddenly in my own life it was the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Again, I’m ashamed that the date – June 6th – does not live in my brain. Yes, I always notice when it is mentioned in the media, but I don’t think of early June and automatically associate it with D-Day. Maybe now I will. The war has seemed much more real and vivid to me now in comparison to when I learned about it in school. I watched the coverage of the 75th anniversary memorial ceremony on BBC. Many old men traveled to Normandy and I teared up watching their faces and hearing the military bands play. I also listened to the excellent BBC podcast called Witness History. They played the old broadcasts that were made from the battlefield on D-Day and interviews of soldiers too. I thought of my grandpa, who didn’t fight in D-Day but was there in Europe afterwards. The place where this all happened used to feel like a far off place that I could not imagine. But now I am close to Germany, I am close to France, Brian is in London now. 

Image

I want to go to Normandy and see the memorials and the museums and the land and the sea. And even though my girls usually seem to roll their eyes when Brian and I talk about history. I want to take them there – I’m sure something will sink in and it will impact us all. It is a huge advantage when learning about something to be able to go to the place where it all happened. My girls have both been learning about the Roman Empire and then we coincidentally went to several places where there were Roman ruins all around. How lucky! 

Thinking of D-Day – how very fortunate I feel in so many ways.

It has felt very summery and hot around here this week. It think we will soon be swimming in Lake Zurich.

This time of year I look around and see all the lovely gardens coming up and it makes me miss my little patch of land back in the States. There is a beautiful garden that I can look down on from our balcony. The woman who makes the garden is not afraid to show some skin. Brian and I always have a little laugh when we see her. She’s no Spring chicken, but we see her out there all the time, rake in hand, wearing the teeny tiniest bikini. 

As for my little patio garden – I try not to invest too much since everything will probably die when we go away in July. But I can’t help putting in some herbs and cheery geraniums.

And where we had shrubs before (they succumbed to the extreme heat last summer) we planted some sunflowers.

The girls are finishing up the school year. They have their last day of school next Thursday. Hard to believe they will soon be in 4th and 7th grade. Claire had a recorder concert and Bea had an art exhibit.

I hope you too are enjoying some sunny weather.

And cookies too!

As I mentioned, Verona was the first stop when Brian and I went on our honeymoon 17 years ago. I remember feeling nervous about everything and while I enjoyed myself I was not very relaxed. It was my first big travel outside of North America. This time we had two hangers-on (Bea and Claire) and everything felt different. We still spend our vacation time walking all day long but this time I felt more relaxed. I have some other European cities to compare now and so I know that Verona is an especially pretty city. When we were there 17 years ago it was almost the same time of year. I remember lots of beautiful roses. Of course the purpose of our trip this time was to see the Giro d’Italia. The night before the race we walked around the center of town. It was buzzing and everything was lit up pink! Pink because the leader jersey for the race is the pink jersey (maglia rosa). The atmosphere the morning of the race was super fun too. The girls loaded up on free trinkets and then we watched some of the time trial. Brian amazes me when he names most of the riders going by. We had to leave before the end of the race in order to get home in time but it was still a great time.

So here are a bunch of photos. I’m looking forward to getting out the photo album from our honeymoon when I go to our house this summer. It will be fun to compare the old and new photos.

Just a quiet week so far. The school year is quickly coming to an end. No school this Thursday and Friday so we are taking a train to southern Switzerland and then on to Verona, Italy. We’ll stay a couple nights and then watch the Giro d’Italia on Sunday. The Giro is like the Tour de France of Italy. We’ll get to watch the last stage – a time trial right in the middle of the city. The last time I was in Verona was on our honeymoon. It was our first stop and it was my very first trip to Europe. 

Here are some photos of the girls and what they’ve been doing:

Brian took Bea to a ropes course on a cloudy day a while back. She loves doing ropes courses! Someday we should visit this one when the weather is not crummy.

Claire had a sleepover with her best buds:

We still like the Octonauts – Bea made a set of finger puppet Octonauts:

Brian was up early and got this sunrise photo:

And we had a little hike around our town’s woods and to a playground:

It’s been a pretty dreary Spring – but I’m content gazing at my new quilt fabrics. I can’t get enough of the colors even the scraps and bits of thread are lovely to me.

I’ve been spending all my extra time in the sewing room and yesterday I finished all the cutting. Now on to the sewing- starting with lots of satisfying half square triangles.

When you come to my house you can tell I’m working on a quilt because I track little bits of string all over. Sorry family – I must sew! I’ll get around to vacuuming eventually.

Well I’m back in my sewing room beginning a new quilt. I’m making the Flower Shop pattern from Modern Handcraft. Today I wanted to make a test block and learn how to sew curves.

It all went together easily – especially with some videos tutorials from the Modern Handcraft web site.

Now I just need to get all this beautiful fabric washed and ironed. 

When I was in school I remember going to the potato chip factory…

That was cool, but my girls are so lucky, they get to go on overnight trips to the Swiss mountains and to Italy!

I’ve interviewed them about their trips and there are some photos from Bea and from Claire’s teachers.

BEA’S TRIP

Me: How did it feel when your flight was delayed?

Bea: It was very very very disappointing and frustrating.

Me: What time did you get to your hotel?

Bea: After 1:00 a.m.

Me: What did you learn when your class went to gladiator school in Rome?

Bea: We learned about what gladiators used to fight and all about gladiators.

Me: What was your favorite meal in Italy?

Bea: The one at the pizza making school in Naples – I made my own pizza and it was delicious. They also served pizza bread with Nutella on top. 

Me: What was your favorite activity?

Bea: Either Naples underground or Mount Vesuvius.

Me: Did you see lava?

Bea: No, not even close.

Me: Did you see dead people

Bea: I saw replicas of the bones of people in Herculaneum.

Me: What do you think of Italy?

Bea: It’s really interesting with lots of old things. Also not the cleanest. 

Me: What did you do when you got home from your week in Italy?

Bea: I got my souvenirs out and then I sat on the couch.

 

CLAIRE’S TRIP

Me: Where did you go for your school trip?

Claire: Kandersteg – in Switzerland.

Me: How long was the bus ride?

Claire: Maybe three and a half hours

Me: What was the first thing you did on your trip?

Claire: We went on a ropes course. I went on the first level twice and the second level once. 

Me: Was it scary?

Claire: One of the first parts was a little bit scary. On the second part there was a rock climbing wall and I had to get help with that.

Me: How was the breakfast?

Claire: Simple with cereal and yogurt and toast.

Me: Did you have coffee?

Claire: Nooooooooo!

Me: What did you do on Thursday?

Claire: We took a gondola up to a glacier and then we walked down and then we made our own pizza for dinner. And then we had to switch hotels.

Me: Why did you switch hotels?

Claire: Because the hotel that we were staying in had problems with it’s heater and it was producing smoke and there were some fire alarms.

Me: Was everyone scared?

Claire: Oh yes, very. It happened at 6:00 a.m. I thought it was my teacher trying to wake us up.

Me: What was your favorite part of the trip?

Claire: Well definitely not the fire alarm. Probably… when we had a fire and roasted hot dogs by the glacier.

Me: What did you do when you got home?

Claire: I had a snack and watched TV.

While everyone in my family is away (strange) I took a field trip of my own. I went to the Textile Museum of St. Gallen. Eastern Switzerland has an important history of lace making and embroidery. So I looked at a lot of really old beautiful lace – some of it amazingly made by hand. And I saw dresses that look so delicate they must have been good solely for standing around looking pretty and drinking tea while holding a parasol. The highlight was seeing a demonstration of a hand embroidery machine from 1890. The name doesn’t really make sense – hand and machine? But it’s basically a machine with 80 double pointed needles. The operator positions the fabric according to a chart and all the needles punch through the fabric at once. And then the needles go back through to the other side with a really satisfying sound. It’s basic and yet not. 

The museum ticket was a printed swatch of fabric:

Here’s where the operator sits – in front of an enlarged pattern. They move the handle and position it’s pointer on the pattern where they want the next stitch to go. The machine moves the fabric so the needles are positioned in the corresponding position on the embroideries.

I’m glad I went. I’m inspired when I see fine sewing and fine fabrics. And St. Gallen is also beautiful!

So here’s some of the (comparatively very basic) sewing that I’ve been doing. I took a bad selfie at the museum – it’s the Gelato Blouse from Liesl and Co.

The ruffles feel fun and it has a nice row of buttons down the back.

And I made another hat – this time in gray canvas.

Brian’s not coming home ’til late tonight so I think I have time for one more project…

 

Update – I DID do one more sewing project. Some pajama pants!

I’m alone for a few days. Brian is in Paris – that’s not unusual. Bea is in Italy for a school trip and Claire is off to the Swiss mountains for a school trip. 

Bea left Monday – she’s going to Rome and near Naples. Their flight was delayed so they ended up missing some activities and getting to their hotel after midnight. But I heard from her this morning and I think she’s having lots of fun. They got to visit a farm and make their own pizza. She said the pizza was the best she every tasted! And then they had pizza rounds with nutella on top for dessert! She was looking forward to going to Herculaneum today. I’ll make sure she makes a full report after she comes home Friday.

Claire left today for three days and two nights in the mountains – an area called Kandersteg. She’ll get to hike to a glacier! Here she is playing one of those clapping games that girls play (love that) and waiting to board the bus.

I’m enjoying my alone time. I’m doing some sewing and I think I’ll go to the Textile Museum in St. Gallen tomorrow. It’s something I’ve wanted to see but I know Brian and the girls are not into looking at lace and old clothes.

Here are (most of) the quilts I've made over the years. 

What is this pile missing? Curves and giant flowers of course.

I spotted a new quilt pattern and I'm a bit obsessed and it includes curves.

So this might have to be my next project. The pattern is called Flower Shop and it's from Modern Handcraft. I haven't made a quilt that uses templates since I did the Denyse Schmidt Drunk Love pattern. I think I'll copy the colors too. I'm itching to get started.