Saving Rain

The Green Party didn't take first place in the election last Sunday, but they came in a very strong second and ahead of the CDU for first time ever!  Yea!

So what does that have to do with rain?  Well, we added another "green" element to our lives - a Rain Barrel.

It seems to me that at least every other home has one "Regentonne" or more.  In the hobby gardens, there are often four or five strung together but they tend to be on the - ummm - utilitarian side  (read:  ugly).  Since our rain barrel would have to go next to the front door, ugly would not do.

Search and research.  Measure and plan.  We found one.

First we had to get rid of the old cypress that was in the corner.  Done.

Then a base for the rain barrel. Done.

Open the package and set it up.  Done.

The top has a planter to help sorta kinda incorporate it into its surroundings; in another few weeks the petunias and such should gracefully drape from the top.  In winter, it'll be ivy.

 
And just in time!  It rained the day after we got it all set up and I was amazed that the tank was almost full after a very short rain - 300 liters.  Good for us.

Stairway to .....

not Heaven.  Just the upstairs.  And those of you who've been here know upstairs isn't big, so it doesn't need a grand entrance.  But a little upgrade wouldn't hurt.

Werner's thought for some time that the very ordinary handrail along the wall needed replacing.  He's right.  In fact, he had already upgraded it by simply sawing the ends so that they were cut at 90° to the floor and not at 90° to the rail.

Here in Bremen there are so many old houses and buildings that are either being upgraded or re-decorated or torn down that there's a shop for old building parts.  Perfect!

They have doors.  (That'll be a project, too.)

They have phones.  (Not on my list.)

They have newel posts, but we don't need one of those. 

Need a key?  They have those, too.

Wednesday he'll pick up the new/old hand rail and has already thought that the hand rail on the other side should be returned to the natural wood.  I agree.  I'll let you know when it all gets done!

More Recycling

Use it up

Wear it out

Make it do

Or do without

That is of course what all our grandparents did. They didn't throw away anything they thought could be useful. I remember visiting an old farm house museum here. Up in the attic was a big rolled ball of the narrow hems torn off the shirts/sheets/towels/dresses, saved to used later in a rag rug or something similar. Frugal doesn't begin to explain the folks a couple of generations ago. It is fascinating.

I love old linen, old embroidery, crocheted trims and window treatments. And I seem to have a penchant for things that others want to throw away (see the previous post!). When we go to markets, the linen stands always draw me to them and I ususally have some idea of what I might do with a little bit of lace torn from a pillowcase that fell apart or a linen sheet that was just too worn for the next generation to use -- but good enought not to throw away!!

Sometimes it takes a while to get to the finished product.

Our visits to Aunt Mary and Aunt Ruth got me going. Actually, I'd wanted to get this done BEFORE the trip but that didn't happen. Now it has happened: I made some lavender bags.

Here's the recipe: Find some old linen, the older the better. Find some old lace, the older the better. Grow some lavender (or buy it from the market). Make some bags, fill them with the lavender. Done.

Here's the finished product. I only did the sewing; the artists did the work. Aren't they nice?

RE: Recycling

Wow, that was fast. We put the ad in the paper (free, since we are subscribers) and at 8AM someone called. At 4PM the big chairs were packed up and gone to a new home - a young married couple starting out with little were happy to have them. I'm happy someone will use them! How perfect!

Recycling

You know how Germans love to be green. The Green Party is a partner in several state governing coalitions. Recycling is second nature to most. But there's a disconnect here I have yet to understand.

Once a year, each household in Bremen can arrange for pick up of large things they want to discard. So when someone moves out, decides to buy a new bedroom set or such, the old stuff goes on the street for the trash pick up! Now, of course, that is an open invitation for the flea market dealers and the simply curious to go through the treasure pile. I'm not immune.

After the neighbor across the street moved in with his children, this is what it looked like in front of his house.

Amina wanted to know what was going on, so of course we went over to take a look. Treasure, treasure! I've been looking for a rug beater for the longest time and this is a good old sturdy one. (By the way, it is not a decorative object - it will beat rugs!)

And then there was the sturdy wood table with inlaid hand-painted tiles, and then there were the two club chairs - horsehair padding, solid springs.

We already have too many chairs, but Werner and I thought it a shame for them to simply go into the landfill, so we rescued them. Now we're hoping to give them away!! Any takers?

I think Germans could learn a lot from Americans about garage sales!