The Heymann Family Journal

I have not packed for our trip to America. Instead I am getting as much work done as I can in the garden. The gardener planted a wild flower meadow in the back boarder of our new lawn. Today, Nicole and I added wild flower seeds to what has already been planted. We figure variety is good. I don't really know what the gardener planted, so I wanted to add more. And we pulled allot of weeds, but there are plenty more to pull. And we planted some tomatoes, spaghetti squash and cucumbers into the straw bales we prepared last fall. The bales have been outside all winter, and we have soaked them in compost tea and urine to prepare them to be planted. So we will see how well plants grow in straw. And I planted about 20 sunflowers we started from seeds, and 2 pumpkins. I took a few pictures. We have allot of tulips, and our alpine flowers are beautiful. The rhododendrons are starting to bloom. We also have lettuce, carrots, parsley, and bush beans. The 2 year old apple is bl...

Here are a few photo's from London. I'm so tired! We walked and walked! And we saw so much in 4 days. But now we need to pack for America. We leave on Friday. Juergen did an awesome job with the kids. What was I worried about? He even cleaned the house. London could break your heart. The people look so sad and alone. Everywhere you look, they all look down. And there are homeless people everywhere. So lost. On the way to the airport they announced that the tube would not stop at a certain stop because someone had killed themselves on the track. Really tragic, but it didn't surprise us. People in London are so lost. We did attend Hill Song church. That was really very good. Much better then we had expected. It runs 5 packed services each week, in the middle of the city. And there are 2 other Hill Song churches in London too. They are doing a good and hard work. They bring some hope and light in a very hard place. We are happy to be home. But it was...

We had a full day of walking yesterday, and quite a few impressions to go with it. We saw the the Tate Modern and tried to figure out how long it would take either me or Mom to be exhibited there. Then we had a very good lunch at a hole-in-the-wall thai restaurant. It was run by 6Thai women and located between train bridges, old factory buildings and in a back alley. We loved the food and the price, too! Definetly an insider. Then we took a voyage to the Tate Britain. It was a long walk from the station, but worth it. I liked the works here better than in the modern Tate. These were more "timeless" and more interesting, actually. Then we went back to the hotel to get ready for the musical "Singin in the Rain". The show was great, but the seats were really small. There was less leg room on them than in a tight airplane. We had a good view, though, considering it was the nose bleed section. So after that we went to bed, very tired and with sore feet but with great ...

We had a full and wonder ful day in london´ i.m so tired I must write it down tomorrow´

(written by Nicole) We got up between 3.30 and 4.00 in the morning. Surprisingly enough neither I nor Mom hat too much difficulty getting up and out on the road. We left thinking we had plenty of time to get there, but then we couldn´t find the long-term parking and thought we´d miss our flight. Luckily the airport is very well organized, so we could catch the flight anyway. When we got to the hotel they let us check in our bags, but the room wasn´t ready yet. So we went to breakfast and saw the National gallery. Mom was wiped out and so was I. However, I motivated myself to see and take in as much of the gallery as possible. I looked at some art and Mom, for the most part, sat down in front of paintings and waited. I saw some very famous pieces and artists, such as William Turner, Hans Hohlbein or Caravaggio. I think I could take much more from this visit than our last visit to the National Gallery 10 years ago. now I actually know some of the artists and their signific...

Nicole and I go to London very early (like 4am) tomorrow, God willing. I'm not even packed yet. Still doing laundry. But I'm very excited about this special adventure. It's going to be a very full 4 days. I will try to blog from London, but I will not be able to post pictures. I'm only bringing a small net book with me. it doesn't have any storage for photo's. But when we get back, God willing I'll post photos too. So pray for our safe travel. I do hope I can sleep at least a little. Tomorrow we want to see Kews gardens.

Größere Kartenansicht

Soon Nicole and I will be roadside some place in America.  And I want to see stuff like this.

Sarah was already upset this morning because Nicole and I will be going to London on Thursday (God willing). I am a little stressed about the number of things lined up one after another, and the number of days it will have me away from my family. Juergen seems so calm, and I wonder if he really will be alright. But I know he will be ok. I just hope Jessica sleeps so he can sleep too. That she goes to school, so he can work. And that the other kids also don't throw him any difficult problems. They can be really good, but some times they can also have big issues, and demand a great deal of work. So I really hope they will be ok, and actually good. I think it would be much easier if he had Nicole to help him. She could stay with the 3 when Juergen takes Jessica driving. And she could stay with Jessica when he takes the 3 to stuff. But now he has to manage everything alone. And if Jess doesn't sleep, that's going to be very hard. I just did it myself, so I know. ...

I don't get to spend much time in my garden this next month. Nicole and I travel to London in just one week. But the weather was so nice this morning. I spent 3 hours pulling weeds and planting boxwood around my raised beds in the vegetable garden. Eventually we will get rid of the cheap wood we built the beds with. The beds will have boxwood boarders. But boxwood can be expensive, so I just buy what I can afford when it goes on sale. And the plants I buy are small, so it could take awhile before I have boxwood boarders. Nicole planted our flat peaches, a giant rose and our redwood tree. We have had the redwood sitting in the compost pile I have in the greenhouse. I didn't want to see it damaged by the long cold winter. I bought it last fall. But now it has time to get established. I also have 10 Christmas trees in the greenhouse I need to plant. I was waiting until the grass was finished. So I guess I can plant them too. My plan was to have a mini tree farm. C...

Today the gardener came with a crew to redo our lawn. He had some really great equipment that broke up the ground, tilled it, smoothed it out etc… and they pulled grass out by hand. I had them put the old grass and dirt in a pile. I’ll use it as compost in the bottom of some raised beds I’m building. And then they sowed grass in one area and wild flowers along the boarder of the garden. I hope that works out! And finally they rolled over the whole thing with a special roller. It’s suppose to rain soon. In about 6 weeks we will have a new lawn and wild flower meadow. I think the moles took off. I have not seen a new mole hill for over two weeks since our neighbor got his lawn done. Maybe the sound of these big machines sent the moles packing? I hope so. I can imagine how upset Juergen would be if a mole destroys his new grass! We already have trouble with wasps in our front yard. And these wasps are one of the protected sort. So I’m not sure how that is going to go? At ...

Amy's German Garden by Amy Moreno Heymann : HGTV Gardens

I need to find my camera today. I've been busy in the garden. Nicole has actually done more then me. She seems to own the garden, and loves it too. And Juergen is very excited about his garden! He has hired someone to redo the grass. We put sand all over the grass. 2 truck loads of sand. And now the gardener comes to do the rest. He brings heavy equipment and a crew. They will give us both a grass area, and a wild flower meadow. I'm also busy trying to arrange everything for our up coming trips. Nicole and I go to London on May 25-28. We plan to be in America on May 3-12. Then we are in Italy May 17-June 1. I have someone staying in my house most of the time we are in Italy. I just need a person to feed the fish and water the green house for a few days. I ordered a freezer. I hope to fill it up so Juergen does not need to do so much shopping. And I'm building a pallet garden in San Diego for a friend. So I've been busy trying to find the building ma...

I'm a bit tired and overwhelmed getting ready for our up coming trips. Nicole and I go to London in 2 weeks. Then we are home 4 days before going to America for 12 days. Then home for 4 more days before going to Italy for 2 weeks. The weather has gotten warmer so I'm trying to get some work done outside. I also taught a garden workshop at my church this week. It went very well. Compared to my dad and sister, I don't know much about gardening. But I could teach some basic stuff to new gardeners. And it was so much fun to do that! We are getting all sorts of quotes on painting the house and fixing the balconeys. So maybe those jobs will get done this year (or next year based on the cost). And tomorrow Juergen plans to test drive the A140 Mercedies we may buy for Jessicas teacher to use. Right now Jessicas teacher drives Jessica every day with my car. So even when I have time, I don't have transporation. And I need to get the shopping and other stuff done wh...

we found a 1998 Mercedes-Benz A 140 for sale. It has only 84,000km on it. It was driven by a 90 year old farmer. His son is selling it because his dad does not drive anymore. We test drive it on the weekend. It may be a good car for Nicole and Jessica to share. I never get to go anywhere because my car is always being used.

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A gardener is coming to breakup our old lawn and prepare the soil for new grass.  But the process is the same for planting a wildflower medow.  The advatage to a wildflower medow is it only needs to be mowed one time a year.  It is beautiful, needs less water, and attracts good birds, bees, and insects.  I want the wild flower medow, but Juergen wants grass.  I really hope I can talk him into the medow because you can not have both.  And it cost allot to prepare the ground.  Update : We decided to do a large wild flower border and grass for the kids to play in. So we will try to have both.

getting ready to start my tomatoes today. It's late, but it’s been so cold. Last year I had 70 heirloom tomato plants. This year I may plant 100 plants. I made allot of sauce for soup and spaghetti. We also love fresh salsa, and tomatoes with mozzarella , fresh basil, olive oil and vinegar.

The good news is Nicole and I will be going to America May 3-12 to help my friend Cindy move back home to Minneapolis. The bad news is I will not be going home this trip. I'm going to need to come again in the fall. Cindy really needs our help now. So we are going on a great American road trip. This is something Nicole has always wanted to do. We will be in San Diego Las Vegas, Bryce Canyon, Denver, Mt Rushmore, and Minneapolis. The first two days we will help her pack and get over the jet lag. Then we take off for one very full week. but it should be cool to see America, and visit with my best friend. I'm sorry I don't have time to go to Oregon too, but it's already going to be a very full trip.

My best friend Cindy may need to move back to Minnesota from San Diego. She has struggled to find full time work since 2008. Just getting by on unemployment and temp work since then. It's been really difficult. But she has been faithfully working with the homeless church. I'm just worried she ends up homeless. And her dad just had heart surgery, so there is a need to have her back home to help. If she moves it will be soon (begining of may). And if she can not find anyone to travel cross country I'm considering taking the trip with her. It does not come at a good time. Nicole and I travel to London the last weekend in April. Then we go to Italy the last two weeks in May. Juergen would need to take most of May off in order for me to go. So we are hoping she can find someone else to go. But the idea is still interesting. America is so beautiful. San Diego, Bryce Canyon, Denver, and Mt Rushmore then Minneapolis. All the dinners, and national parks, and beauty....