Misconception

When I arrived in the U.S., my husband's relatives asked me for a recipe for German Chocolate Cake. I stared at them blankly, because I had never heard of it. They could not understand this, since I am German. After some research I found out that the cake is actually named after Englishman Sam German and has no connection with Germany at all.
Last week, our local newspaper published a big article about Oktoberfests and recipes, including - you guessed it - a recipe for German Chocolate Cake. Doesn't anyone do research anymore?

The Thunderbirds were in Town

Living near an airport is a disadvantage for most of the year. They (and lawnmowers) provide the biggest source of noise pollution in our quiet neighborhood. But when the Thunderbirds are in town for the air show, we suddenly have front row seats. Leading up to the show we could observe their practice flights from home. And during the big event we decided that we didn't want to cope with traffic congestion, so we watched the Thunderbirds from our front yard. They did not disappoint, as one of them turned his plane around right over our house. At the end of their performance two planes flew right over us while they completed their semi-circle. We could almost see the pilots. Wow! We would have never had such a close look at the planes if we had stayed at the air show.

Wings over Pittsburgh

We have spent many years working on air bases and so it was only natural that we went to see the Wings over Pittsburgh air show last Saturday. I was mostly interested in seeing the C-123K Provider "Thunder Pig" from the Air Heritage Museum in Beaver County. My article about this fascinating museum and restoration facility appeared in the July/August 2010 issue of Pennsylvania Magazine.
Of course, I was also thrilled to see another nose art by Moon artist Donna Pitaro on a KC-135. My photo feature about her awesome nose art was also published in Pennsylvania Magazine a while ago.

From Cessnas not much bigger than an SUV to a B-52, there were planes of all sizes and ages on display. Hubby, of course, knows all their names, so it was quite educational. We especially liked the aerial stunts, particularly a pilot who drew a heart into the air. We were about ready to leave when a B-2 Spirit (a stealth plane) flew by. And then we headed home to watch the Thunderbirds from our front lawn...