Why the stork?

In our time, the White stork has become a symbol of childbirth. Why the stork? Many years ago people did not speak of reproduction to children, so people often told the kids that storks, which were a symbol of happiness and prosperity delivered them.

The word STORK was derived from an old English word STORC which means
stiff or rigid.

The Hebrew word for stork is equivalent to "kind mother" and they are also
a symbol of parental care.

I wonder how many bloggers or readers believed in the story of the stork
who is responsible for bringing the babies ? !

Growing up as an only child wasn't ever easy, and although I
often expressed my wish for a brother or a sister, I still had hopes
that some day the big bird will make a U turn to our house and
leave us a small bundle of joy.

Timber! ! ! !

The Russians believe that if you drink a lot of tea, you will live
to a ripe old age, but if I don't stop falling over my own feet, I
certainly won't live long enough to tell the story of my love
for a good strong cup o' tea!

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I will have is a cup
of stong coffee, after that, it's tea all thru the morning.

This afternoon, I took my dog for her usual walk, but as I crossed the
street, I tripped ( goodness knows how) and I fell to the ground!

I don't remember a hump on the road that could have caused the incident, but
when it happened, I realized that I was going down and I'm about
to kiss the cold hard pavement ! The usual slow motion effect!!
What a bummer, and that in the middle of the street!

As I picked myself off the street, I felt the burning pain in my face, due
to the tar paved street, and as I took a glimpse of the dog, she had that
look in her eye "Hey Mate, what you doing lying on the street, leave that
to me!"
There I lay spread out like jam, like a better dressed tramp, but I got up ,
brushed the dirt off my jacket and looked left then right, in the hope that
no one caught sight of the spectacle right on their street.
I was lucky, no one was looking!

When I bought a little something at the Kiosk, not far from my
antics on the street, the sales woman at the Kiosk asked "What's with all the blood
on your hands Lady?" (perhaps she thought that Freddy from Elm street
has arrived in Switzerland!)

Maybe all this tea drinking isn't doing me all that good as it does
the Russian folk, but, I'm a little Ginco tree, and they're known to
live up to thousands of years, with or without the tea! (Snigger)

One a penny two a penny.......

I didn't want a chocolate Easter egg, and I
didn't want an Easter bunny.
All I wanted for Easter is a HOT CROSS BUN!
I didn't get that lucky because hot cross buns are unknown in Swit-
zerland.
So, I've been feasting my eyes and teasing my tastebuds by just
looking at the picture above.
Thanks to http://simmy.typepad.com/ I just had to copy and
paste her picture of these delicious treats.

I wonder how many bloggers were so lucky to fill their
bellies with steamy freshly baked
HOT CROSS BUNS ! ?

http://simmy.typepad.com/

More about the monster garden

It's absolutely freezing in our corner of the world, but this afternoon
I braved the cold by leaving my warm and cozy 4 walls to catch a
breath of fresh air.
We've had a little snowfall, as predicted, but it doesn't change
the fact that we're feeling the bitter cold right at the start of Springtime.
I don't want to be a pain in the butt by writing about the same old
sad and sorry story over and over again, I just want to show you (one
last time) what I've discovered in the "little paradise" just across the street
from where we live.
This is supposed to be a flower bed, but until today I haven't
noticed any changes done to what's been growing wildly here. This is what I saw today, it looks as if the gardener got stuck in and
did a little something by cutting down some of the rubbish that's
flourishing in the flowerbed. All I see is a bunch of weeds.

I have no idea what this is in aid of, to me it looks like one loooong
pedestrian sign - they forgot to change the colour to yellow (Oops,
perhaps it's still in the gardener's plan)
At the end of the " pedestrian lines" the Kindergarten is visible.



This is the entrance to the Kindergarten as well as the playground.
I could never leave my small child here and go to work!!!

This is what it looked like 20 days ago

This what it looked like this afternoon.

This place was once so beautiful and they could have

left it all as it was.

It's almost as if they have no idea what to do with all this ground, and

I get the feeling (it's visible on the pics) once they get started in one

corner, they leave the work dangling to mess up in another, so

until the evil gremlin family is still at large,I will not post another

entry about this monster garden.

Weeping ukulele

Take a look at this video and I hope you'll enjoy this

lovely old song, played long ago by the late George Harrison

on the guitar.

I think it sounds even better played on the ukulele.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9mEKMz2Pvo

Happy Easter

Remember me? I'm alive and well, eventhough I haven't blogged for
over a week.
Our weather's taken a wrong turn and WE'RE FREEZING over here!
I must admit I've stayed "put" 'cos it's much cozier - In the meantime
I'll remain quiet and wait patiently for Summer to show us the Sunny
side of life!

I've kept my ears open and I am constantly on the look out for

something interesting to blog about, but so far I haven't come across

anything proper to post.

You know the feeling?

At some or other stage during our blogging life, we all get stung by this

nasty little creature called the blogger virus!

Luckily viruses can be cured, it's just a matter of good medicine

and resting time to get us on the go again!

You all take care now and

HAVE A GREAT EASTER ! !

Sunday morning warm up.

All together now - let's dance!










http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEVyDmcF7u0
This is where I found this funny video, thank you kindly
Bits and pieces.
http://www.bitsandpieces1.blogspot.com/

Pain in the butt !

Although Spring has sprung, yesterday morning we woke up to find just
about everything covered in snow, and I was surprised to find a tree covered
in white blossoms on the grounds of our "little paradise" in the middle of our
street.



On a few ocassions I have blogged about this Hotel, just across the road

from where we live, a lovely place to take the dog for a walk, ( without any

threats coming from the "parkie" ) A year ago they dug up the entire lawn,
and for the life of me I can't tell you why because the "new" lawn doesn't look
any better than the "old" one.

A year later and this is what it looks like - no difference what so ever!



On the other side of the Hotel, with nothing but lush green grass

where the Hotel guests (including doggy and me) could sit and enjoy

the sounds of birds tweeting away.

The so called gardener (if and when he does a little of that) decided to dig

a large square hole into the lawn, so with

great anticipation I watched and waited.

Until this day I don't have a clue what the giant size hole was in aid of,

because it looks as if the weeds have completely taken over during the

entire Summer and Winter.

Then there is the sorry story of the dry fountain.

It is just one of the many water fountains you'll see in Switzerland, ex-

cept for this one, there is no water flowing - not even a drop for a

thirsty dog during the Summer time!

Let's take a peep inside the fountain - nothing there except

rain water and leaves from the last Winter season (did I say dry?)

But, my moaning and grumbling isn't done yet.

When I entered the Hotel grounds again today, I was horrified to

see a bunch of garden workers.

Oh no, whatever do they have in mind now again?! ! !

These people spend a fortune on gardeners but no matter

how much money or effort, when the job's done, the place looks

like a dog's breakfast!

As I walked along with Fuji, I came across my favorite

seat, just a concrete block, but somehow I've managed to claim

it for myself - because the Hotel guests prefer the garden chairs.

Goodness knows what they have in mind with my "chair" because

the gardeners have bolted the large concrete block right

out of it's resting place.

2 Years ago, everything about this "safe little haven" was

as idylic as can be - until the owner or whoever is responsible for the chaos

decided to cause havoc around the Hotel grounds.

Honost to goodness, these nonsensical plans are a pain in the

butt and the garden isn't loooking any better, not to mention

the peace and quiet that's gone to smithereens!

There are many things about the Swiss folk that grieves me, but their

"gardening skills" - most definately at the top of my list!

Isn't it amazing how much lighter one feels after a lttle bit o' complaining! !

Mad mad Emma, what a dilema!

On Saturday 1st March, hurricane Emma made her grand entrance

by causing absolute havoc in Germany and many parts of

Europe - what is this nasty girl telling us?

Perhaps she's saying "Forget about Spring, you've had your fun

by enjoying a fabulously mild Winter!"

The top picture shows a bus that was completely swept off the road

by the storm caused by the nasty little lady! Just look at

the snow!


Luckily, here in Switzerland we didn't feel the "pinch" that bad,

except for rain and an evil blowing wind, which made it impossible to

find the slightest bit of shelter under a topsy turned umbrella.



In Germany people were warned not to leave their homes or

to travel by car - which is not always possible, but to stay on the

safe side, I practically stayed at home all week end.

That isn't something I enjoy doing, but I really didn't want

to end up in hospital because I was hit by a plant pot that

went "gone with the wind!"

The Swiss folk love to display their potted plants on the window sills

and on their balconies - fatal for pedestrians "down under!"



Nevertheless, I remained home, safe and dry, and by doing so

I had oooodles of time to work on the crazy patchwork bag for

my "oldest" and dearest friend who lives far across the sea in

South Africa.

Later this week, I will show pictures of the work and

the colours chosen by my friend.