The so called "grown-up recess"

As mentioned last week I have decided to share some more photos and stories about my 2 1/2 months summer break.
My friend Ellen visited from Alabama for almost three weeks and she called that time "Grown-up recess". We had no agenda, no rush. Just time, good weather and lots to experience.

Visits to local art galleries, hikes through natural forest.

Bike rides through the region. Coffee at my favorite place, seeing the Rhine flooded, soaking in the sun. We also went to the lake in Switzerland for the day and explored WW I ground in France. Whatever we were in the mood for we did. We just seized the day.  We ate lots of cheese and laughed a lot. When we said good-bye it was more like see you next year.
Those are the memories, the moments which will stick with you. The ones you can't capture on camera, but they're there.

xoxo

Ramona

The good of it

Writing new chapters of adventure and creating new dreams is a process. Change is a process and I have elaborated on it a lot lately. Hence today I just want to share some really good and fun times of recent. Because there were. And the great thing is that again and again I see and experience how amazing my friends are, how important people are to me and how I make new memories in all of the process.
So... I just thought I'd share some pictures that capture exactly that:

Sledding with my friends. Something I hadn't done in years. We had so much fun and it was like diving into Winter Wonderland!

Watching Tristan and Isolde with my friend Larissa. Yay for crossing off yet another movie from our list :-)

Dream Team Banquet. I'm always in for dressing up, trying new hairdos and make up :-) 

The Gavin deGraw concert which was just amazing. I've been listening to his music for many years and seeing him live now was awesome.

I added most of my favorite songs to my Current Soundtrack so you get to share in the fun too.

I guess that's it. Happy Friday, friends!

Make the most of every day.

xoxo

Ramona

Summer Love List

I love this summer. While everybody was talking about the big heat they had we were sitting here with only 15°C wishing for summer. And now it is here and it is hot. So naturally life is slowing down a little.
I am thoroughly enjoying it and have soaked up so many moments in the last two weeks.
So here is my summer love list:
Biking in summer rain and catching rainbows
Reading this book under a tree in fields where all you hear is the wind blowing through the grass
Listening to this music in my Current Soundtrack. It takes my breath away.
Watching this movie and being inspired to look like they did in the 40s and 50s. Also... I just have a thing for superheros :-)

Only a couple more days until we leave for India! I can hardly wait and am all excited about that!

Are you enjoying your summer or are you all set and ready for the fall?

xoxo

Ramona

*picture from here

Good food and cookie dough ice cream

A lot of things have been going on lately and I'm sometimes just amazed how much strength and endurance and extra time God gives me. It's miraculous.

Well, tonight was sort of my night off and I decided to treat myself with some good food, some dance stretching, pampering and finally some good old Ben&Jerry's cookie dough ice cream.

I made a joghurt dip with some frozen herbs and curry from India to dip the carrots and cooked broccoli. I love cooked broccoli. It has an amazing taste.

I still had some romaine lettuce left that I tossed with some balsamico and olive oil.

We don't grow sweet potatoes here so to eat them is always a treat. I found this really simple and fast recipe where all you do is cover them in some olive oil and toast them in the oven for like 40 minutes. They were delicioso.

My co-worker told about this. It's chicory sprinkled with cheese that melts in the oven. Man, was it good.

And for dessert I had cookie dough ice cream which I simply LOVE! If I were to pick my favorite ice cream place I would totally say Cold Stone and that although I live in Europe where we get amazing gelato everywhere, but... Cold Stone it is. I have so many good memories of that place.

Anyway... hope you'll enjoy your weekend. I sure will.

xoxo

Ramona

PS: Sorry the photo quality isn't the best... only had my phone camera with me.

Summer days

It is summer, like seriously summer and I have decided to take on a lighter note throughout the next couple of weeks. This means whatever fun, summerly, fresh will come my way I will post. For me summer is so light and natural and fun and I love summer nights. I think they are amazing, when everything cools down and you can hear the crickets chirr and you can see the stars and it is still warm and nice out. It's one of my favourite things ever.

So today I am starting with a picture that I adore. It so speaks from my heart... I love trees so the combination of this picture is simply awesome! Go enjoy!



Anyways, always love your comments! Enjoy your summer!

xoxo

Ramona