B Chronicles

Salty Textures

2010-11-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

The Great Salt Lake has a beauty I was never able to fully comprehend when I was younger. Returning there after my years away have opened me. The air, serenity, vastness. It's textures. It's quiet.

Genius or Mad?

2010-07-26T11:23:00.000-06:00

I am currently in my kitchen. I am alone. And I am amusing myself to no end by doing this over and over. Did I mention I was alone? Now you know.

Semifinal

2010-07-07T03:41:00.008-06:00

I've got my fingers crossed for a Germany-Holland title game which means getting past Spain tonight. Despite what Paul may think, the feat is very possible. Let's hope he's wrong. I don't know what I will do when the World Cup is over, the madness is contagious.

In May, Germany won the Eurovision Song Contest with this song here. It's catchy enough, but some students here in Münster put together their own version,'Schland O 'Schland, just for the World Cup. So I'm off to dance and get in the mood for some football.... Enjoy!

Useless fact: This video was made in Südpark, one block from my home and where I walked, picnicked, read, and napped nearly daily for over two years. For lyrics (in German) keep reading....

2006, ich schalt' den Fernseher an
WM im eigenen Land
Bunte Fahnen in der Hand
Ein Sommermärchen, olé!

Dann in der Schweiz und Österreich
Die Bilder auf den Straßen gleich
Die Sommerparty frisch und leicht
Ich glaube, ich versteh'!

Schland o Schland
Wir sind von dir begeistert
Und darum feiern wir mit dir
Schon heute wie die Weltmeister

In Südafrika, ja
Da wollen's alle wissen
Doch in diesem Jahr, da
Feiern wir einfach (nur)

Auf geht's nach Südafrika
Fußball spielen, ist doch klar
Von Kapstadt nach Pretoria
Über Johannesburg und Bloemfontein.

Zakumi gibt sich sehr galant
Und hat sogar ne Hose an
Doch heut' brauchen wir alle Mann
Um geschlossen hinter dir zu steh'n.

Schland o Schland

Wir sind von dir begeistert

Und darum feiern wir mit dir

Schon heute wie die Weltmeister

In Südafrika, ja

Da wollen's alle wissen

Doch in diesem Jahr, da

Feiern wir einfach (nur)

Schland o Schland

Wir sind von dir begeistert

Und darum feiern wir mit dir

Schon heute wie die Weltmeister

Ein Märchen, was ein Traum!
Nur Fußball?
Nein, nein, das glaub' ich kaum.
Und heute feiern alle Leute mit!

Die Angie, der Kaiser,
sogar der Papst, nur vielleicht etwas leiser.
Wir nähern uns dem Titel,
Schritt für Schritt!

We all know, what we could do
Lena somehow showed you to
Even if you don't bring that cup with you
We're gonna love you either way!

Schland o Schland

Wir sind von dir begeistert

Und darum feiern wir mit dir

Schon heute wie die Weltmeister

In Südafrika, ja

Da wollen's alle wissen

Doch in diesem Jahr, da

Feiern wir einfach (nur)

Schland o Schland

Wir sind von dir begeistert

Und darum feiern wir mit dir

Schon heute wie die Weltmeister

Soccer Fever

2010-07-02T10:25:00.001-06:00

The views of a four year old during the World Cup:

I only root for the winners. Oh, and the USA last week.

Uh, thanks.

young pups

2010-07-01T10:26:00.000-06:00

There is a day that everyone seems to insist is coming. The day when I will be happy to look younger than my age. "Once you hit thirty," I've often heard. With less than a year until I hit that mark, I'm not holding my breath. Embarrassment is what I felt when I was recently ID'd at an 18+ club, followed by anger as I was laughed at insultingly over my actual age. And today it was awkwardness, not happiness, that came over me as I was hit on by some "fellow" eighteen year olds.

But I'm sure the day is eventually coming.....

Foux Da Fa Fa

2010-06-23T03:21:00.001-06:00

The great advantage of living in Europe is the ease in which one can travel to cities and new countries. The first weekend in June I took the high speed train from Köln to Paris in just three hours and for only 30€ each way. I have never had a great desire to see Paris, but I thought it would be rather stupid to not jump on such an opportunity. I am happy I did and can say I will likely not ever make a point of going again unless I have weeks to spend there. I don't see how it could be a city that one would immediately fall in love with. It's crowded and expensive, and I believe all of it's natural charm is hidden. There is simply too much to see and all of it is big and grand. Sensory overload.

On the train I chatted with the German girl sitting next to me and we arranged to meet up the next day. I was grateful for her. She could speak French, which was beyond helpful, and it was quickly apparent that Paris is not a city to visit alone. I wish I had had a pedometer with me. We saw most of the major sites and did it all by foot.

My favorite time in the city was night. Once the sun goes down and many tourists are back in their hotels or in restaurants, a magic is cast over the city. I CouchSurfed while I was there and my host, a very friendly and open French man, lent me his bicycle (the way to get around). Friday evening he joined me on a very cool bike tour of the city. There were so many people on this ride that we dominated the streets, cars having to wait for us to go by. In the very blurry photo above you may be able to make out Champs d'Elysees which we were riding towards.

Saturday evening was spent picnicking on the Seine which was full of people and music. A bit of dancing was called for of course. My favorite bit was the Tango dancing. For whatever reason the group didn't have permission on that evening to play loud music, so all the dancers and observers were very quiet, straining to hear the music. The effect was magical. The energy between partners was heightened and the only sounds to be heard was breath and the movement of feet against the cobblestone.

By the time Sunday came around I was still wanting to visit the Musee d'Orsay and was sorely dissappointed when I arrived to see the longest line I had yet encountered. Thoroughly fed up by people I was relieved when in passing I heard "Versailles" muttered. I was pleased to discover that it is just a short train ride from Paris. So I escaped.

There is nothing in all that I have learned, read, or seen of the Palace in Versailles that could have prepared me for the absolute, awe inspiring immensity of the place. Every photo I took still dwarfed the place. There are separate fees for the gardens and each of the Palaces. While discovering the architecture would have been nice, the weather was far too nice to spend the day indoors and the gardens deserve a minimum of 3-4 hours to wander, and that is if you just want to leisurely wander and not take breaks for ice cream or a picnic. I must say, though Paris certainly is a master at being beautiful, it was Versailles that absolutely won me over and make my trip well worth it.

[More photos found on Flickr]

Bonjour!

2010-06-09T02:12:00.000-06:00

Spent the a long weekend in Paris... I love trains! Sifting through photos and I just may get inspired to finally post again on the blog. I've been absent for a while, haven't I?

Corny obsession...

2010-04-27T13:20:00.001-06:00

I have been going a little crazy since moving into a place with a freakin' waffle maker. Um, I love waffles. At present I am surrounded by mounds of these ones here, enough to last me the week in breakfasts and then some. Last week I ended up making Herbed Corn Waffles with Apple Jalapeño Syrup twice. Once on Sunday and again on Wednesday. I adore the play of flavours here... herbal, sweet and a little bit of heat. I accidentally increased the herbs the second go around and think I will keep the change in the future. Really, this is a great Autumn recipe to celebrate the harvest, but canned corn works beautifully. You want to make these waffles, I know you do. Recipe after the jump....

Herbed Corn Waffles

1 1/2 fresh or canned corn kernels
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 Tbsp lemon juice)
3 tablespoons water
3 large eggs
Nonstick spray and butter for the waffle iron
Apple-Jalape–o Syrup (recipe follows)

Preheat the waffle iron.
Combine the corn and herbs in a bowl. Add the melted butter, mix gently and set aside.
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar in a medium sized bowl and mix well.
Combine the buttermilk, water and eggs into a 4-cup liquid measure. Beat gently with a fork until smooth. Pour this mixture, along with the corn-butter-herb mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until thoroughly blended,. Don't overmix, a few lumps are okay.
Lightly spray the hot waffle iron on both the top and bottom surfaces with nonstick spray, then rub on a little butter. (This is most easily accomplished by generously buttering a chunk of bread and using it as a nifty, edible utensil to
butter the waffle iron.) Add enough batter to just cover the cooking surfaceÑapproximately 1/2 cup.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on your waffle iron. Don't overbakeÑyou want it crisp and brown but not too dark. It's okay to peek.
Serve hot, topped with a drizzle of Apple-Jalape–o Syrup and a sprinkling of the reserved corn-butter-herb mixture.

Apple-Jalapeño Syrup

6 1/2 cups apple juice (1.5 liter)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 (2-inch) jalapeño chili, sliced

Add the apple juice, lemon juice and jalapeño to a saucepan. Boil on a medium-high heat and reduce down to 1/4 of the original volume, stirring occasionally. This can take an hour or two. Now add the sugar and boil until the sugar is dissolved. The apple syrup is ready when it coats the back of a spoon but still drips off like honey. Pour the apple syrup into a clean jam jar. Remove chilies before serving. Syrup keeps for quite a long time.

Fun with Graphics

2010-04-27T01:30:00.003-06:00

Warmer weather has turned me off to making cold weather coziness, but the sun has inspired me in other ways. New in the shop are these notebooks. Hand embroidered with rad graphic bursts. As fascinating to create as they are to look at. Check out the full selection here.

Movin' on up

2010-04-25T15:11:00.000-06:00

TWO YEARS. I can hardly believe I have been abroad for this long. Though it no longer feels "abroad". At the beginning of April I moved out of the apartment I have been in and it was strange to say goodbye. I'm now sub-letting a room until the end of August at which time I will more than likely find myself stateside again. The new place is already furnished so I had to sell all my big furniture, something I felt very resistant to. So there it is, the last look at my old apartment on Olfersstraße. Goodbye. And hello new apartment with borrowed furniture and a ridiculously comfortable kitchen....

Brown Sugar Scrub

2010-04-25T14:59:00.000-06:00

Happy soft skin that's not embarrassing to show off in warm weather dresses... hooray. I made a brown sugar scrub today! This stuff is usually ridiculously expensive ($16-$60 for a small tub), but the ingredients are minimal. The sugar (or salt) exfoliates and the oil moisturizes. I love my skin after using this stuff. Make some for yourself and some extra for a super lovely gift (ahem... Mothers day?).

What you need:

a jar or container with a lid (wide and shallow is best if you have it)
2 parts raw sugar to
1 part oil (apricot, sunflower, almond...)*
a few drops of essential oil of your choice

*I used some massage oil that I knew I would not otherwise be putting to use to great success.

Mix 'er up and store in a container with a lid.

Scrub, rinse, and be amazed obsessed with the softness of your own skin.

imposter

2010-04-17T14:25:00.000-06:00

I went to a concert last night, the band is from New York. After the show I was chatting with the pianist and was complemented on the quality of my English which I, of course, had to grin at. Apparently I speak with a slight German accent that is deceiving to other Americans.

Later in the evening I spent some hours dancing and talking with some Germans. Towards the end of the evening I was interrupted mid-sentence with, "Wait! Where were you born?" Once it came out that I am, in fact, not German, I happily received the feedback that no accent had been detected for some hours.

I still have loads to learn with this ridiculous language, but it's moments like these that remind me how integrated I have become in a relatively short amount of time. Rad.

Happy St Patty's Day!

2010-03-17T00:04:00.005-06:00

another kind of masterpiece theatre

2010-02-28T16:12:00.000-07:00

This site makes me ever so happy. Silhouettes and cheeky humor... it's the best kind of combination.

an irreverent welcome

2010-02-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

{click for a larger view}

My mom just sent me a few pictures from when I arrived at the airport in Salt Lake just before Christmas. As per usual there were groups waiting for Mormon Missionaries returning home from their two year journey. Thanks to my brother, though, I had the best sign of the lot. As I passed one of the groups a woman enthusiastically asked where I had served my mission, apparently oblivious to my street clothing, pierced nose, and the bikini clad jell-o wrestlers adorning my welcome sign.

the last weekend

2010-02-28T10:57:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is March. Can you believe it?! Around here that means my roommate, Anne, is moving out. I already miss her. She's only moving a ten minute walk away, but it's much more appropriate to cross the hall half dressed to visit with her than crossing Hammerstraße.

Her and I spent our last weekend together as flatmates in Köln. First hitting up a Marit Larsen concert on Friday night. Afterwards, we wandered in the direction of the Altstadt with the hopes of dancing ourselves silly. That didn't happen. But we got a refreshing mix of bars to choose from. The first being the Bier Museum. From the name and principle alone I assumed it would be a winner as they had a huge selection of beers from the world over (unusual to find in Germany). But we were bombarded with an overly packed room of 40 year old men singing, no, belting out German folk music, David Hasselhoff, and..... well, we didn't stick around to find out what else.

Just two doors down we found an equally as crowded bar featuring a rockin' jazz band. From the moment we walked through those doors our evening just kept improving. The bar was also heavy on older men leering at us, but the music and few people there just to have fun made up for the awkwardness. As we got ready to look for somewhere to dance two Americans ended up talking with me and joined us for the rest of the evening. Something I was briefly worried about as Anne really hates speaking English. Before Friday I had heard maybe five sentences come from her mouth. But it all turned out to be beyond enjoyable. It was also nice to not be the one stumbling for words for a moment. :)

The next day was set aside for pure enjoyment. My heart never tires of the sight of the cathedral in Cologne. It's the most impressive piece of Gothic architecture I have yet seen. This time around I took the time to climb the south tower and it was absolutely worth it. Graced as we were with sun and sporadic clouds, we could see for miles. In the distance, mountains (the term being used here ever so loosely) which are missing from my everyday view. Inside we were lucky enough to witness a service of some sort. Aside from it being refreshing to see the place as more than a tourist trap, it was a beautiful experience to hear chanting and singing, the earthy scent of incense hanging in the air. The atmosphere commanded more calmness than I usually experience when there.

Though it's best known for it's Cathedral and partying, that's not all Cologne is about. Anne and I did our share of Stadtbummeln (bumming through the city) on Saturday. It was more aimless wandering than anything, but it was nice to have a beautiful spring-like day to celebrate and a fabulous friend to share it with. Delicious food, a small amount of shopping, and a good deal of time dedicated to strolling and resting along the Rhine were all on the agenda. I don't feel I got any real kind of feel of the pulse of the city, but the little pockets of energy felt were different than that of my little Münster and were therefore very welcome. Köln, I would come see you again.

Liebe Anne.... ich danke dir ganz Herzlich für deine Freundschaft und Unterstützung. Das Leben in Deutschland werde bestimmt schwererer sein wenn du nicht dabei wurdest. Das Wochenende war einen wunderschönen Abendteuer und ich bin so froh das ich mit dir alleine feiern könnte.

Fachwerk:::Musik

2010-02-28T05:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks now, but I was lucky enough to catch a show by Adam Acuragi and friends one Sunday afternoon. His music is amazing and the venue rocked. An old timbered house on the outskirts of the city, just on the edge of a forested area. His voice and presence dug right into the center of me and I loved seeing the banjo and slide guitar heavily featured in his songs. Three cheers for live music....

Sin is Just An Old Archery Term and The Belgian videos from One Take New York. Check out his Daytrotter Session and get a few songs of his. You won't be disappointed.

E-Werk Cologne:::Concert

2010-02-28T05:10:00.000-07:00

I got back from Köln last night, the sole purpose of the trip was to catch Marit Larsen in concert. A Norwegian musician that my roommate simply adores. The music is sweet. Sometimes too sweet. But it was fun nonetheless and nice to have an excuse to have a small adventure with Anne. Check out her site, she's rather popular in Germany right now. All the boys crush on her. All the girls want to be her.

Desktop Gallery Love

2010-02-28T04:03:00.000-07:00

Always looking for something silly and creative to do, I made new icons for my most used programs, creating a mini gallery on my desktop. I used photoshop to remove any unwanted backgrounds which makes the images really pop. And what's more... each time I click the icon to open the program it hops up and down in excitement, amusing me to no end.

Click the images for a slightly larger view.

the weeks top five

2010-02-14T10:31:00.003-07:00

Some weeks I put my entire iTunes library on shuffle and enjoy what randomly plays. Other weeks a handful of songs that stick with me and I have to listen to them over and over again. This was such a week. Sometimes I just have a very specific taste for the time and sometimes there is something on my mind that music helps me work through. So these songs could mean nothing. They could mean everything. Either way, I am happy to have music to color my life. So here is what has been playing constantly this week:

Chivalry Thao Nguyen
Overlap Ani DiFranco
The Way You Move Outkast
Maybe You Can Owe Me Architecture in Helsinki
Accidental Babies Damien Rice

I also must direct your attention to this amazing Beyonce cover of a Crazy in Love by Antony and the Johnsons.

What is your life soundtrack sounding like right now?

a day of....

2010-02-14T02:43:00.003-07:00

1. As good as heart can wish, 2. See my heart?, 3. Week 21/52: How can I follow my heart if it refuses to move on?, 4. It's raining hearts (365/351), 5. Day 111 12.11.08 my delicate heart..., 6. Black Heart Balloons (explored!!)

Love has no desire but to fulfill itself. To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.

~Kahlil Gibran

blessed be...

2010-02-09T13:33:00.002-07:00

Today, as I skipped by and glanced in my mailbox I spotted a letter just for me from one of my soul mates. Nothing feels better than a word or two from someone I love. And when it comes written and delivered by hand it's all the better. I slipped it in my pocket, next to my heart, so that I could open it and read it at the height of my relaxing walk. As I strolled through the park, hot cocoa in one hand, the letter in the other, I was brought to tears by the beauty (in it's words and timely appearance in my life) of this blessing:

For Longing

Blessed be the longing that brought you here
And quickens your soul with wonder.
May you have the courage to listen to the voice of desire
That disturbs you when you have settled for something safe.
May you have the wisdom to enter generously into your own unease
To discover the new direction your longing want you to take.
May the forms of your belonging - in love, creativity, and friendship -
Be equal to the grandeur and the call of your soul.
May the one you long for long for you.
May your dreams gradually reveal the destination of your desire.
May a secret Providence guide your thought and nurture your feeling.
May your mind inhabit your life with the sureness with which your body inhabits the world.
May your heart never be haunted by ghost-structures of old damage.
May you come to accept your longing as divine urgency.
May you know the urgency with which God longs for you.

~John O'Donohue
To Bless the Space Between Us
© John O’Donohue. All rights reserved

It's a blessing I wish you as well.

Thank you, my Allie.

I build each one of my days out of hope

2010-02-04T12:23:00.007-07:00

and I give that hope your name

music by ani
photos by muah

WE: What do you want brought back?

2010-01-15T12:53:00.003-07:00

My answer...

Letters to an English schoolgirl 1936. Family history. (2), originally uploaded by penwren.

The Weekend Exposure Project is a weekly community event, sharing thoughts through imagery. Read about the Weekend Exposure Project and play along.

Mystic Hot Springs

2010-01-14T14:26:00.001-07:00

1. This Way 2. Hot Tub 3. Steam 4. Triptych

Nothing washes away stress and forces me to relax like being hugged and pampered, for hours, by hot water. Ahhhhh. Refreshing, relaxing, rejuvenating.... In Monroe, Utah, about 30 minutes from where my dad lives are Mystic Hot Springs. It's a bit of a dive but I prefer it that way as it keeps out the masses. The fact that it was a weekday, in winter, in rural Utah didn't hurt either. My favorite part of the soaking experience: rather than a huge pool filled with the spring water, individual claw foot tubs are spread about the hillside for a lovely view of the valley and surrounding hills. The water is directed into each tub and the use of stones to block the flow of water is the only temperature regulator. At the source the water comes out at 168° F/ 76° C~ Yowza! I think this little trip to the springs saved me from a crash and burn.

1. View 2. Hot Tub 3. Fire Pit 4. Tangled

It's well worth a stop if you're in the area or for a fun weekend getaway. You can rent a renovated pioneer cabin and in the summer there are concerts and festivals hosted on the grounds. Two hours by car and you are in Salt Lake, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Capitol Reef.

Larger views of these, and a few other pics, can be found here.