Celebrating Independence

Today, on the 4th of July, we celebrate our country's independence from Britain, back in 1776. We have red, white and blue parties with family and friends, we barbecue and we have colorful and loud fireworks. It's a joyful holiday, a great day of celebration.

Sadly, some Americans seem to be unaware what we are celebrating.

photo by Robert Bartz

A couple days ago I saw a video in which random people on their way to the beach were interviewed about Independence Day. Some of the "highlights":

Question: Who did we gain our independence from?

Answers:
- I don't know.
- The South.  - At the end of the Civil War? - Yes, from the South.
- Those countries.
And my personal favorite:
- From California. (oh yeah, baby)

Question: Who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Answers:
- I don't know. Abraham Lincoln? - And when was that? - 1964? - 19... - 1984! (Perhaps it was George Orwell then....)

Question: Who were the Founding Fathers of our country?

- Silence.

Where the Declaration of Independence was written. Photo by Robert Bartz

While reading this, you probably cringe just as I did when I watched that video. And of course this is not representative for all Americans. But it made me wonder why I as an immigrant have to pass the citizenship test when I wish to become a US citizen. Perhaps natural born Americans should take that test as well.

Especially politicians. No, I am not elaborating on this. You certainly have made up your mind about that and so have I.

Gaining independence is a huge step for any country. For me, the most important part of independence is freedom. Let freedom ring - but so often I feel it's the freedom for one group, but not for the other. Freedom ends where it limits the freedom of others. That is a given. Freedom involves responsibility - a lot of it. Freedom without responsibility is not freedom for all, but just freedom for "Me". Freedom is something we have to work for every single day - by giving it to others and keeping it for ourselves.

Freedom is something wonderful that we so often take for granted. It is the greatest good in our country - and many others. Truly a reason to celebrate.

Sunday Gratitude

It's hard to believe that another week has passed so quickly.

Our week here started with foggy mornings. Often the coastal fog hangs around for quite a while and eventually burns off to blue skies and bright sunshine. On Monday instead of going to my Jazzercise class I went to the Laguna for a walk and some very foggy photos. It was a beautiful start to a new week and set the tone for the days to come. I enjoyed the fog, the wonderful trees and the many birds that call the Laguna their home.

We finally had some rain again - not much, but a little is still better than non at all. It was enough to get some moisture into the ground - not only the garden was thankful!

This week I once again realized how much I love where I live. Although Santa Rosa has a population of 160,000, it often feels more like a small town. When I go to our neighborhood market I am always greeted; the sushi men throws a "how are you" to me, the butcher has a couple of jokes. One of the staffers and I usually stop for a brief chat and a laugh - she has been working in that market forever. At the post office - not the main one but a smaller branch - waiting in line is seldom boring as there is always someone who strikes up a conversation. The clerk is super nice and has a delightful positive attitude. If I need a pick-me-up I just have to go there!

I spent a creative morning with my friend K. She was sorting through photos, I was creating graduation cards (soon in my Etsy store). We chatted, sat outside on her deck, talked about gardening and I got my "dog fix". We usually just spend three or four hours together, but these hours always feel like a mini vacation.

Yesterday it was so warm that we had our first BBQ and ate dinner outside. Afterwards we sat around the fire and had pie for Pi day. I love these warmer days when I can finally drive with the windows rolled down. It wasn't too warm but not cool either, just right for having the windows open in our home all day long. The perfect weather.

And finally - yesterday I received my US passport in the mail! Wow - that was fast. It took less than two weeks; I'm quite impressed. The passport is beautiful - every page inside looks different with pretty pictures and great quotes. Of course I love it!

You might think everything is nice and pretty in my life. It is not. There are enough challenges and not so nice things happening in my life just like in everybody else's. However, I have decided to look at the bright side and focus on those things that bring light and happiness into my life.

I hope you can do that with your life as well. I wish all of you a wonderful week.

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Do you have a graduate in your life?

Send her or him a handmade card from my Etsy store.

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Sunday Gratitude

After having read my blog this week, what do you think I am most grateful for this Sunday?

Yes, of course, the US citizenship that we received last Wednesday. It's been a big step, a long process with such a happy ending.

I am also deeply thankful for all the kind reactions I got, especially from you, my friends. You showed so much kindness and joy for and with me, it truly touched my heart. I feel so blessed because of you. Thank you.

This week was also our wedding anniversary - 17 years. I am such a lucky woman to have a husband like him. He is a good man, and I love him. I can't imagine my life without him. We went through some tough times together, but also some incredible happy times, and I still cherish his humor. He is the best companion I could ever imagine.

I enjoy our evening walks. Almost every evening after dinner we take a short or sometimes longer walk through the neighborhood. It's the time when none of us is busy with anything else, it's just for the two of us when we can talk or also be quiet together. It has become a beautiful routine in our life.

Yesterday I discovered a new state park, Olompali Historic State Park. While Kaefer was at German School I went to this park and explored it a little bit. Next time I'll take my hiking boots and hike up one of those trails! It's beautiful up there with lots of gorgeous trees. I love trees and this was some kind of paradise for me. How lucky we are to live in such a beautiful area.

I spent a lot of time in my front garden, redoing the garden path I had made two years ago. It was just a little bit too straight, and I wanted it more in a meandering way. The hummingbird sage is spreading out as well and got into the path which I didn't like either. Every time I walked along there I had to push the pink flowering currant to the side which isn't ideal either. It was just poor planning on my side. So I finally pulled out the path stones and laid them in a different way through the flowers. It looks so much more beautiful now. I'm still not done because I ran out of the path stones. I need to go to Home Depot and get some more. I also transplanted my coffeeberry bush since it clearly wasn't happy in the place it was and got crowded out by some salvia. This has been resolved now. And there's still a lot of trimming and pruning going on.

And last but not least, we got some rain yesterday on our way back from Novato. It was raining so hard that we could hardly see the cars in front of us. The sky had turned very dark, there was some lightning, and then the hail started. It was over after ten minutes.

How was your week?

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Spring means gardening.

Write down ideas for your garden in a journal 

available in my Etsy store.

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The Invisible Fence or Becoming a US Citizen

For this post for Theresa's Good Fences I have to ask you to really think outside the box. My fence this week is not a real physical fence but an invisible one. The one which prevented us to vote in the US, to apply for certain jobs, even to serve on a jury.

We couldn't do this. There was an invisible fence around our lives for the past 14 years.

Until yesterday, Wednesday, February 25th, 2015. The day we became US citizens.

We had gone through the process of applying for citizenship, got our biometrics taken as a second step, were invited to the interview in January - and finally received the letter with the invitation to the oath ceremony in Oakland's Paramount Theatre.

Oh the joy!!

We had to be there by 9:15. For us this means to get on the road early to avoid most of the morning rush hour through Sonoma and Marin Counties where US 101 becomes clogged almost every morning during the week. We left shortly after six and arrived in Oakland around 7:30 which gave us ample time for our last breakfast as pure Germans.

I had a very tasty breakfast crepe - and in the background you can see the Paramount Theatre.

Here it is in its full glory:

It was built in 1931 and is a beautiful Art Deco building. It started out as a movie theater and today is the home of  the Oakland East Bay Symphony.

When we were done with our breakfast we walked over even though it was still way too early. However, there were already lines and we decided to get in line and wait with the crowd.

Soon afterwards, the doors were opened and we entered the beautiful lobby. All the following pictures were taken in rather bad light and unfortunately are very blurry.

The ceiling in the auditorium and the lower floor where the soon-to-be citizens were seated while family members and friends had to stay at the gallery (these pictures were taken at the very beginning when most people were still outside).

We first saw a beautiful slide show with old pictures from Ellis Island; an address by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (on video) who herself emigrated from Czechoslovakia at the age of 11 (I didn't know that); some patriotic songs performed by the ensemble "Tosca" with one of the most moving parts of the ceremony, when we all sang Woody Guthrie's "This land is your land" - ooh, I still get goosebumps! We had representatives from Voter Registration, Passport Department and Social Security tell us about our new rights followed by a short keynote speech. Then the calling of the countries was announced - there were 1037 people from 97 countries! What I like was that we were encouraged to cheer for our country which of course I did when Germany was called. We were asked to stand up when our country was called, and when everybody stood we took the Oath of Allegiance. With that we were US citizens - at 10:15 am.

Before we all sang the Star Spangled Banner our President appeared on video with a short speech addressing us, the new citizens. I am very happy and grateful that I received my citizenship during his presidency.

We said the Pledge of Allegiance and then the ceremony was officially over and each of us got her or his Certificate of Naturalization. After that we were free to go.

One story I have to tell you because it was sweet and probably rather unusual (and very typical for me). At the entrance to the auditorium we had to give our Green Card to the immigration officer. When "my" immigration officer took my card, I touched two of my fingers with my lips and then touched the card that was already in his hands in a kind of goodbye kiss (after all, this card was with me for 10 years and I had protected it like mad). The officer laughed, showed me one of his cheeks and said "what about a kiss here?". Then he saw the Geek, realized that he is my husband and just laughed. Later, when he gave us the certificates, he laughed again and I asked him whether he still wanted his kiss. After a reassuring nod from the Geek I gave him a kiss on his cheek - and he sure was happy! A little bit later he came back to us, saying "I want to congratulate you again. I had so much fun with you guys." I guess he doesn't get too many kisses from the new citizens...

So now I am a "dear fellow American". It feels right. I am also still a German since we have dual citizenship. That, too, feels right.

And for those of you who still want to see a real fence, here is one that I shot on our way home, in the beautiful rolling hills of my county.

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The perfect card for a new US citizen,

available in my Etsy store.

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