Four Seasons

Most Southern Californians will tell you we have four seasons. A gloriously hot Summer, a slightly breezy Fall, a chilly and rainy Winter, and a warm Spring. Don't let them lie to you. We don't have four seasons. We have two. A glorious season of sunshine and warm weather, and then a season of cloudy skies, chances of rain, and "cold" weather. We live for sunshine. When it actually goes and rains on us, we all freak out. We are a spoiled rotten bunch. So until I came to Germany, I had never really experienced "seasons" as a large portion of the world experiences them. Actual factual weather has really taken me by surprise.

I think it's quite hilarious how weather is considered a trivial topic of conversation. In fact, it's the thing you bring up when you have nothing else to say ("Uh, so I hear it's supposed to rain tomorrow..."). But considering how much weather effects us (our outfit choices, how we get to and from places, what activities we do, etc), you think we would rank it a little higher on the topic of conversation totem pole. I mean, we all talk about it all the time. I know I do. Even more so now that I have actual weather to talk about.

So after having several long months of a very, very cold Winter, I'll be honest, I've been extremely excited watching Spring arrive in all it's glory.

There is nothing more delightful than realizing it's warmed up enough to only wear one pair of socks. It's finally getting warmer (and when I say warmer I mean like in the 50's and 60's F, which is not warm at all for So Cal) and I'm so happy. I live off of warmth. But I'm also slightly freaking out. Because after wearing so many layers for so long, exposing even the slightest amount of skin (or just wearing less layers) makes me feel naked. An example my Cali friends can laugh at... I wore ballerina flats for the first time in several months yesterday. I was bike riding and I became extremely freaked by wind going across the bare tops of my feet. I bust up laughing, probably scarring the locals, and then tired my hardest not to be wishing for my boots.

But warmth isn't the only way Spring has shown its arrival. All over the city plants and animals are awakening. Every time I walk outside I feel like Mary watching The Secret Garden come to life. It's utterly magical and it takes my breath away. God really knows how to put on a show in the Spring time. There are green buds on all the previously grey looking trees, bird songs sweetly fill the air, wildflowers are popping up in all the green spaces, and little critters, like bunnies, are making their appearances in the parks.

I think my favorite thing is seeing all the dandelions sprouting up everywhere. Now, I realize dandelions are weeds. But I think they are beautiful weeds, and worthy of attention. They are lovely pop of color on normally very grey and dull walkways and sidewalks. And when they turn white, they provide quite the entertainment factor; I'll admit I still make a wish when I blow the seeds into a million different directions.

And it's not just the plants and animals that are awakening. The people are too. The sense of hope is tangible in the air, and people have a spring in their step. Everyone seems to find a reason to be outside as much as possible, especially on the clear, sunny days. After such a long Winter, everything and everyone feels a weight lifted off their shoulders. It's utterly lovely.

All this life just ties in so well with the Easter season. It's much more tangible to me now, seeing how life sprouting up around me and tie it all into finding new life in Jesus.

In celebration of Easter, Karlsruhe has an Easter market set up in Marktplatz. There are a bunch of little booths selling either craft items or food. And in the middle of all this is a giant blow up Easter egg. Nacha, Ivanka, and I decided that this was a must see and planned an afternoon around it.

Me in front of the giant egg. It says "We wish you all a happy Easter".

Ivanka and I met up and did some exploring of the booths while we waited for Nacha (who was to meet up with us a little later). It was lots of fun, and we had to restrain ourselves from buying a bunch of ridiculously cute things. But we did give in and buy a couple things. I bought a pot holder and Ivanka bought an egg warmer. Both from a cute little old lady who knitted them herself. After ripping ourselves away from the booths, we went and looked at the "petting zoo". Basically just a lot of animals in too small cages, which made me really sad. I love animals, and it was great to see them, but it wasn't really great to see them confined like that. Then we met Nacha in front of the big egg and went off on a shopping adventure in several stores on Kaiserstraße.

The Easter bunny apparently has a beer belly.

Frohe Ostern (Happy Easter)... "little" egg near the big blow up egg in Marktplatz.

Cutest lil bunnies ever.

Ivanka was excited to see the ferrets, the ferrets were excited to sleep.

 After our shopping fun, we ran into our friend Danilo, and then we all decided to go to the Karlsruher Schloss Gartens. The Gartens are my absolute favorite place in Karlsruhe because they are just so large and stunningly beautiful, no matter the season. Of course, Spring makes any garden more magical, and the castle gardens aren't immune to such magic.

Although the day was grey and quite cold, the time we spent at the castle was lovely. We walked across the large grassy lawn, making our way to the lake, while talking and people watching. The instant we made it to the edge of the lake all the ducks started swimming towards us, which was pretty funny, because they thought we had bread to feed them. But we only had chocolate with us, so we made our way over to the cement stepping stones near the lake shore and sat down. While the ducks eyed us hopefully, we ate our chocolate and talked while trying not to shiver as the wind picked up. Eventually we had to leave because Nacha had to go to a birthday party and Danilo had to go home. I think we were all quite thankful for a reason to start walking again because it was so cold.

"Omg they are coming!"

Stepping stones and the lake with the castle in the background.

Nacha and Ivanka sharing a stepping stone.

Ivanka and I decided that we would hang out a bit longer, so we strolled around the front of the castle, acting silly and talking. Then we decided to window shop at the mall. Which was a tortuous yet fun time. It's hard to see so many things that you can't/shouldn't buy. After the mall we got drinks and pizza at a nearby restaurant called Aposto. Ivanka and I can talk to the ends of time, so it was lots of fun chatting away and enjoying a good meal. A perfect way to end the day.

Ivanka striking a pose in front of the castle.

Me in front of the castle.

After several attempts we finally got both us and the castle in the picture. And our hair looking not crazy. Quite the incredible feat.

Most Germans will tell you they have four seasons. A lovely sunny and warm Summer, a cold and rainy Fall, a freezing snow filled Winter, and a warm, cold, and slightly rainy Spring. Believe them. There are definitely four seasons. And you can see them change. It's amazing.

Luck of the Irish

On my father's side of the family, we can trace our Irish roots back several hundred years. Apparently one of my ancestors was knighted. There's even a castle named after us. Fancy smancy right? So, I feel this Irish heritage gives me the right to get stoked about St. Patrick's Day and pinch anyone not wearing green.

This was my first St. Patrick's Day that I could legally drink (considering the legal drinking age in the states is 21 and I'm only 20). Which, I'm not going to lie, got me pretty darn excited. So I made sure that my friends and I had plans to go out and frolic about Karlsruhe (wearing green of course).

As usual, I ended up having to buy something green last minute. I never seem to own anything green even though it's a fabulous color on me. I tend to stick to my neutrals. Point being, I went and bought green jeans. Which I love, and plan to wear quite often. So, see, they weren't just a superfluous St. Patty's purchase. (The fact that I'm trying to justify buying green pants to you shouldn't worry you in the least bit...). And in a very Ashley fashion, the buying of pants late made me late to meeting at Nacha's. When will I ever learn? Queen of procrastination and being unable to be on time ever? Why, yes that's me. (It's so bad that this will probably end up on my gravestone: "Sorry I'm late!").

Nacha, Bernie, Ivanka, and I had a very green themed dinner (see the picture and you know I'm not lying). I had brought along a couple St. Patty's accessories that a friend (thanks Ger!) had sent me from the States. So we decked ourselves out, us girls with green hair extensions, and Bernie wearing a floppy green and white top hat. Then I drew shamrocks on Nacha and Ivanka's faces. And my face as well because both declared my shamrock drawing skills far superior to theirs haha. After our self decorating, we headed out to meet up with friends in front of the Karlsruher Schloss.

Our yummy green dinner!

Nacha, me, and Ivanka with green hair and shamrocks.

We met up with a pretty big group of friends (and friends of friends) near the front of the castle. Our original plan was to meet and then immediately go to one of the Irish pubs in town, but as we should have predicted, they were all jam packed. So we decided to just hang out a bit and try our luck later in the evening. Which turned out to be quite fun. We just stood around talking and drinking beer under the stars. Simple, yet so perfect.

After an hour or two, our group split up to pursue different adventures. The group that I was with (my closer friends), decided to go to Sean O'Casey's Irish Pub. Which is in Marktplatz and only like a five minute walk from the castle. So we gathered our things and set out into the night.

Apparently our waiting didn't help in the slightest. We got to the pub and found it to be full of people packed in like sardines. For a time we loitered out front debating if it was worth it to go in. But several of our bladders made it a necessary thing, so we stirred up our courage and dove into the crowd.

Nacha, Bernie, Gabriel, Ivanka, and I hanging out in front of O'Casey's.

Me, Albert, Maria, and Gabriel wearing green!

Gabriel, Nacha, me, and Albert in front of the pub. See! Here is evidence of my green jeans.

After our bladders were happily relieved, we began to scout for seats. Well, it was more us staring desperately at the full to the brim tables and telepathically willing the people to get up and leave. It seems that our telepathic skills are better than we knew; a whole table stood up and left about twenty minutes into our wait and we all jumped into action and claimed a seat before the other pub goers could.

The rest of our time at O'Casey's was spent drinking ourselves silly and singing along with the live music. We also had a little contest to see who could down their beer the quickest, which I won (of course). But probably the most memorable part of the night was when Ivanka and I bought a rose for Nacha (yes, a guy was randomly selling roses in an Irish pub on St. Patrick's Day). Her reaction was hilarious, I don't think anyone has ever been that excited or grateful for receiving a rose (not even The Bachelor contestants could compete with her enthusiasm).

Maria, me, and Gabriel.

Carmina, me, and Gabriel.

Me showing off my beer and Gabriel being a total goon in the background.

Me, Gabriel, Albert, Bernie, Nacha and Ivanka wearing the hats that the pub gave out to some of the crowd.

Me and Ivanka with Nacha's rose.

Nacha getting emotional over the rose Ivanka and I gave her.

Then our group of eight slip once more. Ivanka and I headed to another Irish pub, Scruffy's, that was less than a ten minute walk from Marktplatz. She and I arrived to find that it was so packed inside that people were drinking out front. We stood for a minute, figuring out a plan, when all of the sudden a very large (tall and wide) man in a kilt approached us. He talked to us a bit (figured out we were foreigners immediately), and then randomly he picked up Ivanka and spun her around in a circle. I laughed, but immediately took a step back not wanting to be next. But I was next, even though I tried to reason with the guy. Once he set me down on the ground he said "It's nothing to pick up someone as small and pretty as you." I blushed, thanked him, and then grabbed Ivanka and we headed into the pub. That guy totally made my week.

Scruffy's is smaller than O'Casey's, so we had quite the adventure getting from the front door to the bar. But Ivanka and I prevailed, getting our beers and making a dash (more like a slow crawl) to the front of the pub to drink out front. We ended up chatting it up for over an hour, enjoying ourselves quite thoroughly, before we decided it was time to call it a night.

It was a lovely St. Patrick's Day. I am one lucky girl to have such awesome friends, great experiences, beer, and green pants all in one evening. And I don't even own a four leaf clover.