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Morristown, Pennsylvania is a Charming Town

My dear husband, Hal worked for AT&T and was a manager of the Seattle/Washington based Radio Communications Department. AT&T had a new facility in North Bend, on the east side of Seattle to house all new electronic equipment. In order to oversee the installation my Hal had to attend several different courses, taught in a school in Morristown, Pennsylvania for weeks at a time. We both were happy when it all was completed and my Hal could stay here in Bellevue, Washington going to work in North Bend.

We had planned a long weekend get together with my dear sister Friedl to meet her at the New York airport and spend a long weekend with her. We would take the “red eye” to New York and rent a car and after meeting Friedl we would drive to Morristown. Hal was all excited to show Friedl and me this charming town with many bookstores, gift shops, wonderful bakeries and fine restaurants with authentic Pennsylvania Deutsch food. Pronounced Dutch, but meaning Deutsch (German) not Dutch, Holland. Hal wanted to show Friedl and me the hotel where they stayed and where the classes were held. We decided to have our lunch in their dining room.

After lunch we started to explore a bookstore to purchase an interesting cookbook “Four Seasons” as a hostess gift for Flitzi, when we get to their home in Orley Valley. We had the book gift wrapped. We three then drove to Orley Valley and arrived at Flitzi’s and Stephen’s Gristmill early in the afternoon. Flitzi had baked a delicious plum tart and had set a beautiful table outside the kitchen under the Italian plum trees. The tart and the coffee were excellent, and the conversation was interesting.

 It had been a while since we had seen each other, and they were delighted to meet my sister Friedl. Flitzi enjoyed the cookbook from Hal and me and the beautiful bouquet of flowers from Friedl. Flitzi, Friedl and I started talking about some of the recipes in that four-season cookbook while Stephen and Hal talked about this old Gristmill. It was a working Gristmill and they had produced their first flour and shipped it to buyers. There was a pond providing the water for the grinding wheel. Stephen told us that they could ice skate on this pond last winter. This complex also had an icehouse and separate building where they would fill one-, two-, and five-pound sacks with flour.

But the show piece was the house! It was awesome. It had all hardwood flooring, polished. Large open fireplaces in several rooms for heat and if need be, for cooking. The large living room had a floor to ceiling window overlooking a creek and the pond. It too had a big fireplace big enough for a man to stand in. The kitchen of course, designed by Flitzi, had all the modern appliances the lady of the house could wish for.

We enjoyed sitting in the living room after Stephen had showed us the inside of their home. Then it was time to take all of us to dinner, Stephen had chosen. We were not disappointed. They set up a table for five, laden with Pennsylvania Dutch food, very good and authentic. Hal ordered the appropriate wines for each course, and we had a lively conversation around the table. The chef appeared to check how we liked his food and welcomed us to his restaurant. It had to be obvious to him, most of the serving dishes were empty. The chef was very pleased with this table and the guests. He left and came back with dessert “on the house” he said and put in front of every guest a plate with a ramekin with cream caramel and fresh strawberries.

We thanked the generous chef and the two waiters who kept us happy all through the dinner. After we enjoyed the dessert, comparing it to crème brulé, it was time to drive Stephen and Flitzi home. Hal paid the bill and left a generous tip, and we were on our way. After we said good night and gave each other big hugs Flitzi and Stephen went inside, and we drove to Morristown to our hotel. After a “night cap” Friedl, Hal and I said good night and parted. Tomorrow morning Friedl will take a plane to Frankfurt and a couple of hours later we will be flying back to Seattle.

I must admit, it was a very short visit with my dear sister Friedl, but a beautiful, full of love visit and Friedl met some great friends of ours, never met them before, but heard a lot about them and now had an inside into their lives. American pioneers, Americans who first built this beautiful country before they moved west. Beautiful American people who want to keep the beginning, the past the way it was, authentic and alive.

Bravo!

Comment:

I loved this story from Ilona–sounds like such a charming town and visit –and now I am craving cream caramel and strawberries!

Hope you all enjoy it too.
Marcie

A “Winter Rose” (Christ Rose)

Our first Christmas in Chelan was fast approaching, and my husband Hal and I, Ilona were very busy to complete the final decorations, fresh white tulips in a beautiful tall, white vase by Rosenthal to place on the buffet in the dining room along with an awesome set of bisque angels by Edward Marshall Boehm. A beautiful Christmas décor!

All other rooms and the entry were done. We now need to find a florist willing to order fresh, white French tulips. If I cannot have tulips, white roses will also look great with a few evergreen branches in that vase. We were so pleased with our decorated white flocked tall tree right in front of the three big windows, overlooking an apple orchard with snow laden old, sculpted apple trees. Standing back and looking at this winter wonder land, satisfied that all looked festive.

We were told that a young gentleman opened a great flower shop in Leavenworth, which is not too far from Chelan. With high hopes we drove to Leavenworth and to visit this florist.

After a nice lunch in one of the German restaurants we asked the waitress where that flower shop was, and she explained it to us and gave us the directions. We ordered our lunch, roulade with a piquant sauce and little, very thin and crunchy potato pancakes on the side. While we were waiting, we had a glass of excellent aged Rhone Valley red.

Set back from the street in a dark stone building was the flower shop and as we entered, we were in awe of all the flowers and stunning arrangements waiting on the tables to go home with someone. It was dark and cool in the shop and there were pleasant fragrances of a large assortment of flowers. I could see why this florist had this reputation. It was paradise! With a big smile we were welcomed by the florist and after I stated what we would wish for, he took us to a big cooler with tulips, roses, gerberas, orchids and single cut poinsettias in white with a little pink and the standard red. He volunteered right away that he gets his French tulips from Canada and that he will call and get some white ones. What was in the cooler was red, red with green large heads, beautiful, yellow and pink ones. But I had set my vision on white ones.

As my Hal and I were looking around the shop, the owner made his phone call and approached us, smiling. Yes, he will have white, French tulips by Friday afternoon. That news made us very happy. I also picked some beautiful branches of fresh noble fir. The fragrance was heavenly. As Hal and I were waiting to pay, I had another look into the cooler for something special. I saw on the bottom shelf a vase with (I could not believe my eyes) little star-shaped, white flowers that reminded me of growing up, my childhood in Germany and Christmas. A nostalgic, warm feeling came over me. They were called “Christ Rose,”  like Christ in Christmas not Christ (Jesus) They bloom in December through March in gardens and one can purchase them at the florist. I had never seen them before here in the USA, a delicate white little star, like a miniature rose. The owner came over and told me they were called “Winter Rose” and I told him what memories I had of them. On our way out, the nice gentleman presented me with a little bundle of the Winter roses. Such treasure, such memories. I had tears in my eyes. How sweet of the young man to gift them to us. I will do something very special with them, along with some of the red with green tulips I will purchase on Saturday when we get the white tulips. I am looking so forward to make a very special arrangement with little greens, the large red/green tulips, the precious Christ roses and a beautiful red ribbon with a string of white pearls for the center of my dining room table. Bring on this, so special, so holy and wonderful Christmas miracle.

                                                     My Hal and I are ready!

A Cute Little Sugar Dish, Consequence, and Tears

We had an Aunt Anita, she was the sister of Aunt Lilli, the loving wife of our Uncle Arthur, my father’s twin brother.

Aunt Lilli came to visit us often and my mama and her had a wonderful rapport and they had relaxing visits at teatime together. My mama would set a beautiful table with flowers or candles and always bake something with enticing fragrance. I remember well in later years that there was always a lot of laughter during Lilli’s visits. Our governess Mrs. Kramer would bring a lovely tray with goodies for us to the sitting area in our room so we could duplicate that visit. But there was studying involved, not laughter. My sister Friedl was five years old, and I was three. Anita was not a frequent visitor to our home, there had to be a specific reason for her to visit and they were usually short and to the point. Like this one. She had requested to be allowed to take Friedl and me on an outing for a ballet performance, hot chocolate and fancy cookies to a “Wald Café” by streetcar and a lovely stroll in the woods to the café. Since Mrs. Kramer had this afternoon free to take care of a personal matter, our mama finally gave in and got us ready. Anita made a point to pick what we should wear, how to style our hair and how we should behave, speak, answer promptly etc. Anita would love to tell my mama with a smile, how to raise children, which is absurd, since mama had found and hired Mrs. Kramer, a professional governess with a spotless reputation and knowledge of all the ins and outs of nurturing and educating children to become decent and well-rounded adults. After all this tension, my mama most likely regretted already giving in today to Anita.

After a nice walk through the majestic and beautiful woods, we arrived at the café and were seated by a large window overlooking the garden. Our table was decorated with pretty flowers and white, starched linens. It was very idyllic and relaxing, but I remember years later, I was always tense, reluctant and a little frightened around Aunt Anita, not so around Aunt Lilli or any other guest in our home. Aunt Anita had ordered hot chocolate for Friedl and me and tea for herself with sugar and milk.

There was a stage at the end of this large room where we would be watching a ballet class performing a children’s play. One would think that would be nice, Aunt Anita would be watching the Ballet and not Friedl or me, criticizing us: “Sit straight, don’t slouch, keep your knee’s together and don’t talk to your sister, WATCH!”

After the performance and the applause ended Anita took care of our bill. Friedl gave a big sigh of relieve, but I noticed a beautiful, cute sugar dish with a morsel of sugar from individually wrapped sugar cubes. While Anita settled the gratuity, I put my little forefinger in the cute dish to savor the morsel of sugar. WWIII started! Aunt Anita with the voice of a 1^st Sergeant or General reprimanded me, my manners, my upbringing, my heritage…and my teachings. Friedl was so scared for me that she started crying and Anita’s rage went on. She pulled me off the chair and with her other hand she pulled Friedl behind her.

Arriving at our home, “cooler heads did NOT prevail” and Anita was in her “Charge mode.” Our mama knew right away, looking at us, that something went very wrong. She attended in her loving and soft way to Friedl and dried her tears and then to me, by that time I was shaking uncontrollably. Well, my mama had the audacity to ask Anita what went wrong and was informed, still in WWIII mode, about the terrible manners, in public, the cute little sugar dish and then she added still in the same tone, that she will take Friedl out for treats, but not this one, pointing at me.

Being a born diplomat, my mama, moving toward the front door, door handle in hand and with a determined look on her lovely face thanked Anita for this afternoon’s outing, but there shall NOT be any outings in the future for Anita any longer regardless of her wishes. The smile on our mama’s face fading, she closed the door behind Anita.

After all the tears and the fear disappeared, we were sitting all together, mama, Mrs. Kramer, Mrs. Nietsche, Friedl and I, having a little dish of ice cream. No mention of this ugly scene or the cute sugar dish, not now or ever again.

“Klepper” Boats at the World’s Fair in Seattle

The World’s Fair opened in Seattle, and it was to be the day today that my Hal and I will take a walk through it. Seattle gained a wonderful complex, an area with marvelous buildings that were erected and a monorail that would bring visitors and Seattleites from downtown to the fairgrounds. We finally had a most modern and beautiful opera house and an interesting science center building, a large awesome fountain and many more structures that would serve Seattle toward its future. The biggest wonder of all was the space needle. A beautiful rotating restaurant way up high and perched on top, an observation deck. I am sure Seattle will make good use in the future of these marvelous structures. My Hal and I went downtown, parked our car in a secure lot and walked to the monorail station. Quickly we arrived at the fairgrounds. So much to see, where to begin. As my Hal and I tried to decide what we wanted to look at next, we noticed a large sign by a booth with quite a large group in line, listening to two gentlemen. The sign said “Klepper Boats.” It brought back so many memories it was overwhelming.

I wanted to know if “Klepper” stood for the manufacturer of the fold boats. One I had, growing up in Germany, but they were destroyed by the Allied forces as they landed on the German side of the Rhine River. I told the two gentlemen my story that a group of us young students were biking from Darmstadt to the Rhine River for the weekends to go paddle in that awesome river into the waves made by larger vessels and ended up at what was called “Kuehkopf” a cove that looked like an outline of a cow’s head. Cut out by the river and made a peninsula which we used to stop and took a rest period, maybe eat our lunch and have a lively conversation.

The two gentlemen were very interested in my little story and had quite a few questions. They also thought that Seattle was a terrific boating city and told my Hal that they most likely will come back next year for a boating vacation. Which they did, but due to Hal’s schedule at work we never connected that summer. The next year we received a call from Peter, one of the two gentlemen, this time they brought another friend and we went out on Lake Washington on a rented sailboat. I had invited them to dinner which they enjoyed very much. They told us about their wonderful experiences last summer they were here, but we could not get together. While the young men were having their conversation with my Hal, I started dinner. We had wonderful tenderloin steaks with a beautiful, dark brown shiny “Jack Daniels” sauce. Nice, part crispy asparagus and potatoes Anna on the side. Hal opened a full-bodied La Taché Burgundy which everyone enjoyed. We remembered they loved American ice cream. I made Vanilla bean ice cream as dessert with a brandy, sour cherry sauce on it.

In future years they came a few more times and we always had some visits and also joint them boating, but love came into their lives. We had heard that two of the three fell in love and got married. No more bachelor vacations, maybe no more boating, different lifestyle. We also lost touch, when Hal got transferred south to Longview and then Vancouver, where we made an immense step up in our life: A sailboat named “Ilonka.”

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.