Year 2016

The Porcelain Palace–

Anna--The Adventurer

Amazing day!! The chapel is not normally open to tourists-visitors but today, with special perimissin, Thomas and I not only got a tour of the private chapel on estate grounds but I also was given the opprotunity to cross something off my bucket list–our guide ENCOURAGED me, with full permission (without me even asking) to ring the bell in the chapel–all after an amazing, personal tour of the estate–including the private chambers of the Margravine Franziska Sibylla Augusta of Sachsen-Lauenburg.

A week after touring the estate, Thomas and I were invited to attend a classical concert at the estate–an amazing evening where the musicians dressed in period correct costumes.  Champagne and delights were served during intermission and oh, what fun!!!

History Courtesy Wik.

Schloss Favorite is a castle on the outskirts of Rastatt-Förch in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Built by Johann Michael Ludwig Rohrer between 1710 and 1730, it was a pleasure and hunting palace (French: Maison de plaisance) used by Margravine Franziska Sibylla Augusta of Sachsen-Lauenburg, widow of Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden (‘Türkenlouis’). It is the oldest of the German so-called ‘Porcelain Palaces’ and the only to survive intact to this day. The castle was only used for several weeks a year as a summer residence.

The castle houses a large collection of Chinese porcelain, black lacquerwork and Schwartz Porcelain.

Address: Am Schloß Favorite 5, 76437 Rastatt, Germany

Tasty

Anna--The Adventurer 1 Comment

Creative Meal

Creative Meal

Okay, so I have not been in Germany long and the difference in measuring things, i.e. grams and milliliters verses cups and teaspoons has tripped me up…alas, I winged it today. I made a weird version of an open face sandwhich–mixing German and American??

Style:

Pumpernickel Bread

Carrot Sticks

Brown Gravy

Scrambled Eggs with Onions

Tillster Cheese

I srambled some eggs with chopped onions, putting it on pumpernickel bread

Sliced Tillster cheese ontop of the eggs, cover it all with brown gravy

Garnish with carrot sticks.

Result?? An ugly dish that tastes really, really good.

Game Night at Home

Anna--The Adventurer

Hot tea, Apples and Nutella

Hot tea, Apples and Nutella

Homemade1

Yogurt Dip and vegetables as snack

game-night

Thomas and I are playing dominoes

A lovely evening of playing games with my sweetheart. neither of us have played dominoes in years. We had to read the directions on the box and make a practice game or two before getting the hang of it.

Thomas has also ‘discovered’ that he likes apple slices and Nutella (the wonderful chocolate hazelnut creme spread)- I enjoyed this delightful snack before in the U.S.A but Thomas had never heard of the combo before–I think he is now hooked!!!

An Simple Breakfast

Anna--The Adventurer

Home Made Breakfast

Home Made Breakfast

An easy breakfast to dish up–takes under 12 minutes from start to finish.

2 Cups of Old Fashioned Oatmeal

3 cups of cold tap water

a pinch of salt

1/2 Cup of Dried Raisins ( I like to use the purple-dark raisins)

1 TSP of ground Cinnamon

Mix everything together in a pot–cook on medium low heat for 7-9 minutes, if the mix is too thick for you, add a bit more water.

Divide up into bowls, topping with a swirl-drizzle of honey. It is so good and easily made with very common ingredients–can easily be double or tripled or quadrupled for large groups and holiday guests.

I served it with a half slice of toast and half banana this morning for a little extra ‘boost’

 

Leaving on a jet plane

Anna--The Adventurer

moving-day

Packing up the house, putting things in boxes

Wow, so many things have occured over the past week so so.

Moving is always such a large chore but when moving across the ocean, it is even more challenging.  Last week,  I packed up a few tubs of things I chose to keep but would not be moving with me–and put them in storage (a.k.a. the garage of a family member) and cleaned out the rest of what was in the house I was renting–yes, there were things left over even after the giant yard sale that was hosted last autumn.

My mother came over and helped me host one last hoorah of an indoor yard sale and everything had to go–and it did!!! Now, I am living out of 2 large suitcases–everything in which I am taking to Germany with me fits in those two suitcases–it is kind of scary and liberating at the same time.

I would not consider myself a person whom owned or collected a lot of things but when dumping and shedding the entire contents of your home to move, it is a lot!! Everything from my bed to music cds to pots and pans got sold on the last yard sale–even my coffee pot (and I am a caffeine junkie!!)

The few tubs (like what one would store christmas decorations in) hold photo albums and memorabilia, simple things that are worthless to others but are priceless to me, things I could not bear parting with or replace.  Thankfully, I won’t have to pay storage fees or fret about the quality of the safety of the storage as it is with family–blessings come in many forms.

This past week, I spent time with friends and family, which has been super lovely–and then I sold my pickup, my only mode of personal transportation (with no public transporation available.) Why?? Well, I could not pack it, I did not want to store it and some extra money to start my new life is a good idea, right? Rosie, my little red 1996 Ford Ranger, drove me all over the United States and we had many adventures together…

Friday evening, my family hosted a going away party for me, which is always fun. I am going to miss the sound of the laughter of family and friends…alas, there is a bit of sorrow in leaving as well.

Yesterday, I spent the day with family from near and far, for a sad occasion as we all gathered for a funeral–my grandmother passed and the services were held–a time of loss is never easy.

I hitched a ride to Denver with my sister, loading up my 2 suitcases and bookbag into her SUV, feeling a bit overwhelmed with all that has occured this week.

My best friends baby shower–she is expecting her first child in June–and life has come full circle and her adventures as a new mommy are soon to arrive–so much to do and we did it all.

My sister and brother will be taking me to the airport tomorrow morning…so with my ticket in hand and a repacked suitcase (with insistance from my best friend and siblings that I had not packed it correctly).

Thomas is awaiting for my arrival on the other end…here I go.

 

Making a Plan

Anna--The Adventurer

The New Year has officially begun….and thus my brain started reeling of all the exciting things that the New Year will hold for me.  Daydreaming, I admit, is a ‘bad’ habit I possess; I am guilty in relishing in this habit as well, practicing it often, sometimes daily for hours on end. Whew!!

A fascinating article (5 Important Lessons You’ll Learn About Your Life When You’re Following Your Dreams) has prompted (inspired, encouraged) me to write down, list the things I dream (a.k.a. day dream) about doing…a bucket list of sorts but I am not about to keel over, no worries.

Dreams of Mine

(in no particular order, at this time!)

  • Swim with Whales
  • Whale Watching off the Coast of Alaska
  • Road Trip Across America with Friends
  • Niagara Falls
  • Dracula’s Castle, Borgoe Pass, Carpathian Mountains, Romania
  • Write a Novel
  • Plant and Maintain a small Fruit and Nut Orchard
  • Soak in the Hot Springs of Iceland
  • Marriage and Children
  • Build a Garden shed and chicken coop with my own hands
  • Make a Quilt from old T-Shirts
  • Write and illustrate a children’s book
  • Start-own-run a small farm-dairy
  • Be Fully Self Employed
  • Adopt a Shelter Pet
  • Sell an original art piece of mine
  • Be a ‘tour guide’ for my family on a fun adventure I designed for them
  • See the Heather blooming in the Scottish Highlands in July
  • Write a Love Letter, old school style
  • Dye My Hair a funky color
  • Send a random letter to a person, see if they write back
  • Send $10 to a random address, just because
  • Write a letter to myself to open in ten years
  • Decorate an outside (living) tree for Christmas
  • Ride a Bicycle for a whole day ( to run errands, everything!!)
  • Attend-Host a fancy tea party, wear a big hat
  • Learn to sew (with a machine), make myself something to wear
  • Learn to Knit
  • Clip Coupons and use them to purchase canned-dried goods to donate to a local food bank in a needy area
  • Pay for a strangers meal
  • Go to Veterinary School, become a licensed Vet.
  • See Fairy Pools, Loch Ness, and Standing Stones in Scotland
  • Live in another country
  • Go to a Swiss dairy farm
  • Learn to play the piano
  • Plant-Maintain a perennial herb-vegetable garden
  • Ring the Bells (the kind with a dangling rope) in a Church
  • Fill my passport with stamps
  • Collect 100 smashed souvenir pennies
  • Do something nice for someone else
  • A Random Act of Kindness
  • Purchase land with a home on site
  • Fly First Class
  • Host a game night at my house
  • Adventure to places I have never seen
  • Cook a meal for someone
  • Practice Cooking
Why not??

Why not??