changing seasons

As I look out of the window, I see large, beautiful trees left over from the former German military base. Oh, how I always miss the Carolina blue sky in fall, but this year I am pleased to see the large trees with there different colors emerging, something I missed in my former village. We even had one or two days of that rich blue sky right here in Leipheim! I am enjoying fall this year in Germany with all of the beauty around me.

I have been keeping myself busy working on new patterns, a possible customer quilt, and a future project for Moda Bake Shop. {{Shhh...I don't want to jinx any of those.}} Life if finally getting back to "normal" again.

A few weeks ago, we went to Nördlingen to a festival. (I really do love living in Germany with all of the traditional festivals and heritage.) We came across a stand with these very lovely HAND PAINTED Springerle. During Christmastime, I love to bake cookies oder Plätzchen. However, Springerle are not easy for me. I have a few different stamps and a rolling pin with the various shapes, but whenever I try to make these, they NEVER turn out! 

The very nice female ARTIST not only baked these (perfectly), she also spent hours decorating them! You have to click on a picture to see the details!! They also hat the cutest little matching hanging ribbon. I really wanted to buy one, and told her I would come back. I was so afraid they would not make the trip back home and would break, that I didn't buy ANY! That is so terrible of me, I know. I really wish I had gone back. Now, I just have to punish myself with these beautiful pictures. If I ever see them again, I will buy them. I already have a place in my kitchen picked out for them! If anyone knows where I can buy them, please tell me. I will be forever grateful.

leipheimer kinderfest 2013

Hello everyone and welcome to the Karen Ackva's easypatchwork blogspot. Here I like to ramble on about (1) patchwork & quilting (2) my life in Germany as seen through the eyes of an American.

The weather has been really great the last couple of weeks. We have had barely any rain since the big flooding. (Our city water supply was washed out and now have to rely on a smaller emergency water reservoir; we have learned to live with less water!)

Last weekend we celebrated the Leipheimer Kinderfest which went on for three days. It was a huge event for the entire school, because the kids HAD to participate. They even had class on Saturday morning, because they practiced during regular school hours!

The Leipheimer Kinderfest is a festival primarily for the kids and seen as a thankfulness celebration. The first festival took place over 150 years after a long hunger period and is also seen as an Erntedankfest. For those of you in Germany, it is more like a Kürmis oder Jahresmarkt. For Americans it is more like a parade, dance show, carnival with a large Biergarten. The kids started out in unison from their school and walked to the center of the town where the mayor gave a short speech. We all proceeded with the parade of students and other important people throughout the town and down to the sports field where the students proceeded to perform dance and rhythm routines to bedazzle their audience.

My son's class worked on a scarf dance to "Walking on Sunshine." He had been practicing at home and in school for the last few weeks. And for a boy who doesn't like to dance too much, he performed very well!

I heard on the radio that over 40,000 people visited over the weekend. I think that is quite impressive. It is also host to the largest Biergarten in Schwaben! Biergarten(s) are really great in the summer months and you can enjoy the weather. My husband even put on his Lederhosen. I chose to leave my Dirdl at home. ;-) Yes, I do have one, but it is a little more "festive" and it was really hot. Excuses, excuses, I know!

If you live in the region or would like to visit something interesting on your vacation to Germany, check out the Leipheimer Kinderfest in July. It is something your really shouldn't miss.