Calm before Storm

Folks, we are safe!

I woke up to several messages and missed calls from family and friends hoping we are okay (thank you so much once more) as they saw on the news about some bad damages caused by the tropical storm Erika which was actually in the Commonwealth island of Dominica before it reached us in the Dominican Republic a few hours later. Erika hit our town yesterday afternoon but not that hard as we already expected. However, schools were cancelled, we got "Alert Red" messages and even have been advised to go and get emergency food and be prepared but it was basically nothing, at least in our mountainous town. We had wind and rains enough to make the poor plants very happy after months and months of dryness. The weather cool down, the air was clean plus my hubby got to come home early as his university was also closed. These are the things to thanks Erika for.

Nonetheless, please keep the countries and those who are affected by Erika, in your prayers.

Before Erika

During Erika

Post Erika

Wish everyone a lovely weekend and if you are under preparation for this storm, good luck!

Just Breathe

This goat reminds us to simply stop and smell the roses

No actual roses involved here. Sorry. But there's a story. :-) 

Often in our life with the humdrum routine, especially when we have jobs to do or family to take care of (or both) we tend to get lost in our cyclic tasks and those endless responsibilities. We strive because we want to be good (if not perfect) at everything. What we do, seems to be just running running running like the hamster in his wheel because of the inescapable fact that hangs above our head, we can't simply erase the goals we set, we can't just quit our job, shut down our business or push our children back in to where they came from. And as if those factors aren't prime enough, we also realise our time is slipping away day by day, which makes us then going faster instead of slowing down therefore it is difficult or even impossible to step off that wheel. Many times, the faster we go the more we lose track and sight of what is the priority, what is important, what is matter and what not. 

However, while it is difficult or impossible to get off, what I think what we can do is, despite knowing our life is moving at a rapid speed on the fast lane, we can try to take a break from the rushing, from the massive to-do lists and spend some times to do simple things and/or find the kind of happiness that occures in everyday things such as, to name a few, looking at your neighbours' garden what they have, go for a walk, choose a movie to watch, connecting more with children, calling family members or friends who live abroad, looking at old photographs and remembering some of those embarrassing moments, take a deep breath under a nice warm shower, trying out new things or even just to sip a glass of good cold beer. Find the time to give ourselves a good assessment in oder to get to know more or to discover more deeply what do we really want out of this life, what do we want to archieve, what details in the whole picture that are missing and need to be filled or to appreciate all the details. We are supposed to see more of what are missing when we slow down to take a look around and by doing so we feel more connected whether to ourselves or the outside world.

I do remember what my mother once said, the world itself is already hectic enough and things around us are crazy enough why do we need to be hard on ourselves too? So, the "stop and smell the roses" philosophy is not at all bad and you should try it if you haven't already. - Because also, in the end on the deathbeds, nobody would say "Darn it, I wish I had spent more time in the workplaces or running in circle for the living". The bills, the hundreds of emails, the postponing meetings will still be there if you miss it for a minute but the roses might be wilted already by that time. The flowers bloom, and we don't notice? That's not very nice, is it? :-) Moreover, the stolen hours and the time that are well-spent, are not wasted.

I put on my brave face and go to smell my rose and you do too.

                      

Santa Maria la Menor - The First Cathedral in the New World

The Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor is the oldest cathedral in the Americas. According to Wikipedia, the construction begun in 1512 and finished in the year 1540. 

It is one of the top-notch attraction sites in Santo Domingo. This architectural and artistic marvel is located in Colonial Zone (Zona Colonial) near the Columbus Park (Parque Colon) where the hundreds of pigeons chill around. The building's elements exist in a Gothic style architecture that predominant in Europe with a mix of baroque and plateresque styles. The exterior is beautiful but it doesn't speak for what's inside. To begin with, its vaulted ceiling is impressive, so do the tall solid limestone walls and pillars.

Personally, there is something spiritually magical everytime I step in it. It is almost the same feeling that I have whenever I visit the infamous massive Angkor Wat back in my homeland. I do love anything with rich history behind. Most of us do, right? Despite the fact that the interior of the cathedral has been fitted with modern lighting, sounding, cooling systems almost everywhere, it doesn't stop me from having the feeling of being taken back to the past to its history and the Columbus thing which alone is already impressive enough. It was like being in the time machine backward in time. There have been plenty of people, groups of tourists every time I was there but I've never once felt if I have been disturbed by the crowd or my feet being stepped on. Everyone seems to just wrap themselves up and give a quiet admiration to the simple yet elegant 500 year-old Catedral Primada de America. At every corner you turn, stand masterpieces of arts and sculptures. The historic mahogany doors still remain as well as several beautiful stained-glass windows, mural paintings, tombstones, chandeliers, ancient woodcarvings, sacred cross, monuments and old furnitures. 

Front entrance

My daughter, Columbus, and the rear of the cathedral

Columbus and his pigeons

My misery company of that day. One of the many pigeons

My favourite spot. Near where the tickets are sold

Interior. No proper words for it

Interior

Stained-glass. Ceiling

Interior

Interior. Altar

Interior. Vaulted ceiling. Stained-glass

If you could ever make it to the DR, don't only head out to the beaches aiming at the kiosks and mojitos, DR also has a wonderful and interesting history at the New World. Apart from the colonies of pigeons and the Amber museum nearby.

I am so glad to be some kind of a "local" of this beautiful island.  :-)

Cheers,

June Instablooms

Good afternoon! I am sending you all a rose this monday, hope it is a bearable day for you?! 

Receiving roses is for me (and for most of us ladies, am I right?) a very joyful event. But the joy doesn't end there once the roses are in the vase, on the table and in the livingroom. I am one of those who enjoy when the roses open, release their scents and even when they decay. I aso love the close-ups and details of the roses. For me it brings the hidden beauty each one of them possesses. This apply to most of other flowers as well. Very often I am thankful that this planet blesses us with flowers and plants. They maybe are ordinary but in a way they do contribute significant impacts in our daily life.

You got roses? :-)
    

We are on summer holiday which starts quite badly because our daughter is ill with fever and what I presume a sinus infection. The pediatrician visit must be made this late afternoon. Poor little mite! However she proves how a tough cookie she is by running around and playing with her baby brother instead of laying down with wet towel on her head. She's definitely showing bad days what she's really made off! Thanks Buddha. 

Casa Richter wishes you all a happy week and summer break!

Love,

Hello Spring!

I think words are very much not needed here so I better not writing anything. Avoid spoiling the beauty this post offers. This is a collection of some of the spring flowers from Europe to Americas.  

Cherry blossom

Magnolia

Magnolia

Wild flower, don't know its name

Forsythia

Tulips

Yellow Gerbera & lovely Luisa

Onion flower

Margarita

Have a delightful day, everyone!

Peony Beauty

My second favourite flower after daffodil! Peony in English and Pfingstrosen in German. In late April or May, you know where to find me. Where there's peony, there's a Suorsdey.

Love,

Sakura Festival in Dominican Republic

For centuries, Cherry Blossom festival is a spring celebration that is very much loved and annually celebrated in Japan and other countries can be as far United States, Canada, and in some European countries like Germany, Denmark. There is almost nothing more joyous than having a good time eating, drinking, reading or simply chatting, getting to know others under the cherry trees that are proudly boasting their fragile yet beautiful blossoms. The festival usually also includes other activities like cultural events, exhibitions, lots of foods and drinks, entertainments, children-friendly activities.

As suspicious as it might sound, about this festival in the Carribean where the weather is warm all-year round, the Japanese club over there did manage to make it happen although it is more a low-key type and rather small compare to the celebration in Japan or USA but you are guarenteed to still find the sakura flowers. Thanks to the absolutely beautiful mountainous town Constanza which situated in the central range or Cordillera Central at 4000 ft (about 1200 metres), in La Vega province where it is blessed with a rather 'cold' temperature. Well-known for its agriculture and crops production it is just right to house the cherry trees. The "Festival del Cerezo" opened to public for the first time in 2013. Due to its apparent success it becomes an anual festival taking place every January. Just like how the others are doing it, you can get traditional Japanese foods (yes, included Sushi - hell lots of Sushi!), drinks, performances, exhibitions, products sale and of course the cherry blossoms sight-seeing. 

I didn't take any photos of the stalls or the entertainment though. I didn't feel good already during the nauseous ride along the valley and my children got a little grumpy and wanted to go to see the nearby carrot fields instead which we did. I was hanging around mostly near the trees - quite refreshing. 
It has become one of my favourite festival, my husband's too. We intend to join again but it will be in Hamburg, Germany then. 

You can check out the Constanza festival's Facebook page here for more photos. 

And Hai, arigatou gozaimasu!

Some beautiful D.R. events hosted by mother nature

My day usually gets extra special when I am welcomed by nice shows display in the sky. Sometimes it is also very comforting to see them after a rather tough day running errands and doing tasks that seems to never can finish. Many a time, I grant a gift to just sit by the windows in my bedroom with my little ones while waiting for my 'little' big one to come home and looking at the sun goes down in the Occident or to be at the balcony to scan through the sky finding different cloud figures. Some day, on extraordinary day we would just lay low and being greeted by the rainbows which occur quite often here. If I have to go out, as a person that never underestimate the nature, to be certain I wouldn't miss the unexpected views and to have them saved not only in my memory department but my SD cards too, I always make sure I have my camera with me or the smartphone at very least. The nature's theatre unfolds its spectacular innocent shows for us at no costs all we need to do is taking the time to go or simply roll up the window blinds and see them. 

Below are some of my favourite views. They have not been heavily enhanced - I only blackened out what appeared slightly dark and lowered the white/hightlights levels.
 
ATTENTION: Slideshow contains audio. Check your device volume before starting.
Click letter "i" on the slide for photos' infos. :-)