Halloween in Germany

Halloween is over. I am a big Halloween fan. And as an American living in Germany, I really miss the way kids and adults get so into this tradition in the US.  But never fear, Halloween came to Hannover! We hosted our third annual Halloween party, complete with glowing jack-o-lanterns, tombstones, cobwebs, a giant black ghost hanging in the dining room, and twelve costumed five and six year olds swinging between happy, puzzled, and delighted. The delighted part came especially during the eating-mice-hanging-from-the-witches-broom game, and the beyond delighted came during trick-or-treating. My neighbors were amazing. Twelve homes got in to the spirit - and we organized a trick-or-treating night right on our street. It was incredible. Each neighbor seemed to have their own way of bringing the magic into the night. One had the flicker of a candle flame moving all around mysteriously on the other side of their glass door. One reached out a spider-covered hand when they opened the door. Many answered the door dressed up as witches or vampires. The children yelled trick-or-treat (in English!) and usually the whole gang was invited in! It was very touching to see the neighbors embrace this strange holiday and create such fun and mystery for the kids. 

German flower bouquets from friends

I love the artful bouquets of flowers that are typical in Germany. They are usually shorter in height than the bouquets in the US, with creative but simple combinations of the season's most luscious floral offerings. Recently I received this stunning purplish-blue hydrangea and rose bouquet from my friend Simone. It was covered by an almost industrial silver mesh net, which was perfect for my current love of all things dove gray and purple. You can find these bouquets everywhere- at the markets, the flower shops, on many street corners. It is just another way that beauty is celebrated here. Here it is on my desk, inspiring me while I do my writing and consulting work.

The sweetest of summer for a five-year-old

This amazing summer with my five-year-old was like a stream of joy-moments one after the other - so this entry tumbles out of me much like the memories fly around in my heart. Weekend walks with Daddy and her dog Beau. Planting her Junior K bean plant on the back balcony and watching it climb. Swimming in the clear blue water at Grandmommy's pool to practice for the Seahorse Swim Patch test in Germany. Singing and learning Bible stories in her second annual Vacation Bible School at Grandmommy's church in Annapolis. Mommy, let me tell you about Moses... The daily tea parties on the beach at the Atlantic Ocean with Chloe, Rowan and Grayson. Mommy, here is your cherry pie. Mommy, do you want another cappucino? Learning to pick up pennies from the nice Daddy at the July 3rd pool party in New Jersey. Riding in a wagon with Chloe to night-before Fireworks on the river. Dancing in her long pink cotton Chipie dress in the sand with Chloe at the 4th of July party at the Sands Beach Club in Seabright, New Jersey, reminding Cathy and me of our own beach dancing in the Bahamas when we were 18. Fireworks over the ocean. Driving Chloe's pink motorized Jeep all around the green grass back yard. Playing hockey with Rowan and his dad in the driveway. Eating edamames with the kids. I've got a two-beaner! I've got a three beaner! Seeing first Helmut Crab on the beach.

La-ter-ne, La-ter-ne, Son und Mond und Ster-ne

I just love the German tradition of the Lantern Walk for children with their families. The Lantern walks usually take place in late October and November, although some hard-core traditionalists will tell you that they should take place the Sunday after November 11, which is St. Martins Day. Our international school combined the traditions of Halloween with the Lantern walk and it was a cozy, happy celebration.

Hurry up and get married

We were eating our fresh "brotchen" from the corner bakery. Beau and I were feeling alive after a brisk walk/trot/sniff through the Eilenriede's brilliant pallette of yellow and gold colors. We snuck past our usual bakery and went across the street to the newer one to get the oat-covered rolls. Back at the house, our five year old was listening to her dad and I talk about early days when we used to go exploring and check out little boutiques in San Francisco and New York. She said "That is when I was (pointing up) up there. I was up there watching you and waiting and waiting. "Hurry up and get married!" I said. "I am getting hot sitting in this big cloud all the time." Ava has always had broad ideas of soul, eternity, and that our human experience has a before and an after. It amazes me to hear the ways her ideas enter into our day-to-day conversations.

Car Prayers

We have a prayer ritual that I have grown to love, and my daughter asks for with a not-yet-awake voice. When I drive the 12 minutes from our home to her kindergarden, right after we pass our favorite white marble statue of the two sisters (princesses) with their arms draped around one another, and just before we pass the music university, we start. The prayer begins with giving thanks for the blessing of the beauty of the day in front of us- today it was the intense golden leaves as we drove alongside the forest, sometimes it is the rain, and sometimes it is the sun. We then ask God to wrap his arms around our little one and guide her through each part of her day - from circle time to snack, from learning Jolly Phonics sounds to music, from lunch, recess to art, PE, to library. And we ask that she is strong on her own, that she stands up for herself with other kids, that she takes deep breaths when she needs to feel calm, that her love shines through her to others, and that she goes to the quiet place inside if she feels frustrated or needs peace. I usually thank God for blessing me with the honor of being her mother, the fun and thrill of sharing each day with her. By this time, we are rounding the corner at Waterloo Platz and driving down the tree-lined alley to her school.

She jumps out of the car and pushes her arms through the straps of her pink book-bag with her name and a monkey face on the back. We walk together across the school yard to greet her friends, and we have the gracious feeling of being more closely connected to one another and to God.

Closer than close

Ava rolled over for the tenth time, complaining that she was just not tired. We had read three books and said prayers, and she sang a beautiful song to me about bedtime and sleeping that she must have learned in kindergarden. She really wanted me to lay down with her, and cuddle in the glow of her pink flower nightlight.

I said "Ava, it is really important that each of us know how to relax and fall asleep on our own. There will be many times in life when you cannot sleep, and you will need to know what to do. Close your eyes, and think of special moments in the day today, like when we showered together and blew dry each other's hair, or when we snuggled and watched Mary Poppins this afternoon. We had fun searching for the Halloween box in the cellar and unpacking it. Eating pumpkin soup with daddy, and baking cookies in the kitchen was fun and yummy. Replaying the memories helps them stick better."

Ava said "Mommy, I want you with me." And I said "Honey, you have Monkey, Bunny, Biggie Bear, and Gingie." Take turns cuddling with each one until you fall asleep." Ava replied, "Mommy, I want a human."

I understood. We were so close today, this cold, rainy October day during her fall school break, that it was just too hard to separate at sleep time. We had not left the house once and we both felt the special luxury of our retreating for a day. We lit red candles during our "girls spa time" and had jack-o-lantern candles glowing while eating pumpkin soup at dinner. Today was a day of deep peacefulness, comfort and joy.

Words at Bedtime

me: ava, you really need to go to sleep.
ava: i am not tired. i ate too much sugar (cookie dough from halloween party prep)

me: (eyes closed, hands folded, praying) dear God, please help ava to fall asleep. and please
help me to be a writer.
ava: i can help you write. i know lots of good words.
me: that's right. today you said "accessories."
ava: yes, and I also know: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,
wig, and parfait
ava: you just have to ask me to help you, and I will. I have been
hiding these words.

Lightening Over the Church Tower

I have front row seats to an amazing lightening show tonight. Looking through our huge old windows at the 100-year-old church tower across the street I am in awe of nature's power once again. When the lightening turns the dark night sky to full white in a flash, the dark steeple points upwards, and the child in me believes it is pointing straight to heaven.

Trampolines

I don't ever remember being on a trampoline as a kid. But now, they are everywhere! Ava has friends with trampolines in their yards, they are at the festivals, the art shows, the garden shows, there is even a big new one at our Hannover Zoo, in addition to the trampoline-net house that she already loved. Ava adores the trampoline- the jumping, the freedom, the soaring, the flying, the risk, the tricks. She was thrilled to discover a trampoline in her cousin Kristy's backyard when we made our big summer roadtrip out to Indiana. She and three-year-old Hailey had fun doing tricks and performances, but then they had to get off and wait their turn while my mom got on! 73 years young and making her way on to the trampoline. Mom was always good at jumping into a fun moment, and she had to loosen up for her big NFL Cheerleading show last weekend- where the original Redskinette Alumni performed on the field during halftime. Go Ava! Go Mom! Keep those high kicks and flips coming!

Peaceful Piggy Meditation

Children can be so open, so willing. Our stay in California this month with long-time friends Chau and Jim affected us in many ways. We left their house of peace and love with a few special gifts: meditation beads from Vietnam, our Stillness Jar and the book "Peaceful Piggy Meditation." On the next stop, we shared the book with our hosts that have two little girls close in age to our daughter. On our last evening, we gathered in the living room on pillows. The children gravitated to the story of creating a peaceful place in the home. The girls wanted to immediately create the space. Peaceful Piggy suggested a stone for solidness, a crystal for clear thinking, and a flower for beauty. The six year old gathered a crystal, a rubbing stone from her aunt, and a rock she painted for her mother. The nine-year-old brought a crystal glass to use as a bell. My daughter, visiting from Germany, didn't have her own special things with her- so she ran to the art table and made two drawings of hearts to place in the circle. Amy lit the candle and the girls took turns with the bell. After a day full of laughter, tears and emotions, the faces became angelic and still. We breathed together slowly, and in the manner of Thich Nhat Hahn we said words on the in-breath and out-breath, such as Calm, Love, Joy, Peace, Happiness and Kindness. I could feel the energy in our circle, loving and peaceful. We ended with prayers of gratitude. We had another meditation circle the following morning before we said goodbye. Back in Germany, we set up our own special place with our sea shells, rocks, polished stones, and beads from Vietnam. We start our days sitting together in the early morning by candlelight, continuing the circle of peace and love.

Sunflowers, Pumpkins and Apples

A field of very large, yellow faces stood tall in rows and invited us yesterday to share the warm, yellow afternoon sun with them. Indian Summer in northern Germany! Sunflowers of many types, each in their own rows, greeted us cheerfully as bees nibbled on their seeds. Yellow petals with yellow centers, yellow with dark centers, oversized centers, small centers, orange and yellow fire-like petals, flowers that had already burnt up in the sun. The three of us had the field to ourselves, strolling in and around. It was a pick-your-own blooms field, and we assembled a lovely bunch to take back. "Daddy, let me try to cut!" our five year old asked. She knelt down and freed her favorite flowers from their spot, and put them with the others in her little hand. We also wandered through the pumpkin patch. A real pumpkin patch! Did the Great Pumpkin live here?  All kinds of pumpkins grew here in rows, the large light orange carving pumpkins for Jack-o-Lanterns, the rich, deep colors of the Hokaido pumpkins we use for our fall and winter soups, the white small pumpkins, the yellow and white squash, and the multi-colored small decoration pumpkins. We selected the shapes and colors that we found delightful and we loaded up the back of the wagon.

We drove further through the countryside and found a gorgeous, old, stone farmhouse with an apple orchard. We pulled over and took out a large sack and started gathering rich, brown, shiny chestnuts from under large tree.
Little one loved finding chestnuts still in their shells with the pointy, pokey spikes all around. She would carefully open them and pull the chestnut out of the soft inner flesh. We shared a crisp apple from the orchard while we moved on to the next chestnut tree. Husband lifted little one way up into the tree so she could pick the chetsnuts right off of the branches. We laughed and laughed when he would hang from the tree and perform a hanging dance to get the chestnuts to rain down on us. We drove back home with our car loaded with the colors and textures of fall- deep orange, golden yellow, apple red, and mahagony brown. We made "tablescapes"  outside and in. We could almost feel the warm sun on our faces when we looked into the sunflowers on the long wooden table.

The Art of Seeing

One of the things I love about photography is that what you create depends on what you see. And how you see! And I see with my heart. I get so excited at the capturing the moment- the emotion, the joy, the sadness, the tenderness. Living with my exuberant, joyful, expressive five-year-old gives me an endless supply of inspiration.

Deep Blue Yoga

We began our September California trip in a large, rented house with a view of Lake Tahoe. Four best girlfriends and their families shared the house, with laughter starting upon arrival and providing a backdrop for the entire Labor Day weekend.

The four dads bonded and talked tech, and the seven children played dolls, swung in the porch swing, played in the sand, made God's eyes from sticks, rode bicycles down the hill, and ate pancakes, watermelon, and shaved ice.

During all of the energy, love, emotions and laughter, we found an oasis of stillness. We took our yoga mats up to the large deck with a view of the deep blue lake surrounded by the deepest royal blue sky. Side by side, led by Amy through a slow, fluid series of stretches, asanas and sun salutations, we melted our bodies and souls into a moving yoga flow.

The effect for me was profound. In triangle pose, following my arm and looking back up to the sky, I was inspired by the beauty of the healthy green pine tree loaded with pine cones reaching into blue. During sun salutations I would swing both arms up over my head, pull down the buzzing, loving energy from the universe into praying hands before my heart. The warm, yellow morning sun poured down over us. In mountain pose, I stared at the mountain crest bordering the lake and felt the permanent, unchanging solidness of God's earth. In the balancing poses, we stood still and solid high on our wooden deck, in a synchronous mid-air balance that the mountains and trees provided for us. I centered myself by staring at a tall, old tree on the lake's border, and my body was stable and strong. I was moved by the shared experience with nature and the women I love on that deck.

I am filled with gratitude for our Deep Blue Yoga.

Serenity in the morning

One morning I woke up very early in my friend Chau's California home. It was 6:00 am and I peaked over the staircase to the large living room below. A mantel running the length of the room was lit by ten candles symmetrically balanced among the buddahs, orchids, photos of zen masters and ancestors. A lovely smell of incense filled the room. Chau sat on her meditation cushion in her dove gray cotton dharma master robe, quietly meditating. I was infused with a loving vibration, a calming energy, and a tingly feeling all over my body as i looked on. The next day, I awakened and discovered the same beautiful ritual taking place. This time I joined in, taking a cushion next to Chau. We have a number of shared experiences over the years in meditation, and I was reminded that it could be such a peaceful place of beauty that could draw me in, open my heart, and still my spirit so I could hear God's voice so clearly.

Summer Night Lister Mile Street Dancing

We took a walk, the three of us and Beau. San Marco Eis Cafe for Ice Cream cones. La Perla for a pizza. How fun, to eat the ice cream before the dinner! Ava was jubilant in the afterglow of earning her swimming badge. Beau eagerly awaited bread chunks under the table. The owner of the Italian restaurant walked over and told us of his trip to Sicily. Hot, very hot. He has known us since Ava was in diapers. Ava danced around in the warm summer night air, twirling in her light cotton dress. Life is sweet.

Characters Voices from a 5-year-old

Little chickies going camping. Who is driving the car? Did we pack the fireworks? Do we have the drinking can? Can we all fit in the gold gauze (jewelry bag) sleeping bag? Hey, here are some beautiful roses. Let's climb in and have a rest.

Mealtime Rituals

My husband taught me something that I have come to cherish. Sit-down breakfast. We sit down in our dining room for breakfast every morning, seven days a week. The sun floods our table and the morning air is fresh when the glass door is open. Andreas and Beau bring fresh bakery breads from the corner Bakery Bosselmann to the table every morning, and most days I make a muesli from natural yogurt, fresh seasonal fruits, nuts and seeds. Andreas makes the lattes, and Ava looks forward to her hot chocolate. The ritual of starting each day together keeps us nourished and connected.

We are lucky that we can sit down together for dinner for most nights of each week.  We dine under the watchful eyes of "Gold Jesus" in our dining room or in our cozy kitchen at the cherry wood table, eating on tall bar stools. Ava is learning to set the table using her little sketch map that we made. Fork on the left, knife on the right, blade facing in.  Ava says the passed-down family blessing while we hold hands around the table. Our small circle of love, with Beau under the table.