Friday night in Sunnyside: Don't get old kids!

Took through my hood a stroll last night. Had a great time. Here are some exciting shots of my wild night out

Chess in New York

Guess who won?

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Voting on November 2, 2010

Walked to the polling station early in the morning

Passed this and that along the way

Pre Halloween - Happy Birthday

On 10 - 31 Kevin and Karen hosted a birthay celebration for many folks, especially (at least for me) for Peter and Janine.

All in attendance were required to wear a costume, or wear black and orange

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A nearby walk in the woods

While in Luxembourg I stayed in the home of Paul and Reinhild Frank. Nearby to this home is a wooded park, where we took a stroll one afternoon while free.

Mamer, a 2000 year old city

Mamer is a Roman city now in Luxembourg established in 70 AD!

I attended a meeting of local leaders and scholars devoted to the history and current well-being of this ancient city.

The most well preserved ruins of this ancient site are the Roman baths that were build on one of the only flat areas in the vicinity

The white haired gentleman in red is a former mayor and devoted historian of Mamer

Bad, or Kur Mondorf

Mondorf is a small village with hot springs near Luxembourg city. In this village is a lovely spa and "cure."

Behind the spa complex is a beautiful park.

Here are some pictures of that park in Mondorf:

Park near downtown; the "city" of Luxembourg

Even the city keeps a lot of beautiful nature safely preserved. Here is a park I had to stroll through while on a business errand:

Meadow on the Mosel

Paul Frank's daughter Jacqueline owns a small orchard on the banks of the Mosel. Famous German wine country. Jacqueline's orchard has pears, peaches and grapes.

Luxembourg workshop

On my final day in Luxembourg we held a day long workshop for Blessed Families

Brief respite

I've been in an editing and book related marathon for the last 10 days while staying in Maryland.  The grind notwithstanding, Larry (my work partner) and I did manage to get out for a stroll one evening.

Dinner at the Moffitt Family

These are all the Moffits except the older boy David

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Water

All the family's been on the water a bit.

Tanja bought Hiroko and I an evening on the Shearwater City Lights cruise for Father's Day.

I tried to take a few shots (with no light).  Here they are:




Also, Frone just got back from Alaska where he did a little hunting, but mostly fishing.  Here are a couple of shots of his Alaska trip:

Europe to teach, June 2010

From June 25 until July 2, 2010 I spent time in Europe to teach two, two-day seminars.

The first venue was Bratislava, Slovakia.  In the first set of pictures you'll see my host Julius throughout, including our adventure to treat his son (and me!) at the local ice-cream stand.  In the restaurant picture is Igor, spiritual head of the community whom I taught.



I learned that the town at which I stayed Dunajska Luzna, experienced a period of time in which the Virgin appeared to, and performed healing for the believers.  There is a church, with a neighboring grotto dedicated to this time, and to the Virgin.

Down the road from the church is a Dominican monastary for sisters. Sister Regina was my perfectly saintly and delightful hostess, welcoming us simply off the street.  I greatly enjoyed my time with her and her sisters.



Several of the later pictures are of the community of families and young people who attended my lectures and seminar.



Finally, after Slovakia we took an 8 hour drive to Frankfurt.  We stopped in Regensburg for lunch in a quaint gasthaus across the street from the shrine and church of St. Wolfgang.  I ate the very non-remarkable tasting Pegasius fish for the first time, and then strolled across the street to pray in the church, and see the relics of the saint.



In Germany I taught in a small town called Schmitten.  I was hoping to have a picture with the 80 or so young people who attended my two days of teaching, but instead I was asked to pose with each "team."  These were a tremendous group of young people whom I respected and in whom I have much hope.  Unfortunately from these "group pictures" I missed a good many of these young people.



Because of a schedule change I was blessed with an unexpected free day in Frankfurt. It was pleasant and relaxing. In the evening we strolled from Frankfurter Berg to the neighboring village of Eschersheim for a brief stop at an old, enchanted biergarten. I took a few pictures along the stroll.

Father's Day

Lovely Father's Day for me Sunday.

Hiroko and the Children were kind, loving, and generous all throughout the day.  I was touched and moved.

After a lovely breakfast in together we took a stroll around the neighborhood.

Here are a few flowers we saw:

Flag Day 2010 in Sunnyside, NY

Over the years, lots of my friends visited me in my home town, Sunnyside, NY.  The rest endure my tales and stories of "the 'hood."  I hope plenty more will visit as time goes by, but in the mean time, have a look, Sunnyside in a nutshell.

Flag day.  God bless America.  Mom and apple pie.  Here's what Flag Day looks like in Sunnyside.




(Included in the pictures is my pastor, Father Joseph Jerome. He offers the prayer.)

Flag Day 2010 Sunnyside, Queens from Frank Kaufmann on Vimeo.

Visit to Dublin

On June 5, 2010 I received the Visionary for Peace Award from the Interfaith Roundtable of Ireland.  A report about that award, the conference, and a link to my paper presentation can be found here.

But before the conference began, I was graciously received and welcomed with generous hospitality by Geoffrey Ross, brother of my long time friend Peter, together with Geoffrey's friend and colleague Brian.


Geoffrey fetched me from the airport, fed me lunch, and created for me a mini-tour of the fine sites of North Dublin.  I saw the childhood home of the Ross family, and the old Guinness estate in Phoenix Park.  I saw the residence of the president of Ireland, and the point from which Pope John Paul II offered mass to over a million faithful.  There too I saw the residence of the ambassador from the United States to Dublin (a job I'd gladly accept in my next incarnation).

At last we had a short night out at the Angler's Rest in the Liffey Valley.

Here are a couple of pictures from my visit:

UTS Gradutation 2004

On May 22, 2010, the Unification Theological Seminary held its 34th commencement ceremony, followed by the installation of a new, incoming president.

The pictures below include dear friends Tyndol and Irmgart Baynes, several students with whom I am close and with whom I have worked or tutored, Academic deans Andrew Wilson and Kathy Winnings, outgoing president Tyler Hendricks, incoming president Richard Panzer, and UTS board chairwoman In Jin Moon

Celebration, congratulations

To congratulate Marissa for completing another semester well, for the great reviews on the sculpting final, and for the basic SCHOOL'S OUT feeling, we took her out to local Thai.

Marissa's sculpting

Marissa's final project for her first ever sculpting class received raves and quite stole the day as all pieces and assignments were submitted.  The assignment was simply to sculpt a conch shell.  She came home with a dull, non-descript lump of clay.  By finish, the shell had a woman's figure embedded. (one of the pictures below is the back of the shell.)

Dinner with Father Francis

Some of us got together with Father Francis after quite a long time away.  Dinner and fellowship

A visit with the Moffitts

Larry Moffitt was my work partner and Siamese twin for the eight days it took to complete the manuscript A Peace Loving Global Citizen for a large print run.

The night we signed off, Larry and Taeko invited me home.  Taeko cooked a wonderful meal.  We relaxed over deep thoughts and old times.

Nicky the dog is in the pictures.  But only Sunhwa  (nicknamed Hwa, which means peace by the way) of the 5 Moffitt children was around to take  pictures with us.

Joyful reunion

Cathy is a dear, life-long friend from college days.

I was invited to speak in Boston after which I traveled by "the T" to meet Cathy and her family.

Malaya the elder of Cathy's daughters debuted in her school play, Hocus Pocus in the Palace that night.  A great play, wonderfully performed by over 100 young students from Malaya's school.

Malaya played the beautiful Princess Tuesday (in green), one of seven princesses named after the days of the week.  The Warlock struggling to prove his wickedness had to kidnap one Princess each day.

Here are some pictures of Malaya's play, and from my time visiting with Cathy, Malaya, and Emma.

Workshop in Wilz Luxembourg

Here are a couple of pictures from the family seminar in Wilz, Luxembourg

Visit to La Magdeleine

La Madgeleine is a small,  typically Luxembourgish village in the south of the country.

Here I visited and strolled with the mom, Tomoko San and girl, Nami of the Franzen family.  In one picture I stand with them beneath "La Magdeleine."

The "rounded" building has a "thatched roof" made of straw.

The picture with the flags is the parliament building in the capital city of Luxembourg, the statue with the fellow and a little angel tugging on his garment stands attached to the parliament offices (I was there to meet the Minister of Family and Education), and the picture with the lion is the mayor's house (I was there to take a picture with a lion).

First Seminar in Luxembourg

The weekend just past.

There was a meeting there for leaders from the country, and I was the presenter.

Here are a couple of pictures from that meeting

Belgium

My way to Luxembourg required Brussels as the terminal point of my flight out of New York (Brussels - Luxembourg was achieved by a 3 hour train ride.)

By my good luck, a Brussels friend fetched me from the (lovely) Brussels airport, and showed me around town for a while.  He appears in two of the pictures below.

Brussels is a beautiful capital.

Miami Journey

I traveled to South Florida for a pressing, private meeting with an international figure residing in Key Largo.

I flew into Fort Lauderdale, taught in Miami, and spent two days in the Keys for my meetings.

I took pictures in Fort Lauderdale primarily for the purpose making my friends in New York jealous (just kidding ... kinda)

Here are a couple of scenes from Fort Lauderdale:



On Saturday I taught in Miami. Here are a couple of scenes from that teaching situation:



After my lectures I was driven to see the Miami sunset from Key Biscayne. I wasn't quite as successful finding suitable lighting to take more pictures to make my friends in New York jealous (but at least I tried)



From Sunday through Tuesday, I spent time in Islamorada, and Key Largo. Foolishly I forgot my cameral everywhere I went. (Probably to save me from getting killed by my friends when I get back to New York).

The purpose of the journey, the day long private meeting with the person who was the raison d'etre for my journey, by the grace of God, was excellent and hopeful.

Nets Lose to Pistons

My sister Lois landed some lovely seats for a fun, close game last night at the Meadowlands

Hiroko's birthday, January 8, 2010

January 1, 2010, New Year's "Eve," Frone's 18th Birthday

Here are almost all of us.  Tanja was elsewhere

The lady with the cake is our beloved neighbor of many years