Oh man. I have started this post at least three times and then interrupted myself because I think Sebastian's about to arrive home from practicing. Each time it is just the folks downstairs opening and closing doors.

So much has happened since my last post! I have a certificate that says A2 on it from my language course (yoohoo!) and Sebastian and I sang in a super cool concert yesterday. It was a series of really challenging (as in also challenging listening) pieces set within Stravinsky's Mass (did he have more than one? I don't know...). The first was a choir piece but it was entirely sounds that one would not have likely interpreted as singing, although the choir was reading from a score. The effect was a jungle-like atmosphere where the sounds of animals or water would crescendo and decrescendo as dramatically as any classical choir composition. The second was an organ piece of a similar nature in that it absolutely stretched the bounds of what one would consider music. I particularly enjoyed watching the face of a perplexed and then disgruntled woman in the audience. There was then a percussion piece, again along the same lines, and then the Poulenc I had described earlier which, by comparison, was like a melodic folk song. I love reading far too much into these sorts of things, but indulge me. The Stravinsky Mass is itself challenging--it is an old and sacred text, but his chords are far from certain or comfortable. It did not challenge the text for me, but rather demanded that it get a new attention. By setting within this Mass pieces that very much challenged the definition of musical performance, there was an opportunity to ask one's self who is God? What is God's Creation? It is not confined to Amen cadences (IV to I) or to traditional interpretations. It is far more encompassing and wild. I feel like I may not be able to go much further without wild hand gestures, stopping and starting, half finished sentences and, finally, the wish that you too had been there to experience the music. In any case, here is what is important: God is far more than we could ever imagine... limitless and all inclusive...

And I love it when art, music in this case, challenges and opens the and imagination. So good.

Today, Sebastian and I made Semmelknödel. These are delicious bread dumplings made from rock solid, stale buns, eggs, parsley and milk. Normally they should be served with a meaty dish or some sort, but we didn't have any such thing so instead, I sauteed zucchini in a white wine, onion and garlic sauce. Pretty good, if I may say so myself.

Here below are the Semmelknödel simmering away with the onions frying up for the sauce.

And here is an authentic Bavarian displaying his excitement: a veritable stamp of approval. 

And should you be ridiculously jealous, here is the recipe we used! Super delish. 

And now he's home. Hurrah! Tomorrow I will buy batteries for my camera and then I can take more pictures... And then tell you more of the kick-ass stuff that goes on here : )

In the mean-time, Peace and all good things.