Definitely not summer any more.

Do you like our pumpkin? :) Luke and I cut the picture into the pumpkin using the Dremel tool. When we were done the entire kitchen was covered in pumpkin juice. As were our clothes and glasses. And hair and faces.
Tomorrow (Sunday) I have a concert in the industrial area of Germany: Remscheid. I have so few concerts in that area! So we're excited. We? That's Cae, yes. Florian, yes. Luke, yes. Peter, yes. Eddie, no! Eddie is in South Korea with his opera house performing "Der Freischutz". The soloists are all from the opera house here, but the choir and orchestra are Korean. And they're performing in German. Eddie and I Skype every day and he says that is quite enjoyable working with the Koreans. They are so polite and well-prepared. He's enjoying discovering the town of Daegu. Not Seoul. Daegu. A big, very industrial city about 5 hours from Seoul that most westerners have never heard of.
The interviews have begun that are an important part of releasing a new album. So I've been busy collecting my thoughts, opinions, and impressions of our new album, "Inner Sanctum" so that I can answer the questions that come up. And Marion Sitzmann, Florian's wife, is writing a German translation of the 3 English songs on the album so that everyone knows what we're singing about. She came by yesterday to discuss some of the finer points of her translations. She is one smart lady!
We'll have the booklet graphics finished by the end of next week. The master is finished and ready to be pressed. Oooohh, things are well on their way to being a final product I can hold in my hand.
Winter weather and a trip to IKEA has produced a pair of down-filled- house- shoe-feet-warmers that are DIVINE! Last night, as I sat in my "creative chair" making a Lifeline, I slipped those babies on and within a couple of minutes, my feet were toasty warm! It's just an added bonus that they are bright red. Just the sight of them helps warm my feet which are busy telling me that it is most definitely not summer any more. In fact, it's been getting down to freezing for the last 5 nights. I've brought the house plants back into the house and taken the candles out of the cabinet. Time for hot tea and candles in the evenings while I make your Lifelines! I want to be sure and have plenty of them to offer at our Christmas concerts, which will be here before you know it.
18 years ago, my parents came to visit us here in Germany. During their time here, we took them to Triberg. And they wanted to stop and take a look in the store, "House of 1000 clocks". So, we did, and my Mom and Dad fell in love with a massive and beautiful grandfather clock. They bought it and paid to have it shipped to their home in Texas, then moved it to Arkansas and now to Virginia where it lives in my sister's house. Last week, my sis accidently broke one of the weights that is pulled to wind the clock. Looking for a repair or replacement, I phoned the "House of 1000 clocks". Imagine my astonishment when the lady on the other end, Rebecca Weisser, the wife of the owner, turned out to be American, and a fan! We talked for a long time and it turns out they have a repair station in the States. So, problem solved, lovely new acquaintance gained and we will definitely be visiting Triberg in the near future. Maybe between Christmas and New Year when they have their Triberger Christmas Magic Days.
http://www.triberger-weihnachtszauber.de/
I know, it's only October. But we will have a crowd here visiting us that week and we're already collecting ideas for activities for the crowd. Must keep the young ones busy!