Long before I started studying German, I used to write a lot of poetry for kids. Those of you who have been following Making This Home for a while have seen some of my poems here and there. Writing children’s poems seems like a past life, right along with flying an airplane and eating Mexican food. I guess when you move to a new country, you do sort of lead two lives. Every once and a while, the two merge in my heart.
The yucky, wet weather we’ve been having in Berlin makes me oh-so-thankful that we have a simple policy at our house: take your shoes off. I can’t imagine how dirty and now – muddy! – our floors would be if we didn’t take our shoes off at the entryway.
My favorite habits are the kind that make life simpler.
We have things pretty easy around here. Everyone takes off her shoes at the door in Germany. Very few people do in the United States, so it can be kind of awkward to ask people to take off their shoes. That’s why I was so glad to hear from Michelle. She lives in the US and also wanted to find a way to ask people to take off their shoes.
With the approach of Easter, I wanted to take a deep breath today. I hope you can all do the same. Enjoy your families, yourself, your chocolate (?)… Oh gosh. Here are some of the things on my mind these days as I try to capture the small things in life before we head off for the next adventure (stay tuned for another clue after Easter!).
This poem was started the day before Easter one year ago. It’s a very lose style compared to most poems I write if you might notice. I’d nearly forgotten about it until today. I just finished it.
We’re still working like crazy over here with our next reveal. Can I distract you with a poem in the meantime?
I love seeing little girls in Easter bonnets every spring. They’re always smiling and tugging on their little hats. This quick poem popped into my mind fairly fast. Coming up with complete poems in my head doesn’t happen very often, so I hope this one can give you a quick smile on your Sunday:
A nasty bug has been lurking in our house.
While I am still here, my “here” is really about fifteen feet away on the couch with blankets and tea. Know that I have not forgotten about you, dear friends. Here is a poem I wrote in college after feeling just about as I do now.
I remember years ago. Whenever one of us was sick, my siblings and I would always try to help each other. Our gestures didn’t always turn out too helpful sometimes. I’m sure you can relate!
Part of a living a simpler life absolutely has to be finding the time to kick back a little.
I, of course, have absolutely no experience in this. After all, I move to Europe and what do I do? Start remodeling a kitchen before I even have a mattress to sleep on. Slowing down a little is my worst habit. How about you? Some signs that you could use a do-nothing moment:
I'm an American in Berlin, Germany. My apartment is 480 square feet; the kitchen's only 36. This blog chronicles the DIY approach my husband and I take in Making This Home.Read more.
