virginialewis23
Determined Neighbor of the Smile,
Hands in the dirt, face flushed with red splotches
oh how you would turn red!
As you handled the flowers, the seedlings, the seeds... with a caring undiluted by nostalgia, that sappy emotion you would attribute to me.
Your caring was that of a scientist whose appreciation of precision
Was without borders
As anyone who had eaten your exquisitely prepared dishes
Knows
And remembers.
You admired the writing of Chrysta Wolfe. I too.
You in German, I in English translations.
“Flawed as her Germany and as wise...” we would nod, sip wine, and nod.
How would Chrysta chronicle your renaissance mind?
My question returns to me through the amber gaze of nostalgia... for which you always forgave me, with a sigh as for the afflicted.
You read volumes of Civil War history, organized neighborhood Halloween block parties, baked holiday cookies that I would call sentimental in their delicate abundance
(You would not.)
You nurtured a young girl in our neighborhood who wanted to learn to plant flowers... she would follow you from mission to mission.
I don’t know where she is now.
I know that you are gone.
My dear Determined Neighbor of the Determined Smile ,
Enamored with life, as a besotted enthusiast,
I have inherited your teas, which you prepared precisely for me those years when you were two doors down. I shall indulge myself of nostalgic sentimentality with every cup, without you here to notice and roll your eyes.
I shall
Miss you.
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Susanne Kjemtrup-Lovelace
Cheese Spaetzle
Serves about 4.
Ingredients:
4-5 eggs
100 ml Water
about 300 g Flour
1 pinch salt
2 onions, slowly sautéed to caramelize
250 g grated cheese (Gruyere or Emmentaler)
Chopped bacon
Beat the eggs, water, flour and salt together until the dough is smooth.
Press batches of the dough through a ricer into salted boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes
Use a sieve or slotted spoon to pull out noodles into bowl and cook the next portions.
Mix the spaetzle with some of the cheese into a casserole bowl; cover with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350oF until the cheese is melted.
Sprinkle the onions and bacon over the top when it comes out of the oven.
Guten Appetit!
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Rose Hoban
I still find it hard to accept that I will not see Petra again. When you asked at our meeting what we associate with Petra, I had so many things on my mind.
I told you that every time I was happy to see Petra happy in the USA. Of course America was always exciting and great. But the time alone with Petra has made it so unique.
Ever since I can remember, the times and stories with Petra have been simply incomparable. Petra always supported me and us unconditionally and always took time for us. Whether it was simple days with her or exciting experiments in the laboratory, I will never forget the time.
Thanks to Petra I am today as I am. Petra has always confirmed our curiosity and has awakened my interest not in biology, but in technology. Thanks to Petra I am today as I am. Petra was/is and always will be a role model for me.
Besides my parents, Petra was a very important person for me and even if she left us much too early, I will remember the good times with her and try to lead my life in a way that she could be proud of me.
It is great how Petra's friends took care of her when her family was not able to.
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Sara Mazzotta
Saniya Pervin
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li.yang1
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Daksha Bhatt
Life is a celebration, in person or in soul.
I admired her for the sweet person she was, and her love for friends, plants, nature, fun and hard work. Her continued involvement for work even during the tough days of her illness gave me courage to hold my own will strong. She was an inspiration to me though I met her only few times during my visits at Carrboro. She will remain in my heart always and whenever I hear and see beauty of nature, I will continue thinking of her.
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