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Gathering Blueberries in West Seattle

It was summer of 1963, a beautiful day and my dearest sister Friedl was visiting us here in the USA for three months from Germany. Hal and I had split our vacations to do some fun things with Friedl because for this length of time my sister would be alone a lot. But I also had a lot of offers from friends who wanted to do fun things with Friedl on the days we were working. To take drives with her, the ocean, or an Island in the Puget Sound, or take her shopping in Seattle or Bellevue or to some of the interesting restaurants we have for a tasty lunch.

We had some very dear friends, Coleen and Bob, we went dancing with them often to the officer’s club. Hal and Bob both worked for AT&T and both had joined the Airforce reserve for two years. Coleen would leave a note on my kitchen counter to tell me the approximate time when they would get back and where they would go. This beautiful, sunny day while at work I knew, that my Friedl had a fun day with Coleen.

I was looking forward to this evening. Hal my husband will bring Bob home with him and Coleen, when she arrives with Friedl will also stay and we will have dinner together. Coleen and Friedl arrived at the time I came home from work and entered the garage. Shortly after Hal arrived with Bob. Behind Bob and Coleen’s house in West Seattle was a large, wooded area between their home and a church.

The ravine was sloping downward and growing blueberry bushes. Friedl and Coleen picked a big basket of berries, I was delighted to get them and planned on making a galette for dessert. I always have buttery crust in the refrigerator, brought it out and while I prepare dinner, the galette can bake.

I noticed that Friedl looked very crisp and clean, no marks or stains of ripe berries on her white eyelet cotton lace summer dress nor on Coleen either. How did I manage that long ago, picking huckleberries in Germany to mess up my dress so bad, that even the cleaners could not rescue the dress?

Later that evening, as I went into Friedl’s room I noticed her dress over a chair. It did look about as bad as mine did. I will take Friedl shopping next week. The dress will not survive. Not washing it, or not even drycleaners could get mine clean so I had them dye it navy blue and I purchased a navy blue silk slip. But I am sure my Friedl does not want this dress dyed. I will look for a dress, same material, next week and if they have some I will take my Friedl with me to work and at lunchtime we go and she may pick one. This store has very beautiful and unusual material summer dresses for ladies and it is right next door to the bank where I work.

Our dinner was a success. I had made Porterhouse steaks with a large mixed green salad, crunchy warmed Baggett with sweet butter. My Hal opened a wonderful Mondavi Cabernet. For dessert we enjoyed the fragrant blueberry galette and coffee.

The taste of the blueberry galette was definitely worth all the problem with berry stains, Friedl’s, mine long ago, and as we found out later also Coleen’s. She redressed at her house before they came back to our house. It ended up a perfect sunny and fun day with family and friends.

Huckleberry Hunt in the Odenwald (Ode to the Forest)

It was a beautiful sunny day. The year was 1953 and I had met a very sweet and special American soldier at Headquarters of the US armed forces, General Eisenhower’s Command in Frankfurt/Germany where I worked as secretary to the communication officer since 1948. Being such a fine day, we made plans for a drive through the beautiful Odenwald (Ode to the forest) a serene forest to admire, take in the sunshine, have a picnic and relax.

My dear friend Hal had purchased a car from a buddy who was going home to the US after his three years of occupation duty in Germany. This forest is the area where Richard Wagner staged most of his famous operas and one could easily imagine high up in these old oak trees his powerful music while lingering a while or walking along these paths. We had parked the car (no cars allowed on the beautifully groomed walking paths.) We were looking for one of the many gazebos to get settled and have our wonderful lunch my sister Friedl so lovingly prepared for us.

We started our conversation with: “When we get our permission from the state department and armed forces for getting married.” All the preparation we still need to do. What is our next step? As we were enjoying our delicious lunch, we noticed that all around us were Huckleberries growing, low on the ground under the aging oaks. After we had enjoyed the last bite and the last of our coffee, we took some of the bowls Friedl had put different salads in, wiped them clean and got up to gather berries to take home to Friedl, so she could bake a berry galette and how surprised she would be over our effort. We filled our bowls full of these plentiful, big, ripe and juicy berries. We came back in our gazebo, sat down and admired our work, thinking how delicious this galette will taste especially for my Hal, he loved American pie, he had told me. Sitting down, I noticed a couple of big stains from the Huckleberries on my white eyelet cotton lace dress. I shall take care of this, when we arrive home at Friedl’s.

When we arrived at Friedl’s and her husband Georg’s home my Friedl was so delighted, and Hal and I got big hugs from her. But when she saw my stained dress, she remarked that these berries were very expensive. I changed my dress, and I will soak it, while we have dinner. Hal was invited to stay for dinner and of course for dessert. Friedl prepared the galette and while it was baking, she made dinner. A beautiful, fragrant galette came out of the oven, while we had a lively conversation during the fabulous dinner of Duck l’orange and all the trimmings. We also enjoyed one of Georg’s fine Burgundy wines.

Other than my dress disaster, it was a wonderful, lovely day in the Odenwald and joining my family for dinner and an awesome huckleberry galette.                                                               

                                                                 … exactly ten years later…

A Beautiful Ski Resort in the Alpine Mountains “Garmish Partenkirchen”

It was to be a cold winter this year and my Hal and I had made plans to be in Germany at the same time as our good friends who went on skiing trips almost every winter to Germany, Switzerland or Austria. We made plans to meet them in the beautiful village of Garmish right in the Alpine Mountains. My Hal and I are not skiers, but meeting our friends there, enjoying the superb Restaurants, going shopping in this great village and sight seeing sounded good to us and we wanted to explore this opportunity.

We flew into the Airport close to Munich and contacted our friends after we arrived at our Hotel. We set a time to meet with them in the restaurant in our hotel to have lunch together and make plans for the three days my Hal and I were there. When they arrived at our table and after the big hugs we got ready to order lunch. We found out from our waiter that we still could have breakfast and that their chef makes French toast from Brioche/raisin bread and serves it with heated honey, a slice of Jambo (French ham) accompanied with a mélange of berries. A wonderful fragrance arose from the coffee pot as the waiter was pouring it into our cups. The breakfast was to behold, it was tasty, and our plans were put on hold. Our attention was given entirely to the food in front of us.

We also were discussing dinner for tonight. Richard suggested we have dinner in the Chalet way on top of the mountain and described the beautiful dining room in the chalet. But if we want to get a glimpse of the awesome surroundings, this should be for lunch and not dinner I thought. It is getting dark by five o’clock. Everyone agreed and we made reservation for the next day for lunch. And dinner reservation for tonight at this fabulous hotel. Richard told about the awesome dining room and the breathtaking view and there are gondolas taking the non-skiers up to the chalet. Richard and Marilyn left to take in a few more runs skiing and we went to our suit to unpack our suitcase to get out some warm clothing and our boots. Dressed nice and warm we thought to walk leisurely through town, look into some shops or just “people watch.”

My Hal was wearing charcoal gray slacks with a gorgeous Missoni sweater, his gray shearling coat and his boots. I wore my cream color cashmere slacks with a plum color cashmere sweater and my cream color cashmere coat and boots. We were dressed nice and warm, just not in ski fashion.

Garmish has a lot of American Army personnel and their families living there. They had built a large Hotel with PX and a commissary outside of town for the American families to shop. Our friends stayed in a Motel with the ski group from Boeing. Our hotel was right in town, had a beautiful appointed lobby and was two stories high. We had a suit on the second floor with a separate bedroom and in the bathroom a huge bath tub. Breakfast or a late snack were offered as room service. A very nice and spoiling touch.

We had a lovely dinner that night with our friends. My Hal ordered a bottle of an aged red Burgundy, a symphony on ones tongue and tastebuds. Our two gentlemen ordered filet of venison with an awesome sauce, spaetzle (pasta)and white asparagus on the side. Marilyn and I ordered Chateau Briand for two, very delicious! For dessert we four ordered the same crème bruleé and a delicious espresso. Our friends invited us to join them to a club for music and dancing. But we declined, since we had our long flight from Seattle behind us we preferred to go upstairs to our suit and relax.

Today is Saturday and it is very cold, but sunny and no fresh snow. It seems that today again our agenda is “eating.” Lunch at the Chalet. Looks like that is all we do. The gondola ride up the mountain was spectacular and the scenery breathtaking. As we came out of the gondola one felt uninhibited and free. In ones lifetime to see this surround is a tremendous gift. Never to be forgotten. The scenery inside the chalet, especially the dining room was also awe inspiring. Beautifully furnished, beautiful vessels with flowers on every table and soft, pleasant music throughout. We were seated by a big round table right by a window. The white linen on the table was bright with the sun coming through the window and the white fresh snow was glistening in the sunshine and everything looked so pristine. One could order from a menu or partake from the plentiful buffet. Marilyn and I ordered from the menu, like our breakfast yesterday and our two gentlemen went to the buffet. We had a wonderful assortment of food, good aromatic coffee and a lively conversation and the time passed along fast. The few hours left of the Saturday were used to purchase some beautiful cards with photos of this town and this beautiful surrounding area. We will treasure them along with photos my Hal took of Garmish and our friends and places.

Tomorrow, Sunday we will make the rounds to art galleries and the art museum. We found some lovely pencil sketches in one of the art shops. Something for the soul and emotion. They too need to be fed. Monday morning my Hal and I will take the Bullet Train to Darmstadt to spend the rest of our vacation with my sister Friedl and her husband Georg. We will take home some beautiful purchases and awesome memories.

It was Close to the “Holidays”

The city of Frankfurt/ Germany is divided into areas or districts. The story comes from an evening close to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at the “Alte Roemer” the old Roman district. Frankfurt’s tourist attraction from Roman times with the most striking cathedral, the Paulus Cathedral, art shops with works from local artists, and the most interesting and beautiful buildings with old timber architecture and artwork on the facades. The cathedral was the vocal point for us, my sister Friedl, her husband Georg, my Hal and me.  A performance of a Christmas concert. The orchestra, performing the fascinating music to captivate the audience with Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart and Handel’s works. It should be touching, and give us all the guidance into the holy, and mystical Christmas holidays. These concerts, full of the meaning of Christmas always touch one far more, when performed in a church or cathedral, than on stage, in an opera house or a music hall. It is so very inspiring and for me brings out the tears.

We enjoyed the intermission with a glass of wine, conversation and our critique on the music so far. Everyone enjoyed this lovely and powerful music.

The second part of the concert brought us a wonderful surprise. We knew we would hear part of the Messiah, hopefully the Hallelujah chorus, but were astounded and surprised by the most beautiful Roman garments on the performers of the chorus. It reminded me of, many years before, when I saw “Aida.” This choir, dressed in these beautiful garments on stage in front of the large, awesome leaded and stained window as backdrop was mesmerizing and gave me goosebumps. The finale started and could not have been a better choice. “The Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah by G.F. Handel. One felt refreshed, cleansed, free and in awe.

We called for a taxi and told the driver: “Home, Darmstadt, please.” It is a 45-minute drive to Darmstadt, Friedl’s and Georg’s home. There was silence in the cab, there was thought in every one’s heart and mind.

O, Heilige Nacht

Oh, Holy Night

Sans Souci Palace in Potsdam

It was the pleasure palace of Kaiser “Emperor” Frederick the Great and it featured beautiful Rococo style architecture and a magnificent Palace Garden and vineyard that Frederick the Great had planted, terraced by the stairs. On April 14^th, 1745, the foundation stone was laid for today’s world-famous Sans souci Palace. Sans souci is a masterpiece ensemble of architecture, sculpture and garden art. Frederick the Great was the Emperor of Prussia.

It was the summer of 1943. I was 16 years old and was allowed by my mother to take the train one more time to visit my dear Aunt Frieda and Uncle Christopher in Calau, outside Cotbus, south of Berlin. The bombing situation got to be too dangerous for me to undertake this journey by train. It was a great target for the B-17 bombers. I often spent my summer vacations there, while growing up. My Uncle Christopher was a breeder of fine horses, and I loved horses and riding.

My train took me to Berlin and my father, stationed there, picked me up and before I would continue my journey to Calau I spent the day with my father. First, after arriving in Potsdam my papa took me for an awesome lunch to a restaurant called “Café Repin” near the picture gallery and Sans souci palace. A beautiful buffet was laid out in this charming and very elegant Café, of all kinds of seafood salads or seafood, grilled dishes with green or fruit salads. A very aromatic French press coffee and an endless list of wonderful desserts on a dessert menu. We had a two-hour lunch and while we enjoyed this awesome food, we loved our time together. When the afternoon sun disappeared, it was time for me to return to the train station to continue my journey to Calau, where Franz, Christopher’s driver awaited me with his horse-drawn carriage.

The drive from the Calau train station to the estate brought us through a serene forest, passing by an idyllic lake with wild geese enjoying the clear, clean water, and we arrived at Aunt Frieda’s estate. Franz took care of my luggage and after big hugs from my aunt and uncle we went into the house. Aunt Frieda and her husband were breeding and raising beautiful horses. It was a marvelous place to spend some weeks during summers. There was a pond for swimming, a wonderful meadow in which to play in or just sit, relax and daydream of one’s future, what it might yet hold for a 16-year-old girl. Or wander through the poppy fields, picking a bouquet of poppies for my aunt, only to have all the pretty red petals fall off before I would get to the house. What beautiful sight to behold, as far as the eye can see, beautiful red poppies moving in the summer’s breeze.

On Sunday afternoon I would await anxiously Aunt Frieda’s specialty for teatime. A delicious pastry my aunt called “Kalte Schnauze” cold snout. It was built in a loaf pan with alternating layers of lady fingers and chocolate ganache. Put into the refrigerator overnight and sliced into thin slices and served with whip cream. I would love it and the guests would love it. Later that year I wrote to my aunt and asked her for the recipe of this wonderful dessert. Soon a package arrived, and in it was a beautiful tin with the “real thing” a wonderful cold snout and with it, the recipe. I still to this day know the recipe and have made it many times for my dear husband Hal.

This was my last visit to my favorite place with my favorite aunt and uncle. Bombing attacks on trains in that part of Germany were very frequent and my dear mama thought it too dangerous for travelling.

The war ended and made an end to this life-long relationship. When the Russian hordes came through that pristine area in 1945 on their way to Berlin, all these beautiful estates were pilfered and burned to the ground and the families who lived there were murdered. Uncle Christopher and Aunt Frieda’s son lost his life already in Africa at the battle of El Alamein. His parents gave their lives in 1945, the end of WWII.

Sightseeing and Shopping at the “Alte Roemer” –Old Roman Sector in Frankfurt

My husband, Hal and I, Ilona had planned another visit to my sister Friedl and her husband Georg, who lived in Darmstadt/Germany south of Frankfurt. Since my Hal was reluctant to park his new car in the “long term” parking lot, Doug Hal’s brother and his wife Nancy suggested we park the car at their home in West Seattle and Nancy would drive us to Sea Tac Airport. That was very generous and very nice of them. I, therefore wanted to do something nice for them too.

As Nancy was driving us to the airport I asked her if she had a request for something we could bring her from our trip to Germany. She said if I could find a beautiful etching or Lithograph from one of the art shops in the old Roman district in Frankfurt, she would love that.

One morning during our stay at my sister’s home in Darmstadt my Hal and I decided to take the bus to Frankfurt and have a fun day there, and at the same time look for art. It was a sunny, but very cold day. After being in the bus for about half an hour, we noticed how cold it was in there. One could not feel legs and feet any longer and we still had another half hour to go. Someone asked the driver if he could turn on the heating system, please. Reluctant, the driver told us that this morning the heat went down and that he is very sorry. We had no choice but to sit there to the end. As we arrived in mid- town by the “Haupt Wache” we got off, walked across the street and into Café Kranzler. Our legs and feet were like ice, very stiff and all we could think of was a nice warm place, nice hot coffee and a tasty breakfast. We enjoyed hot, steaming, aromatic coffee and a variety of breakfast pastry, a dish of wonderful fruit and warmth. We stayed about one hour at least until we could feel our feet again and started out toward the old Roman district. We looked into the display windows of some art shops on our way to the one we were familiar with, purchasing etching and stone lithographs for our home over the years. As we walked in, all the walls, glass counters and on easels already framed ones, beautiful etchings and lithographs on display. Almost overwhelming, one salesperson and so many pieces of art.

We found several beautiful ones. We got one for our Nancy and Doug and two for us to display in our hallway. As we came outside with our treasure, we looked for a taxi to take us to the train station not the bus. Friedl and Georg liked very much what we had purchased. We had also purchased a heavy cardboard roll to carry the etchings in on our flight home.

When we arrived in Seattle, Nancy picked us up and once at their home we presented them with the etching. Their faces and smiles showed that they were pleased and happy. As we were having a conversation about our trip from Darmstadt to Frankfurt’s old Roman district I remember another journey there with my Hal, Friedl, Georg and I. A wonderful day, an experience not ever to be forgotten still so vivid in my mind and heart.

Next dramatic chapter in life

Next dramatic chapter in life…Getting glasses

It was the summer of 1980 and I– Ilona –was 53 years old. Going to and from Vancouver where we lived to Longview where I worked, I had noticed the strain on my eyes trying to read the signs on the streets, the Interstate five freeway signs and of course the work at my desk. I thought the time had come for an eye exam and most likely glasses. Oh my, I had been holding off on this… I hated glasses. Over fifty and here goes my looks, I was saying while driving to Portland for my eye exam. What comes next? False teeth, hearing aid and eventually sensible shoes?

After my exam Doctor Zell told me, exactly what I had feared. I needed glasses. I picked a gold frame; it went well with my auburn hair and the Optician ordered the lenses.

I walked a few blocks to my favorite florist, before picking up my car, to get myself a bouquet of beautiful flowers. No occasion, just because I deserved them after this drama I just went through. Luke’s Florist my favorite flower shop always had gorgeous stems of large orchid blossoms, so I picked the white with purple inside and also purchased a lovely Asian vessel where I could arrange them with some greens, when I get home. All the way home on I-5 I was crying, feeling sorry for myself, until I got home and got a big hug from my sweetheart Hal. At the dinner table my Hal wanted to know what made me cry. I told him my sad tale, we both started laughing, and I started to feel better.

In a few days on a Saturday, I picked up my glasses and after that weekend wore them driving to Longview. This was quite different. I could read all the signs on the road, the freeway, the name of the clinic I worked in and things in general looked much clearer. I was most likely embarrassed or uncomfortable about my glasses. Every time Doctor Neil came to my office to talk with me, I removed my glasses and then looked up to speak with him. After this went on for a few days Doctor Neil asked…”Ilona can’t you hear with your glasses on?” We both had a good laugh and from then on, I kept my glasses on and just got used to what was eventually inevitable.   

To be Someone