Another pic I snuck at one of the Austin showhome's I toured over the weekend here in my neighborhood of Steiner Ranch.
read more "a little Gift Wrap station"
Home Energy Credits Still Available for 2011
IRS Tax Tips:
There is still time this year to make energy-saving and green-energy home improvements and qualify for either of two home energy credits.
The Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit is aimed at homeowners installing energy efficient improvements such as insulation, new windows and furnaces. The credit is more limited than in the past years, but can still provide substantial tax savings.
• The 2011 credit rate is 10 percent of the cost of qualified energy efficiency improvements. Energy efficiency improvements include adding insulation, energy-efficient exterior windows and doors and certain roofs. The cost of installing these items does not count.
• The credit can also be claimed for the cost of residential energy property, including labor costs for installation. Residential energy property includes certain high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters and stoves that burn biomass fuel.
• The credit has a lifetime limit of $500, of which only $200 may be used for windows. If the total of nonbusiness energy property credits taken in prior years since 2005 is more than $500, the credit may not be claimed in 2011.
• Qualifying improvements must be placed into service to the taxpayer’s principal residence located in the United States before January 1, 2012.
Homeowners going green should also check out the Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit, designed to spur investment in alternative energy equipment.
• The credit equals 30 percent of what a homeowner spends on qualifying property such as solar electric systems, solar hot water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, wind turbines, and fuel cell property.
• No cap exists on the amount of credit available except for fuel cell property.
• Generally, labor costs are included when figuring this credit.
Not all energy-efficient improvements qualify for these tax credits, so homeowners should check the manufacturer’s tax credit certification statement before they purchase. Taxpayers can normally rely on this certification statement which can usually be found on the manufacturer’s website or with the product packaging.
Eligible homeowners can claim both of these credits on Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits. Read more at www.irs.gov.
Decorating with Santa's Boots
Another fun Christmas touch from an Austin, TX showhome I toured over the weekend. Santa's suit and boots in the mud room. How cute!
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From my collections and a movie
Last weekend found our family at the annual holiday bazaar at the German School in the neighboring town. A tradition, we have been following for the last 10 years or so, since our daughter attended language classes there when she was a toddler.
It connects me every year with my roots. There are all the small things which remind me of Germany: The food, a Christmas pagan and songs, there is coffee and cake, baked by the German mothers and I indulge in Kaesekuchen (German cheesecake) and Chocolate tarts. There are typical evergreen wreath sold for the advent time, the ones with four large candles, to be lit successively every Sunday before Christmas. We've met a delightful couple and their young daughter, a diplomat to the UN, from Mexico and his Polish wife...Since my husband is Polish as well and me being German, there was a lot of talk about the cultures and lot's of laughter too! They had lived for 10 years in Germany and their 11 year old daughter speaks four languages with ease!
Image
There is usually a great tombola - a lottery, where my kids enjoy to win prizes and there is a book fair, which I look forward to the most, every year. In the past I often found great books for my children, often ones, I read as a child myself. But also modern authors, I know little about, since I left Germany almost 20 years ago. Now my children are not interested in German literature so much, they are now engulfed in their own American reading culture, but I indulge in one of my biggest passions.
This year was no exception and I found a treasure trove. I scored a collection of books. A Rilke edition, selected works, from the renowned Insel Verlag, an old publishing house, with editions, known and collected for their artistic covers.
I absolutely adore this collection with it's marbleized paper on the covers. It's an older edition, with all the markings of, I believe, rather seldom taken out school library books.
Rilke is known for his poetry, the Elegies are his best, I think, and some beautiful prose.
It has, for time being, a honorable place on our mantle, where I can see it and page through the fine leaves every day!
An example of his writings:
A movie, which I saw with my youngest son on Saturday night fits right in with the poetic motions. We saw Martin Scorsese's HUGO in 3D. It was a feast, for the eye and the soul.
The movie tells the story of Hugo, a young orphan, living in the bowels of a train station in the centre of Paris and the his search for clues to find the key to some mysteries in his life.
The story unfolds in beautiful images, filled with poetry and a language, so seldom heard in movies these days. The actors are superb and if you love the movies, it's the one to see! It is also a movie about the magic of movies...You do not have to be a child to enjoy it!
A treat for the holidays!
An 11 out of 10!!!
All images as indicated and my own. Hugo image via moviefone.
read more "From my collections and a movie"
It connects me every year with my roots. There are all the small things which remind me of Germany: The food, a Christmas pagan and songs, there is coffee and cake, baked by the German mothers and I indulge in Kaesekuchen (German cheesecake) and Chocolate tarts. There are typical evergreen wreath sold for the advent time, the ones with four large candles, to be lit successively every Sunday before Christmas. We've met a delightful couple and their young daughter, a diplomat to the UN, from Mexico and his Polish wife...Since my husband is Polish as well and me being German, there was a lot of talk about the cultures and lot's of laughter too! They had lived for 10 years in Germany and their 11 year old daughter speaks four languages with ease!
There is usually a great tombola - a lottery, where my kids enjoy to win prizes and there is a book fair, which I look forward to the most, every year. In the past I often found great books for my children, often ones, I read as a child myself. But also modern authors, I know little about, since I left Germany almost 20 years ago. Now my children are not interested in German literature so much, they are now engulfed in their own American reading culture, but I indulge in one of my biggest passions.
This year was no exception and I found a treasure trove. I scored a collection of books. A Rilke edition, selected works, from the renowned Insel Verlag, an old publishing house, with editions, known and collected for their artistic covers.
I absolutely adore this collection with it's marbleized paper on the covers. It's an older edition, with all the markings of, I believe, rather seldom taken out school library books.
Rilke is known for his poetry, the Elegies are his best, I think, and some beautiful prose.
It has, for time being, a honorable place on our mantle, where I can see it and page through the fine leaves every day!
An example of his writings:
A movie, which I saw with my youngest son on Saturday night fits right in with the poetic motions. We saw Martin Scorsese's HUGO in 3D. It was a feast, for the eye and the soul.
The movie tells the story of Hugo, a young orphan, living in the bowels of a train station in the centre of Paris and the his search for clues to find the key to some mysteries in his life.
The story unfolds in beautiful images, filled with poetry and a language, so seldom heard in movies these days. The actors are superb and if you love the movies, it's the one to see! It is also a movie about the magic of movies...You do not have to be a child to enjoy it!
A treat for the holidays!
An 11 out of 10!!!
All images as indicated and my own. Hugo image via moviefone.
Christmas Decorating with Cookie Cutters
This was my favorite touch at an AMAZING Austin showhome we visited today. I snuck this photo to share the owner's way of decorating her vent hood with her beautiful copper Christmas cookie cutters.
read more "Christmas Decorating with Cookie Cutters"
My book shelf now
I am recycling a post, which I had written a couple of weeks ago on the other blog site, but I have the slightest suspicion this part is still the step-child, nobody wants to look at....
In the meantime I have read A Mountain Of Crumbs and finished Falling Leaves, both related in their subjects, by two women, having written their memoirs coming from the East and Far East! It has been more then captivative reading, very moving, something I warmly recommend for everybody interested in history and the effects on our private lives. Both women immigrated eventually, at slightly different times, to the United States and it was with great interest that I, also a resent transplant, learned about their faith. I can relate, more then I sometimes can explain.
I will show some new finds of books about great design in a couple of days!
Here is the old new post:
I wanted to share some more books I have discovered lately, this time for adults. You can read about my children's and teen book recommendations here.
Let's get started: It's a fairly mixed bunch....
I Am Half-Sick Of Shadows.
If an 11 year old English girl in the 1950's with a talent for chemistry and a nose for murder interests you only remotely, then you will be hooked....
This time it's another murder mystery right before Christmas at the crumbling Buckshaw Estate!
If you haven't gotten a chance to read his previously written books, I very much recommend them. Absolutely charming!
Perfect for all Anglophiles!
Another prolific writer, whom I have enjoyed reading over the years, is Bill Bryson. His latest book, At Home, now out in paperback, is another stroke of genius. He describes in entertaining and enlightening ways the history of home as we know it, and, perhaps, as we do not.
It's a short history of private life and architecture in the English speaking western world from the times the Romans left England to present day America!
Indeed: Bryson's enthusiasm brightens any dull corner!
Moving along: I have had read Lev Grossman's The Magicians and liked the book. It's fantasy/realism for adults and the comparison to Harry Potter or Narnia does not hold up to his skillful ways with words. It is interesting to notice, that the reviews are widely spread in all directions. From devotion to hate I have found everything. Personally I favor his storytelling and now the sequel has arrived. I will follow up with The Magician King, hopefully worthy its predecessor!
Sticking with a little more magical realism I am also looking forward to reading Karen White's The Strangers On Montagu Street.
I enjoyed her previous books, in which she introduces the characters, always with a certain amusement. The main character represents the equivalent to the preppy WASP in the South!
I feel it's a little antiquated that the author drives this point home so strongly, but then, of course, she creates the world the characters live in. During this summer's break I have had plenty of fun following her around with ghosts in Charleston....It's light fare, but this is what I enjoy in-between...
I feel it's a little antiquated that the author drives this point home so strongly, but then, of course, she creates the world the characters live in. During this summer's break I have had plenty of fun following her around with ghosts in Charleston....It's light fare, but this is what I enjoy in-between...
Memoirs: I recommend three books. The first one - A Mountain Of Crumbs - by a Russian immigrant coming to America and her childhood and youth in the former Soviet Union. It is especially interesting for me, because I share many memories growing up under a communist regime. To read about her realities made me shiver.
She has been compared to Frank McCourt and his memoir Angela's Ashes. I guess this is already a great recommendation.
Another book which had me in it's grip from the first page is Adeline Yen Mah's Falling Leaves. The story of an unwanted Chinese daughter and her incredible journey into freedom, fulfillment and finally writing.
Of course, much has been said and written about Joan Didion's latest venture into memoir writing. After her highly acclaimed book The Year Of Magical Thinking she has now written about her daughter's death at the age of 38. Blue Nights.
I have reflected a little more about it here.
Some of you might remember the German writer Bernhard Schlink, who wrote the bestselling story The Reader, which was subsequently made into the movie of the same title. (starring amazing Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes in the main roles)
There are many more great books by him, one I very much
like is The Gordian Knot. Perhaps the translation from German into English suggests particular ideas (thinking of the Gordian Knot in history) but the more correct translation should be The Gordian Bow. Of course that doesn't sound remotely as good as knot and I guess this was the motivation behind the translation. The difference between a knot and a bow is obvious, the first is practically not to be easily unraveled, but rather needs to be cut in half, the latter can be pulled apart...There is of course some meaning behind the original title and this differentiation. Sorry to nit pick....
But go ahead and find out yourself! A classic noir thriller about love and deception.
Another book which has me sitting in anticipation is Alan Hollinghurst's The Stranger's Child. There has been a wonderful interview with him on the Leonard Lopate Show; you can listen to it here. Just about everything in the story, set in England from the beginning of WWI to the almost present days, has me all excited. Oh, go ahead and buy it already....
Finally I'll end this rather long post with my last book I have waiting in the shelf beside my bed....
The Night Circus.
Maybe it will be the right thing to do, to read it at night....
A little more magic and love and the spinning of one's imagination.... I can't stay away from it!
But then again, we are in the right time for magic and believe!
Just a few sprinkles....
Happy Friday my dears!
All images via Barnes & Noble website.
Lights
I love candle light. May it be just a single light at my bedside, simple wooden holder with tapers at our dinner table or festive ones at the holidays, I just love the glow and gentle light.
Bringing out the Pyramide, the rotating wooden carousel-like structure from my home state Saxony in Germany, is a highlight for all of us. It is a temperamental thing, sensitive to position, sometimes not turning at all. But once it's running, we love to watch it.
They are made in small workshops in Saxony, candles creating the heat to turn the wooden paddles above. There are figures telling the Christmas story or reindeer and Santa Claus on small tiers, moving round and round.
Nutcracker, smoking man and chocolate filled Advent calendars are a must in German holiday traditions.
When I sit in the darkened room, just listening to the sounds of the family at home, the dog sleeping next to me, then I feel completely content, the lights filling me with memories and times past. Back, when I was little and looked at my grandma's Christmas decorations, usually foil wrapped candies, chocolates, apples and a few saved Christmas ornaments, which had survived the bombing of Dresden.
Each piece connected to her own memories.
Or the slowly moving Pyramide at my parent's house and
visits to a humble holiday market at the main square in my hometown. And singing of carols at Christmas Eve.
What are your memories of holidays past?
Pictures by V.Zlotkowski
read more "Lights"
Bringing out the Pyramide, the rotating wooden carousel-like structure from my home state Saxony in Germany, is a highlight for all of us. It is a temperamental thing, sensitive to position, sometimes not turning at all. But once it's running, we love to watch it.
They are made in small workshops in Saxony, candles creating the heat to turn the wooden paddles above. There are figures telling the Christmas story or reindeer and Santa Claus on small tiers, moving round and round.
Nutcracker, smoking man and chocolate filled Advent calendars are a must in German holiday traditions.
The old ironing machine cloth is perfect for a backdrop!
When I sit in the darkened room, just listening to the sounds of the family at home, the dog sleeping next to me, then I feel completely content, the lights filling me with memories and times past. Back, when I was little and looked at my grandma's Christmas decorations, usually foil wrapped candies, chocolates, apples and a few saved Christmas ornaments, which had survived the bombing of Dresden.
Each piece connected to her own memories.
Or the slowly moving Pyramide at my parent's house and
visits to a humble holiday market at the main square in my hometown. And singing of carols at Christmas Eve.
What are your memories of holidays past?
Pictures by V.Zlotkowski