I can handle it...

There are certain universal truths in our world. The Pick-up Truck Paradigm, for example. Anyone who's ever owned a truck has or will haul something (or indeed move an entire household) 'for a friend'. Conversely there is the Boat Rule; Never buy a boat, just find a friend with a boat...saves a lot of time and money. French cheese is superior - it just is.

I will share with you now the universal truth regarding Landscapers - which I am/was (a Landscape Designer that is) for many years. This undoubtedly comes up in conversation at all sorts of social functions, and the most common response when people find out I'm a landscaper is, "Oh my husband has some leaves that need to be raked up" or, "Why can't I get grass to grow in - fill in the location -?" To which I usually reply, "Oh, OK" or, "Probably too much acid in the soil." The acid thing always works because no one will ever actually test their soil. I'm sure there have been numerous backyard BBQ's where someone has said, "Yep, grass won't grow there 'cause the soil is too acid-y. We had a Landscaper out here last year." 

I know the Landscaper's Dilemma is a universal truth because it keeps happening to me here in Luxembourg...with Americans, Canadians, French, Luxembourgers, etc.  That said, I am an old softy at heart, and because I actually enjoying gardening I usually cave in and lend a hand to those who ask. I learned long ago that when working for friends...always work for beer (or wine as the case may be). When you toil for beverages, folks are much less likely to be critical. I have way too many get-togethers ahead of me to risk the story of, 'When Brian planted a Japanese Maple - and then it died.' Water your plants in the summertime people, and get those leaves up before your wife starts griping at me...you know who you are. Just a couple of free tips from a grizzled old gardener.

Will Work for Bordeaux.

 I recently popped in my first garden here on the Continent. While it won't win any awards, my 'Client' is pleased. Christian (yes, with the over-sized Caddy. I promise a proper photo soon - the dude is super camera-shy) just moved into a new apartment, and as many people do, he purchased a myriad of plants without realizing he had no way of actually getting them in the ground. Here's where I come in...for a day's worth of labor and years of professional experience I received a free haircut and a few bottles of French wine. Pretty good deal if you ask me. 

Not too 'Whiskey Tango' - at least he didn't make me sit in the front garden.

A popular Luxembourg aesthetic for gardens is what I shall call the 'Ratatouille Method'. In other words, buy one of everything (clear out the pantry), smash them into the same space (or pot) and see what comes up in the spring (ahem). I certainly understand the desire to purchase everything at the garden center, but when faced with the challenge of squeezing six pounds of flour into a five pound sack there are bound to be some issues. Fortunately I was on hand to talk Christian out of some rather dubious additional purchases ;)

Fig. 1-You recall this Luxembourg Garden Center, right? This is what a pro came up with!!?

Fig 2.-'Let's put this skinny green thing as close to that cherry tree as humanly possible.'

While not all gardens are this crazy, there really is a certain look to many of the green spaces around here...so, this was what we were able to come up with for Christian's back yard.

PSYCHE!

I shall get some more photos once things fill in a bit more...rumor has it there's to be a house warming party next month!

2 Legit

We finally received our official 'Legitimacy Cards' for the Grand Duchy!  A mere six months after arriving, our cards are now in hand. For what it's worth, we are now actual legal residents of Luxembourg. What I find fascinating about living here is how so many things are strictly enforced (recall our episode at Contrôle Technique w/ Miss Vicki - see also snow tires), and yet other items official are as flimsy as a balsa wood airplane. So...our official Luxembourg ID cards are tri-fold paper that I could probably manufacture in the basement of any elementary school library! 

Exhibit A:

I should have probably pixelated the card number, but...

...I must remind you, dear reader, that this ID card is rather feeble. Yes, those are staples holding my photo onto a legal document!

Apparently the rest of the European Union is getting on our case for these cards. Currently Luxembourg driver's licenses are also printed on paper with no lamination! I hear due to the outside pressure the new licenses are to be laminated with a magnetic strip readable by other nations within the EU.  This is a good thing. Since I am now able to get a local driver's license with the issuance of my ID card, I hope to get a proper card that will actually fit into a wallet! Again, you can clearly see that this card was officially stamped on April 10...just over six months - to the day - after of our arrival here. I was required to have dogs registered within 90 days for crying out loud! I think we will be traveling with our passports.

While we're on the subject of things not really adding up, I'd like to share with you the scene transpiring across the street from us. There are two major happenings taking place. The first is that the snooker hall has re-opened under new management! Hooray! They've done a nice job in refurbishing an older pool hall, and they do show international soccer games, etc. If they would install a dart board, I may never leave the place. 

...and Leo's was his Name-O!

The second major construction site is a new school they've been working on since before we moved into the neighborhood. Progress on the school has been laboriously slow, and I really don't claim to understand how the trades work in the Grand Duchy. Nor do I know how the permitting process is vetted here, but this...this has got to break some sort of work place safety code!

Oh yeah, that's a dude suspended from a crane without a safety harness!!

THIS CRANE!!!

The good news is that you can see the cherry trees and wild pear are in bloom! Even the beech and horse-chestnut trees are starting to leaf out finally! I sure hope that guy is OK.

Mullerthal

Let me begin this post with what may be the number one way to turn heads on a Luxembourg motorway...

Be seen driving in one of these.

A 1972 Emerald Green Cadillac Eldorado

My friend, Christian (seen on the passenger side), has an affinity for American cars...especially those with big engines. His 'everyday' car is a 5.0 liter Mustang! Christian invited me to dinner this past weekend, and when he came to pick me up, this is what he was driving! I have no idea how he navigates the narrow streets of the city, but we somehow made it from Luxembourg City to Esch on Alzette and parked this behemoth in a residential section of town! Needless to say, seat belts weren't really an option. I did, however, have the feeling that if we were to hit anything, it would merely be a glancing blow. This must have been how Patton's men felt! When we left the restaurant that evening I swear I saw three Citroens swoop into the space we vacated :) 

I know I use the word 'surreal' a lot in this blog, but how else can I describe some situations. As we were leaving Esch, we were flagged down by a kid (maybe 20 years old). He was driving - wait for it - a 1985 Cadillac Eldorado!! I didn't have the courage to snap photos of the two cars side by side...I wish I had, now.

Oh, yeah...Christian has the Continental package - what else?

 Ok - now on to Mullerthal.

The Schießentümpel Cascade

After my evening out in the Caddy, I decided to take the boys for a walk in the country the next morning.  Mullerthal is a region of Luxembourg just northeast of the Ville. It is know as 'Little Switzerland' because of the interesting rock formations, hilly terrain and medieval castles. Perhaps the most photographed site in Luxembourg that isn't in the Ville is the Schießentümpel Cascade. If you thought I was exaggerating that living in Luxembourg is like living in Fairy-Tale-Land, here's proof that I am not. Trolls, for example, do exist. They live here in Luxembourg, but they are apparently quite shy.

Toby, Jonas and I hiked a section of the Mullerthal trail which brought us from the cascade through the forest, into the idyllic beauty that abounds in this area and then back to our starting point at the falls. Over the Schießentümpel there is an amazing stone arch that spans the creek, and if you look carefully you'll see a Troll hiding under his bridge...I've not heard of anyone being eaten recently, but one can never be to careful.

  

 

Here is the stone bridge...

...and I'm pretty sure you can just make out the Troll's face in this photo :-O

From the cascade we hiked up to a plateau and out into the countryside. Just for the record, this hike took place in late April. Please notice the lack of leaves on the trees! Spring is taking its sweet time in arriving this year. Nonetheless it was great hiking weather, and the boys had a blast!

Luxembourg farmland surrounding the village of Waldbillig

...and here we are back at the cascade. Our own little monsters posing under the bridge :)

Since we were only a couple of miles from the ruins of Beaufort Castle, we decided to take a ride over after our hike and see some medieval ruins. Luxembourg is chock-a-block with castles, abbeys, Roman villas, etc...ruined or otherwise. Beaufort dates back to at least 1150 AD and probably earlier. The site was most likely fortified as a defensive position for the Abbey in Echternach, Luxembourg's oldest city. The medieval castle was reinforced several times through the Middle Ages. Once warfare advanced to a point beyond which walls and moats were of little use, the nobles built the  Renaissance Chateau next to the ruins. The last owner of the Chateau passed away in the summer of 2012, and Beaufort is now under the care of the Grand Duchy. Plans to create a culture center are already in progress. Can't wait to go back and see the rest of this place. In the meantime, here are some photos I took of the ruins with the boys in tow...yes, they let the dogs on the castle grounds!

Beaufort Castle

The castle's original entrance

Here I 'chained' the boys to the wall in the dungeon...

...where they waited for this little family heirloom to stretch them out. Pilates anyone?!

Mwoo-ha-ha-haaaaa! I like the little ears they gave him :)

And finally, because I have no other place to add this. There was a pony at the daycare just down the street from us! Enjoy!

A PONY!!!!!!!!!

April Showers - Thank Goodeness!

Tiny Little Columbines!

The boys and I are just settling in after our morning constitutional. I never thought I'd be this happy to see rain...just plain old, ordinary rain. Not sleet. Not ice. Not a wintry mix...just rain. Toby is waiting for his second Luxembourg acupuncture appointment. His therapist (yes, we know how silly that sounds) is due later this morning. I have no idea of the science behind acupuncture, but it sure works wonders for a dachshund who's had two major back surgeries in 12 years...and we're trying everything to avoid a third! 

Toby is such a good patient. He loves acupuncture! Yes, that's a needle in his head ;)

Toby back in 2010 after his second spinal surgery (from the chassis!)

We're also waiting on our new patio furniture to be delivered this afternoon. The patio project is coming together, and I plan to share the process in a later post. As with most things in Luxembourg, we have learned to be patient and pick up items as they become available. Outdoor furniture and accessories are abundant right now in the stores, but the plant selection is a bit lacking. I think this is due to the exceedingly slow start to spring. We were teased back in March - almost a month ago to the day - when the Crocuses emerged. The poor daffodils that followed are still quite stunted and are trying to bloom at just over 4 inches high. I did make it to a couple nurseries just over in Merzig, Germany this week. The Merzig region is full of ornamental growing operations and even a wolf park (we may need to check that out one day). While not overflowing with stock, at least the growers had enough to make the trip worthwhile...at at very reasonable prices.

...so here's the entry to a Luxembourg Garden Center. I really like how they have a basket of dead flowers over the sign :-O

Baumshoul Becker - No wonder I drove past this place THREE times!!? - with GPS!

Grau & Sons Nursery

I like Leick Baumschule :)

In other news, we had a birthday celebration at the local dog-park...in a truly surreal Luxembourg moment there was Bubbly served.

Rather good stuff too...

 




Still not 100% comfortable communicating (and I am using a cell phone to take photos), I'm not quite sure how the folks at the park will react to my taking their pictures. Yet. For now I've opted to add some of the dogs that we see most days at the enclosure.

This is Whiskey...or Muppert as he's affectionately called. Muppe means "Dog" in Luxembourgish. 

En suite, we have Sam the Yellow-Dog and Matsco the Beagle

Poor Sam take the brunt of the wrestling. I think because he's so big an fluffy that there are no holds barred. That's why he's everyone's fave.

Here's JoJo in a whole excavated by the resident Vizsla, Rudy. Toby's in the background making a cameo.

That's Paloma - a full sized Grayhound in that same hole.She is a rescue from Spain :)

It was Christian's (Paloma's master) birthday this past weekend. He brought the champagne, and I baked some gingerbread for the occasion. The crowd was quite large and lively, so these pooches are just a representation of our afternoon cadre...(Apres-midee?)

...and here's all that's left of the gingerbread. High praise indeed.

Mr Rudy taking a break...such a happy boy!