Happy Birthday Ee!!

Happy Birthday!! So glad we get to spend it together this year.

A Walk in the Woods

We spent the weekend in the mountains north of Prague, just on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland. We stayed in Rokytnice nad Jizerou in a pension set into the side of a hill above town. It was the first trip out of Prague for the baby and the first for me this year, and the entire weekend felt like I had just woken up and was stretching my toes in delight.

Sunday found us hiking up the hill behind the pension on a mushroom and blueberry hunt. While Caroline and her friends tracked down all the berries they could eat, I took pictures. I wanted to see if I could find patterns in the forest the same way that I can in town. I think I'm better at finding textures, but anyway, here is the condensed story of our walk up hill, past the last cottage, and into the woods.

And yes, we did find mushrooms too!

Prague Summer Weekend

View from Vysehrad

This weekend, Prague was hot. It was even humid. Most Czechs left for the countryside, but those who did not headed to parks like Vysehrad, in search of green trees and shade, good views and cold beer. We did too, on Sunday. Saturday I toured my twin sister and her family around Mala Strana, exploring the gardens at the foot of the castle. We kept to the less trodden byways and stayed as much in the shade as we could - but we were still nearly melted by the time we got back to our side of the river and home. Below, you can see some of the gardens we passed by and the castle on the hill, plus, very close by, a stream running towards one of the old mills on Kampa island.

What I liked best about being outside all weekend - besides family, beautiful views, pistachio ice cream, a few sips of cold beer and taking lots of pictures...besides all these favorite things, the baby did not cry. I think he likes fresh air. He definitely liked sleeping in Kampa Park.

First Walks and Prague Windows

When we took our first walk with baby, I hoped I'd feel more like the girl in the window, and less like the lion...but first walks are first walks. Caroline wept copiously, the baby decided he didn't like pacifiers (he still doesn't) and we kept remembering baby necessities we'd forgotten. Add stitches and benches designed only for the sturdy and it wasn't the most comfortable of outings, but we all survived, and Caroline promised that never again would she leave her bicycle at home when we go out biking on the playground. And not only did I enjoy my first beer of the year - a small beer, very healthy - but I also found the window/door design of lass and leo that seemed just right for the day.

Two weeks later I'm happy to say that we're much more adept at getting out and about, and have in fact just returned from registering J at the US embassy as a citizen (before today, he was a baby without a country). No one tsked at us on the tram for taking a new baby out, we didn't forget anything, and all squalls waited until we reached home.

Safely inside our flat, the baby cried his heart out on my shoulder. Will made coffee and handed me a toasted chicken sandwich and sticky bun for sustenance and I decided that if a fussy baby is in our cards, if he has the grace to sleep through beauracracy and public transportation, if coffee and cinnamon buns are available on occasion, well then, well.

I'm keeping my lion in reserve though. He's still much more like me than the dainty Dresdener lass.

Sun on Door

I'm pretty fond of the doors in our neighborhood. When the sun comes out and shadows show off the designs carved into panelings, they become irresistible.

This door is about to get scraped and repainted, along with the rest of its house. I thought I'd post a portrait for posterity.

Portrait at 36 weeks

I took this picture today as I was about to run out the door (or rather walk in tiny, mincing steps as quickly as possible) to meet a friend for coffee. I liked it because it highlights the belly and shows off a present Will made for me, just framed and ready to hang.

Anyone want to guess what's in the frame?

Signs of spring in the city

The weather's doing flip flops this week. I've taken to carrying my camera in my laptop bag to try to catch the show - it's most entertaining.

Back to winter

Today we're back to clouds and chilliness. But I don't mind, the city was cheered up by yesterday and there is a lighter step in people's walk (and talk).

February Light

 

We swam in light this weekend.

Masthead Photo

Summertime in Denmark, when the sun comes out the light seems made for photography. Two years ago we spent a week in Copenhagen, and each time the sun appeared my camera did too. I took this picture as we strolled down a main street of town, heading home from one of the parks we'd explored that morning. Danish design slays me and I took frame after frame of store windows we passed. I particularly liked this pic - the lighting shop's lamps suspended, the reflection of the holiday wreaths in the windows across the street, even the bar code cloth combined to make it one of my favorites from the trip.

I chose this image for the masthead because a blog is all about reflections, about what we see in front of us and behind us. And because I love those lamps, stars in the winter.

Library of Congress on Flickr

LOC's color photos from the 1930s and 40s

The cold that felled the rest of the family this week, keeping C sprawled on the couch surrounded by tissues and adorned always with a sippy cup*, finally reached me yesterday. Somehow being able to breath through my nose seems a necessary prerequisite for sketching, so I have nothing new to offer up today except a link to a collection of photographs from the 30s and 40s which the Library of Congress has just uploaded to Flickr.

* A sippy cup of herbal tea that is, with honey liberally applied to it and lemons squeezed in if we have them. Tea is necessary for health in the Czech Republic and Caroline at 4 firmly believes this too.

Ice Cubism

Day in Dinan

While in Brittany, we spent one day in Dinan. A medieval town famous for its timbered houses and the ramparts you can use to hike around the city, it also hosts a pair of competing musicians who have staked out their personal stages. In the center, an accordion and hurdy gurdy player moved from one likely spot to another all day. Near the ramparts, we hung out with a hand organ/singer/actor as he entertained the girls with song after song and persuaded us to sing along too. His props kept them entertained and they enjoyed feeding his cap, well positioned on the street for donations.

I like this picture because it shows off our singer, the old houses and the curious outfits that some of the locals like to wear. The guy on the left had just popped off a motorcycle, but he looks like he is heading for a sword convention, don't you think?

Coast guard house in Brittany

It wasn't all rain and clouds in France. Whenever the sun came out we were on the beach, or hiking along the coast around Val Andre. Here, we're on top of a cliff overlooking the sea, in front of an old coast guard house that still stands as a memorial to the guard.

The coast of Brittany

 

Just back from a holiday in France. We spent two weekends in Paris and the week on the coast of Brittany. As might be expected in northern France, the food was fantastic, the weather slightly less so. But despite the sun's poor showing we had a wonderful time especially splashing in the sea and hiking along the seashore. More photos to follow.

Happy Birthday Ellen!

 

Sunflowers

When we go on car trips in July, I keep an eye out for sunflower fields and roads that run near them. On last weekend's trek to Hradec Kralove, we found a field and road we could stop on but the flowers were, all but one, resolutely facing the other way.

Postcard from the Bohemian border

The dials turned randomly, but I liked the weather station on the main square in Hradec Kralove.

Weekend in the Sun

This weekend we drove to Tabor, Třebon and Cesky Krumlov to visit our babysitters at their spa and to introduce Czech towns to my father. The weather continued hot but the skies were magnificent and this picture from Cesky Krumlov shows off the amazing light we revelled in all weekend.

Added bonus - if you peek closely you might even be able to find Caroline watching the boaters slip over the weir! (She is not in the stroller, as she emphatically reminded me ;-).

Photos of fall

A few weeks ago, Nerd's Eye View sent me to a super recipe for plum dumplings over at Mausi. When my plum supply was replenished (it is the year of the plum, I'm told) we ate many many many until C was sick of the sight of them. When I came home from work one day, I found a plum dumpling surprise awaiting us, thanks to a long nap and a very kind babysitter! C had no problem eating these. We rolled them in breadcrumbs and powdered sugar and they were very good. But I still want to try the German recipe for comparison.

Our courtyard - the new Vermont for seasonal foilage tours?