Autumn in Germany: Fests!

It is a little different this year. I am in a new place and a new house. My new house looks over a field and then to a wooded area. I am waiting to see the trees change colors!

Autumn in Germany means fests! 

When I lived in Worms, the fest that started the autumn season was the BackFisch Fest. Worms is on the river and fishing was important. This fest has been celebrated in Worms for over 75 years. It is meant to celebrate the oldest guild in Worms: the Fisherman Guild. This Guild can trace its history back to 1106! It is usually happens at the end of August. I remember still seeing the firework display that always ended the fest from my balcony in Hofheim.

When I lived in Stuttgart, the fest to go to was the Bad Cannstatt Octoberfest! It is the second biggest Octoberfest in Germany. It lasts for 14 to 16 days! It started around 1818 to celebrate the end of years of hunger. It is going on NOW! It has the tents, beer, rides, fest foods, music, and dancing.

Now I live in Bavaria! The king of falltime fests!

Shrimp with Feta and Dill

My most favorite hobby is cooking. I collect and read cookbooks like some people read romance novels. During my last move, I said good-bye to some of my collection to make way for new ones. One of my favorite cookbook authors is Ellie Kreiger. I like the way she adds personal notations to her recipes. She is also a contributor to my favorite magazine, "Fine Cooking".

I made Shrimp with Feta and Dill from Ellie Kreiger today for dinner. It is an easy and fast recipe to make for dinner. In a pretty casserole pan, it serves beautifully for company. I made it for my friends when I visit them. It serves four ( or two who really like it!). This is how I make it:

One 12 ounce bag of shrimp (I use Contessa Jumbo Shrimp clean, raw, tail on) - Should be defrosted! You can leave the tails on or remove them. Rinse and pat dry.
One medium size white or yellow onion (medium chop)
One can of petite diced tomatoes
Garlic (Use to your taste. I love garlic! Vampires leave me alone! I usually roughly chop four cloves of garlic.)
Dill (Use to taste. I usually buy it fresh in a package from the market. I use half of it. I rinse it and cut off the stems. I then roughly chop it.)
Feta Cheese (The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of crumbled feta. I use more because I like it! I usually buy the feta already crumbled.)

Warm a pan that can also go into the oven on the stove top. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Swirl in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped onion. Let saute over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute as well. When the onion is almost translucent, add the can of tomatoes including juice. Reduce heat and let cook at medium for about five minutes. Then add shrimp. You want the shrimp to cook until they just turn pink. Add the dill and feta. Stir to mix. Put the pan into the oven. Since everything is cooked, what you are looking for is a bubbling sauce and melted feta. I usually give it between 15 to 30 minutes depending on the oven. My oven in Hofheim was hotter than my oven in Lehrburg.

This is wonderful with couscous or crusty bread. A fancy salad and simple dessert will round out the dinner!

Friday Afternoon in September

Today was a beautiful day. Though it started out cool in the morning, it warmed up quickly. Walking outside at 2:30 saw sunshine and a comfortable temperature. Today was the last day of class orientation in the labs. I had a kindergarten group that was antsy to be up and moving. One little boy kept looking at my toes. He reached out with one of his fingers and rubbed the tip of one of my toes. He looked up at me and said that I had old toes. Hard to continue teaching!

Forcing myself out of the building at 3:30, I drove to the Herrieden exit on Autobahn 6. There is an outlet mall there. Let me explain that outlet malls are rare here. Until a few years ago, prices of objects were firmly controlled. The German stores were allowed to put up sale signs only TWICE a year: once in February and again in July. There were no sales at any other time! Now you see sale signs a lot more. Outlets are becoming more popular as well. Most of them are small. The best thing about this outlet is that the biggest store is Gerry Weber. Gerry Weber is German clothing manufacturer. They also have labels named Taifun and Samoon. I like his clothes. They were having a sale on the outlet clothes. I was able to buy 4 very nice sweater for 70 Euros. That is about 89 US dollars.

After driving home, I had a massage. It was very relaxing and I enjoyed it. It did make me think about the fact I need to find a doctor to write a script for manuel therapy. Massage and manuel therapy are a bit similar in Germany. They both involve moving and rubbing body parts. The manuel therapy though is not relaxing.

After all this, I came home and sat on my patio. In the distance, I was able to watch a duo of hot air balloons dance across the evening sky.

Ansbach

I am now living near the city of Ansbach. It is a small town in the state of Bavaria in Germany. It is the capital of the region called Middle Franconia. It is about 30 miles away from Nuernberg. Ansbach is easy to reach from Autobahn 6. Either state route 13 or 14 will take you to the city from the autobahn.

It is a very beautiful area. Ansbach has a castle and an Orangerie in the city. Its altstadt still has part of the old city wall. It was built in the baroque style. When you walk in the altstadt, many of the buildings and roads are hundreds of years old. It is easy to find an outside cafe to have a coffee while looking at these old buildings.

German Pizza

People are always asking what I eat when I am in Germany. They are surprised to learn that I each much of the same thing that I did in the states.

I like pizza. In Germany, many restaurants that have pizza are owned by people of Italian heritage. It is usually made to be about the size of a dinner plate. It is considered dinner for one. It is usually served uncut and eaten with a fork and knife. Many places will cut it for you if you ask.

The pizza here is typically made with a thin crust. It is usually on the crunchy side. The sauce is tomatoey. The pizza is usually lightly sauced. Many of the pizzas have traditional names like Pomodoro, Bolognese, Hawaii, etc. Pomodoro is a pizza with tomato sauce and cheese. Bolognese adds ground meat to it. Hawaii is with ham and pineapple. It has cheese on it, but sometimes comes with out the tomato sauce.

There many other types as well. Some come with a sunny side up egg in the middle of it. Others come with tuna or seafood. Mussels come on the pizza still in the shell. Shrimp will have to be shelled. If you order olives on your pizza, be prepared for the whole olive with the seed still in it. Pepperoni refers to a green Italian pepper that is a bit sharp. If you want the meat, you need to find the pizza with salami on it. There is also more than one type of ham. The pizza Hawaii comes with the ham that is usually what we find in America. Other pizzas have ham that is more similar to Black Forest ham or Parma ham.

There is also a French version of the pizza called Flammkuchen. It comes with a thin crust. On the crust is spread frishkase which is like our cream cheese. A traditional Flammkuchen comes with ham and onions as the toppings. There are other versions like the Foerst Flammkuchen that comes with mushrooms and muenster cheese.

Summer Vacation is Over!

I have been on vacation. I live most of the year in Germany. Last year was stressful. My school closed and I had to wait for a reassignment. Then I had to pack up and move my house.

I spent my summer being a vegetable. I stared at my toes a lot. I watched TV. I am horrified to report that I watched "Dance Moms", "Tiaras and Toddlers", "Say Yes to the Dress", "Hoarding: Buried Alive" and "Hardcore Pawn". It was like driving down the autobahn and not being able to look away when you see a wreck.

I am in my new house in beautiful Bavaria. Unfortunately, I do not have internet yet. When I do, I will be back with some new adventures that do not include TV.

Life in Germany: Driving on the Autobahn

I know you all think it is fun and games in Germany with driving! No speed limits! Go as fast as you want on the autobahn. Let me correct some of those misconceptions.

First of all, there is a recommended speed limit on the autobahn. It is 120 kilometers or about 75 MPH. You may exceed that speed if you want. What you need to know is that if you are in an accident and you are going faster than 120 KPH, you will be given some of the blame! Even if it is totally the other guy's fault! Why? Because you exceeded their recommendations!

Second, there are places on the autobahn that have speed limits. If you are near a city or a big autobahn intersection, there will be speed limits. These are not recommendations! Speed cameras are very popular in this country. They will have cameras out to catch people going over the limit. One that all visitors should know about is the camera outside of the Frankfurt Airport going south. Right before autobahn 5 and 67 break apart their is a speed limit as well as a camera. It is always loaded and flashes regularly!

What else should you know?

• Do not make obscene signals with your hands if you get mad at another driver. They can report you and you can get a hefty fine.
• I have driven on interstates in America. People drive in any lane they want and pass in any lane they want. Not so in Germany! Always drive to the right! Allow faster cars to drive on the left. If you want to pass, get to the left! Do not stay in the middle lane!
• If you miss your exit, go to the next exit and turn around. Do not use the dirt road connectors that are on the autobahn.
• Do not run out of gas on the autobahn!
• If you see an accident, you must stop and render aid. You must also stay until the police arrive and give a statement.
• Every car must have a first aid kit, a warning triangle, and at least two neon colored vests. If you have an accident, don the vest, set out the triangle and then move away from your car!

Always be prepared for a stau! (Traffic Jam) They are everywhere and you can sit in one for hours!

Life in Germany: Food Part 2

I like to eat! All of my favorites! If you are ever in Europe, you should try them!
Schnitzel
Rostbraten smothered in onion
Kasespaetzele
White Spargel with Schwarzwalder Schinken (Absolutely wonderful at Krug's in Rosengarten)
Dark Bier
Grau Burgunder Wine
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
KaseKuchen
Tarte Flambee (Alasian Style)
Bavarian Blu Cheese
Any aged cheese from the Netherlands
Belgian Chocolate especially Leonidas
Munster Cheese from Alsace area of France
Bananenkucken from a little bakery in Viernheim
Scampi Provencale from Kugelofen in Weinheim (Actually everything is wonderful there!)
A three course meal at the Hermannshof at Bollant Spa in Bad Sobernheim
Cote Azur Salad at the Koffeehaus in Schwetzingen
Lachs with Spinat at the St. Leon/Rot Golf Club
Chicken in Red Curry at the Mai Tai in Viernheim
Tapas at the Oliven in Ostringen near Heidelberg
For hearty German food and a view to die for: Haus Sonnenberg near Grunstadt
For wonderful fresh daily specials at Osteria da Silvano in Viernheim

Life in Germany: Food

I love living in Germany! One of the things I like best about living here is the food. I like Wiener Schnitzel. Besides the traditional veal, it also is made with chicken, turkey, and pork. It is best when it is pounded out thinly. They use a special breading for it that you can buy in a German store. It retains its crunchiness like the panko breadcrumbs from Japan. You can get it many different ways:

• Traditional style which is just the breaded meat with a slice of lemon.
• Hunter style which is served with a brown gravy ladened with mushrooms. (Jaegerschnitzel)
• Gypsy style which is served with a spicy gravy and sliced peppers and sometimes mushrooms. (Ziguenerschnitzel)
• Cream style which is served with a cream sauce over the crisply cooked schnitzel. (Rahmschnitzel)

If it is your first time is Germany, it is the food to eat first! It is totally German!

If you live in or are visiting the Mannheim/Heidelberg area in Germany, a good place to taste it is Heidelberger Schnitzelhaus Alte Muenz.

The End

I work at Mannheim Elementary School in Mannheim, Germany. This is a K through 5 school for children for US military personnel stationed in Mannheim, Germany. The school began in Mannheim Feudenheim in 1946 as a K through 12 school. It was in a house! As it grew, it moved to a renovated barracks on Funari Barrack in Mannheim-Kaefertal. By the 1963, the present school was built on Benjamin Franklin Village. Mannheim Elementary School was once the biggest elementary school in DoDDS with over 2200 students. For school year 2011/2012, we had over 150 students for most of the year. The school's last day forever was today, June 15, 2012.

I have taught at this school longer than any other school. I was transferred to the school on a Thursday afternoon and I started my first class the following Monday. It was a traumatic year where I experienced many highs and lows. I will remember the staff camaraderie and the rambunctious students that I taught. I will remember Cochem week long study trip and too long Volksmarches. I will remember Corey, Gerald, Kerstin, Timicus, and many more!

Watch the closing ceremony from AFN!

Another Day in Paradise

Another day in paradise is what I always say! I don't know if I believe it or just hopeful, Very busy day! I learned how to set up a wireless mic and electrical audio board. All the lights on the board made it look very impressive. Unfortunately no matter how I try to sell it to myself, I still spent the morning fighting with cables. I wait anxiously for the day when a wireless set is really wire free! In the afternoon, I wrote a end of the year report. We close forever next week, but we still had to do the EOY report. Go figure! Monday I get to tackle the closing multimedia presentation. I am looking through hundreds of images to find the ones that represent the "Throughout the Years". There are so many images! I think eyeballs will fall out!

The Day When the Internet Died

My router is toast. The power pack or the power source in the router is dead. If I had another powerpack, I could test to see if it is the pack. Unfortunately, getting a new powerpack for the router is not going to happen. My service provider wants to sell me an entirely new router. It will have to wait until all of the drama in my life is done.

Of course this means all of my peas in Cityville are going to die as well! Drats

Cranky Bee

There is no way around it. I am cranky. I try not let it out all at once to one person. I try to spread it around. So why am I cranky today? Facebook. I visit it everyday. I enjoy reading about what everyone is doing. I like looking at the pictures. I like seeing how the children are growing, what the new house looks like and that the dog is getting along. But there are some things that make me cranky when I am on Facebook and it is all avoidable!

Cranky Bee's Rules for using Facebook:
1. Don't air your family fights in public. Besides not caring why you are mad at your sister, it makes you look really silly to fight about it in public. You are supposedly grown ups. Acting like it would be nice. Some things are best kept private!
2. Don't sell me things on Facebook. I am glad that it really worked well for you. But I am bombarded by ads everywhere I look. I do not need them in my newsfeed.
3. I do not care what your political or religious point of view is. I am glad you have one. You are my friend in spite of it. I am not so happy about you sharing it in every one of your posts. Surely there is something else going on in your life that you can write about! If not, make it up! Make it good, it is really boring here!
4. Do not bash other people's beliefs, religious or political, with negative comments. Very uncool!
5. You know those posts that sort of dare other people to copy and post the same comment to prove that they care about what ever cause you got the post from. Those posts are the virtual form of the chain mail. They are annoying. Feel free to share your own ideas in your own words in a positive manner.

I know that this post will not change a thing, but it makes me feel better for having written it. I will return to Facebook and continue with my current strategy for avoiding those posts: Don't read them!

German

Two posts in one day will not happen often. Learning curve is taking over. Have to find out what I can do with all the bells and whistles!

I have lived in Germany for quite a while. When I first got here, I took language classes. I participated in after school classes, college classes, private tutoring, etc. It did not take. I can read it, especially restaurant menus, cooking books, and shop signs. I cannot get anything that sounds sensible to come out of my mouth. The look of horror on faces when I try is enough to not open my mouth.

I have a solution to my lack of German when introduced to a person for the first time. I go to the states twice a year: in the summer and at Christmas. When introduced, I am usually am asked how long I have been in Germany. My answer is always since the last time I flew in. They are usually impressed with my German then.

The downside is that if they get to know me they learn that it is not true. But by then they have heard enough of my German to want to speak English to me!

First Try

I don't like to write. I am a teacher. I once went to a writing workshop. They asked us to do a free write for 5 minutes. I wrote for 5 minutes on why I do not like to write.

Yet I am going to try writing a blog. We will see how long it lasts.

I have also tried writing diaries and journals. Didn't take!

I delete a lot.

I like taking pictures of flowers.