German Easter
Easter…
Rebirth, spring time, new life, fresh smells…and oh least I forget chocolate…its everywhere, eggs, rabbits, chickens, lambs.
We went to Wiesbaden a few weekends ago and found the most amazing chocolate shop on Marktstrasse, I walked in and wow; that glorious aroma hung like an invisible curtain…it was like entering Willy Wonks Factory…yes that was one of my favorite films as a child…I still like the idea of finding a magical garden like the one he had….in the mean time I shall just have to indulge in the wondrous German traditions of Easter and chocolate.
Easter markets
I love it, Easter trees, artistic ly blown glass eggs, painted eggs, crocheted eggs, stone and wooden eggs…stunning creative work. Woven grass rabbits, chickens, hedgehogs and birds; scented soaps, honey, glass work and paintings something for everyone.
27 Feb. * 15th International Easter Egg Market in Eberbach Monastery, Eltville am Rhein
6-7 Mar. * 27th Easter Market, Frankfurt Dominikanerkloster (benefits MS)
6-7 Mar. * Easter Arts & Crafts Market, in Bad Soden
6-7 Mar. * Easter Market, Nieder Roden Community Hall in Rodgau
13-14 Mar. * Spring Market, Weilmuenster with Sunday Shopping
13-15 Mar. * Spring Market, Nidda Fairgrounds
19-21 Mar. * Wiesbaden Easter Market, City Center with Sunday Shopping
20-21 Mar. * Historical Easter Market, Ronneburg Castle
20-21 Mar. * Easter Market, Bad Orb City Center
20-21 Mar. * Spring & Easter Market, Weilburg Municipal Hall
20-22 Mar. * Spring Market, Nidda Fairground
21 Mar. * Easter Market at the Pond, Bad Nauheim
Funky shaking shamrocks
The below craft activity is simple and fast to make for St. Patrick day. This activity is a really good one for kids aged 4+ (they might need some help with some little parts). I made it today with my daughter 2+….she was very happy to help…and proud to wear her masterpiece!
Materials needed
Hair band, green felt, green pipe cleaners 60cm/24inch, scissors, plastic ribbon/ (green, orange and white the colors of the Irish flag) pencil and glue (I used my glue gun to attach everything but any strong glue should work). First cut 2 pipe cleaner pieces about 12 cm/ 5 inch in length. (I wrapped them around a pencil to create a spring effect.)
Next step, I cut a third piece of pipe cleaner approximately 20 cm/ 8 inch. 
Wrap this around the center of the hair band. My daughter helped with this. Put a small spot of glue on the end of each pipe cleaner and glue it to itself (to avoid any sharp parts from the wire). Remove the pencil from the inside of the wrapped pipe cleaner and glue it to the pipe cleaner on the hair band….guess who got to pull out the pencil!! 
Draw 2 shamrock shapes onto the felt and cut them out, and glue the shamrocks to the top of the pipe cleaners. 
Next, cut 6 pieces of plastic ribbon 20cm/8inch length and tie them to the top just under each shamrock. 
Funky shaking shamrocks.
St. Patrick’s Day 2010 – Germany
It’s hard to believe we are here again, it seems so fast. It also feels like it was just the other day I was making shamrock cookies for T’s class in his Seoul school…http://www.eclcseoul.com/
This year I have two batches to make…for T at http://www.fis.edu and G at http://www.crazycaterpillars.com
….Well I have the shamrock t-shirts made…I was a bit ahead of myself and made them in January…well you do things when you have the time….well that’s my motto anyway…maybe this all comes from my years as a “brownie”.
This year in Munich there will be a big Parade; if you are nearby should be a fun day out http://www.st-patricks-day.com/st_patricks_day_parades_europe_germany.html
I am sure you might even find a nice little pup to have a pint in.
I am hoping to go to Mac Gowan’s Irish Bar in Oberursel http://www.macgowans.de/ for a pint and some “craic agus ceol” on St. Patrick’s evening…I am waiting to hear back from our babysitter…I think it might just be a wee bit late for the “2”.
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!
St. Patrick\’s Festival Parade, Dublin, Ireland
irish music 4 min 46 sec – 15 Nov 2008 www.youtube.com
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Meat balls, (with hidden veggies & pecorino) & pasta
Well sometimes in our house finding something that everyone will eat and can eat is a challenge. My son has a lot of allergies (Whole egg, cow milk, potatoes, pine nuts, well thats what we have discovered so far). My daughter seems to have a fear of all vegetables except broccoli!! so that has lead me down the road of creating new meals for the family…I am not the type to cook separately for all concerned..”.all for one and one for all” so to speak… below are some of my recipes and others….
Meat balls, (with hidden veggies) & pasta
(Serves 4)
250g minced beef
40g bread crumbs
1tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp tomato puree
Mushroom x 4 (Blended)
Skinned ½ courgette/zucchini (Blended)
20g grated pecorino cheese
Combine all the meat ball ingredients together and form into small ball shapes . If the mixture is too wet I add more bread crumbs. Fry the meat balls in a small amount of extra virgin olive oil until browned and cooked through and set aside on a plate.
Sauce:
425g canned tomatoes (blended)
1 cup water
1 onion blended
½ tsp worcestshire sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
Blend all ingredients and bring to a simmer add meat balls when cooked…serve with pasta
Enjoy!
Filed under Recipes | Comment (0)Rainy days, snow days…just too hot days…
What to do, what to do…..
Sometimes it is nice to give the kids an activity that they can do independently while you are getting something else done…. 
The below are some activities that T & G like to do independently while I am busy with work or preparing dinner. My children are 4 & 2 years so this activity might get a bit messy with younger ones. These are table top activities. Enjoy..
Ideas:
Hot & cold landscapes a sensory activity:
Materials:
2 basins, rice, flour, pasta, red lentils
Animals for warm and cool climates eg: lions, elephant, polar bears, penguins
Method:
Fill one basin with rice and flour about 5cm high and place the cold animals inside
Fill the other basin with pasta shapes and red lentils and place the warm animals inside
Water world:
T & G both adore water so …
Materials:
2 basins, water, water animals, food coloring, bubbles
Method:
Place some newspaper on the table and put the basins on top (less to clean upJ)
Fill the basins with some warm water, and add the water creatures. Food coloring or bubbles can be added for fun…
I always stay near to them when they are doing these activities…just in case…thank you to Adam Osborne for inventing the laptop.
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