Notes From Europe: Back at Oma’s Home

I’m writing today from the terrace overlooking my mother-in-law’s well tended garden. It bursts with blossoms of every color and the stone path leads to vegetable beds that, with care and nurturing, have produced an abundance of goodness for over fifty-five years. At the moment, the tomatoes hang heavy on their vines and the salad all begs to picked. Like many parts of the world, spring came earlier this year and now at the start of August, daytime temperatures soar well above the norm. Everything in the garden has reached it’s peak at the same time making for bountiful meals but leaving little left to enjoy for the rest of the month.

After ten summers of settling ourselves into Joachim’s childhood home we have a well established pattern. Days are structured around a morning swim and an evening walk in the forest. The hours in between seem to be absorbed by meal planning, meal prep, meal enjoyment, and meal clean-up. Clearly there is a lot of eating, but rest assured all of our meals are plant based, seasonal, and mostly direct from the garden.

In past years I would say that this is when we embrace slow living, however, having had a month in the Pyrenees on top of a mountain, even this easy going schedule seems fast. No doubt in another day or two we will adjust and appreciate soaking up the rich time with family in the area and Marianne.

As I transition into family time, I will take a pause from these weekly posts returning the week of August 20th to share my experiences teaching in Cluj, Romania.

Keep up however with my daily happenings @LaurenHubele on Instagram.

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