Goodbye, January

Disappearing in a Fog

With a sprinkle of snow, and drippy wet. 

Januarloch

The Hole

After the expenses of the holidays, and the end of the year, and winter, January is often, especially historically, seen as a lean month. In Germanic countries, it is called the month with a hole (loch). The budget can have a gaping hole, and the pantry and cellar, and maybe the belt needs a new hole put in it for tightening. So, a lot of Januarloch recipes have developed. Some are of simple root vegetable soups, to use the remains in the cellar. Others are for Kuchen/cakes with actual holes in the center (to use fewer ingredients), or with very simple ingredients. And there is a bread called the Januarloch - and it has a hole in the middle. 

Bakeries have this bread this month. The slices, when cut, are small, but it a very tasty bread. 

Breakfast?

In The City

For Dinner

Our soldier was in our city, so we met him for dinner after his officers meeting. 

Through this little door, on a very narrow Gasse, in to an old, old restaurant, now run by a young couple. We found it quite good.


Soldier food

Not-soldier food


Then Auf Wiedersehen in the twilight




Then a quick stop at the chocolatier’s and the bakery, before back to our fog. 

Moon Glow

Morning 

Epiphany

Manifested By The Star ⭐️ 

To the Sages from afar

And they worshipped Him. 

The Holy Child, True God and True Man

Prophet, Priest, and King 

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain

Gold I bring to crown Him again….

Frankincense to offer have I

Incense owns a Deity nigh….

Myrrh is mine it’s bitter perfume 

Breathes a life of gathering gloom…..

Glorious now behold Him arise

King and God and Sacrifice

Alleluia, Alleluia

Sounds through the earth and skies.

O Star of wonder

Twelfth Day of Christmas

Sunday Excursions

After church, some of us went to the Swiss Technorama - a huge collection of the wonders of physics for young and old. 

White lightning


Heat sensors


Infinity


Volcanos


Rube Goldberg machines: the most complicated ways possible to get a ball from here to there.


Followed by a Fondue dinner: a small Scnapps to whet the appetite, then choices of a dozen or so fondue mixes (cheese options, herb options, liquor options), with bread choices (Ur-Dinkel, corn, Laugen, and Halb-Weiss), and accompaniment choices (pickled vegetables, pears, mushrooms, etc.)


In an “old barn” building put up purposefully for the fondue season, and removed afterward

The outside courtyard







And a delightful time was had by all. 

Merry Last Day of Christmas and Happy New Year.

Eleventh Day of Christmas

A Taste of Italy

Among the small pleasures of after Christmas are using the gifts we received. That includes culinary specialties, like the box of Italian artisanal foods one business associate gives each year. 

With fine ingredients, and handmade processing. 

The resultant taste is not the typical store product. We agree that making spaghetti from local wheat, shaping from an historical brass press, and drying for fifty hours, in a medieval town in Tuscany does add a special flavor. 

And the wine was a perfect accompaniment. 

Prost! 

Tenth Day of Christmas

Winter Returned

Last night the rain turned to snow for a wonderland this morning. 

And we get to hibernate inside.

Ninth Day of Christmas

Melting in the Sunshine

Snow in the shadows. 

And sunlights through the windows….before the rains start.

Eighth Day of Christmas

The Naming of JESUS

This Holy Child, “Jesus,” God saves; Immanuel, God with us; Good Shepherd, The Vine, The Door, The Bread of Life, The Water of Life; The Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings; A Mighty Fortress, Our Refuge and Strength; The Mighty God, The Prince of Peace. 

Yesterday, on our walk, we looked into Rehetobel’s church. It is the third iteration after enlargement, then a fire in the later 1800’s. The woodwork is beautiful.

Each window in the nave had little figures from the Nativity story. 

And approaching Epiphany….

Happy New Year to All. 

May your 2025 be blessed, prosperous, healthy, and peaceful.