Spargel

Right now it is peak season for spargel or white aspagargus, locally known as "white gold" As a matter of fact it just so happens the best quality to be found in the area is in Waldfuecht, the village next to ours. Terry and I went to a market an hour away from home a few weeks ago and laughed when we saw spargel for sale from our village! The picture below was taken from our house, you can see the asparagus is covered for protection from the sun.



The first pick of the season is much sought after and we heard excitement as the locals spoke of an early harvest this year. White asparagus is grown in deep mounds of soil to protect it from the sun, this keeps the vegetable pale. The spears are cut by hand with a special knife to avoid stalk damage, and in high season, with warm weather, farms will often harvest twice a day as growth is so fast. It is a very serious industry in Europe worth an estimated €250 million a year!

All the markets have spargel for sale and just about all the restaurants in the area currently feature a side dish, usually topped with a hollandaise sauce......... just simply delish! A mellow flavor different from the nuttier green version of asparagus we are more familiar with.

The season is kept deliberately short, weather depending (of course) normally mid-April to mid-June, this also gives the plants plenty of time to regenerate for the following year. Terry came home the other day all excited and exclaimed, " only in Europe..........would you see a guy in a speedo bathing suit picking asparagus." We grabbed our camera, but they were gone by the time we got to the fields, darn! Now that would have been a picture for the blog archives!




love and miss you all

Mai Baum

I was thrilled to hear sounds of the band once again marching up and down the streets in our village as they made their way to the Dorffe Halle for another celebration. As they passed by, the Maibaumchef or Maypole leader invited me to join in the festivities...........

Mai Baum translated means May Tree and on May Day a celebration takes place in most villages large and small throughout the area and Brüggelchen is no exception. The earliest illustration of a maypole was done in 1590! Now the customs and traditons vary throughout the countryside. There are very specific rituals that take place preparing the tree that will eventually set high upon a pole in the town centre. I won't bore you with too many details, but one of the long standing traditions include the fact that young unmarried men and women select then prepare the tree and garlands for the transport and feast that takes place on May 1st.









All the while the maybaum is being readied, it is essential to guard it from theft. Young people from other villages would like to steal it. After such a theft, there are either negotiations for the return of/or the stolen goods become an addition to another village-a trophy so to speak.



Again, there are long standing "rules of engagement" that apply but the spirit in which the tree is adorned and accompanied thru the town is festive and light. Here you can see our village Mai-baum safe and sound erected nice and high to discourage and late night raids!










love and miss you all

Of Course!

1. Of course-Terry, aka "MY HERO" is in Jacksonville, Florida playing games with the Navy for two weeks.


2. Of course- Jen had started a new job that week and I couldn't remember her phone number.


3. Of course-Tom, who's phone number was the only one I could remember was not at his office.


4. Of course-Jim and Connie are on Holiday somewhere in South Italy or Rome or points in between, on a trip that we were supposed to be on with them.
   


5. Of course-Because it was Thursday afternoon, the medical clinic on base was closed.

It was another gorgeous spring day in Germany and I told Fatima I would watch her tennis lesson. Fatima is the 10 year old daughter of the Bosnian couple who own the restaurant just up the strasse........which is another blog for another day. So, there I was watching Vinnie the tennis pro finish up with Fatima and Tim's lesson, Vinnie asked would I like to play a quick game-boys against girls? Of course

I ran on to the tennis court to help pick up balls thinking I might look like one of those "ball girls" from Wimbelton.......UM NO! I was moving too fast and tripped landing right on my face. Mr. tennis pro had a first aid kit, he had me wash the sand off my face and said, I think you need a Doctor. I assured him I was fine, just a flesh wound. A band aid and I was good to go..... on with the game. Fatima and I won, Of course, then headed back to the restaurant where I aksed for ice for my then aching head. One look confirmed that yes, I really did need to go to the Dr, I had split my forehead open quite nicely.

Now you must realize Fatima understands English, but doens't really speak it, her parents were not there and my cell phone is new and limited with the numbers programmed on it. It was almost comical, no one seemed to be available, fianlly Fatima called Elmer in Dusseldorf who called Julie who was racing to come take me to the hospital based on Fatima's decription of my head wound.

Once Julie realized it wasn't an "emergency" she drove me home where I was able to call my "GO TO GIRL" for just such situations Jen, who instructed me on what to bring, what to ask and what to get copies when were done. Off to the emergency room where the nice German Doctor glued my cut and administered a tetnas shot. Thank goodness for Julie and her fluency with German/English, we managed to make the best of our afternoon at the Heinsburg Krankenhaus! I now have everyone I know work/home/cell programmed into my cell phone- OF COURSE!

love and miss you all

A Whirlwind

That is the best word to describe Lee and Nelly's visit......a whirlwind. Time went too quickly, seems like they just got here and it was time to say good bye. I somehow managed to unintentionally invite a few friends over, still having issues with the whole language barrier thing. Terry was working so Nelly and I scrambled a bit to stretch dinner but ended up having quite the party. I think you could have looked around the table and think of it as an opening line for a joke...............

" An American, two Bosnians, One Belgiuqe, two Dutch and a German were all sitting at a table.................."

Here you see Lee and I getting ready to take a bicycle ride up to the store, he was duly impressed with the total miles I have put on my bike, Nelly just shrugged and said "of course Leeland-it's how you get around here!"

Spoken like a true Hollander!

Terry missed out on most of the festivities , but did get home in time to witness Elmer and the flaming brandy-there is a ritual to the way the brandy is ignited, then swirled, then rolled up his arm, if done properly the concoction "gently breathes fire"........ Nelly was facinated but neglected to let the brandy cool before it hit her throat!

As I said, time went fast. the Barlow's were here then gone , it was wonderful to be able to spend time with such great friends.

love and miss you all