Daylight savings sneaked up on me this last weekend here in Spain. Fortunately I had slept late, a prereq for a nice weekend morning, and my Sunday am appointment was not missed either. I noticed that despite having an extra hour, I was still running late in the end. Seems like you go into leisure mode when you think you have an extra hour!
Another shock came today when I went to the store after work and came out of the store to pitch black skies of night. How does that surprise you every single year?
The pro in this case was waking up to light. I really, really don't like to get up in the dark, so I do not mind at all the next few weeks that will give me a day lit morning.
I will miss the longer evenings though. For some reason, even though the temperature didn't change, going for a long walk in the dark doesn't have the same appeal as a sunset stroll. In the heat of summer, however, we had to wait until 10 pm for the streets to cool down enough for a walk. Us and the rest of our Spanish village! Now we are all scurrying to the park at 5 or 6 pm. Our internal meters all seek the same bit of light. Or it could be I'm getting to be more Spanish in my life style? They seem to do things in groups, rarely are people doing things solitaire.
With Europe changing a week before the USA, I get messed up in my internal calculation of what time it is for my people back home. Then there's my grandpa in Arizona which doesn't participate in daylight savings so while his time doesn't change, I have to try to remember is this the season where he's 8 or 9 hours different from me?
I know a few people who are adamantly anti-time changing antics on the clock. Just leave it alone, they say. They don't care about long days in the summer.
I also have heard the other argument that they should just leave it switched so that the longer light is in the evenings, don't switch back and forth.
Extra light? No change? Which one are you?
Showing posts with label seasonal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seasonal. Show all posts
28 October 2013
04 August 2013
Cruise Quick stop wrap up: Estonia, Finland, Sweden
Talinn, Estonia
The old city stop off was near the port. A medieval colorful city with a crafts/trinkets market going in the main square even though it was a Wednesday. Not sure if it was a holiday or just a matter of the tourist part of town and summer catering to tourists. They were doing a good business so it was paying off whatever the cause.
We went into a lovely old church near the main square that was intimate, whitewashed and held ancient well used pews. Nothing fancy and they were putting up songbook numbers for a service later. Another church more of a grand cathedral had been turned into a museum that was mostly empty but had the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) panel paintings that remain from the medieval times by an unknown artist. Death in skeletal form but different costumes "danced" with people in all different walks of life and all different ages. It was an odd panel the full length of one of the chapels and had apparently been larger at one time.
We mostly wandered and shopped. The city was very colorful. and while medieval very different looking than what I might expect. Perhaps it was all the yellow paint and the ornate carvings on buildings that surprised me.
We got blueberry ice cream and lingonberry sorbet on the way back on purpose choosing something we hadn't seen elsewhere. It was just right and no stress kind of day. Perhaps we should have been more into the history but I just didn't have the energy. Linen goods (ie my sweater and a tablecloth) and Russian style paintings, dolls, hats etc seemed to be the things to buy.
Helsinki, Finland
We took a 10 euro shuttle to and from the center from the port which was a good move. it was a very boutique store city that looks like it'd be fun to do home decorating shopping in but I didn't what with flying with suitcases and walking around a city all day.
We walked down to a market along the water that had people selling fruit, Finnish meals on paper plates, and homemade goods. This was really delightful and while I'm sure kept up for tourists felt like locals were there too. We talked to girls who tried to get us to buy Spanish blueberries that were on sale which is funny since we traveling away from Spain. My man bought a winter hat from a lady who knitted it. The market had lots of heavy winter linens and knifes. I'm guessing summer is short there.
We walked on to an Orthodox church that was colorfull and then to what seemed to be the main square. It was dominated by an enormous Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral inside and outside it was airy and light gray indoors. The massive steps created a seating area to listen to the music festival and for the seagulls to swoop down to try to steal whatever you were eating. It was a local festival of music and crafts and food. The significant other being the brave eater that he is bought a paper bowl of minirit (sp?) a little white fried fish you eat whole (head, fins, tale) with a sort of hollandaise sauce drizzled on too if you wished. I think it is like smelt. Fried with a cornmeal type batter or something coarser anyway than the fried boquerones version in Spain. A band did some folk music and folk dancing going while we sat on the steps.
We shopped the little booths and I bought a little ceramic dish from the artist. I got in a long line for some pastry looking things and asked the ladies ahead of me what I was in line for! They explained it was a traditional pastry of rice, a savory thing. One lady remembered her grandmother making them. I didn't catch the name. They wanted to know all about my trip and were delightful to talk to. A rock band started then which they confirmed were singing in Finnish but were "too loud". The pastry was artistically folded dough around a middle of rice mush then it was fried, and then it appeared to be rolled in melted butter. It was tasty but not a dramatic flavor. It made me think of survival food that needed to fill you up. While I was eating it, I got pooped on by a seagull. Someone told me that is good luck.
Stockholm, Sweden
We walked about a mile to the Gamla Stan "remarkably preserved" Old Town. It was windy, cold (in June!) with small pretty streets and loads of shops but not all open since it was Sunday. Lots of ice cream shops making their waffle cones and it smelled so good. Lots of artsy boutiques again and fun felted hats and paintings and such. We had to get money at an ATM as they are EU but not on the Euro. Kroners. It is really hard to estimate how much you need of currency when you are only there for a few hours. Every place took credit cards too.
We ended up wandering into the royal palace in the Gamla Stan and went in for 150K each, not a cheap ticket but you do get to see a lot of rooms. Most of the upholstered furniture is covered with ticking type covers, probably for protection, so the impression is not as grand as it could be. It felt like a much more subdued palace especially after Russia. It had gone thru several phases of people, royals actually living in it and what is now a cabinet meeting room was once a royal dining room. A modern room done in 1998 for the king's jubilee was all retro and 1950s expensive looking. The palace was just more used and somehow friendlier than the big shiny palaces though there were some lovely rooms. The white sea room and a dining room based on the Versailles mirror room were some of the blinged rooms. Parts of the palace had a little of an early American feel to me probably because it was moved into in 1740 or thereabouts.
A military band started playing while we were inside which was interesting and there were still ceremonies going when we came out and we imagined what if it was for you all that ceremony. The Swedes wore imposing military pickle hats at least ceremonially. It was and interesting changing of the guard.
We had a huge slice of apple strudel from a quaint coffee shop that the prince and or his wife had been to - at least I think that's why they can display the photograph but not sure... then we got ice cream. What decadence. We took advantage of our time away from the ship to eat random local things rather than try to squeeze in another meal. We used the stairs on the 10 story ship a lot and the weight gain for me was only 2 pounds (1 kilo) whew!
The old city stop off was near the port. A medieval colorful city with a crafts/trinkets market going in the main square even though it was a Wednesday. Not sure if it was a holiday or just a matter of the tourist part of town and summer catering to tourists. They were doing a good business so it was paying off whatever the cause.
We went into a lovely old church near the main square that was intimate, whitewashed and held ancient well used pews. Nothing fancy and they were putting up songbook numbers for a service later. Another church more of a grand cathedral had been turned into a museum that was mostly empty but had the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) panel paintings that remain from the medieval times by an unknown artist. Death in skeletal form but different costumes "danced" with people in all different walks of life and all different ages. It was an odd panel the full length of one of the chapels and had apparently been larger at one time.
We mostly wandered and shopped. The city was very colorful. and while medieval very different looking than what I might expect. Perhaps it was all the yellow paint and the ornate carvings on buildings that surprised me.
We got blueberry ice cream and lingonberry sorbet on the way back on purpose choosing something we hadn't seen elsewhere. It was just right and no stress kind of day. Perhaps we should have been more into the history but I just didn't have the energy. Linen goods (ie my sweater and a tablecloth) and Russian style paintings, dolls, hats etc seemed to be the things to buy.
Helsinki, Finland
We took a 10 euro shuttle to and from the center from the port which was a good move. it was a very boutique store city that looks like it'd be fun to do home decorating shopping in but I didn't what with flying with suitcases and walking around a city all day.
We walked down to a market along the water that had people selling fruit, Finnish meals on paper plates, and homemade goods. This was really delightful and while I'm sure kept up for tourists felt like locals were there too. We talked to girls who tried to get us to buy Spanish blueberries that were on sale which is funny since we traveling away from Spain. My man bought a winter hat from a lady who knitted it. The market had lots of heavy winter linens and knifes. I'm guessing summer is short there.
We walked on to an Orthodox church that was colorfull and then to what seemed to be the main square. It was dominated by an enormous Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral inside and outside it was airy and light gray indoors. The massive steps created a seating area to listen to the music festival and for the seagulls to swoop down to try to steal whatever you were eating. It was a local festival of music and crafts and food. The significant other being the brave eater that he is bought a paper bowl of minirit (sp?) a little white fried fish you eat whole (head, fins, tale) with a sort of hollandaise sauce drizzled on too if you wished. I think it is like smelt. Fried with a cornmeal type batter or something coarser anyway than the fried boquerones version in Spain. A band did some folk music and folk dancing going while we sat on the steps.
We shopped the little booths and I bought a little ceramic dish from the artist. I got in a long line for some pastry looking things and asked the ladies ahead of me what I was in line for! They explained it was a traditional pastry of rice, a savory thing. One lady remembered her grandmother making them. I didn't catch the name. They wanted to know all about my trip and were delightful to talk to. A rock band started then which they confirmed were singing in Finnish but were "too loud". The pastry was artistically folded dough around a middle of rice mush then it was fried, and then it appeared to be rolled in melted butter. It was tasty but not a dramatic flavor. It made me think of survival food that needed to fill you up. While I was eating it, I got pooped on by a seagull. Someone told me that is good luck.
Stockholm, Sweden
We walked about a mile to the Gamla Stan "remarkably preserved" Old Town. It was windy, cold (in June!) with small pretty streets and loads of shops but not all open since it was Sunday. Lots of ice cream shops making their waffle cones and it smelled so good. Lots of artsy boutiques again and fun felted hats and paintings and such. We had to get money at an ATM as they are EU but not on the Euro. Kroners. It is really hard to estimate how much you need of currency when you are only there for a few hours. Every place took credit cards too.
We ended up wandering into the royal palace in the Gamla Stan and went in for 150K each, not a cheap ticket but you do get to see a lot of rooms. Most of the upholstered furniture is covered with ticking type covers, probably for protection, so the impression is not as grand as it could be. It felt like a much more subdued palace especially after Russia. It had gone thru several phases of people, royals actually living in it and what is now a cabinet meeting room was once a royal dining room. A modern room done in 1998 for the king's jubilee was all retro and 1950s expensive looking. The palace was just more used and somehow friendlier than the big shiny palaces though there were some lovely rooms. The white sea room and a dining room based on the Versailles mirror room were some of the blinged rooms. Parts of the palace had a little of an early American feel to me probably because it was moved into in 1740 or thereabouts.
A military band started playing while we were inside which was interesting and there were still ceremonies going when we came out and we imagined what if it was for you all that ceremony. The Swedes wore imposing military pickle hats at least ceremonially. It was and interesting changing of the guard.
We had a huge slice of apple strudel from a quaint coffee shop that the prince and or his wife had been to - at least I think that's why they can display the photograph but not sure... then we got ice cream. What decadence. We took advantage of our time away from the ship to eat random local things rather than try to squeeze in another meal. We used the stairs on the 10 story ship a lot and the weight gain for me was only 2 pounds (1 kilo) whew!
23 November 2010
Traditional Foods says who?
What's on your table for the holidays? Same thing for Christmas and Thanksgiving? Do you cringe if your "traditional" foods aren't there? I overheard someone recently say they just get a turkey breast and do that for Thanksgiving and I thought, "how sad." Then I realized my own food filter ideas were at work.
Traditional Thanksgiving for me is as follows. Turkey, a big whole golden bird. I'm flexible on where the stuffing is at (in or out of the bird) what with health concerns and all. Some people are not flexible on this. But DO note there IS stuffing. Gotta be mashed potatoes and gravy. I really prefer REAL gravy, it can be supplemented by some broth of course, but not the mix stuff (oh Lord, I sound like my grandpa!).
Rolls, I would say are a traditional Thanksgiving table item. I'm not major on them because at my age I gotta save calories for the important stuff. I'm in charge of bringing rolls this year. Much to my mom's disappointment (though to her credit she didn't say it outloud exactly) I'm not making them from scratch. I don't think it's the time as much as the mental energy right now.
Cranberry sauce, traditional gotta be on the table. I'm not a fan and don't eat it but it's gotta be there. At the Hartman house, it is made from scratch and actually looks appetizing compared ot the can shape stuff which is sort of fascinating. Maybe I'll try some this year.
Vegetable? I don't have a vegetable in my turkey tradition slot in my brain. I know for many this space is filled with the infamous green bean casserole. I suspect I may the only North American who doesn't care for this that much. Love green beans, but the creamy action in there isn't my favorite. I'll eat it, but saute my green beans in a little bacon fat and I'm happy. But I would even be at peace with another vegetable on the table. No tradition for me here.
Salad. Totally optional. Not tradition for me. Black olives are a side item that I expect often but I think that is left over from my childhood more than their actual presence.
Pumpkin pie is a no brainer of course for dessert. I love pecan pie but didn't always have it growing up with Thanksgiving, but I would say those are the two that need to be on the dessert table.
I have a friend who always has homemade noodles with the Turkey traditional dinner. It's not thanksgiving for her without noodles. What are your gotta haves? What is traditional for you?
Traditional Thanksgiving for me is as follows. Turkey, a big whole golden bird. I'm flexible on where the stuffing is at (in or out of the bird) what with health concerns and all. Some people are not flexible on this. But DO note there IS stuffing. Gotta be mashed potatoes and gravy. I really prefer REAL gravy, it can be supplemented by some broth of course, but not the mix stuff (oh Lord, I sound like my grandpa!).
Rolls, I would say are a traditional Thanksgiving table item. I'm not major on them because at my age I gotta save calories for the important stuff. I'm in charge of bringing rolls this year. Much to my mom's disappointment (though to her credit she didn't say it outloud exactly) I'm not making them from scratch. I don't think it's the time as much as the mental energy right now.
Cranberry sauce, traditional gotta be on the table. I'm not a fan and don't eat it but it's gotta be there. At the Hartman house, it is made from scratch and actually looks appetizing compared ot the can shape stuff which is sort of fascinating. Maybe I'll try some this year.
Vegetable? I don't have a vegetable in my turkey tradition slot in my brain. I know for many this space is filled with the infamous green bean casserole. I suspect I may the only North American who doesn't care for this that much. Love green beans, but the creamy action in there isn't my favorite. I'll eat it, but saute my green beans in a little bacon fat and I'm happy. But I would even be at peace with another vegetable on the table. No tradition for me here.
Salad. Totally optional. Not tradition for me. Black olives are a side item that I expect often but I think that is left over from my childhood more than their actual presence.
Pumpkin pie is a no brainer of course for dessert. I love pecan pie but didn't always have it growing up with Thanksgiving, but I would say those are the two that need to be on the dessert table.
I have a friend who always has homemade noodles with the Turkey traditional dinner. It's not thanksgiving for her without noodles. What are your gotta haves? What is traditional for you?
19 November 2010
Evolution of Thanksgiving
I haven't seen what Thanksgiving looks like in the USA for 6 years. So it has been interesting to watch the approach of this magnificent holiday after such a long absence. Keep in mind these are simply personal observations, nothing scientific at all.
One thing I noticed is that Halloween is bigger than it has ever been. I'm not anti-halloween, but I did notice the decorating aspects of it seem to have gotten darker, ghoulier if you will. While that seems unrelated, it is in comparison that I bring it up.
I saw and felt the approach of Halloween in stores, in yards, in the media. Immediately thereafter, I heard Christmas music, saw bell ringers, etc. It was an immediate switch to Christmas themed things, Christmas anticipation. The atmosphere, unspoken, is that we are on to the "holidays" which in theory could include Thanksgiving, but doesn't appear to do so.
I realize Thanksgiving isn't necessarily a major holiday, but it still deserves it's own acknowledgment and space. It is a holiday unique to our country in that we celebrate our existence and survival and have in the past acknowledged that God was involved in that survival. A moment to pause and give thanks for our country's existence, but hopefully also for the year we've managed to survive once again.
I've almost felt a certain cultural pressure to move on to Christmas, decorations, music etc. I've held out with my two pumpkin decorations however, (the rest migrated to Spain with me), and will try my best to cut Thanksgiving some space in the holiday-space time continuum.
One thing I noticed is that Halloween is bigger than it has ever been. I'm not anti-halloween, but I did notice the decorating aspects of it seem to have gotten darker, ghoulier if you will. While that seems unrelated, it is in comparison that I bring it up.
I saw and felt the approach of Halloween in stores, in yards, in the media. Immediately thereafter, I heard Christmas music, saw bell ringers, etc. It was an immediate switch to Christmas themed things, Christmas anticipation. The atmosphere, unspoken, is that we are on to the "holidays" which in theory could include Thanksgiving, but doesn't appear to do so.
I realize Thanksgiving isn't necessarily a major holiday, but it still deserves it's own acknowledgment and space. It is a holiday unique to our country in that we celebrate our existence and survival and have in the past acknowledged that God was involved in that survival. A moment to pause and give thanks for our country's existence, but hopefully also for the year we've managed to survive once again.
I've almost felt a certain cultural pressure to move on to Christmas, decorations, music etc. I've held out with my two pumpkin decorations however, (the rest migrated to Spain with me), and will try my best to cut Thanksgiving some space in the holiday-space time continuum.
13 April 2010
Green, green, green
After living in a very brown environment, Madrid, Spain, and after surviving the snow every other day winter of Kansas City, I am reveling in the green of spring. Mercifully despite a late snow, it didn't freeze out the flowering trees or bushes and everything has bloomed gloriously. I'm lovin' it!
While the tulip trees are shedding their brief moment of pink and white, I noticed today that many, many yards in the area are rioting with purple violet-type flowers or stalks of light purple flowers and the accompanying dandilions. Green, purple, and yellow. It's a beautiful pallet and I was delighted with it walking today.
Now, I know in, ahem shall we say, other neighborhoods this would not be acceptable. The grass would be a respectable deep green and there would be none of this frolicking of purple and yellow mixed in to the pristine green.
I love, love, love the flower mixture in a yard. It is so casual and happy, even if it is not what a yard is "suppose" to be. I've never had the perfect yard so maybe I'm biased.
On the other hand, a big patch of that perfect green, makes me want to disregard my dignity and roll on my back in the yard like a happy pouch. I guess me wallowing in the perfect greenness would take some of the prperness out of it, huh?
While the tulip trees are shedding their brief moment of pink and white, I noticed today that many, many yards in the area are rioting with purple violet-type flowers or stalks of light purple flowers and the accompanying dandilions. Green, purple, and yellow. It's a beautiful pallet and I was delighted with it walking today.
Now, I know in, ahem shall we say, other neighborhoods this would not be acceptable. The grass would be a respectable deep green and there would be none of this frolicking of purple and yellow mixed in to the pristine green.
I love, love, love the flower mixture in a yard. It is so casual and happy, even if it is not what a yard is "suppose" to be. I've never had the perfect yard so maybe I'm biased.
On the other hand, a big patch of that perfect green, makes me want to disregard my dignity and roll on my back in the yard like a happy pouch. I guess me wallowing in the perfect greenness would take some of the prperness out of it, huh?
28 February 2007
Signs of Spring
Spring is popping up here - and it's just February 28. I have lived many, many years in a climate that has a much longer winter and this is a really wild sensation.
I still have all my sweaters out. Our winter was so mild there are two heavy ones I never wore. I think the winter here has the potential to be colder than it happened to be this year, but it ends much earlier that's for certain.
We get most of our rain through the winter, so the usually brown hills around us are greening up. The pansies in our yard never died during the winter so they are popping up with flowers. The early blooming trees are sprouting white and pink petals. It's hard to believe it's so early.
I feel a little guilty about enjoying this since everyone has had such a hard winter. I have to remind myself to get out and enjoy it now because it will get really, really hot later.
Another sign of spring is strawberries. My favorite fruit. Last year I missed them because I thought it was some weird hot house aberration last year when they came in February. I'm learning that things disappear after they go out of season, so you have to enjoy them while they last.
Not sure if this will show up very well, but tonight we had a brief shower and a very strong rainbow with the beginning of a double. The end of the rainbow was out in the wild lands behind our house. First on a power line poll which is kind of funny because that is a pot of gold for someone. Then the end of the rainbow moved to the rabbit warren we can see, hmmm.
I still have all my sweaters out. Our winter was so mild there are two heavy ones I never wore. I think the winter here has the potential to be colder than it happened to be this year, but it ends much earlier that's for certain.
We get most of our rain through the winter, so the usually brown hills around us are greening up. The pansies in our yard never died during the winter so they are popping up with flowers. The early blooming trees are sprouting white and pink petals. It's hard to believe it's so early.
I feel a little guilty about enjoying this since everyone has had such a hard winter. I have to remind myself to get out and enjoy it now because it will get really, really hot later.
Another sign of spring is strawberries. My favorite fruit. Last year I missed them because I thought it was some weird hot house aberration last year when they came in February. I'm learning that things disappear after they go out of season, so you have to enjoy them while they last.
Not sure if this will show up very well, but tonight we had a brief shower and a very strong rainbow with the beginning of a double. The end of the rainbow was out in the wild lands behind our house. First on a power line poll which is kind of funny because that is a pot of gold for someone. Then the end of the rainbow moved to the rabbit warren we can see, hmmm.
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