The best moments come unexpectedly

Short-sighted and astigmatic for my whole life I decided to join a workshop about "regaining the perfect vision". Two days filled with intensive relaxation, exercises on how to move all the lazy muscles of the eye back into life and an astonishing insight into the  hidden secrets of an ametrope's mind.  Then the night.- Sleep.- Next morning .- I opened my eyes : and could distinguish the needles of the pine branches in front of my window!
Wow! Success!! Unbelievable! Promise I'll keep on exercising!

after the flood

Not quite the famous "Canaletto" view, nevertheless the place I took the photo from was still flooded a week before.  The meadows along the river Elbe are conserved as drainage areas, which when flooded make the Elbe look like the Missisippi!

You still can see the waterline in the tree...

Hope you enjoy a sunny weekend!

Cafe Fernando

Browsing food blogs some days ago I made an amazing discovery: Cafe Fernando by Cenk who describes himself as a "food blogger, novice photographer, seasoned home baker and a shameless chocoholic from Istanbul, Turkey".
Food Blogger: no doubt about; novice Photographer: a big NO to "novice", his photos are outstanding, real works of art, supermotivating; shameless chocoholic : makes him absolutely and utterly adorable!

As I got to know today independently of each other my daughter, my cousin and I discovered Cenk's Blog and fell in love with the Best chocolate mousse of your life...

having Turkish Coffee in our tree house

  

Have a relaxing Sunday!

Fischerteich, Moritzburg

The little orange river reminds me the works of Andy Goldsworthy, especially in his film Rivers and Tides.

Choose a tart....

... I'll bake it for you tomorrow

Oven-baked carrots with olive oil and fresh marjoram

Last weekend I bought a whole armfull of fresh herb pots and so turned my windowsill into a summerly smelling little mediterranean garden. Italian parsley, chives, chervil, lemon balm, marjoram, thyme and rosemary... Best preconditions to prepare a simple and aromatic dish like the carrots with marjoram!


You just need carrots, a 1st class sea salt, a 1st class olive oil and some sprigs from the marjoram pot.

Spread the sliced carrots on a tin foil, sprinkle with sea salt, add some olive oil and top with the marjoram sprigs.
Close the foil and put it into  the oven for 20 minutes at 200°C.

It's a perfect light and healthy dinner!

on the way to Dippelsdorfer Teich, Moritzburg

to all the coffee lovers

Wish you a creative Tuesday!

Thank you, darling!

kitchen

Strolling through Meissen

Meissen is a small town at only 25km from Dresden. Usually in peoples' minds the name of "Meissen" is connected to its beautiful and famous porcelain. Follow www.meissen.com if you want to know more.

I won't tell you about  porcelain today but instead invite you come along with me through the picturesque old town...

view from the theatre 

Isn't that sweet? The rooms are named after fairy-tale figures!

I liked the green and the gray

Albrechtsburg

view over the roofs

the cathedral of Meissen

Next to the cathedral you can buy or rent a historical prison...

Mascarpone Yoghurt with Muscobado Sugar and Red Fruit

So soft and sweet and rich! It absolutely has the potential to make you addict. It's summer and happiness. Exactly what I need in this moment.... And it's so easy to prepare:

For 4 servings


250g          Mascarpone
200g          mild plain creamy yoghurt
3-4 ts         Muscobado sugar plus additional Muscobado for the topping
fresh or soft dried red fruit

Mix Mascarpone,yoghurt and sugar.
Spoon it in glasses and top generously with more Muscobado sugar and red fruit.
Enjoy!

Happy Saturday!

spotted ducks in winter

spotted ducks in summer

Raindrops

When I look through my window I  feel  tiredness and bad mood...  On the other hand the boredom of this rainy foggy weather makes me think about new challenges: I finally want to achieve profound knowledge of my camera. I want to learn everything about its hidden possibilities! Why not start now?

NewYork Times travel list 2011 includes...DRESDEN!

Dresden is "place to go" number 28 !

Every year NYT edits a list with the 41 most beautiful, most exciting and most worth to be seen places in the world.  Obviously Dresden owes the honor to be part of the list this year to Daniel Libeskind's striking extension of Military History Museum. ( Read more in www.travel.nytimes.com)

Anyway, when you are done with the Museum, don't miss the other beautiful sights of the city!

Drawing of the Museum of Military History
www.baulinks.de

flowerpower

Goodbye Christmas tree! Goodbye Erzgebirgian Angels and Miners, Incense Smokers and Nutcrackers! Goodbye all the ornaments and decorations!

My best antidote against the sudden "emptiness" is to stop by my favourite flowershop, buy a bunch of  flowers and arrange them all over the house.

This really makes me feel fresh and joyful  - somehow like new beginning and springtime!

Blumen-Werkstatt, Kötschenbrodaer Straße 118, 01445 Radebeul

Homemade Pizza Ten Cheeses... or maybe eleven?

Sunday - the perfect day to prepare  homemade  pizza! Everybody loves it and its so easy to prepare!

Well, lets see what fridge and basement have to offer: red bell peppers, onions, olives, no Mozzarella - but instead plenty of cheese -  goat, cow, sheep, and of course, flour and tomatos.


So follow the images to find out how it is made:

The dough (for 2 baking trays):

400 g                   flour

1 sachet               dry yeast

a pinch of            paprika powder

1 tbs                    whole cane sugar

a pinch of            pepper

1/2 ts                   salt

300 ml                 lukewarm water

Mix all the ingredients and knead the dough until smooth. Let it repose for half an hour.

Roll out with a rolling pin for 2 baking trays. Put it on the trays.

The tomato sauce:

750g                    tomatos, peeled and chopped

1/2 ts                   paprika powder

1/2 ts                   whole cane sugar

                            pepper, oregano and thyme , a pinch of each

                            salt

Cook without cover until the sauce starts to be creamy. Let it cool down and spread it on the dough.

Slice the onions, the bell peppers and the cheese and arrange it generously over the tomato pizza.

Add olives and whatever more you find in the kitchen.

Put it in the oven for 15 minutes at 225°C.

Enjoy!

the splendid hallways of Semperoper

Semperoper

an unusual insight

Always in January the Dresden Opera Ball takes place. I took this picture the morning after the big event, while workers were restoring the opera with the stages still open.

Semperoper

So funny: the gentle smell of roasted meat and pickles in this temple of classical music!

Sale

Dresden-Neustadt, Rähnitzgasse

I don't like winter anymore

Today we have got "Blitz Eis". And yes, it is as dangerous as it sounds. So let's stay at home, drink a cup of hot chocolate and dream about the summer.

New ways to shock my mum:

entirely black spaghetti!

Chinese Happy New Year Song ♥

Qi Gong in the early morning hours

The house is so quiet and peaceful in the morning. It's still dark outside. Inside a warm  light of  white candles and the sound of the gently flowing Qi Gong music.

Cunnertswalde

While in the city the snow is turning ugly and brown, a few kilometers north of Dresden there's still the winter wonderland: the stables of Cunnertswalde.

Some years ago a friendly russian camel lived in the hills as well. Unfortunately I can't give you any information where you can find the camel now. But the horses at least don't try to eat anyone's watch!