Landlust - Jan/Feb 2011

It is time to for my favorite German magazine, Landlust, show and tell! You know, after the last post I did about the magazine, I got nervous thinking that maybe I was infringing on copyright laws and quickly deleted all my posts and images. But, after some conversations with the CEO of the publishing house, I now I have the official OK to show you a little of each issue.

And, boy, am I glad about that! It would be hard for me not to share this!!

As usual, the photos are stunning and the articles interesting, and some simply surprising! I had not expected a story on cacti and succulents in a German magazine. But did that ever bring back memories - growing up, my whole room was filled with them. I liked house plants, but I kept forgetting to water them.

Which is exactly what this second write up on those prickly plants is about.

Actually, I had never noticed before how many articles are related to one another in the Landlust.

Like these two - the first about the pretty little snow drops, the first flowers to dare show their tender blossoms at winter's end,

and then the second article about a jewelry artist who makes gorgeous jewelry from delicate flowers!

Or this article on church bells,

and then a second write up on how these giants are made.

I have to tell you, to me there's not much else that compares with the sound of church bells, which I have missed so much not living in Germany anymore. However, in Savannah we are lucky enough to hear real church bells again! What a treat!!

And then there's the fascinating article on a man who looks for the perfect wood for violins,

coupled with this interesting story about the creation of bowed instruments.

Wow, did the memories ever come flooding back to me when I saw these photos of those beautiful wooden sleds. The one we had looked just like the second one from the front. Oh, what joy it was to have enough snow to go sledding...

Just look at these cows! They are a new breed that comes close to the Aurochs, the ancestor of today's domesticated cattle. Don't they look beautiful in this snowy landscape?

From sledding to cattle to knitting - this magazine has it all...

And no issue would be complete without a few knitting or crocheting patterns (most of those you can find here on their website - in German, of course),

or recipes - this time celeriac, which I just love!! I am so glad we can now find it in the grocery stores more and more - it has such a distinct flavor and it's one I grew up with!

Then there are lentils - the perfect legume for nourishing winter dishes!

And, of course, there must always be an article on art,

 and an introduction of an old and intricate craft.

Of course, this is a mere sampling of all the goodies of this issue! I didn't even get to vanilla pudding recipes, warm hand sewn slippers, and then hand made garden signs!

I was thinking about why this magazine resonates so deeply with me. I read plenty of magazines that don't have the same effect on me.

Well, the obvious reason is that I get to connect with the customs and beauty of the county I grew up in, but more than that I think the focus of Landlust connects me to that slower life I love, the life that is linked to the seasons, the crafts that take time to master, the arts that take their cue from nature, and the recipes that nourish not just body, but soul. It is the idea of the unspoiled life in the country that enchants me every time!

For those of you who speak German, Landlust and the CEO of the publishing house, Mr. Bonny, were recently honored with the prestigious Horizont Award. If you click here, you can see a very interesting video talking about the magazine and its founder.

Thank you so much for indulging me!!

Tomorrow, be sure to come back for the One World One Heart blogging event and giveaway!!