marcielsims.com Blog

My Klepper Boat (Fold Boat)

World War II had ended, and it was a beautiful summer weekend. My home in the City of Darmstadt ended up being in the American occupied sector. Our group from the surrounding area had not been to the Rhine River to check on our club house and the big hanger for our fold boat storage since 1944, when the Allied Troops were close enough across the Rhine River to reach our side with their artillery.

It is about a two-hour ride by bike from Darmstadt to the boat club outside the town of Goddelau right by the Rhine River. It was a large structure like an airline hangar with racks and racks filled with fold boats, paddle boats and gear during off season and a beautiful club house. It had a big dance floor, surrounded by round tables and chairs. At the end of this large room was the stage and a beautiful Grand Piano. The clubhouse was for different functions, celebrations, award ceremonies, opening season etc.

About six of us boat owners got together and started our journey to the Rhine and with proper papers, like an ID with picture and our home address, should we get stopped on the way by American MP’s and occupation forces we should be able to get there and to enter the buildings. Hopefully the ramp for getting us into the river with our boats was not destroyed and survived the fighting right by a bridge where the Allied troops came across. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, the war was over, and the sun was shining.

As we entered the area around the club house, our manager who lives close to the compound saw us and came out, running toward us. Out of breath he told us we should be prepared for an unbelievable sight.  We entered still in a good frame of mind, that our manager was overstating it, after all it was a war.

The tables and chairs were destroyed, laid there like kindling. On top of the beautiful, black and shiny Grand piano a rather deep swastika was carved.

The boathouse looked like a big tank went through. The shelving was still intact, but the canvas’ of the foldboats were all cut-up and the frames destroyed. 1945 might have brought about the end of a terrible war, but also the end of civilization as we had known it. It was the end of a wonderful sport, camaraderie, the Rhine River with its fast-moving blue water, the idyllic cove with a large meadow we used to take a break from paddling and had wonderful conversations along with our lunches in this most beautiful surrounding of this area. Amid a horrendous war, it was a sanctuary.

We left, said our goodbye to the manager/caretaker and on our way home stopped at a bakery for a rest, food and plans for our future. We talked of organizing a fund drive and begin clean-up and repairs. Most of the owners had insurance. Soon it looked so fresh and new, and we had hope again. But no grand Piano yet.

When my father returned from the prisoner-of-war camp in Siberia, he made it a wonderful gift to the club, a grand Piano.

It just takes time to pick up the pieces. Like it has taken time to want to live again.

World War I, The Dardanelles

Our professor at my university, doctor Stern was a great professor, a teacher, a tutor and was dedicated in doing a job 100%. We had the most interesting and informative lectures by him, and he was committed to giving his students a well- rounded education. He would, with very relaxed and casual authority, make us deliver all we were capable of and more.

Like on a Friday, before the final ten minutes of the end of class, very casual he would stress the point of wishing us a good weekend by saying: “Enjoy this beautiful, sunny weekend” and then add: “bring me a synopsis at least 500 words on this subject… and he gave each student a subject word we had not anticipated. Mine for that weekend was WWI, the Dardanelles. Oh my, I had no idea how to tackle this. Out of desperation I was thinking, I hope papa will come home this weekend, I could use his help! Knowing, my father never has talked about WWI nor WWII. My wish was granted, and my papa came home Friday evening, and we had a lively conversation about my professor Stern, his demeaner, his teachings and unexpected assignments he sent us home with for weekends. “Enjoy the weekend” that was almost funny. The assignment he gave us left almost no time for any enjoyment, but that was our professor Stern, unpredictable, but soft spoken, like a dictatorship wrapped in admiration and tough love for his students, and we loved and admired him back by studying, learning and receiving good grades.

My papa was a young General in WWI in the cavalry and his story was “the Dardanelles.” I needed my father’s help with important dates, areas, how we, Germany got involved or little anecdotes. I told it, the way my father gave me specifics. Germany provided troops, weapons and horses, but had to somehow get them to Turkey under camouflage. The horses and riders, tanks and cannons were disguised as farm equipment. The soldiers, not in uniform of course, were the grooms for the horses. They arrived by special trains in Turkey and unloaded all the men and horses and equipment. They had to cross an old bridge and as the heavy loads crossed the support structure gave way and the damaged bridge was slowly sinking. They got into a rescue mode and lost only precious time, no solder’s lives, or horse’s lives were lost. The very young officer rounded his horses and riders, and gave his command to move out, heads held high and in step. The band started the music by Franz von Suppè “The light Cavalry” and the regiment was on their way to:             “ Constantinople”

WWI began 1914 and at the end in 1918 my papa was taken prisoner by the British and spent two years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Ceylon by India, called now Sri Lanka. My father came home to Germany in 1920.

For my story I was rewarded with an award and an A in that subject for that semester. It was displayed in a glass case in my school. My professor Stern considered the story a great piece of history, well written. I was very proud to be my father’s daughter.

This piece of history, the school and my beautiful city of Darmstadt were destroyed the night of 9-11-1944 by a bombing raid where we lost 20,000 lives.

Kiki, a Wonderful little Boy

It was summertime in 1957 and I just passed my citizen-ship tests and was sworn in as an American Citizen. My dearest husband Hal was so very proud of me, and I was so elated and proud to be an American. As a reward my husband Hal gave me an airline ticket to fly to Germany and visit my beloved sister Friedl and her family. At the Frankfurt airport, in New York when we landed and at customs in Seattle, I was so proud to show my American passport.

I longed so for my sister the last three years since I had left Germany and had to leave her behind. My Hal could not come with me at this time, due to his work. I would stay about two to three weeks. Friedl has two little boys, five-year-old Joachim and three-year-old Rainald, called Kiki. He came into this world the night I was flying to a new country, a new home, in a four-engine plane, called a super constellation from Frankfurt to Seattle in 1954. The flight was long, it took 36 hours from Frankfurt to Seattle. I arrived in Seattle, greeted and hugged my sweetheart Hal after waiting for three months for my visa and entry permit. I met and greeted them warmly, my Hal’s parents, his sister Bev and his brother Doug. After our drive to north Seattle and a short visit with Hal’s family, we drove back to Capitol Hill in Seattle to our beautiful flat on Bellevue Avenue North. I put a call in for my brother-in-law, Georg at work – it is nine hours difference from here to Darmstadt, Germany. I told him that I arrived safely, and my Hal and his family picked me up and that we are now in our nice flat in Seattle and that we could put in a call for Sunday afternoon to talk and visit. Before I could ask how my dear sister Friedl is doing, Georg told me that they were the very proud parents again of a little boy, named Rainald and that they will call him “Kiki.” He came into their world the night I was flying to my new country, my new home. That was three years ago, and we bridged this long stretch by writing letters, a lot of letters, a lot of pictures and for special occasions some phone calls with lots of tears on both sides of the phone.

I was very homesick and longed terribly for my beloved sister Friedl and my Hal made me very happy with his gift.

We arrived at Friedl’s and Georg’s home, a beautiful flat in a great part of the city of Darmstadt. Both sides of the sidewalks were lined with huge chestnut trees, forming during summertime a tunnel over the sidewalks. My father, after he returned from a prisoner-of-war camp in Siberia, Russia purchased a nice apartment for Friedl and Georg. My dearest papa died last year, but not having my American citizenship yet, I could not come to say goodbye or see my father one more time. This year’s visit with my Friedl and her family will be my chance to get over my home sickness and give me the opportunity to visit my father’s resting place.

The forecast for this coming weekend was sunny and still warm. After my phone call to my beloved Hal back home we will go on a pic nick. We had a wicker basket, Friedl will fill with a lot of delicious food and drink. We will go by streetcar to the “Oberwaldhaus” like an old, beautiful chalet sitting at the edge of the forest. Spread out a blanket and set out all the wonderful food my Friedl had prepared. By the chalet was a large lake, with benches all around and a nice sandy walkway all around the lake with wild geese, families of ducks swimming and frolicking in the clear, blue water. We could see all this wonder right from the spot where we had set up our Sunday feast. The old chalet was closed for quite a few years for upgrading and remodeling and is now reopen as a fine restaurant with life entertainment on weekends and dancing. Friedl and I had chosen the same area we always sat, when we would come here. So tranquil and peaceful with an occasional couple or children coming by. While spending one’s time watching the geese and ducks, we had some wonderful conversations about our lives. What our dreams were, during the war and the reality that came into our lives, after WWII. Other than missing one another, two sisters who went through hell and back we had happy lives so far. My dear sister Friedl’s happiness is her two little boys. Joachim, the older one is so “grown up” and very serious. His diction and choice of words are so clear and literal for his age. Rainald, called “Kiki” is a joy to have around and is funny in his actions and is demonstrative when he tells a tale, a cute little boy. Like telling George that evening after dinner about the plane he saw way up in the sky. We of course had the chance for a good laugh already by the lake, when the plane flew over our pic nick area. Kiki got up from his blanket, pointed to the sky with his little arm and called out. “This is an Ilona plane!” Lifting, his little elbows into the air “here a little wing and there a little wing” then pointing to his back, his derriere he said, “and back there on his puffer is a propeller.” After we had a good laugh Friedl unpacked the basket. Freshly baked this morning, baguettes and sweet butter, French triple cream cheeses, patè and jambo (French ham) a warm potato salad, a green salad with green goddess dressing, sliced, sun ripened, sweet tomatoes and large, crisp shrimp with a homemade dip. A feast for royalty! For dessert we enjoyed Friedl’s wonderful aromatic chocolate gateau. For drinks for the boys, we had milk and Friedl and I had our own little bottle, stuck into ice, champagne and with the dessert we had a thermos of Friedl’s strong coffee. It was an unforgettable Sunday afternoon with great food and drinks and a funny three-year-old little boy, named Kiki.

                                                     So precious!

Beautiful Asian Flowerpots, Cache

My husband, Hal and I, Ilona were searching for an Asian Flowerpot, in fact for a pair. We talked about it again on Friday evening, having another glass of wine after dinner. We decided to drive to our favorite place to look in Vancouver, B.C. this weekend.

Saturday early we started out on a very beautiful, sunny morning going north. Not too much traffic on the I-5 freeway. We arrived in Vancouver around eleven in the morning and drove directly to our hotel, “The Hotel Vancouver” where we had made reservations for two nights. Monday is going to be a holiday in the States. We can drive home in plenty of time. We had a beautiful, sunny suit on the 7^th floor, overlooking the bay. After we rested a little and freshened up, we went downstairs to the dining room for a leisurely lunch. We had a taste for a fine wine and maybe some crepes or a souffle from the menu. The crepes were filled with chicken or small shrimp in a white wine sauce. With it we will try a crisp, mature Burgundy. After lunch, we could walk over to Robson Street to our favorite jade shop and we hoped we would find what we had in our minds for a while.

As we entered, no other customers were in the shop, and we had a chance to have a nice conversation with the owner of the shop. She remembered us, of course, all the times we had been good customers. She brought a big thick catalogue out and let us leaf through to give her an idea what it is we wished for. After a while, she excused herself and told us, she would be back shortly, while we were looking through more of that catalogue. She came back with a big smile on her face, holding a big box. She revealed what was in the box, still smiling. We could not believe what she took out: Square sided pots, celadon green, beautiful finish, a pristine sculpted dragon wrapped around all four sides, a nice size Cache! How beautiful and such a surprise! The lady will find a miniature bonsai tree for us to put on my Hal’s rosewood desk. On our next trip to see my sister, Friedl, we will take the second Cache and gift it to her. She has a lot of house plants, a green thumb and will love it.

As we were sitting in the dining room in a beautiful hotel on the Stanley Park side of Vancouver, we still could not believe our luck finding the exact flowerpots we had envisioned. They are beauties. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner of beef filet mignon with “potatoes Anna” and green, buttery and crisp asparagus. Hal ordered a bottle of a mature Bordeaux from France. A rare, full-body red, a symphony! A wonderful memory, lovely time together with my Hal.

Sunday, we slept in and went for a champagne brunch at the dining room of the Vancouver Hotel. After, we went for a walk, it was a bright, sunny afternoon to visit a garden café for ice coffee and a piece of “Black Forest Torte,” with my beloved Hal across the table from me, what could be lovelier?

On Monday morning, we stopped by the lady in the jade store and as promised she had the most beautiful bonsai azalea tree in bloom for my Hal’s Cache. He was extremely happy, and of course, so was I.

Our Friends, Ruth and Kurt Pieper

We met the Piepers, Ruth and Kurt, through our dear friends, the Kolosars, Marilyn and Richard. Ruth had in their home in Somerset an art gallery. Mostly lithographs and etchings of beautiful German and French cities, and awesome country sites.

My husband, Hal, had to go for his job to meetings on the East Coast, and is often not at home on weekends, like this one. We received an invitation from our dear friends, the Kolosars to join them to visit Ruth’s art gallery, she had in her home in Somerset, Bellevue to see some new art works displayed and she would have a short lecture about the artists. Hal encouraged me to go. Richard and Marilyn picked me up and we looked forward to all the great artwork Ruth Pieper will display. She also showed some beautiful oil paintings, by a German artist, Wilie Bauer. My Hal and I remember seeing these oil paintings at Frederick and Nelson’s Art Gallery “White.” We liked the style, much like Impressionism and the way this artist applied the oil paint. He used his pallet knife instead of brush. Beautiful paintings! A wonderful variety of stone lithographs and some etchings of nudes by “Edna Hibel.”

I enjoyed spending some precious time here. Ruth and her husband Kurt were good hostesses, serving a glass of French champagne or a refreshing German Riesling while Ruth gave the lecture. While I was enjoying a glass of Riesling, I had the opportunity to meet the Host and Hostess. Ruth was a charming lady and very knowledgeable of all the art and artists. Both Piepers came from Germany. Kurt worked for Boeing, Airplane manufacturing Company in Seattle, Washington. After the lecture I talked with them and they told me that their plan was after Kurt retires, they are going back to Germany and they already had purchased a little condo in Karlsruhe, the city they both grew up in and lived in before they went to Canada and then came to the USA.

We had become good friends with Ruth and Kurt Pieper over the years. When my Hal and I were thinking about our retirement (in quite a few more years), we talked of purchasing a little condo in Germany close to my sister and family and stay six months in Europe and six months here in the USA. But as the time moved along, it turned out to be a problem. Where to spend the summers and where to spend the winter months? It came down in the final plan, to four weeks. We so enjoyed our home here, a beautiful condo on the Eastside of Seattle. Our life and our friends are all here, so a few, two to four weeks in Europe would be sufficient. My sister loves to visit us here too. We would not need a condo for such a short time. We will enjoy our friendship with Ruth and Kurt while they are still here and we could always visit them, while at my sister’s. In the meantime, we will visit Ruth here at her home and her gallery. There is so much more to look at, admire and purchase some of her awesome art. Edna Hibel, Wilie Bauer, the Casamires and the Eidenbergers, the last two have an endless selection of stone lithographs and etchings. Edna Hibel is an American artist and Ruth carries some beautiful etchings by her in sepia color, I fell in love with.

We had a great condo here with an awesome art collection, a library with walls of books for my Hal. Who would be so short sighted and leave all that behind here in the US to live in a little condo in Europe? We will make an effort, when we visit my sister, to visit the Piepers in Karlsruhe. In the meantime, we will add to our art collection here at Cougar Hill condos in Bellevue.

So much food for heart and soul right here!

A Summer Visit from my Sister Friedl

That summer day my Hal and I were driving to SeaTac Airport to greet my sister who was visiting us for three months from Germany.

I cannot believe that she has been here with us for 4 weeks already. But we have been very busy, so the time passes fast. Before my sister Friedl arrived, I had contacted the manager and sales lady at I. Magnin’s “Designer Room” to inquire when they would receive their leather coats, full length coats. She told me that usually they arrive in September, sometimes in late August. I had that call on Wednesday evening and so far, there are five full length coats, soft leather, in different style and color in this shipment “and they are beautiful” she added.

I did not tell my sister Friedl what I had planned for her, it was to be a surprise by my husband Hal and me. I wore for my trip to Germany in 1957 a beautiful, soft, cream color leather coat, my sister Friedl fell in love with. This is now my opportunity to gift Friedl one also and let her pick it out. Today, Saturday is my day with my sister to go shopping downtown and have lunch and a style show at the tea-room at Frederick and Nelson.

When we arrived at I. Magnin on the second floor, the sales lady recognized me and came toward us with a smile. I noticed some hangers right by the dressing room with beautiful leather coats, even a white one. Stunning! After the introduction and a little conversation, I went with Friedl into the dressing room. Soon my favorite sales lady came into the dressing room with several coats over her arm. I knew right away that my sister Friedl would not be interested in any of these. It was the color Friedl would not wear. Two brown ones and a red one. O NO! The sales lady noticed the rejection right away and admitted that these would not suit Friedl. She left and came back with two more. A black one, but a bit too sporty in style. Now, for the “piece d’resistance” a stunning soft, with flared back, white leather coat!

Friedl’s face showed a smile and tears in her eyes. She tried it on, and she looked elegant, stunning and happy. No gift wrap needed just a garment bag with hanger. I went with the sales lady to the counter to pay, while Friedl waited and then two happy ladies, after saying thank you and goodbye, left the store and walked across the street to the parking garage to securely put the garment bag in the car trunk and left for Frederick and Nelson’s tearoom for lunch and a style show.  

The lunch was very tasty, and we enjoyed the beautiful big shrimp in a cognac sauce, but there was not much conversation. I knew that Friedl was thinking about her awesome coat, so I kept from talking. I do believe that the time was wasted when we “watched” the style show, our attention was not on the beautiful clothing. But the coffee and delectable dessert, we would not want to miss.

Friedl planned to wear this gorgeous coat on her return flight back to Germany. But that day will come much later. We still had more plans to fulfill, more scenery to see and more friends to meet.

It was to be a wonderful time together with the two people I loved so dearly.

A Day Journey to the Pike Street Market

It was Easter Saturday during another visit by my sister Friedl. My Hal had to go to his office that day. We had planned to drive to the Oregon coast, Otter Crest, right by the ocean on a high cliff for the weekend. We have to reschedule it for another time. Friedl and I planned to stay home and enjoy the deck with sunshine, a glass of a beautiful white Burgundy and a marvelous lunch, like a cheese soufflé.

But, what to do when the sun gets too warm, the delicious food and the wine are gone? Well, we decided to get dressed up and drive into the big city of Seattle and visit the Pike Street Market, browse the wonderful deli store, DeLaurentis, the French Patisserie, the kitchen store Sur la table and have the wine and food tomorrow, when Hal will be home to share it with us. We found a parking spot right in front of Starbuck’s, parked and started walking. There we spent a lot of time, first looking and admiring and then, picking cheeses, Paté of duck, duck confit, sweet butter and baguette, everything necessary to make a delicious meal tonight, when Hal gets home from work.

From there we walked by all the flower stands until we found the lady, I usually find my beautiful flowers. This Saturday she had a great assortment of tulips. The heads on the flowers were very large and looked like they were dipped in wax. So beautiful! I got two bundles of yellow and one of white. It will make a stunning bouquet. From there we went across the street to Sur la table. It was of course more interesting to me than to Friedl, since all their merchandise was not available when I came to the USA. My sister had to mail it to me. It is so nice to see all this appearing slowly now. From there we wanted to stop one more time at the French Patisserie/Bakery. I hoped they still had one pastry left, a Paris-Brest ring filled with rich patisserie crème. We were very lucky, they had several of them and one with coffee crème, that is what I wanted. These rings had their beginning by honoring the winners of the Paris to Brest and back to Paris bicycle race, many years ago. I purchased some Brioches for tomorrow’s breakfast, I will heat them up and serve them with sweet butter and raw honey.

This was such a wonderful day for me and for Friedl, she seemed to be very happy, one could not make it any more fun or more perfect, if one spent several hundred dollars more.

We were walking to the car and had planned to drive home, set a beautiful table, pick a wine from my Hal’s wine cave and make up a scrumptious dinner with all the goodies we had purchased. Yellow table linens with yellow and white tulips and my beautiful cobalt blue dinner set.

As we arrived by my car, I noticed right away that the parking meter had expired and then I saw the ticket on the windshield. Friedl wanted to know what this all means, and I explained it all to her, while reading the ticket.

Someone somewhere heard my thoughts about spending or not spending an additional two hundred dollars, even though this could not make this day any nicer.

This is not for real!

The ticket was $240.00. Oh, well.

Another Summer Visit from my Sister Friedl

Today was the day my Hal and I were driving to Sea Tac to pick up my sister Friedl who was arriving with Pan Am from Germany. This is the visit we will go shopping to replace her pretty dress. We were not able to find a replacement during the last visit.

What we have to realize is that styles have changed, and we are of course older now than when this all happened (stubborn berry stains on our dresses). I put feelers out before Friedl arrived and found something she would really love.

My Hal will join us too, he took his vacation this time, the two weeks Friedl will be here and so did I. After a day of rest for Friedl, due to Jet lag, I called my sales lady at I. Magnin that all was set, and we could come. We arrived at the second floor and when we saw the sales lady we decided to greet her, and introduce Friedl. Hal and I sat down in comfortable chairs right by the dressing room. Janet, the sales lady left and came back with several beautiful silk blouses and slacks. All by Armani. Friedl came out of the dressing room giving us a little style show.

The first one was a bit sporty I thought, and I could see on Friedl’s face she was not too thrilled either. Oh, the second one was beautiful and Friedl was happy, I could tell. The white, silk blouse had a Russian look, it closed to the side with a standing collar, long full sleeves with French cuffs. The slacks, also white, were light-weight wool in a beautiful fit with belt. We had to agree that this was very elegant and made for Friedl. While Janet saw to it that it was put into a garment bag, we went to the shoe salon and found a beautiful pair of white high heel sandals.

All three of us were happy with the purchase and ready to have a wonderful lunch. We picked up the car in the parking garage and drove to the Old Olympic Hotel parking garage and walked across the street to the Olympics Georgian room, where we had made reservation.

My Hal ordered a bottle of fine champagne for our little celebration. We thought one of their seafood salads with green goddess dressing, made in their own kitchen would go very good with that champagne and would allow us some of their delicious desserts with an espresso.

When we arrived home, we packed our little suitcases, so we could start our journey to the Oregon Coast right after breakfast. We had this trip planned on one of Friedl’s visits, but had to postpone it because Hal had to work. By the time we arrived at our first destination, Lincoln City, The Spanish Head Inn, we enjoyed a walk on the beach first.

The air was awesome, so was the sun going down and the scenery. We will enjoy the sound of the ocean during the night with the window open. It was time to get a table by a window, candlelight and a wonderful dinner with a fine wine. My Hal would have no difficulty finding one in the “Captain’s Wine Menu.” After enjoying two days of walking along the beach, good food and relaxation we were on our way to the “Otter Crest” Condos. They are sitting high on a cliff above a beautiful cove. Hiking down a path it is beautiful to see the old pine trees, sculptured by winds and weather to have the look of Bonsai trees.

We stopped on the way and did shopping for our dinner, so we could have a relaxing evening in our condo with a fire going in the fireplace. I set a nice table with two big candles, I purchased on the way and started dinner in the kitchen, while my Hal and Friedl listened to music and rested.

I had purchased a piece of beef tenderloin, which I browned on all sides in clarified butter and then put into the oven to finish. I made in that roasting pan a beautiful brown, shiny sauce with Jack Daniels Whiskey. On the side I made a nice salad of greens, tomato and cucumber slices with a Ranch dressing and grated parmesan. I served the tenderloin in nice slices and put them on a bed of my delectable sauce and the salad on the side. My Hal brought from home in his attaché case a bottle of Robert Mondavi Cabernet Private Reserve. It was time now to call my loved ones to dinner.

                                        Bon Appetit!  

Our Life-Long Desire, Collecting Art

After a visit to the Behm Gallery in Bellevue, we decided to take our vacation in San Francisco this spring. We remembered an Art Gallery near the Ghirardelli Square with a very nice sales lady we shall visit, after we stopped at the Café right by the end station of the trolley to get one of their famous Irish coffee’s. The reason for this trip was not only art, but something we were not able to accomplish at home and will try our best here. We saw at the Behm Gallery a beautiful etching called “Snow in Normandy” but this etching we wanted was shown in a set of three and the sales lady told my Hal that they will not sell only this one.

We entered the art gallery and saw the lovely sales lady coming toward us and we received a warm greeting and welcome.  She asked if there was a certain piece we were looking for and we told her our story and described the etching. She lead us to the section with beautiful lithographs and stunning etchings and here my eyes caught Delacroix’ etching “Snow in Normandy” the center one in a set of three.

Molli, the nice sales lady told us right away that they will sell us just the one we want. That they always let their customer decide and they would sell them individually instead in a set. They will change the glass to plexiglass that would not shatter and air ship it to our home.  We thanked her for her kindness and asked if we could look around the gallery. She, of course, said yes and offered us an espresso.

My Hal and I were delighted to take a stroll through the rest of the gallery. We remembered how many beautiful pieces of fine art they had, from our last visit. We suddenly came to a section with striking pencil sketches. And there my eyes stopped by a lovely pencil sketch of my favorite Impressionist “Camille Pissarro.” It was beautifully framed, and I could see already it was coming home with us. Molli, the sales lady thought this a good choice and wrapped it in bubble wrap. After a sincere thank you, we went on our way. We are able to take this parcel in our luggage on our flight home.

Now would be the perfect time to do some celebrating. We drove to our hotel, stopped at the desk and inquired where we could order room service. We ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon, a lobster salad with French bread and sweet butter on the side and French triple cream cheese with a dallop of fig paté as dessert.

The next morning after breakfast we went into the city to I.Magnin. They always carried “Escada” silk blouses. I was hoping that I could extend my blouse collection and find another Escada blouse. They are a treasure to own.  

After that we will be on our way to Carmel. We cannot visit San Francisco so near, and not visit Carmel. We are looking for a wonderful lunch at our favorite French bistro and a visit with the French owner. It is always a pleasure to visit with her. We heard that Mr. Balyon has his own gallery now and is not represented by Simic any longer.

Our pleasant, good news was two-fold. The lunch of very tender and tasty veal with a fine cognac sauce, rice and green asparagus was excellent and the dream of a Mosel Riesling together with a visit with the French lady was something not to forget. For our flight home we had another little parcel for the other suitcase. A beautiful oil on wood painting by Balyon. It will be a good partner to the ones we already have.

Now that was not only a vacation it was an outstanding shopping trip to fulfill our desire.

A Bouquet of Flowers

This has been a month filled with beautiful tulips which are my favorite flowers to bring into my home. Though I had never seen them put up like this before. I received them in big glass, cylinder vessels without any soil, just the bulbs in water.

The first ones my dearest friend and generous Marcie brought, when she visited me for a wonderful luncheon, she always brings flowers. The second big glass cylinder vessel I received from my dearest friends Karin and Karl, who moved to Chelan from here, but visit often. Those tulips are gorgeous, pure white with just a little soft green inside and at the tips of the pedals. They are quite large and have ruffles like parrot tulips.

Today, my sweet neighbor, Janet gave me another glass cylinder with beautiful lavender tulips. I have a wonderful spring garden of tulips here and I am blessed with wonderful friends. All this what surrounds me here brought to mind, how much flowers are able to communicate and speak for us so clearly.

It was December of 1953. I had gotten married to a wonderful American soldier in Germany. I worked for General Eisenhower at his command Headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany and there met Halvor Legrand Cole, we fell in love and after we got permission from the state department and the army we got married in November.

Distance did not permit the parents of my Hal to be here for the wedding. Mrs. Cole therefore was not involved in planning or giving any input and opinion. So, to make a bridge between Hal’s parents and myself, I ordered one dozen long-stemmed, red roses for Mrs. Alice Cole to be delivered on Christmas eve day. That should break the ice. Hal was already back in the USA for Christmas and after I received my visa and entry permit the end of February 1954 I arrived in Seattle in the State of Washington where my Hal and his family resided.

Another important time, where I let the beauty of flowers speak, was Mrs. Alice Cole’s sixty- fifth birthday. It is such an important day, not necessarily a happy one, but I wanted to make it one, she would always remember the flowers and not the years. My Hal and I ordered sixty-five long-stemmed red roses for his mom to be delivered on that special day.

Hal’s mother truly enjoyed the gorgeous bouquet of roses, communicating love between two women when flowers are the language to use, rather than conversation. If not love, then respect and appreciation for the mother of the husband, because after all, if it were not for her, I would not have the greatest, most wonderful husband, her son, my Hal.

I always believed that beautiful flowers can speak and communicate what we, as people, are not able to convey. Flowers are a loving way to convey one’s feelings, flowers have no strong opinions, they do not care who it is who buys them, who takes them home or who admires them.

In a bouquet they all are equally beautiful, and the sender is loved for this deed.