Advent Style in Early December. . .

A cafe treat for the Young Master, who did not accompany yours truly on my paper grading mission to the local cafe this afternoon. But how could I not purchase a gingerbread man for him when I saw them grinning from the glass case beneath the cash register?

A lot going on around here since Thanksgiving, but I thought I'd check in today with a few photos of stylish seasonal items. . . of the edible kind.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

The first of this year's authentic Dresdner Stollen baked by the Grand Duchess each December and fresh out of the oven. The aroma filling the house when I returned home a while ago was heavenly. While a properly done stollen is not exactly sweet like a sticky coffee cake or birthday cake, it tastes amazing with fresh, very black coffee..

Finally, yours truly, happy to have plowed through 20 or so undergrad papers (5-6 page critical website reviews). I have several days' respite until I get another stack of final papers from one of my classes this semester later in the week and from the other two early next week. Then, no classes again until around January 20th next year! My usual weekend and evening attire during the winter months on full display here. Everything is old or very old here. It sure ain't what you could call brand spanking new. Well-worn corduroy jeans (Land's End), an old OCBD shirt (Land's End), and a very old -- 20+ years -- Norwegian fisherman's sweater (the real McCoy) from L.L. Bean, which the company is selling again in its catalogs right now. Jump on them before they disappear!

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The Power of Ideas. . .

T he end is nigh! The autumn semester/term approaches. And while we still have almost two months of summer left according to the calendar, "Summer is over and gone," as the crickets sang in Charlotte's Web . At least for those of us who head back to the classroom in less than a month. In advance of a meeting with my program director late Monday morning, I spent about 40 minutes total during the weekend to jot down several ideas about planned workshops and related activities for the coming 2024-2025 academic year. At an opportune moment, I mentioned "I have a few ideas," and opened my leather portfolio. My director was highly receptive to almost everything I suggested, and we had a very productive planning session for just over 90 minutes. Just about everything I sketched out on Sunday aligns with his own ideas. It's nice when meetings go that well, and two related things occur to me in hindsight. One, it pays to exercise...

Late Summer Evening Meal Grazing. . .

T he Grand Duchess is away until tomorrow evening, and the Young Master typically gets to have his dinner with TV or Flight Simulator on Fridays, so yours truly is solo for dinnertime this evening. Not really in the mood to "fix" something for myself, I decided to enjoy some fresh vegetables from Thursday's CSA haul instead. A little salt and pepper with a large glass of chilled tonic water, and Bob's your uncle! Sliced fresh strawberries with pineapple and cantaloupe chunks for dessert I think, followed by the usual fresh dark roast coffee and a brisk walk around the neighborhood following the Young Master's bedtime. Ahhhh. . . -- Heinz-Ulrich

CSA Pick-Up Style. . .

I t's getting to be that time in the summer! Yep, the garden fresh vegetables are starting to come in. Picked up the first half-share of the Grand Duchess' Summer 2024 community supported agriculture allotment late yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. Some delicious looking items that will make a nice salad for dinner this evening. Meanwhile, the Grand Duchess and Young Master are across Lake Michigan in Wisconsin visiting cousins for the next several days and attending a large annual airshow. while yours truly holds down the fort. More of the usual summertime fare in the attire photos featured. This particular shirt, while it has not appeared here in quite some time, is one of my favorites. An item that has been in the seasonal rotation for a dozen years or more. It ironed up nicely before I put it on and tucked it in. The chino shorts (with a 6" inseam. . . I know, I know.) are one of many such khaki pairs currently occupying the bottom...

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