This post is part of Elke's Project Adventskalender 2009, where participants count down the days to Christmas by posting on whatever strikes their holiday fancy. To welcome Elke's readers, I'm writing in both German and English today. This is a mish-mash post of some of the things I enjoy about the holiday season.

Dieser Betrag is für Elke's Project Adventskalender 2009, wo Teilnehmer über die Adventszeit schreiben. So daß Elke's Leser/Leserinnen sich hier zu Hause fühlen, schreibe ich diesen Betrag auch auf deutsch. Jedenfalls mal sehen, ob ich es hin kriege! Wie ein Adventskalender, zähle ich auch die Tage bis zu Weihnachten, mit jährlichen Bräuchen.

Ich kann mich nicht an einer Zeit erinnern, wo ich ohne diesen Adventskalender war. Als ich ein Kind war, hat meine Mutter Süßigkeiten in den Tüten getan, und ich tue es nun lange für mich selber.

I can't remember not having this Advent calendar. My mom used to put little treats in there for me and I've been putting in my own treats for a long time now, too!

Ich war immer unter den Eindruck daß meine Oma diesen Kalender selbst gemacht hat, aber vor ein Paar Jahren sagte mir meine Mutter daß meine Oma nicht gern Handarbeiten getan hat und es wohl kaufen haben müssen--aber der Kalender ist troztdem hand-gefertigt, nur nicht von ihrer Hand!

I always thought my grandmother made this, but my mom told me a few years ago my grandmother hated handicrafts and so would have had to buy it. Well, someone hand made it, anyway!

Ich mache in der Adventzeit auch gerne Gestecke und unterrichte Workshops wo andere sie basteln. Dieser war von einer Teilnehmerin gemacht.

I love making evergreen arrangements and also leading workshops on making them. This one was made by a participant a few years back.

Ich gehe gerne zu deutschen Weihnachtsmärkten, obwohl die hier in den USA nicht sehr bekannt sind. Die besten Zwei die ich kenne sind Beide 5 Stunden entfernt: der Chicago Christkindlmarkt und der Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Kanada. Dieses Jahr war ich an den in Chicago.

I enjoy going to German Christmas markets, although they aren't very common here in the US. My two favorites are each five hours away, in opposite directions: the Chicago Christkindlmarkt and the Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. This year I visited the one in Chicago.

Man kann einen deutschen Weihnachtsmarkt nicht ohne Nussknacker haben!

You can't have a German Christmas market without nutcrackers!

Die Farben diesen Ornamenten spiegeln die Wärme der Saison.

The colors of these ornaments reflect the warmth of the season.

Für mehr Fotos und einen bessern Bericht von den Chicago Christkindmarkt, sehe bitte meinen Betrag von letzen Jahr.

For more photos and a better narrative of the Chicago Christmas Market, please see my post from last year.

Ich schriebe über draußen Weihnachtsdekorationen in diesem Betrag, aber innen Dekorationen sind auch gut. In Chiacgo, in dem Kaufhaus Macy's, gibt es eine wunderbare Tiffany Fliesen Decke die das ganze Jahr glänzt... aber zu dieser Jahreszeit gibt es auch eine riesige Girlande.

I wrote about outdoor holiday decorations in this post, but indoor decorations are nice, too. While in Chicago, we visited Macy's. The Tiffany ceiling is sparkly and decorative all on its own, all year long, but these wonderful garlands decked the halls and reached to the ceiling.

Bei mir zu Hause wird auch dekoriert. Als Tannenbaum schmücke ich meine Norfolk Island Pine, Piney. Sie ist etwa 1,6 m groß und oben fast so weit.

I also love decorating my home. I decorate my Norfolk Island pine, Piney, as my main Christmas tree. She's about 5 ft tall and almost as wide at the top.

Alle Ornamente sind von den 1960.er Jahren oder früher.

All her ornaments are from the 1960s or earlier.

Piney geht es nun wieder gut, obwohl sie im Juni 2006 in einem Hagelstorm etwas Schaden erleiden hat.

Piney is fine now, though she suffered a few years from some damage in a hailstorm in June, 2006.

Im Schlaffzimmer habe ich Mini Me Piney, die etwa 50 cm hoch ist.

I have Mini Me Piney, who's about 2 ft tall, in my bedroom.

Wenn man eine Norfolk Island pine als Weihnachtsbaum benutzt, muss man auch Sachen finden, die oben auf den hängenden Zweigen liegen können. Diese kleine Girlanden aus Wolle und Quecksilberperlen sind dafür ganz nützlich.

When decorating the floppy-branched Norfolk Island pine, you need things to lay on top of the branches, too. I love these old mini garlands, made of mercury balls, mercury bells, and yarn.

Ich liebe alte Schneemänner, besonderes den Größten. Er ist etwas verdutschert, aber das stört mich nicht...

I love retro snowmen, especially the largest one. He's somewhat the worse for wear, but that doesn't matter...

... denn ich habe sein liebes Gesicht gern!

... because I love his wonderful face!

Diese Glocke ist auch alt aber ich habe sie gern. Das ist Penny, die in 2001 gestorben ist. Sie mochte sehr gern die Weihnachtssaison.

This bell us old, too, but I love it. That's Penny who died in 2001. She always loved the holiday season.

Dieses kleine Räucherhaüschen habe ich letztes Jahr an dem Chicago Christkindmarkt gekauft. Süß!

I bought this little smoker house at last year's Chicago Christmas Market. The mushroom part lifts off and you place an incense cone inside, and then smoke comes out of the chimney. Sweet!

Diese alten Engelchen sind für mich neu und ich liebe sie. Ich habe viele ähnliche aus Japan, aber diese sind aus Deutschland.

These old little angels are new to me this year and I love them. I have a lot of similar ones from Japan, but these are German.

Mehr Fotos von meinen Dekorationen findet man in diesem Post.

For more photos of my holiday decorations, see this post.

Am 21.12., die Wintersonnenwende, mache ich immer ein Freudenfeuer. Feuer müssen in meiner Stadt in einem feuerfesten Behälter an gemacht werdenen, so mache ich es im meinen Grill, wo man jeder Zeit den Deckel rauf legen könnte. Meistens gebe ich auch auf diesem Tag eine Feier.

Norwalerweise säe ich auch an diesem Tag mein ersten Winter-gesäeten Container.

On December 21, the winter solstice, I always have a little bonfire. Because a city ordinance requires fires to be containable, I make them in my trusty Weber grill, with the lid handy and nearby. I often also host a solstice party.

I also usually plant my first winter-sown container on this day.

Die Mietzekatzen bekommen am 24.12. Schleifen. James (der orangene) denkt es meint daß er sehr wichtig und beliebt ist. Fiona meint es ist ein Wahnsinn.

My cats wear bows on December 24 (which is Christmas Day to me). James thinks this means he is very special and loved. Fiona thinks it's ridiculous.

Aus Ann Arbor, Michigan, wünsche ich Euch allen frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch ins 2010!

From here in Ann Arbor, I wish everyone merry Christmas and a glad new year!

Out on the Streets: Sparkly Festive Edition
I'm excited to participate in Veg Plotting's Out on the Streets: Sparkly Festive Edition — first as a reader and now as a poster.

On December 9, my friend Carole and I met Mr. Brown Thumb in downtown Chicago at the German Christmas market (Christkindlmarkt) (more on that excursion in a separate entry in the next few days). In the meantime, here are some cool holiday decorations we saw out on the streets of Chicago:

Art Institute of Chicago. Check out the lighted garlands, the decorative pots, and of course the wreaths around the necks of the lions. Mr Brown Thumb thought they were the colors used in the city's bid to host the Olympics.

Evergreen boughs and red-twig dogwood edge the planting beds in Millennium Park.

Blue lights on trees and Seussian-looking horns adorn Macy's, on State Street.

Chicago's Christmas tree, in Daley Plaza. This is one single tree, donated by the Weivoda Family of Palos Heights, Illinois. In previous years, the tree was made of 113 smaller trees. It looked more full, but imho, less realistically tree-like. I do miss the ornaments from last year, though.

This lobby decoration of a bank caught my attention as I was passing, so I went in off the streets and took the photo. (And, OK, I'm just going to say it: I love revolving doors! I went through them all at least twice!)

Evergreens in a widow box really brighten up the business section of downtown. I love how the big fluffy flakes of snow look in the photo, too.

On the walk back to Union Station, we passed more blue lights, this time really set off against the dark backdrop.

On Sunday, I went with my friend Julia to Greenfield Village, in Dearborn, Michigan.

En route, I got photos of the nicely decorated Bryant Branch of the Dearborn Public Library...

a gas station (those are real greens!)...

and Dearborn City Hall.

Greenfield Village is an outdoor collection of historic buildings that recreates life in the 18th and 19th centuries. Most buildings were brought to the village from different locations, most allow entry, and a few have historic gardens. Costumed interpreters demonstrate cooking, candle making, glass blowing, typesetting, pottery making, and tin- and blacksmithing, among other things.

Wright Brothers Cyclery on Main Street. It's not so obvious but the lamp posts are wrapped in garland, and lights are stung between lamps.

I love the sleigh and tree on Robert Frost's house. He lived in this house, which was moved from Ann Arbor, during his teaching fellowship at the University of Michigan in the 1920s.

On my way home, I stopped in Ypsilanti and got these two photos:

Haab's Restaurant on Michigan Avenue.

Sidetrack Bar & Grill on Cross Street in Depot Town.

I also swung by downtown Ann Arbor before heading home:

Wonderful window art at Conor O'Neill's Irish Pub.

Window display at Prickly Pear restaurant.

Lights on Main Street, and lighted tree atop the First National Bank Building.

Now it's your turn! Get out and show us photos of public spaces in your area, decorated for the holidays.

And the Winner Is...
In my last post, I promised a prize for anyone who could guess my favorite sculpture at Meijer Gardens and tell me where "Caw! I guess it was alive!" comes from. The main clue about my fave (Aria by Alexander Liberman) was that I showed three photos of it, more than of any other sculpture. And I'm wild about orange, though maybe I haven't been so vocal about that online. The quote is from Mounted Animal Nature Trail by the Arrogant Worms. I've seen them live twice and really enjoy their quirky humor.

The last time I checked, four intrepid, clever garden bloggers came up with the correct answer: Frances at Fairegarden, Jessica at The Magical Mundane, Kylee at Our Little Acre, and Liz at Nutty Gnome. So I did a drawing, diligently supervised by my cats (meaning James pawed around the slips of paper to shuffle them)... and I pulled out... Liz's name.

So, Liz, soon on the way to you will be "The Painted Garden: A Year in Words and Watercolors" by Mary Wootin. If you should happen to already own this book, don't be shy: I can pull another from Monica's Marvelous Bookshelf (tm). And please email me your mailing address.

My friend Amy and I enjoyed a trip to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids on November 22. It was an unseasonably warm day and we enjoyed both indoor and outdoor attractions.

As part of Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World, Meijer has Christmas trees decorated in the themes of over 40 countries.

Swedish-inspired Christmas tree. I have some wonderful Swedish straw garlands and a lovely wood star tree topper. They're unfortunately not useful since I started using my Norfolk Island pines as my Christmas trees.

German-inspired Christmas tree.

Dutch tree, close up. I love the blue and white Delft ornaments.

The Victorian Christmas tree, protected in a glass case. I love these ornaments and have a few really old clip birds myself.

Finnish tree, close up. Jaana (my long-time friend in Lappeenranta), do you have any decorations like these on your tree?

Danish tree, close up. Because my mom is from Hamburg in northern Germany, not far from Denmark, I grew up with Danish furniture and Danish Christmas tree decorations, both of which I still love.

I don't want to give the impression that trees were only from Western Europe, those are just ones I have a special connection with. There were also trees decorated in Asian, African, Australian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Eastern European themes.

We also enjoyed the conservatories and other indoor displays.

I love pitcher plants! I've seen them in bogs outside, and it's nice seeing them close up in the conservatory.

A purple freckled orchid.

I love the model railway! Choo choo!

Stunning lady's slippers.

I love Yucca close up. The leaves are curled up before they open, and the edges imprint themselves on the opened leaf.

Noogie! That's all that needs to be said about this cutie.

I love the textures of the barrel cactus.

Well, it's no secret I love Chihuly's glass art. It took me a little while to warm up to Guilded Champagne Gardens Chandelier because I'm used to more vibrant colors in his work. But the gold and clear glass really worked in this light-filled nook and I really appreciated the color variations, which emerged once you looked at it for a while.

The volunteer in the library tipped us off to Lena's Garden in the cafe, which was installed in May. This is a wonderfully large installation in a riot of color. Many Persians and sea forms were installed on the ceiling.

The colors slowly change from red-oranges to yellows, greens, blues, and purples. My public speaking experience has made me unafraid to pardon me, excuse me, stand between tables where people are enjoying a respite and take photos in a hundred different angles!

You already know how much I love Chihuly, so I'll just let you look at the photos.





It was also a wonderful day for a walk outside.

Because it was so unseasonably warm, it wasn't hard to leave the glass house.

I've always loved Clematis seed poofs, and these are a wonderful example. (Note the holiday lights int he background. The garden probably looks great at night during the holidays!)

A sweet little bronze mouse in the children's garden contemplates life, the universe, everything.

A swamp on the way to Michigan's Farm Garden.

Jim Eppler, Raven III and Raven V. Maybe Raven IV flew away. (Caw! I guess it was alive!)

We also enjoyed all the sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

Elisabeth Frink, Mirage I and Mirage II, with Keith Haring, Julia, in the background. I find the former both intriguing and disconcerting. I like the latter full-stop.

Alexander Liberman, Aria. I was fascinated by how multifaceted this sculpture is, depending on the angle and distance from which you view it. At first I thought it was red (and a Calder), but it's orange.

I looked at it from all angles, close-up...

... and from a distance, surrounded by late fall colors. It always looks nice. I love this piece!

Henry Moore, Bronze Form. I love the fall feel in the colors and textures of this view. Because I became familiar with the work of Barbara Hepworth before that of Henry Moore, I always think Moore sculptures are Hepworth sculptures, and I think most people have the opposite reaction. Incidentally, we somehow managed to miss the Hepworth at Meijer!

Jaume Plensa, I, You, She or He... I feel like a number... Oh, wait, those are letters! There were several similar pieces in this grouping. I really like the concept.

I like this broad view, with Jonathan Borofsky's Male/Female to the left.

Andy Goldsworthy, Grand Rapids Arch. I love the sandstone and the shape of this arch. It uses no mortar and is held together only by physics.

I like to walk all around sculptures and appreciate all views.

Nina Akamu, The American Horse. Not my particular cup of tea, but I appreciate the artistry and immensity of this piece. And the wreath is a nice, seasonal touch.

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Plantoir. You would think this would be my favorite sculpture at Meijer Gardens, and it very nearly is. I've also been lucky to see a similar sculpture by Oldenburg, Trowel (it's blue), at the Kröller-Müller Museum in The Netherlands.

George Rickey, Four Open Squares Horizontal Gyratory — Tapered. I love how this piece fit into its surroundings. I bet it's stunning in other seasons, too.

Bernar Venet, Two Indeterminate Lines. A very fun piece, temptingly interactive.

Louise Nevelson, Atmosphere and Environment XI. I thought this fit really well into the scene.

Alexander Calder, Two Discs. It kind of looks like a two-headed, kneeding cat to me. (That's a good thing. :)

If you're still with me, good! I have a special prize waiting for the person who can a) guess what my favorite sculpture at Meijer is (not counting Chihuly, as that would be too easy) and b) identify where the crow quote comes from. If more than one person gets the correct answers, I'll do a drawing. Have fun!

Also check out Our Little Acre's entry about her visit to Meijer Gardens in June.

Special thanks to Amy Sawade of Meijer Gardens for IDs and verification assistance!