Wild wind

These days a wild wind has arrived… it comes with strength… we can hear it going through our house, the trees outside, our life… it takes with it some things, it misses others… I just think that it comes, passes, and never returns, and I kind of like that.

The Symphony and the Speech

Now that Markus gave me as B-Day present Beethoven's 7th Symphony, I needed to read the speech that was read by King George VI after Britain declared War against Nazi Germany on 3 September 1939. It is a beautiful moment in the movie, full of bravery. Nonetheless, it is amazing that this happened while the King was listening to Beethoven!

Here it is:
“In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.


For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war.


Over and over again, we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies; but it has bee in vain.


We have been forced into a conflict, for which we are called, with our allies to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world.


It is a principle which permits a state in the selfish pursuit of power to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges, which sanctions the use of force or threat of force against the sovereignty and independence of other states.


Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right, and if this principle were established through the world, the freedom of our own country and of the whole British Commonwealth of nations would be in danger.


But far more than this, the peoples of the world would be kept in bondage of fear, and all hopes of settled peace and of security, of justice and liberty, among nations, would be ended.


This is the ultimate issue which confronts us. For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, and of the world order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge.


It is to this high purpose that I now call my people at home and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own.

I ask them to stand calm and firm and united in this time of trial.


The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield, but we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God. If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then with God’s help, we shall prevail.


May He bless and keep us all."

Los 33!!!!

Sin duda, arrancaron muy bien! Markus me consintió mucho, mucho... y fui muy feliz con todos los buenos deseos, abrazos cumpleañeros y regalos que desde lejos llegaron.

Llamada desde Cali a las 4 am hora colombiana!

Mesa de cumpleaños! (con un montón de velas y regalos... entre ellos las 9 sinfonías de Beethoven y un viaje al Polo Norte)

Hatful Of Rain... concierto sorpresa en Lewes.

.... más bonito!!! me encanto.

Partnerlook!

Nuestro jardín de rosas

3 y 3 (III)

Tres libros que volvería a leer de principio a fin: Nubosidad Variable (Carmen Martín Gaite), Brooklyn Follies (Paul Auster), y Cien Años de Soledad (Gabriel García Márquez).


Tres cosas que odio en la vida: que no se aprovechen las escasas oportunidades que existen, las roscas, y que las buenas amistades se desvanezcan.

Crossroads - Calvin Russel

This song is in my mind lately....

I'm standing at the crossroads

There are many roads to take

But I stand here so silently

For fear of a mistake

One road leads to paradise

One road leads to pain

One road leads to freedom

But they all look the same

I've traveled many roads

And not all of them were good

The foolish ones taught more to me

Than the wise ones ever could

One road leads to sacrifice

One road leads to shame

One road leads to freedom

But they all look the same

There were roads I never travelled

There were turns I did not take

There were mysteries that I left unravelled

But leaving you was my only mistake.

So I'm standing at the crossroads

Imprisoned by this doubt

As if by doing nothing

I might find my way out

One road leads to paradise

One road leads to pain

One road leads to freedom

But they all look the same

La vida compartida siempre es mejor

3 y 3 (III)

Tres sonidos que me encantan: el de la madera quemándose en una buena chimenea, el del mar rabioso, el de los pájaros en la madrugada


Tres lugares que quiero conocer: Santorini (Grecia), Svalbard's (Noruega), Masai Mara (Kenya).

3 y 3 (II)

Tres cosas que me encantan: montar mi bicicleta, las madrugadas, y largas caminatas con buenas charlas


Tres iniciativas que pienso que valen la pena: el CEMI, el Colectivo de Comunicaciones de los Montes de Maria, el Programa Paisajes de Conservación

3 y 3

En preparación a mis treinta y tres….


Tres cosas que me gusta comer: Paella, Los espaguetis que prepara Markus y el pulpo al olivo.

Tres canciones que tarateo en la ducha: In My Secret Life (Leonard Cohen), Downtown Train (Tom Waits), Forever Young (Alphaville)

La primavera está aquí!

Y la verdad le cambia a uno la vida, pues con ella llegan las flores y las ganas de salir, de encontrarse en los cafés, de leer en la playa, de disfrutar de largas tardes en los parques… además, de manera misteriosa, los recuerdos de los fríos y oscuros meses de invierno casi que desaparecen y uno se siente listo para volver a la vida.


Esta semana Markus estuvo en su primer viaje de trabajo, así que me quede sola en nuestra casita maravillosa, y sencillamente me dedique a avanzar con mis lecturas del doctorado, a recorrer la ciudad en mi bicicleta, y tener buenas charlas con algunos amigos.


Aprovechando que el hombre carnívoro de la casa no estaba, también desempolvé mi libro de recetas vegetarianas maravillosas y me di gusto comiendo toda clase de combinaciones en ensaladas en nuestra terraza. Además, fue la oportunidad perfecta para comprar toda clase de especias, cosa que estaba en mi lista desde hace rato. En fin, fue una buena semana de primavera.

A sunset to chat away

Nuestra casita

Casi no logramos acabar con la epidemia de cajas (que sospechosamente se reproducían a nuestras espaldas), o con la armada de todos los muebles que compramos, o las subidas de todo lo que no nos cabía al ático… después de un mes intenso de trabajo este es el resultado: nuestra casita. Y estamos muy orgullosos y contentos con ella. Por fin llego la hora de compartirla con todos ustedes… por el momento en el blog… pero esperamos que pronto vengan y la disfruten mucho con nosotros.

- Nuestro cuarto -

Cama con paticas... es lo máximo!

  

Park Ranger

- Afuera de nuestro cuarto -

  

- Mi estudio y cuarto de huéspedes -

El escritorio donde se escribirá la tesis de doctorado

- Entrada al baño (desde el segundo piso)-

- Entrada de la casa -  

- Comedor -

La mesa!!!!

- Estudio de Markus -

El trono 

El escritorio donde se trabajará mucho

Puertas al patio

Nuestras bicicletas en el patio

- Cocina -

El radio (que no puede faltar)

On loneliness and solitude

Language... has created the word "loneliness" to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word "solitude" to express the glory of being alone.

Paul Tillich

My first daffodils

I love them... they remind me that spring is around the corner!

Conversaciones de mañana con Marce y Paulina

The happiness of riding my new bicycle!

During the last week we have been trying to get rid of all the boxes that arrived with our stuff from Colombia. Our small house, little by little is acquiring a home feeling. I will not post pictures until we had finalized with all the organization… so you have to be patience.

This week we saw the first brave flowers that came out!! So, it should be a matter of a few weeks, and spring will be here… I hope. I’m really looking forward to the nice weather, the flowers and to ride my new bicycle all day long. However, as we know… these months can be very cruel… one is ready to the nice weather and to get rid of all the winter equipment… but sometimes winter just stays and ruins one’s plans.