May 2008 - Nr. 5
Letter from the Editor
 Dear Reader Mother’s Day is just around the corner and Pentecost (Pfingsten) is happening on the same day, it is May, yet the Maiglöckchen (Lilies of the Valley) are just sprouting their greenery now and the Pfingstrosen (Peonies)have just begun to push through the earth and are not even recognizable as what is to become of them when they are in full bloom.
The recent summer teaser has given way to more moderate and cooler temperatures of an early spring. Unfortunately that means that breakfast outside is now out of the question. I remedied my frustration of having to cover up my freshly planted Geraniums in danger of getting frostbite by acquiring a new seasonable table cloth, dark blue with white flowers, on which my yellow and white porcelain looks especially cheerful. Added to that some spring flowers in a vase and the illusion of a real spring lets me start my day in a good mood. I venture to say that there are few women that do not appreciated a new dress or outfit. The same goes for a new appearance of the table one sits down on to eat and meets as a family or with friends. This is an integral part of our life style, our "Wohn- und Ess- Kultur". As I spoke to a few women about what they would love for Mother’s Day they all mentioned that flowers are always good, forget the chocolates and the perfume, dinner and a show are welcome, but perhaps something nice and decorative for the table, something that is different from the usual! And I though that I am the only one crazy enough to want different type of egg cups for different times of the year, and different types of tablecloths for all occasions. My linen closet is bursting at the seams, but I just love opening the door and surveying a colorful array of linens and towels. My friends all know that I always welcome flowers, preferably something I can plant or keep cultivated indoors for a long time, or something for the table and kitchen, since I love to cook. In my house orchids have taken the place of cut flowers for the most part. They are extremely decorative and last for a very long time if one treats them correctly: No direct sunlight, and thorough soaking once a week. After blooming a short rest and then fertilizing with orchid fertilizer, and more light will then coax the plant into new blooms. In my last editorial (April) I asked for people, that are interested in telling us why and when they came to Canada, and what their first impressions and experiences were. We had a few responses already, but we would love to have more input, so we can run a whole series, starting in the fall, say September. If you think you have a good story but not the skill to write it down, please get in touch with us so we can help you out. I know that everyone has a story, good or bad, full of wonderful happenings or even disappointments. We would like to tell some of these experiences and preserve them for the future. If we do not tell these stories ourselves no one else will. It is important that we preserve our past experiences for future generations to understand what we went through to make a life so far away from our original homes. So I hope to hear from a few more people to make this a nice project to look forward to for the fall and winter. In the meantime I hope you enjoy our report on the 50th anniversary celebration of the Hansa Club. (see photo on the front page) Perhaps I see you at the Karel Gott concert May 11 in the Roy Thompson Hall (Ticketmaster 1-800-833-3100), or later in the month on May 28 in the Eastminster United Church on the Danforth, where I am narrating an Austrian concert. For more info call 416-410-3509. Friends of Rolf Haas (we know him as a long time manager of the Austrian and German club scene) will be meeting in his home on May 31st for his 90th birthday! If you are one of his friends I will see you there! Until then Sybille Forster-Rentmeister |
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