Ghoulish Recipes

Since it is October 31st, thought some folks might be in the mood for Shrunken Heads in Cider.


Otherwise, you could try the Brain Cupcakes or the Ladies' Fingers and Men's Toes.
Finish off with Bat Cookies.

SÜSS ODER SAUER?

The Murphster wishes you a very Happy and Haunted Halloween. He's feeling rather grave, as his neck is festooned with garish black and green skeletons, and he'd rather be chewing a milkbone or chasing the neighborhood black cat.

Travel Oregon

Here's a fun photo-link for 365 days in Oregon.
Click on the individual photos to learn about different activities and places to visit. The page takes a bit of time to load, but it's worth it!

Random Fact of the Day

Random fact of the day -- from Anna:

"Zebras can be domesticated, but they have a violent side. Also, they're skittish."

Who knew?

Photo Blogging--From Two Continents

Brandon lives in Burundi and Leah lives in Vancouver. They've never met (except in cyberspace), but decided to start a photoblog: Leah Meets Brandon. For the next 12 months, they'll take pictures of their daily lives according to a monthly theme and post several times a week.

If you know me at all, you know that I love photographs and I love Burundi--so this is an irresistible combination! I'm curious to see what happens with Leah and Brandon's blog over the course of a year.

Garmisch Scenes

A few fall scenes from last week in Garmisch. Jeff had to work at the Marshall Center, so I drove down and spent a few nights with him. We celebrated our 26th anniversary last week too!

In Search of Jubilee

I think God calls us to not just think justice is "cool," but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly. -- Hiebert (founder of Love 146 and member of Ten Shekel Shirt)

Playing Around With Words

Wordle is a site where you create "word clouds" from any type of text that you input. Then you can change font, colors, and layout...the possibilities go on and on.

Do you like how this Hopkins poem, "God's Grandeur," turned out? Try it yourself!

Foraging

Foraging is elevated to the level of a fine art here in Germany. In Oregon, I occasionally saw people in the woods picking blackberries or wild huckleberries to take home. But I've moved to a country where no fruit or vegetable goes to waste, as long as it's growing in an accessible spot.

Tonight, walking the farm roads, I saw a woman in the carrot fields where a harvester had finished up. She was walking painstakingly back and forth, searching for bits the machine had missed. Yesterday, I passed a man up in a chestnut tree, searching for ripe nuts. He'd filled his basket almost to the brim. Walnuts are in season too, and I've seen families out gathering those together.

I like this trait--in fact, it reminds me of my Grandma Brose, who tended a garden well into her eighties. She'd stir-fry kale and other vegetables for me whenever I visited their retirement village. I know Grandma would be up the ladder plucking chestnuts with the best of them, if she were alive and visiting me in Deutschland today.

In His Arms

This is a postcard I received many years ago from friends of mine in France. The combination of words and image stayed with me. So when I found their card again yesterday, thought I'd post it for you too.

Translation from the French:

"He will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom." Isaiah 40:11

Mayday, Mayday!

Language can be a funny thing.

Ouch

Did 18 miles today in preparation for the walking marathon in Athens this November. Now I'm off to soak both feet in some lovely-smelling lavender mint bath salts a friend gave me.

She warned me not to take a bath in the salts, just use them for feet -- the first time she made them, her husband poured the stuff in a hot bath and climbed in, only to leap out a few seconds later --"Is this supposed to sting so badly?!" -- as the mint saturated his skin.

Ha ha, I can see myself doing the same thing.

Autumn View Over Schriesheim