where others come for vacation ...
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It's a bright sunny afternoon and since we don't get Sun anymore at home (from November end to mid January, the Sun is too low on the horizon to touch our home), i decide to go on a catch the Sun (aka replenish my Vitamin D levels) walk...
The Sky is a clear blue with a few whiffs of clouds, the grass is green, there's snow on the mountain tops and the Sun is shining bright, but brrr... it's cold!!! An hour later, with about 4.5 Km under my belt, I'm back home to the smell of freshly baked cake... Today is my lucky day -- Lukas has baked a fresh Aprikose Wähe (Apricot cake). Yumm-yumm 
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She creeps up behind me nimbly,
curious yet observing patiently,
wondering what I'm upto in the garden,
suddenly she jumps into the bed,
sniffs here and there...
then starts to dig fervently
as if to show me,
that's how one digs up a mouse!!!
Happily I watch her little paws dig,
glad that she's such a help --
to prepare the garden,
for the winter ahead!
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It's a cloudy & foggy winter afternoon, just the kind that makes you want to get under a comforter, watch a movie and snack on junk food. And when there's no junk food @ home, one goes out on a hike -- hoping the distraction will do the trick.
As i climb up the hill, i look back to our home sweet home... The Lake, wisps of clouds hanging on the mountains, the Sun trying to peek from behind the cloud curtain, Fir trees and green meadows - quite rare for this time of the year. Normally there should be a good foot of snow everywhere -- but this year, the snow is taking it's time to visit us. Never in my life had i imagined that one day i'd be living in Swiss alps - some 660 m.a.s.l. I love this rustic alpine living - away from the hubbub of city life...
Occupied in my thoughts, I continue walking along the Rütliweg, as i come up a hill, i suddenly spot a Gämse (The wild alpine goat-antelope) standing just a few yards away. I've seen herds of Gämse many a times, usually further away, but this is the first time i see a single one this Up close and Personal... Gämse are very shy, so i just stand still and thank the being for staying there and allowing me to witness it's presence and that I will not harm him in anyway. A few seconds tick by .. the Gämse seems to stay and not be afraid. I ask in my heart, if i may take a picture. Slowly i take my cell out, and manage to take a picture, just before he darts off into the wilderness below...
What a blessing to be a witness to these animals in their natural habitat -- Thank you Universe!
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My Brazilian friend invites us over for a special treat -- An awesome Brazilian Chocolate Coffee Flan Cake. Three good things combined – flan, coffee flavor and chocolate – mhmmmm...
Since Christmas is in the air, I make an all natural wreath for her -- combining three good colors -- Green ivy & pine, Brown branches, and Colourful Hortensias -- all intertwined together with love into a wreath.
The cake is nothing short of finger-licking delicious. Before we know it, between the three of us, we've devoured half the cake. We're curious how she managed to keep the flan & cake layers separated.
She divulges her Trick: All you got to do is a caramel sauce (as usual for a flan) – add that to a proper flan baking tin – then top that with the chocolate cake batter and then the flan mixture on top. During the baking process, the flan mixture and the chocolate cake switch places and you end up with a delicious chocolate cake that has a flan with caramel on top.
It’s pretty amazingly delicious...