The Merry Month of May

How we are enjoying the beautiful, long spring here in Frankfurt. Our German teacher, Sister Enger, took us to a wonderful nursery, Gartnerei Alois Witzel in Kloppenheim, to buy geraniums for our patio flower pots. Balconies throughout the city are now sporting gorgeous, colorful plants. We also started some healthy looking tomato plants and lettuce.

Sister Enger also shared with us another beautiful nursery that is her favorite.

Germans love their gardens. They love to prune plants and trees, and we are enjoying watching the Sycamore trees branch out after their severe pruning last fall They are the last trees to get their leaves, but by the end of the season, their leaves are among the largest. All over Germany we find little plots of land fenced off and used as family garden plots. When families live in tall apartment buildings, they love to retreat into nature. These are two of the nicest garden retreats that we have seen. They are near our apartment.

We have been enjoying getting out into nature, too, and have been biking in the countryside. Saturdays are our getaway days, so we took our first bike trip with our friends the Dearings. We warned them that Lonnie hadn't been on a bike for about ten years, but Gerry is an animal biker.We ended up riding through the Berger Rucken, a forest behind Bad Vilbel on a marathon three hour bike trek to Bad Vilbel, the next town. We rode back along the Nidda River, shared a picnic lunch, then headed back to Frankfurt. Lonnie only crashed once in the bushes and skinned her knee, while trying to avoid a cute old lady, who had pulled out in front of her with her little shopping cart. The next Saturday, Bob and I went on an easier bike ride for about two hours on smoother terrain. Again we had a picnic by the Nidda River. Wonderful, relaxing fun!

 Jerry adjusts Karen's brakes.

Thanks, sweetheart, for getting my bike up that hill.

The fabulous countryside.

Gerry also takes Lonnie to the Flomarkt some Saturday mornings. They are held right on the Main River. There's nothing like the call of "Ein Euro, Ein Euro" to entice me to sort through the giant piles of clothing. You can find just about anything you want at the Flomarkt, and the festive atmosphere is so much fun.

Bob continues to work very hard on the legal issues that arise each day in the office, and Lonnie still loves her teaching. Here is a cute picture of a relay race to teach my "kids" the English names of clothing.

They are singing some of their English songs in a program for their parents on June 1st.

Bob loves teaching his monthly lessons to the High Priests, and Lonnie is enjoying serving as a counselor in the Relief Society Presidency in the International Ward. This is going to be a great experience getting to work with Sister Blacoe, our wonderful German Relief Society President. I just love her!

We are having a fun Hat Fashion Show and breakfast this weekend.