Author Archives: Kim Halloran-Fry

good apple pies

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"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness."

— Jane Austen

pie

Since summer feels ever so much like fall this year we decided on a nice apple pie for my husband's homecoming dinner Friday evening.  Moira came into the kitchen as I was kneading pie crust and wanted to do the apples.  Between us it was efficient work, almost meditative.  Exactly what the end of this week needed. 

pie
pie slice
I am a devotee of real whipped cream since discovering how easy it was to make. Sugar, cream, and strong arms to whisk.  Alannah and I each took a turn at it and it set up nicely.  

We used this recipe for the crust and this for the pie. (though you can see I was a bit ambitious tackling the lattice top….ah well, we tried)

Served on newly thrifted green transferware.  Oh I love it when my eye catches a bit of the familiar china pattern peeking out from boxes of discards at the junk shops. A dollar here, a dollar there, and a collection grows – no longer confined to a particular color.  I love them all. 

Weinstrasse

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Some combination of us have been preparing for a trip, on a trip or unpacking from a trip pretty steadily lately.  Wish my connection was fast enough to upload fullsize pics.  When I am home, and not cleaning something or running errands, there is sewing, read alouds, walks,  movies, and hours upon hours of board games.  Resizing images doesn't always make the cut which is why there is Rome, Munich, Neustadt, and Speyer still in the queue here.  I'll get there though.  It's a good busy. 

vineyard

Make Way For Ducklings

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I realize this makes two bird posts in one week.  Came around a corner this morning and had to hit the breaks for a long line of ducklings waddling down the road. They seemed just as surprised to see me and finally hunkered down near the shoulder as we passed.  ducklings
Do all mama's do this?  Have this rush of adrenaline, mind racing thinking where is your mama?? (or farmer or whatever?) How long have you been out?  There is another car coming.  Omigosh I cannot look.  I really need to DO something.  I will drive over between them and the car….

Yeah.  It really doesn't matter the species.  I have permanent mama wrinkles in my being I think.  

The Practical Housewife Week by Week Cleaning Challenge

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Dropping in for a second time today to share this link.  Mrs. Catherine who previously had an awesome Xanga site and a print newsletter  now has the Practical Housewife blog which is loaded with how-to's and videos.  She just began a new week by week challenge.   It's not too late to jump in.  She seems to also have a forum now too, though my position on forum's is that is usually a LOT more absorbing to talk about home making than it is to actually DO the homemaking.  (or homeschooling, or well, insert just about anything worth doing)  

The Stork’s Nest

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While driving to Burg Lichtenberg the other day we spotted a stork nesting on the roof of a home in a nearby village.  It was no small feat to snag the picture let me tell you.  Moira was not riding along so I had to plead with Alannah to hang out the window at the T stop and try to catch it.  However this is a teeeeeeny tiny village with one road in so cars continued to line up behind us and there is no street parking.  When the first shot blurred we had to drive another mile or so to turn around and line up again.  She heaved a big sigh of relief when she finally got it. : ) 

Gimsbach stork web

A few more storks were spotted poking around the meadow on the edge of town, but the nest was empty the next time we came through.  We were lucky to catch this one at just the right time. 

A few links you might enjoy:

Webcams of German stork nests here

stork sounds

Stork coloring page here and here and here

children's books:

The Wheel on the School

King Stork by Howard Pyle

The Fox and the Stork

Snapshots – Basket

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picnic

This week's theme at Snapshots Around the World is Basket.  What does this picture have to do with that you say?  Well if you zoom in on Allen's sunglasses you will see. Surprised him with lunch at the park during work the other day.  Complete with my favorite – apfelschorle.  

Please come join in the fun! We'd love to see your baskets.  

Ahoy!

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One of the best park days ever was spent at the Homberg Stadtpark, known locally as the Pirate Ship Park.  There is a large wooden pirate ship playground anchored in an enormous knee deep wading pool full of hefty rafts constructed in such a way that they can carry a heavy passenger load around the 'sea' despite its shallow depth. 

pirate ship

Typical of German parks you assume all risk and personal responsibility.  There are no gates, fences, staff.  Just a giant ship and lots of shady trees around the edges from which moms and dads can keep an eye out. 

raft

pirate
unless of course Dad lands himself in the water too….

pirate

pirate

pirate

 

chugging along

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Truth be told this summer has not only chugged along, but has been fairly barreling down the tracks.  During times like these it is even more important to provide for little pockets of recollection and quiet.  Organized play has it's place.   In this camp week that place has been most of our waking hours.  But the rest of the time there is also a lot of this. 

trains

train window

(and yes, those trains are sporting graffiti.  It's some rough territory they travel through… ; )) 
 trains 2
 For a boy who is in near perpetual motion it is especially endearing to see him so still, deep in thought, as he arranges and rearranges.