This was Aaron's birthday week... it had a "man" theme, with gifts like...
... a Case Hobo pocket knife...
... a German pipe & ash tray...
... and a Super Bad Ass watch. Then top top it off, he went off on a mancation - a clay shooting trip!
All the boys approved of his man weekend!
This is my favorite time of year and one of the things I love is apple picking. Alas, this year it was not to be...
Because of the weird spring weather we had, where it was in the eighties in April but then dropped back down to a frost, the apple crop was very poor. There are apples, but no "you pick" apple picking. Only "picking up" a bag like this bag of Honeycrsip I got at the Apple Farm. Very disapointing.
I had to console myself with a cider donut.
Along with chocolates and coffee, I brought a head cold home from Germany. I've been stuck at home because it's on top of a case of vertigo.
Thankfully I have my Stewie box of Kleenex my friend Mary Irene gave me for my birthday. Makes me feel better just looking at it.
Seems like Millie is little heavy handed with the eyeliner but don't let that deter you.
This orange and black fluffball is 3 month old Millie. She's a domestic shorthair with gorgeous markings. This little one needs a home to call her own. Come meet Millie at our Fairport location.
Every year at Photokina there is a group there with birds. There are eagles and falcons that fly back and forth and these wee owls. They are good subjects for trying out lenses.
These guys are so little, about the size of an iPhone.
They do breakfast right in Europe. Check out the toast fixins'.
They had a honey dispenser! Yum!
Everytime I have been back to Cologne, there have been more locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge. I wanted to add one this year and remembered it just as I was leaving for the airport so Aaron put our initials on a lock with his dremmel tool.
It's not the fanciest lock on the bridge but I like that Aaron did it himself.
The keys got tossed in the river.
See how full it's getting?
Some panels are packed full.
When in Cologne, one must take lots of pictures of the Dom.
I got a few shots of the cathedral at night.
A few pics on the inside.
Here we go again.
European coffee is so good.
Latte Macchiato is my favorite.
Even if it comes from a automatic machine it's good.
The lomography booth was just down the stairs from our booth, so I had to go and check it out. I saw they had a DIY workshop so I signed up for one to attend on my lunch break. Af
Everyone got a blank La Sardina camera and little tool to take it apart. It felt wrong to take a camera apart! After you get the camera apart you can paint it or add paper or fabric.
I ended up painting mine with fingerprints. Looking forward to trying it out with a roll of film!
There is a stand at Photokina where you can get souvenir t-shirts or tote bags. I love the designs they have this year.
I had to get this one on a t-shirt!
I love fall. I especially love when the fall drinks hit Starbucks. Salted Caramel Mocha is my all time favorite.
Now they have salted caramel cake pops!
I have been getting a lot of Starbucks Klout Perks lately. Can't wait to try this bottled Frappuccino!
What does one do hours before heading off to Germany? Make a batch of homemade sauerkraut of course.
My grandparents always made homemade sauerkraut and I decided to give it a try. My late grandfather made this stomper for me years ago. My grandma gave me this crock to start with. I decided 3 gallons was good for my first attempt. Aaron likes the "3" on it.
It took 6 heads of cabbage to fill the 3 gallon crock. I got the cabbage at a farm stand in the Finger Lakes.
And now we wait.
I just got the first shipment in a round of of Starbucks Klout Perks. A can of Starbucks Refreshers... raspberry pomegranate. When I was traveling recently I got a packet of the Refreshers Via mix. I didn't like it as well as the Refreshers you get freshly made in Starbucks but it was very convenient to pop a packet in a bottle of water on an airplane. I was curious to try the canned version compared to the fresh and the Via powder.
I would say it doesn't taste as good as getting it fresh at Starbucks but it is peppier than the powdered version. Since Refreshers have green coffee extract aka caffeine, it makes a nice afternoon pick-me-up for when you don't want another cup of coffee. I know a few people that like caffeine but don't like coffee that would appreciate these also.
