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July 22, 2012

Evan is two

We celebrated Evan's second birthday today.  Just the immediate family, and it was fun and relaxed.



Evan loved all his trucks and cars, and played and had fun.




Summer

Lots of things going on.  Next weekend M's sister will come visit, and we will babysit Jackson and Evan.  Their parents are moving to a different house, and we have the happy task of keeping the boys out of harm's way.  We're very much looking forward to it!
In the meantime, Bobbi, their dog, got scared home alone during a thunderstorm, somehow climbed over the fence that surrounds their yard (the dog has access to the yard from the garage, where there is a dog door to the outside), and maybe got hit by a car.  Since the dog doesn't talk, and no one came forward/left a note, we don't know what happened.  The dog's paws were cut, there was a big gauge under her front legs, and she had bruises on her body.  She is recovering, has that silly collar around her neck, and Greg carries her outside so she can do her business.

On Wednesday Nicole invited me to come along to an ultrasound for the new baby, and it was quite fascinating.  We saw the heart pumping away, heard the heartbeat, saw the kidneys, the spine, the hands and toes, and even what it'll be.  Unfortunately I got so involved figuring out what I was looking at, that I completely missed that the technician wrote the sex on the screen.  Missed it.  Yup.

Yesterday we went back into the woods.  The day was gorgeous, the temp only 73 degrees F, blue skies with clouds, just awesome.  Dummy me picked the uphill hike when asked, and that means straight up the mountain, see:
(Deutscher Text nach den Fotos)
Maybe it looks like even ground, but it is pretty much uphill.  Boulders, rocks, on the ground, and I think because it is so steep, there isn't much ground cover.  It had rained pretty much all day on Friday, and it isn't a noticeably dry summer.  We both commented that it was or seemed more difficult going uphill yesterday than normal.
Are you ready for more pictures in the woods?


 someone to tired to have his picture taken
Jemand zu muede um zu fotografiert zu werden
 I love walking along this path, sweet smelling blooming bushes, blueberries, and this time, we even spotted a rattlesnake
Ich liebe diesen Pfad, mit lieblich riechenden bluehenden Bueschen, Heidelbeeren, und dieses mal sahen wir sogar eine Klapperschlange.
 On the way to the swimming spot, M. was pretty mad, the lovely shade at the swimming spot was ruined by the beavers, who managed to down the last standing shade tree.
Auf dem Weg zu unserer Schwimm-Stelle, der schoene Schatten an der Stelle war von den Bibern ruiniert, die den letzten Schattenbarum faellten.
 My hero, who is making a fire to cook our hot dogs.
Mein Held, der ein Feuer macht, damit wir unsere Hot Dogs kochen koennen.
 The sweet-smelling bushes with a bee.
Die suess-riechenden Buesche mit einer Biene.
And my masterpiece, I'm proud of being able to capture this dragon fly.
Und mein Meisterstueck, ich bin ganz stolz, dass es mir gelang, diese Libelle zu fotografieren!

Es war viel los in dieser Woche.  Naaechstes Wochenende kommt M.s Schwester auf Besuch, und wir babysitten Jackson und Evan.  Nicole und Greg ziehen an dem Wochenende in ein anderes Haus, und wir hueten die beiden Jungens, damit die Eltern die Haende frei haben.  Ich freu mich schon.  
Nicole bat mich, zu einer Ultraschalluntersuchung zu kommen.  Leider verpasste ich doofe Nuss den Moment, an dem die technische Hilfe zeigte, ob es Maedchen oder Junge ist.  Sie schrieb es auch auf den Bildschirm, nur war ich mich so am konzentrieren, dass ich den Moment total verpasste.  Wir sahen aber alles von dem Kind, Herz, Nieren, Spine, Zehen, Finger, Leber, hoerten das Herz - total ueberwaeltigend!

Nicole und Greg's Hund, Bobbi, gelang es, ueber den Zaun, der das Grundstueck umgibt, zu springen, und evtl. von einem Auto angefahren zu werden.  Wenn niemand zu Hause ist, bleibt der Hund in der Garage, von dort aus kann er durch eine Hundetuer raus ins eingezaeunte Grundstueck.  Anscheinend war am Mittwoch ein starkes Gewitter, dass den Hund so erschreckte, dass er irgendwie ueber/unter/durch den Zaun kam.  Er hat abgeschuerfte Pfoten, eine aufgerissene Stelle unter dem Arm, und blaue Flecke am Koerper.  Da der Hund nicht erzaehlt, was ihm passiert ist, und niemand an die Tuer klopfte oder einen Zettel hinterliess, muss man nur mutmassen, was passiert sein koennte.  Es geht ihm inzwischen etwas besser, er hat diesen Hundekragen an, damit er sich nicht die Waunden weiter aufleckt, und wird liebevoll von Greg raus zum pipi-machen getragen.
Dass wir wieder im Wald waren, seht ihr ja auf den Fotos.  Ich dumme Nuss waehlte den steilen Weg hoch zum See, und es fiel uns beiden schwer, uns da hochzuschaffen.
Sieht man im ersten Foto, wie steil der Weg nach oben ist?  Im Foto eigentlich nie so gut.  Aber es ist steil, steinig, mit grossen und kleinen Steinen reich gesegnet!


July 14, 2012

The woods, again!

The week was busy.  Sewing, running to the printer - the bags I make for the wood floor industry are made from canton flannel, I get 50 yard rolls and lay them out on the table, and cut stacks of bag parts, which need to be printed on one side (not by us), and then they get sewn together, and zippers and elastic added as needed.
Hot, building not airconditioned, and the best thing of the work week is that it's over.
Next week, on Wednesday, my daughter Nicole asked me to go to an ultra sound with her!  I'm so excited and looking forward to it.  I've never been, and I had my babies just before ultrasound became common place during pregnancy.  I wonder if they let me see what the baby will be - probably not, though.  Nicole wants to find out when the baby is born, so the rest of us have to wait too.

We went hiking again today.  Harriman State Park, just over the border into New York State, is our favorite.  We hiked about two miles into the park, to a lake, where we found the spot we were going to already occupied by overnight campers.  Thrills for me, the men were nekkid.  Not so much the girl, but oh, well.  They did cover up while we walked by.

We continued on to the next spot where we rested, made a small fire to cook hot dogs, and swam.  Right by the water there was a huge blueberry bush, just covered with blueberries.  I grabbed a plastic bag, and climbed to the bush, and just stripped the blueberries off into the bag, it was that many.  While I was celebrating my inner gathering German, M called me in a loud voice.  When I looked over, he told me to stand very still, there was a snake in the water coming toward me.  Not having another plan at the moment, I decided to just follow his advice, and watched a sake swim between me and land - maybe a two foot space, if that much - and disappear.
No, no picture of that!
But we did go to the Delaware Water Gap last weekend.  I wanted to visit Millbrook Village in the Gap, and see what the volunteers did since I've been there last.  And we got a loving tour by the volunteers that were there - weaving, a black smith, a white cooper, and the store were open.
On the way home over the Kittatiny Ridge, M shouts 'snake!'  After I ask if he wants me to go back, and hear 'yes', we actually came upon a rattlesnake!


Snake from last week, this weeks snake did not get photographed, so sorry!


Die Woche war ich beschäftigt . Nähen, zu dem Drucker bringen - die Säcke die ich mache für das Parkett-Industrie sind von Kanton Flanell, ich erhalte  50 Meter Rollen und lege sie auf den Tisch und schneide Stapel Tasche Teilen, die auf einer Seite gedruckt werden müssen, (nicht von uns), und dann werden sie miteinander vernäht und Reißverschlüsse und Elastik nach Bedarf hinzugefügt.
Heiss, Gebäude nicht klimatisiert, und das Beste, was an der Arbeitswoche ist, dass es vorbei ist.
Nächste Woche, am Mittwoch, fragte meine Tochter Nicole mich, zu einem ultra-Sound mit ihr zu gehen! Ich bin so aufgeregt und freue mich darauf. Ich war noch nie, und ich hatte meine Babys kurz vor dem Zeitpunkt als Ultraschalluntersuchungen die Norm während der Schwangerschaft wurden. Ich frage mich, ob sie mich sehen lassen, was das Baby sein wird - wahrscheinlich aber nicht. Nicole will herausfinden, wenn das Baby geboren ist, so dass der Rest von uns einfach warten muessen.

Wir gingen heute wieder wandern. Harriman State Park, gleich hinter der Grenze in Bundesstaat New York, ist unser Favorit. Wir wanderten etwa zwei Meilen in den Park, zu einem See, wo wir den Punkt, an den wir wollten, der bereits von Campern besetzt war. Nervenkitzel für mich war dass die Männer nekkid waren. Nicht so sehr das Mädchen, aber na ja. Sie bedeckten sich als wir vorbeigingen.

Wir gingen weiter zur nächsten Stelle, wo wir uns ausruhten, ein kleines Feuer machten, um Würstchen zu kochen, und schwammen. Direkt am Wasser gab es einen riesigen Heidelbeer Busch, total mit Blaubeeren bedeckt. Ich schnappte mir eine Plastiktüte und stieg ins Wasser, und strippte die Heidelbeeren in der Tasche, soviele waren es. Während ich  meinen inneren deutschen Sammler feiern liess, rief M mich mit lauter Stimme. Als ich aufsah, sagte er mir sehr still zu stehen, eine Wasser Schlange kam in meine Richtung. Da ich keinen  anderen Plan in dem Moment hatte, folgte ich einfach seinem Rat, und beobachtete eine Schlange die  zwischen mir und Land - vielleicht ein zwei Meter,  wenn so viel - an mir vorbeischwamm, und verwand.
Nein, kein Bild davon!
Aber wir haben an den Delaware Water Gap gehen am vergangenen Wochenende. Ich wollte Millbrook Village in dem Gap besuchen und sehen, was die Freiwilligen, da ich dort in der Vergangenheit waren so neu machten. Und wir haben eine liebevolle Tour von den Freiwilligen, die dort waren - Weber, ein Schmied, ein weißer Cooper, und in dem Laden bekommen.
Auf dem Heimweg über den Kittatiny Ridge, schreit M 'Schlange!' Nachdem ich ihn fragte, ob er zurück zu gehen will und ja ', sahen wir tatsaechlich eine Klapperschlange!
Die uns auch anklapperte!
Wenn man genau hinsieht, sieht man auch die 'Klappern'.

Genug Abenteuer fuer heute - hoffentlich morgen mehr.
Und Arti:  Ja, die Blaubeeren Pfannekuchen waren herrlich!



July 4, 2012

Hiking on the Holiday

We went into the woods today.  We got there at about 8:30 - 9:00 AM, and the parking lots were empty.  Not so much on the way out, people even parked along the road, which normally isn't allowed.
 Climbing to a spot on the rocks by the lake - proving we can still do it, at our age!

 beaver damage






We went swimming, we cooked hot dogs, we took a nap, we walked and walked and oh, we picked blueberries, enough to make blueberry pancakes tomorrow morning!
Wir wanderten heute im Wald.  In einem riesigen Staatspark, wir kamen zwischen 8:30 und 9:00 Uhr morgens an, und es war kein Mensch da, der Wald gehoerte uns allein.  Als wir um 16:00 Uhr wieder zum Auto zurueckgingen, waren Autos sogar auf beiden Seiten der Strasse geparkt, was sonst verboten ist.
Es war schoen!  Wir sind geschwommen, haben Blaubeeren/Heidelbeeren/Weelen gepflueckt, sogar genug um morgen frueh Blaubeer Pfannekuchen zu machen, wir brieten Hot Dogs ueber einem kleinen Feuer, wir genossen einen Mittagsschlaf, wir wanderten, und wanderten, es war alles in allem ein wunderschoener Tag.


the Fourth

... It's raining.  At least now, at 7:15 AM.  We're still here, waiting for it to clear up a bit.

Hopefully it'll clear up enough later in the day for the fireworks.  No, we don't have any plans to go, maybe we'll see them on TV.
This is the best photo I have on this computer of the Statue of Liberty.  I have many more, it's an irresistible motive, one just has to take pictures.
Later on this summer we'll go to Colmar, France, where the sculptor of the Statue comes from.
  
Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi is his name.  And the town of Colmar is so beautiful, it'll be fun to see it again.  Maybe there will even be time for the museum!
The first time we went there, we were approaching the town and had to navigate a couple of traffic circles, one of which had a miniature statue of liberty in the middle.  My sister-in-law and her sister (both Americans) were in the car ahead of us, got confused, and had to go around the circle again.  When we parked, and we remarked on the statue, the answer was:  What statue?  They never saw it.
... Es regnet, jedenfalls im Moment, und es ist 7:30 Uhr.  Wir sind noch zu Hause, wir warten noch ein bisschen, es soll bald aufhoeren zu regnen, mit heiss und hoher Luftfeuchtigkeit.  Nein, wir planen nicht zu dem Feuerwerk zu gehen, vielleicht sehen wir es im Fernsehen.
Das ist das beste Foto, dass ich von der Freiheitsstatue habe.  Ich habe viele mehr, es ist ein Objekt, dass man unendlich fotografieren kann, um irgendwann das tollste Foto zu bekommen.
Spaeter im Sommer werden wir nach Colmar, im Elsass, fahren, wo der Bildhauer der Freiheitsstatue herkommt.  Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi heisst er.  Die Stadt Colmar ist so mittelalterlich wunerschoen, es wird toll sein, mal wieder da zu sein.  Vielleicht wird dann auch genuegend Zeit sein, um in das Museum zu gehen!

Das erste mal als wir da waren, kamen wir auf das Staedtchen zu, und es waren ein paar Kreise zu fahren.  Meine Schwaegerin und ihre Schwester (beides Amerikaner), fuhren sogar zweimal um einen Kreis, in dessen Mitte eine Mini-Freiheitsstatue stand.  Als wir uns trafen, und die Statue erwaehnten, waren sie ganz erstaunt, welche Statue?  Sie waren so mit Kartenlesen beschaeftigt, dass sie die Statue nie sahen.

July 3, 2012

Independence Day

Tomorrow.  The fourth of July.  So many memories of past fourths.  So many picnics, many family get-togethers, parties, with water, on the water, by lakes, by the ocean, in the backyard....
I remember the fourth of July in 1976, the bicentennial year.  I was driving back from Washington, DC, to East Hartford, CT with my three children, the youngest was just 6 weeks old.  I had spent four weeks in Alexandria, VA, in a motel with my family, my husband was going to a school, and we were keeping him company.  The youngest was just an infant, the oldest was five years old, and my middle child was 18 months old.
Anyway, it was the bicentennial year, and I had heard on the radio, that the tall ships would be sailing up the Hudson River, turn around under the George Washington Bridge, and sail back down the Hudson to dock in and around Manhattan.  I timed my trip - so I thought - to cross the GWB around the time the tall ships were coming under the bridge, my only hope to see them, since with the three children in the car there was little chance for me to get out of the car and go somewhere - going any distance with the three of them was pretty impossible, since I didn't have one of the fancy double strollers that are all the rage now, I was reduced to an umbrella stroller, and mine had just broken recently.
Well, I was a little too early, only saw a glimpse of the war ships in the harbor, and was obviously too early for the tall ships.
I continued on, and drove to East Hartford, where my husbands grandparents lived, and arrived there just in time to the amazement of the family for the cook-out with my parents-in-law and the grandparents.
To really reminisce, I had just one car seat, the upright kind, with just a handle on lifted up over the child - you remember those?  And the baby was in the top of a carriage in the back seat.
And the baby cried, and was suddenly quiet.  When I asked my daughter to check on him, she climbed over the (bench) seat, and he started crying again.  My daughter said, that he had his thumb in his mouth and she didn't think he was supposed to have it, so she took it out.
I also should explain that the trip from Washington, DC to E Hartford, CT took a little over 6 hours.
(Americans usually count a trip in hours, not in miles, at least here on the East Coast)

I hope you forgive me my trip into the past.  That baby is now 36 years old, with a great family.

Speaking of family, I will be a grandmother again!  Yeah!  Amazing.  In the beginning of December, and no, we won't know what the baby is until then.
Jackson and Evan will have a little brother or sister, and I think it's wonderful, and can't wait to meet the newest family member!

Will I translate this whole story into German?  (Moan)  Probably not, please forgive me.

What will we do tomorrow?  No picnic, unless it's impromptu.  We are hoping to hike early in the morning, and take it easy for the rest of the day - it's supposed to be hot and humid.

Enjoy your fourth of July Everyone!