The Monster Mystery solved

Yesterday, J.P. posted about his excitement. 

A photo he took revealed a "monster" behind our house.

You probably cannot see it right away, 

it is just a pattern the snow created on the trees.

This photo kicked my brain into gear 

and I immediately thought 

"this is not a monster, this is a ghost-dog's face.

It is similar to recognizing "faces" on a social platform. 

You get that question: "Is this XX?", just because their face detection tool 

finds similarities in a photo online.

Could this be Molly's face? 

No, it could not be Molly, she is still alive. 

She is not a ghost.

While I was contemplating the vision 

my brain picked out the right photo.

It must be Peter's Norwegian sled-dog Liisa! 

Liisa was 13 years old when she went to her eternal playgrounds.

J.P. and Liisa (Norway,1984)

Here - I drew a few lines to make it easier for you 

to detect the "face".

Maybe her ghost came to us for a short visit?

Maybe it is just nature playing a trick on us?

Laugh.

___________________________________________________

Aunties translation

J.P. war gestern ganz aufgeregt weil er auf einem Photo 

ein Monster in unserem Garten entdeckt hatte! 

Mir sah das allerding nicht nach Monster aus, eher nach einem 

Hundegesicht. Es konnte nicht Molly sein, sie ist kein Geist.

Aber vielleicht einer unsere anderen Hunde?

Sogleich viel mir dieses Photo ein: J.P. mit Liisa in Norwegen!

Wenn man die Konturen mit ein paar Linien nachzeichnet kann

man es vielleicht besser sehen.

Vielleicht hat sie uns besuchen wollen?

Oder es ist einfach nur ein Trick der Natur?

Wer weiss das schon.

:) 

I wish you a Merry Christmas..

J.P.has been holed up in his "man cave" for a few days in a row 

and I am not allowed to go 

and have a look. 

It is that time of the year, eh?

This morning he came in with an armload of wood. 

No, not to feed the wood-stove. 

He dumped it on the dinner table and looked at me.

Do you want to have a paint job? 

There you go! 

Cans with different paint and 

paintbrushes were ready on the table as well.

Crafted by: unknown

I looked at it and at the old elf we have had sitting outside 

for over 10 years, 

and I decided that he needed a bunch of friends.

That's what everyone needs.

A bunch of good friends!

With that, I also want to thank you for your faithfulness.

Even if it is not "politically correct" ;)

"I wish you a Merry Christmas; 

I wish you a Merry Christmas; 

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

                       ( Bing Crosby)

(clip art: polyvore.com)

_______________________________________

Aunties's translation

Habe heute ein paar neue Wichtel angefertigt. 

Den Ersten haben wir mal von Irmgard W. geschenkt bekommen. 

Das ist aber schon ein paar Jahre her. 

Heute bekam unser Wichtel ein paar Freunde.

Damit wünsche ich allen treuen Lesern:

In The Mood

Despite the warm December weather 

we are slowly getting into the mood of Christmas. 

Today, J.P. went into the woods, behind our house, 

to pick out a small spruce tree. 

For the time being we up outside.

This time of the year our Norwegian furniture 

remind me the most of 

our log home we used to live in.

That is the reason I call this  

our "Norwegian" room.

We had coffee and some cookies by candlelight.

The wooden bowl was given to us 

as a wedding gift and the quilt 

was sown by my late mother-in-law.

So many memories

from a time and place

so far away.

________________________

Aunties translation

Trotz des warmen Dezemberwetters kommen wir allmählich in

Weihnachtsstimmung. Peter hat heute eine kleine Tanne aus dem Wald geholt und erst einmal draussen aufgestellt.

Die Norwegischen Möbel erinnern mich sehr an unser Blockhaus. Deshalb nenne ich diesen Raum das 

"Norwegische Zimmer".

Zum Kaffe gab es sebstgebackene Schmalzplätzchen. 

Die Holzschale war ein Hochzeitsgeschenk; 

die Quilt-Tischdecke wurde von

meiner verstorbenen Schwiegermutter angefertigt.

Erinnerungen an eine Zeit 

die schon weit zurückliegt.

Today's Magic Sunset

Today's Sunset

December 6

“The sun set, which is everyday magic...” 

― Terry Pratchett

The frosty sky, like a furnace burning,

The keen air, crisp and cold,

And a sunset that splashes the clouds with gold

But my heart to summer turning.

Come back, sweet summer ! come back again !

I hate the snow,

And the icy winds that the north lands blow,

And the fall of the frozen rain.

I hate the iron ground,

And the Christmas roses,

And the sickly day that dies when it closes,

With never a song or a sound.

Come back ! come back ! with your passionate heat

And glowing hazes,

And your sun that shines as a lover gazes,

And your day with the tired feet. 

A Winter Sunset

by

Lord Alfred Douglas

The Gift of a Pumpkin

There was this big orange pumpkin.

It had been part of fall decoration at a friend's house. 

But as summer had come to an end they had to

close up their summer home for the winter. 

As a farewell the big orange pumpkin was given to us.

I did not carve it, and for quite a while 

it adorned our porch. 

November arrived and all Halloween decorations disappeared
from the houses in our neighbourhood. 

Some threw their pumpkins in the garbage, 

others were trampled on and thrown into the ditch, 

where they, to the days day, 

are rotting. 

Mine was taken inside, because, 

this pumpkin is more than an ornament.

It is good food as well. 

I placed the pumpkin into a cool, dark room 

where it could have stayed until February, maybe even March. 

They store very well.

Today though, the house quiet and undisturbed, I decided 

now was the perfect time to cook it.  

I cut it in half, roasted it in the oven until tender and filled 

half the jars with pumpkin flesh for soups or vegetable stews. 

Another portion was seasoned for pie filling 

and canned as well. 

The seeds were seasoned with salt and herbs and roasted. 

Mixed with nuts and chocolate chips they make a tasty snack.

The leftovers went to my compost bin. 

In due time they will be turned into soil together with all

the other scraps from my kitchen. 

The soil will be used as food for my vegetables.

This way the circle has comes to an end.

Food produced from good soil 

utilized to feed people, and to grow fresh vegetables.

It feels good that nothing got wasted.

Thanks again to the friend who shared

this pumpkin with us.

Grey Days, Sunny Days

November, already a thing of the past. 

Its last days were rather on the chilly side, 

down to 15°F (-10°C), 

grey and windy. 

There was no way that I was going to stay outside 

for a prolonged time. 

One of the favourite things we did, when staying in the desert of California,

 was getting together and do a puzzle. 

No desert here, no friends either, that is too bad. 

On the good side: I had a puzzle at hand.

This time it was a 500 piece "Still-life" of flowers and fruit.

The sun had already faded the picture on the container. 

Red had turned to purple, yellow to white and green to a bluish tint.  

It took me two afternoons in deep concentration 

to get it done. There!

Maybe my brain is still working as it should. 

That is good. 

Because, sometimes I am in doubt about it. 

Things seem so easily forgotten 

in a mere moment.

*

Today, on the first day of December,

the temperatures were on the rise again, 

the sun was out.  

On the windowsill 

another project looks promising.

 

It was in August when I took cuttings of various petunias. 

Some of them made it until now. 

Pretty flowers. 

Memories of bygone summer days.

________________________

Aunties summary

Die letzten Novembertage waren schon ziemlich kalt. Da mochte man nicht aus dem Haus gehen. Aber ich hatte ja ein Puzzle. Ein Stilleben mit Blumen und Obst. Obwohl die Farben auf der Vorlage von der Sonne verblichen waren habe ich es in zwei Nachmittagen geschafft. 

Heute schien die Sonne wieder und auf meiner Fensterbank stehen ein meine Petuniensteckling mit rosa Blüten. 

Erinnerungen an vergangene Sommertage.