Dear Children,(7 year old red head in particular)...

There are SO many things in life that I want to show you,

I want to show you far off oceans and pick through the sand,

To traverse villages and paths with you tight by the hand,

To explore distant grasslands, forests and trees,

Sail into waning sunsets on ever calm green seas,

I want to talk about electricity and what makes the planet tick,

To visit every castle and look at every brick,

Scale every hilltop, and fly every kite,

Watch every star grow in the ever present night,

I want teach you good manners, and what it means to be nice,

Give you the skills, you need to be invited back thrice,

I love you both you both must know, you mean the earth to me,

So I am sure you must understand what it means to act politely...

......

So let's not waste our time on the stupid stuff..m'kay?

Love you forever,

Your Mom.

The greatest Love affair...Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

The Monument to Prince Albert in Hyde Park, London, you can read about it it here...

Imagine a love affair so great that it lasts for 40 years after the death of your beloved and that you are so grieved that you will wear black for the rest of your life...you can read about it here

And that you build a monument like this one to the memory of your beloved husband...

Albert is grand and gilded, and sits very very high...he is robust and looks rather solemn and wise...

On the four corners of this immense edifice lie statuary dedicated to the four corners of the world...

Wow!!

I Promise...

Wherever I am, and especially at this time of year, my thoughts turn to all of you, friends and family that I love at home and ...

*Sigh* my OTHER love at home... my garden.

Grow garden grow, and I hope you don't miss me too much...I will be back, I promise...

Can't WAIT to go back!!!

For those of you who know me well, you will know who this gorgeous lady is, one of my oldest, most cherished and longtime friends, someone who grew up a stones throw from my house way out in the middle of the sticks, someone who I hung out with in high school, roomed with in college, and then lived with after that, a very dear friend, and a very special lady, we even moved out to matching jobs "Out West" (Canadian lingo for the western provinces, Alberta, to work here) for several months, we were inseparable. Someone who feels like family to me, sister's neither of us ever had, we shared it all, the good, the goofy and the god awful...lots of stories, lots of laughs and lots of tears...

She moved away to London (England that is), many years ago and married this very special man, and they are very happy and though we still speak, and visit often, she is Riel's Fairy God Mother, and a SUPER one at that...her leaving Canada left a big hole in my heart. Makes you realize how much you can appreciate someone, and miss them. (Gosh I AM sappy these days...apologies in advance, but just keeping it real). I must say though her courage at picking up and starting a new, cool life have served as an inspiration to me and I have always figured hey if Barb can do it, so can I.

Barb, you will always have a special place in my heart, and if there is EVER anything I can do for you, anywhere, anytime, you know...all you have to do is ask.



The coolest part about living where we are now though in northern Germany, and I JUST discovered this, is that we are an inexpensive and mere 50 minute flight away from one another...I LOVE that!


So last week, I decided to take Riel out of school for a couple of days, so we could go to London, and visit Barb and some family...Yes I DO love Barb, but did I ever mention how much I love London? I have images of Carnaby street in the 60's, cool British rock bands all mixed up with Gary Glitter and David Bowie with a fluffy underbelly of the Chelsea flower show, topped off by a stiff Bobby...You know what I mean?



Soooo..we saw a little of thisor I guess I should say allot of this or maybe a large of this or something like that...a little of this, including a performance by Midori, linked only in case you do now know who she is like I (Cultural Boob that I am) didn't, reviewers say she "IS" her violin, and ...I can concur...wow...music was incredible but connection with an instrument verging on bizarre...OK now I am exposing the real soft underbelly of my Cultural Boobness ...but hey...you guys will be nice to me right?) and on the way we saw a few of these, gotta love those red buses, and also saw some of this, performance art, a sampling of chairs taken from the Barbicon and set up like the seats on a 747...(like I need to see more of those...) I was looking for a section of 3 in a row so I could sleep...HA...cool no?
and then a few pics in front the the Victoria and Albert Museum
while gawking in absolute and complete astonishment and awe at the Prince Albert Monument in Hyde Park...some of the most exquisite statuary I have ever seen (next post)...and of course you HAVE to love English Gardens...

Oooh I LOVE London..Can't WAIT to go back

Young chicks learn old tricks

If you're here I'm glad... (hanging head) I know it's been a really long time, so welcome back...!

In the last few weeks my mom has been here, TBG has been away in Asia and Riel and I have gone for wonderful journey to London, England, (we even played hooky from school!) but more (with lots of cool pics) about that later.

The visit with my mom was fabulous as it always is, we just hung out, did quiet stuff with the kids, and in general had a really nice visit....but the very best part is that I've brought her over to the "Blog side".....you can check it out here, and who says YOUNG CHICKS CAN'T LEARN OLDTRICKS...I must say my mom as well as being constant inspiration to me, is a living proof of this addled adage, as she is on here her about fourth, fifth, or sixth foray from one art to the other....and now she is blogging!!!! (HA!) I love it!

Currently she's insane about willow, collecting, growing, harvesting and weaving, and thanks to this current insanity we were the lucky recipients of a beautiful, large, handsome, and serviceable basket for firewood (that served as luggage on the way over the pond, smart lady) that is still perfuming my living room with the scent of freshly cut willow...thanks Mom you're amazing!!

Dear Mom,

Thank you so much for dragging yourself once again across the ocean , I know it's a long haul, I know that that oversees flight really is nasty, and I know it's hard to be away from home. We really appreciate the time and effort, all the little gifts, all the sweet things you do. We enjoyed the time you spend with us so much, the kids just love it, and so did I. Doing not a lot of anything was just super, just hanging out ...and being together.

Why is it that being a Mom makes one realize what a super Mom one already has?

Thank you for all the mothering that you have given me, I realize that all the things that I love about myself as a mother have come from you ....you are the best, and we miss you lots.

Love your daughter...

Nomad