Verboten

There are the things you are not allowed to mail to Germany


Through the US Postal Service here are the self-explanatory ones;
Absinthe.
Arms and weapons, including firearms, parts of arms, ammunition, and imitation arms.
 Human remains
 Live plants and animals
 Perishable infectious biological substances.
 Radioactive materials.

And here are the odd ones; 

Articles bearing political or religious notations on the address side.
-- So no Jesus stationary?

Melatonin.
 -- Why?

Playing cards, except in complete decks properly wrapped.
 --WHAT?!

Pulverized coca beans.
--Again... What?!

There are a few things on this list that I want to hear the story about. If anyone out there can tell me why playing cards and cocoa beans are contraband I'd love to know why.

DHL lists these;

Standard DHL prohibitions plus: Imitation and pirated products, Swastika, Hazelnuts, Peanuts, Brazil Nuts, Pistachios, Figs

--It's odd how they sneak "swastika" in with legumes and tree nuts...

Animal products
Animal skins
Asbestos
Ivory
Pornography
Precious metals & stones

(I guess you can send your asbestos, pornography and ivory through the US Mail)

FedEx has a very long list including;
Fighting Dogs, and Racist propaganda... but nothing about playing cards.

Very curious.

A finger Labyrinth

I followed it, with eyes shut.  I heard birds and cars and wind. 
Fingers followed the groove others have followed before me.
Quiet for a moment, in a park. 
Journey complete; I returned to the tasks of the day.
I want a finger labyrinth at home now!

Hey You!

Yea you sitting at your computer...

Wouldn't you rather be doing something more dog related?

I'll just sit here panting loudly until you make the right decision...

Bread Magic

The art of bread is a matter of alchemy. It is possible to use the exact same ingredients in exact proportions and have it turn out differently every time.  It could be because the batter was too dry, the weather too humid, or the dough was not kneaded enough or possibly too much, baking with a little consistency is a skill that takes a good deal of practice.  I'm so pleased when my baking goes well you must indulge me.

I made a new type of bread; Hungarian Split Farmhouse bread. It's from a recipe book I bought at Barnes & Noble for about $5 and despite the directions having been written poorly it has been a pretty useful book.

The ingredients called for a ton of yeast so the dough wound up being an unruly beast.  I added a significant amount of water to the dough (it's supposed to be very sticky to start, I added a whole extra cup of water). I beat it back three times before I was happy with the texture. The book only suggested one good kneading before baking but I imagine the whole thing would have been full of air bubbles.

I've got to say this is possibly the prettiest bread I've baked in a good long while.  It's covered with Fennel and Poppy seeds (perhaps too much Fennel, I'm going to knock off a few).  I am sitting here enjoying a fresh slice slathered in butter along with a licorice tea and I am in heaven!  If you love licorice you need to experience this! 

... And Papa, just to make you proud I took a photo of the inside... nearly perfect texture! 

Jokes from Nigeria...

This is verbatim from my  junk mail... made me laugh!

 

Central Bank of Nigeria,

Plot 33, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Way

Central Business District,

Cadastral Zone,

Abuja, Federal Capital Territory,

Nigeria

P.M.B. 0187,

Garki Abuja.

Nigeria

 

Dear Beneficiary,

"RE-CONFIRMATION NEEDED URGENTLY"

 

This is to bring to your notice that the Central Of Nigeria has been delegated

from the United Nations to pay 100 Nigerian 419 scam victims US$3, 000,

000, 00.each, You are listed and approved for this payment as one of the

scammed victims, get back to me as soon as possible for the immediate

payments of your Three  Million united states dollar compensations funds.

On this faithful recommendations, we want you to know that during the last UN

meetings held at Abuja , Nigeria . It was alarmed so much by the rest of

the world in the meeting regarding the lose of funds by various foreigners

to the scams artists operating in syndicates all over the world today, in

other to retain the good image of the country, The president of the

country (President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.) is now paying 100 victims of

this operators US$3,000,000,00. USD each, The payments are to be made by

FIRST INLAND BANK NIGERIA PLC (finbank), a corresponding paying bank under funding

assistance by the Central Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N.).

According to the number of applicants at hand,84 beneficiaries has been

paid ,half of the victims are from the United States, we still have more

16 left to be paid the compensations of US$3,000,000,00. each.

Your particulars was mentioned by one of the syndicates who was arrested

in Lagos Nigeria as one of their victims of the operations, you are hereby

warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to any body for any

reason what so ever, the US secret service is already on trace of the

criminals.

You are to receive your compensations payments via any of the below listed

options:

(1) THROUGH BANK TO BANK ONLINE TRANSFER

 

(2) THROUGH BANK DRAFT DELIVERY.

 

Let us know the choice options mentioned above you require to be paid, we

shall feed you with further modalities as soon as we hear from you.

All further correspondence should be forwarded to this office such as your

 

Full name-----

 

Contact address------

 

Your bank account name/number  (for online transfer)-----

 

Valid means of identification-----

 

Direct telephone number for easy communication between us----.

 

We use this medium on behalf of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria to apologize for the inconveniences this might have

caused you in the past.

 

 

Your Funds were returned to the Federal Government Treasury some while ago

because you did not finalize your claim for it. A week ago, the Presidency

and The Federal Executive Council collectively agreed to release the sum

of US$3,000,000.00 to you but to our surprise you sent down your

representatives Mr. Tim Parker and Mr. Rowland Gulf to collect this Funds

on your behalf, this morning.

 

For the fact that this Committee is faithfully in my full governance as

the Honourable Paymaster General of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, i

will like you to give me the authority to transfer your Funds into their

own Bank Account in Singapore (Asia).

 

 

We await your immediate response via email and telephone.Reply to:

(cbngovernor03@gmail.com)  and telephone  +2348089711490

Officially Sealed,

Yours faithfully,

 

Dr. Sanusi Lamido

Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The world through red glass.

My sister gave me a camera filter for my birthday (or was it Christmas? I'm not sure)

 No filter/color;

No filter/ Black&White

Filter/ Black&White
 (results unclear... perhaps the fennel  in my front yard isn't the most photogenic test subject)

No filter/ Black & White (woah it's so bright!!)

Filter/ Black & White (Awesome detail!!)

Filter... lots of detail, soft and delicate...

 

I think I like the no filter flower just because the contrast is cool...

The dog is super psyched about my new filter too!

Ooh and look at what happens if I just put the filter on and leave it on the color setting... I get art!
So cool!

--Thanks Kelly Beth!

Sunday trek.

 Sunday Sunday skip the gym, find a new path to get lost in...

 Odd random castles in the park...

 Apparently this is a monument to Moses... Moses was the one who saved the Israelites from the Pharoah.  Why would you build Moses a pyramid?  What would be a better shape for Moses?  Perhaps a tablet... perhaps a giant bread/manna basket...?  hmm??

 Overlooking Oakland...

Monday Queen

Because I can't listen to Queen without a little strut.

Mondays require strut.