In Love with October

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“October, baptize me with leaves! 
Swaddle me in corduroy and nurse 
me with split pea soup. 
October, tuck tiny candy bars 

in my pockets and carve my 
smile into a thousand pumpkins. 
O autumn! O teakettle! O grace!” 

― Rainbow Rowell

Our World Tuesday - Wordless Wednesday - Skywatch Friday 

Welcome to the month of greatness! 

Wishing you all a really golden October. 

Sincerely yours,

isabella 

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Herbst und Hermann Hesse

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Jede Blüte will zur Frucht,

Jeder Morgen Abend werden,

Ewiges ist nicht auf Erden

Als der Wandel, als die Flucht.

Auch der schönste Sommer will

Einmal Herbst und Welke spüren.

Halte, Blatt, geduldig still,

Wenn der Wind dich will entführen.

Spiel dein Spiel und wehr dich nicht,

Laß es still geschehen.

Laß vom Winde, der dich bricht,

Dich nach Hause wehen.

- Hermann Hesse

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Alsace - an old love!

Traveling through France at this marvelous region close to the German border is a feast for all senses.

Charming little old towns, amiable people, cozy hotels, delicious restaurants, famous vineyards and all this is very peaceful and not overrun.

In the north, very close to Hagenau started the Pottery Route, with picturesque pottery villages.

September is a gorgeous time for this route. Overwhelming flower balconies all around and at every corner an unbelievable good restaurant.

Look out for dishes such as flammkuchen, the Alsace take on pizza, a wafer-thin flatbread smothered with creamy fromage blanc and bacon, and baeckeoffe, a slow-baked casserole of lamb, beef and pork or ...

... my favorite dish is the yummy meat pasties, served with salad and fresh french white bread. O la, la!!

The choice is not the problem when it comes to tasting wine, though be prepared for lengthy sessions, as each vigneron will open up a dozen whites – sylvaner, riesling, gewürztraminer, pinot blanc – the region’s distinctive red, a light pinot noir, and bubbly crémant d’Alsace.

I hope you enjoy this September journey. Next week I'll show you the 2nd. part of it.

A bientôt!

isabella 

Skywatch Friday - Our World Tuesday - Wordless Wednesday

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Der scheidende Sommer - Heinrich Heine

Der scheidende Sommer

Das gelbe Laub erzittert,

Es fallen die Blätter herab;

Ach, alles was hold und lieblich,

Verwelkt und sinkt ins Grab.

Die Gipfel des Waldes umflimmert

Ein schmerzlicher Sonnenschein;

Das mögen die letzten Küsse

des scheidenden Sommers sein.

Mir ist, als müßt ich weinen

Aus tiefstem Herzensgrund;

Dies Bild erinnert mich wieder

An unsere Abschiedsstund'.

Ich mußte von dir scheiden,

Und wußte, du stürbest bald;

Ich war der scheidende Sommer,

Du warst der sterbende Wald.

Heinrich Heine, 1797 - 1856

Farewell

English Translation © Richard Stokes

The yellow leaves are trembling,
The leaves are fluttering down,
Ah, all that’s fair and lovely
Must wither into the grave.

A painful sunbeam glimmers
Round the treetops in the forest;
That could be the final kiss
Of departing summer.

I feel as if I ought to weep
From the depths of my heart;
This scene again reminds me
Of when we said goodbye.

I had to take my leave of you,
And knew that you’d soon die;
I was the parting summer,
You were the dying forest.


Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Our World Tuesday - Wordless Wednesday - Floral Friday 

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