A Pause in Advent: week three.

Our Pause in Advent this week came courtesy of Mother Nature who bestowed milder weather on us so that we could get out into the garden for the "end of year" clear up.



2010 leaf pile
2011 leaf mulch
2012 compost for the potager!

This task had been delayed due to the unsually heavy snow fall we experienced recently and so we were glad to have the opportunity to gather up the leaves, conkers and twigs that lay all around.

Mr B was also able to see to the broken apple tree bough that had been brought down by the mistletoe.
My Adventkranz has been travelling, once again this week, as more and more seasonal decorating is accomplished.
It is residing at present on one of my favourite pieces of furniture, what we have always referred to as "the military chest" although I'm not sure why we do.

The simple vignette, beside the kranz, is of four Byers Choice Carolers from the Colonial Williamsburg series.
TheTavern Keeper and his wife and two Balladeers with their musical instruments.
Although I stopped collecting Carolers a few years back if I ever began again I would certainly look for more from this series as I think they are charming.

I added a HR Quimper cheese dish, it has a snake for the handle, and my Normandy lady plate which I bought at the recent QCI faience sale in Savannah.
Then I placed one of my favourite clocks, usually found in the dining room, on an HRQ trivet to add a little height and a focal point to the Carolers and to offset the kranz.
I'm heading over to see Floss now, at Troc, Broc & Recup to see how she and the other partcipants in A Pause in Advent have slowed things down this week.

First Pause in Advent 2010.

As today is the First Sunday in Advent I'd like to share a little of my story with you, and introduce you to a wonderful friend of ours.
In 1984 Mr B's career took us to Bavaria, Germany.
We left all our family and friends behind in the UK to start a new life in a new country. Scary.
We threw ourselves wholeheartedly into our new surroundings, making many German friends in our neighbourhood and amongst his work collegues, but the most important friends we made were our landlords and next door neighbours Herr & Frau Wilde.
Over the years we shared many wonderful times with the Wildes, celebrating not only high days and holidays but also day to day life in Pöcking, a small town on the shores of Starnberger See.
Frau Wilde (never Traudl, never "du") sort of adopted me as the daughter she never had.
She taught me many things, like how to play bridge, she is a fanatical bridge player and to this day, if I ever get the chance to play, I always find myself bidding in German! (Vier pik!)
We spent many an afternoon sitting in her "winter garden" as she helped me improve my embroidery, knitting, and German conversation skills all the time enjoying her "kaffee und kuchen".

From top right: Our house
 a favourite woods where we walked our dogs,
Feldafinger Strasse.

The snow season in Bavaria starts around the beginning of December and during our first winter in Pöcking she taught me how to cross country ski on the local golf course in Feldafing.
Did I mention that the lady was born in 1918?

Frau W & me 1991

Perhaps the one thing that Frau Wilde taught me which touched me the deepest was how to celebrate Christmas the Bavarian way,
Her Weihnachts Plaetzchen (Christmas biscuits) such as Zimtsterne and Springerele were legendary.

And so on this First Sunday in Advent and in honour of a much loved lady, I'd like to invite you to "kaffe und kuchen" my way.

My Adventskranz 2010.

Sadly, fresh evergreen wreaths are not easily found here in rural Normandy and so once again this year, a "faux" wreath decorated with white poinsettia flowers and silver pine cones surrounds four classic white Church candles.

The china service is Rosenthal's "Classic Rose" in white, which with its silvery grey design and gold trim complements the Adventskranz beautifully.
Napkins: Spode Christmas tree. (was sonst?)

For you to enjoy during the Adventszeit old fashioned mincepies (click here for the recipe) and lebkuchen, a very simple iced biscuit, similar to gingerbread.
(Note to Floss: I'm going back to Delia!)

With this post I'm joining

Floss @ Troc, Broc and Recup for First Pause in Advent.

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.
Marty @ A Stroll Through Life for Tabletop Tuesday.

The Lady Katherine, for the first time, and Teatime Tuesday.

Click on the links above to see who else is joining in this week.