US DOLLARS vs EURO

When I was selling the old appliances that were in the house we have just purchased, I was paid cash  and received 100 dollar notes. I don't really see them often, also most of the time I use a credit card, I guess I am becoming an American :-) 

The fact is, based on my observation, it is very unusual to use the real money here in the US. In fact, whenever I used cash in the past I saw panic in a cashier's eyes. They are not used to it and I think  it reflects in people's sense for values. It is completely a consumerist mentality here in the US that I can't really relate to. The son of my husband’s colleague got his first credit card when he was 16 years old! Unfortunately, they use a credit score system here and without a credit history you basically don’t exist, but it is another story.

When talking about money, I don't really like US dollars. Everything looks the same - just green. It is difficult to find a note you want in your purse* , the 5 cent coin is bigger than the 10 cent coin, it is all just confusing.

I like EURO currency better, US dollar has a really boring design in comparison with other currencies.

 (*WOW label - 'purse' also means 'woman's handbag' in US and Canadian English)

EURO

US Dollars

Finally gardening

As a child I was completely fascinated by a rock garden of my neighbor. I remember I just loved the alpine plans organized between rocks and the whole look of the garden. We had mainly carrots, tomatoes and potatoes in ours which I like to eat, but not so much to plant and care for, so I started to create my own tiny rock garden in a corner of the garden surrounded by vegetables.

If I think about it now that was exactly the moment when my passion for a landscape design started. My mother used to say that I have green fingers after my grandmother. Unfortunately with all the relocating and living mainly in apartments, I didn't have much opportunity to create many garden designs. Instead I turned to indoor plants ( WOW label - "house plants" in American English ) which I love as well.
Many years ago I also got my first Bonsai and I was hooked. I can't help myself, I love these mini plants and from there comes my interest in Japanese/Zen gardens. I find these arrangements so calming, peaceful and a feast for your eyes. At least for me it is, so it is no surprise that I would love to bring a bit of Japan in my own garden :-)

To be honest a tropical garden would be also on my list, I was in heaven when visiting my husband's family in South Africa and couldn't take my eyes off all the flora there, but I could hardly recreate any type of tropics here in Chicago. Well, at least not in winter. It is July now and the last week's temperatures were hovering near 35 C with the humidity around 70%. Definitely not for me, so I will stay with my Japanese ideas for now.

Last year I visited Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Illinois which is about 1 hour and a half from my place. The 14 acre gardens were established in 1978 by John Anderson and landscape architect Hoichi Kurisu.

 

 

 

I took many pictures there and have been researching more about the design and plants I can use.

My first load of plants arrived last week and I can't wait to enjoy them in my garden. I just have to wait for all the utilities to be marked on the property.

 

 

 

Ceramics - other projects

I have already mentioned my first ceramics course before, and here are other projects I worked on during the course.

I love plants, particularly bonsai, so I decided to make some bonsai dishes and other plant pots.

Also a sushi set - soy sauce dispenser and ginger container with a lid and two plates, ... candle holder etc.

I was only learning, so it isn't perfect, but I had lots of fun. I definitely hope to improve my skills in the future.

First project completed

My first project in a new house was to replace the floor in a laundry room. I decided to buy a new washing machine and dryer and didn't want to put it on an old floor, so here is what I did.

By the way, I am so happy with the new machines. There is absolutely no comparison to the old ones. The washing machine uses much less water, is much more efficient and sooooo quiet!!!!!!!!

Before



After

 

 

 

 

I was even able to replace the old floor base shoe molding with the help of this handy tool .... my husband helped to nail it down :-)

 

 

Since then I have moved onto next projects and will report on them next time.

D - DAY WITH "TWO MEN"

Today we are officially moving! It will be a long day and weekend.
We have been using this company for all our moves in the USA and so far have been very happy with them. I hope everything goes well also this time.

 

 

The Morton Arboretum & CSO music

Last week we went to a concert. It was performed by The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and that particular day to salute John Williams - one of the most popular and successful American orchestral composers of the modern age. He is a winner of five Academy awards, seventeen  Grammys, three Golden Globes, two Emmys and five BAFTA awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. He is best known for his film and ceremonial music, for such films as Jaws, E.T., Schindler's List, Indiana Jones series, Star Wars trilogy and many others.

The best about it was that it was an open air concert at The Morton Arboretum. It is an outdoor tree museum located about 25 miles west of Chicago in Lisle.
We went with our friends, had a picnic dinner and just enjoyed the evening with music under the stars. It was a wonderful atmosphere and the weather was perfect.

About The Morton Arboretum

The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to the planting and conservation of trees. Its 1,700 acres hold more than 222,000 live plants representing nearly 4,300 taxa from around the world.

Situated on the rolling Valparaiso moraine and bisected by the East Branch of the DuPage River, The Morton Arboretum is planned and planted to nurture and display trees and shrubs in environments conducive to their growth.

The Arboretum offers extensive educational programming for all ages, conducts leading research on tree health and tree improvement, breeds and introduces hardy and disease-resistant trees and shrubs for distribution throughout the Midwest, and presents nature-related activities year-round for people of all ages and interests.

The Arboretum was founded in 1922 by Morton Salt magnate Joy Morton. Arboretum grounds offer an oasis of magnificently tended trees, 16 miles of hiking trails, 9 miles of roads, and 900 acres of natural areas including the prototypical, restored 100-acre Schulenberg Prairie.

Also on the grounds are the Visitor Center and Plant Clinic, The Arboretum Store, Ginkgo Restaurant and Café, four-acre Children’s Garden, one-acre Maze Garden, an environmentally-friendly parking lot, and a paved walking trail around restored Meadow Lake.

The Arboretum houses the renowned Sterling Morton Library, devoted to the literature and art of botany and horticulture.