Grillen bei Karin

There are some more pictures still untouched on my memory cards, also these ones until now from the "little" BBQ at Karin's house. Little is really not the right word, because her and her mom truly cooked and grilled for a whole army. But YUMMY.

Soren was also chicken hunting at the same time with more and less luck.

The big people left the chickens alone but enjoy more "plums". Yummmm. And other goodies just for grown ups.

Our silly and goofy gang of kids.

Soren loves Karin's old green house and always finds somethinf to mess with there in or out. The kids are exploring her garden and her mom is spoiling them with fresh treats.

Another castle - Colmberg

Last week on our way to Wuerzburg we took some backway roads, because we had to stop at the office. One of the technic guys their did some magic and found a solution for my computer problem and I am really thankful that he took the time even I only stop by at the office once every two or three years. lol.

On the way I snapped this picture. Burg Colmberg. Yes another castle. We have quite a few around here. Small, hidden. Not really.

Yesterday, the kids went horse riding and we were early so my mom suggested to stop there. I have been there years ago, long ago, even with Leland once for dinner in the restaurant inside. You have an absolutely gorgeous view from up there. There are not really enough words to describe the impressions from places like this, neither can you catch it with the camera, but I can give you a small glimpse.

Don't you feel like being set back in time at places like this?

Quilts made in Germany

There finally was a sunny day to go outside and to take pictures of the girls' quilts and pillows Oma made for them before we packed them up. We have to show them off.

Bella loves guitars.

And Chiara of course horses. No question.

Yes, we already can start thinking about packing again. In a week from now we are already back on our way to Dallas. Time goes by fast.

Green, green. green is alles was ich sehe

Last night was a late night for Bella, but she really really wanted to go and why not. It was something special. Neither one of us has seen it before, Soren and Chiara stayed with Oma supposingly sleeping and Karin, Bella and me took a LATE NIGHT STROLL through ANSBACHS GRUENE NACHT (Green Night). It doesn't get really dark before 9.30/10.00 o'clock in the evening here so this event started officially at 22.00 till 4 in the morning.

By the way 3 am sounds like a perfect time for the Green Night visit if you every should choose to go, believe me. Espcially if you are a person who loves the midnight supermarkt shopping like me. We didn't, but we should have. lol

All of the old downtown and the castle was illuminated and most of it in green. The covered even all the street lights in green.

I tried taking pictures and a few turned out while the others are a wiggly mess without a tripod, but it took us 1,5 hours to get through most of it including the little bit further away parking spot after the town was packed. The people here love the fests and it didn't rain for a change so it was well worth a celebration. LOL. We still were packed in shirt, sweatshirt jacket, jeans jacket just to stay warm.

Didn't I mention before it was packed? All corners were stages with music, bands, performances, not to forget the food and drinks and for sure not all was non alcoholic.

But we kept is short after our "sight seeing tour" and also for kid age appropriate with an italian icecream treat for the way back to the car.

Sommersdorfer Schloss - a little more history

The Schloss Sommersdorf is a picturesque small castle with all the ingredients of a proper fairy-tale: keep, turrets, tall towers, spiral staircases, stone bridges, ramparts, and even a moat.

And it's location is just five minutes from my home town. So after driving through Sommersdorf a few times already since we are, we finally had a few minutes on the way back and it was NOT pouring down right that moment, so we stopped. We just had to, like every time we are back here. Because this place is magical and a step back in time.

You enter the castle through an outer guardhouse, a pink building topped by a whimsical clock, go over a moat and into a rose-filled courtyard. It is private property and the owner lives there but does rent it out to guests. Doesn't sound nice staying in a castle for a vacation?

You can't enter further into the castle except when you are a guest or rent one of the rooms for a special event, but I had the chance twice in the past. Once about 5 years ago for my cousin's wedding and a long time ago when I still was a teenager to step behind the thick walls to bring old costumes back to the castle owner. We were upstairs and even there it truly is like you imagine an old castle out of a movie including old knights standing there. Amazing. Enchanting.

On the left of entrance is a walkway to the castle chapel which is also still used and open to be visited.

The stone bridge used to be a draw bridge. Can you imagine?

No, that's not the old castle's mailbox, but an old German mailbox in which you throw your mail in to mail off. I haven't seen one out of wood since ever, but all mailbixes are still bright yellow and have the posthorn sign. Do you want to write?

The world is small

Over four years ago we got to know a very sweet family when we moved to Texas. The mom is German and our kids were pretty close in age. We spent quite a bit time together with friends enjoyed just chatting away in German, drinking coffee, letting the kids play and even organized our own little Bavarian fest. Long time ago. It seems so.

Because this family moved back to Germany 2.5 years ago. Germany is not so big, so it would be easy to see them back there, but coming here for only a short time usually only leaves enough time to visit family and some close by friends and even that is stressful to get everybody covered.

- Chiara, Dallas, Isabell, Soren, Lilly -

A few month ago I found out they moved again and this time close to my home town, just a few minutes away, so of course an email and a phone call later. We did visit them and spent the afternoon together and got all soaking wet together.

Did I mention that it is raining every single day here this summer!!!!!!!!!!

They got to meet Soren and the kids had a blast together. No matter who spoke English or German or how mix a sentence was in any way they understand each other perfectly well like they knew each other. Mmmmmmm. They DO KNOW each other. Lilly just was a baby then, and the rest has a hard time remembering. lol.

Soren & Lilli

Simone

It was really nice to see them again and we are going to miss them when we leave here, but of course we do hope to get the news when the new addition to the family is there and to meet him or her someday, too, perhabs here in Germany or back in Texas. You never know. The world is small.

"Ich bieme schlow"

About a month ago, if you remember, was father's day in the States. In Germany father's day is all the way back in March. But last month the day before father's day Karin and me left Soren at the house with Leland and took the girls to the mall for errands and father's day shopping.


As it happened to be it was the Saturday of the annual coloring contest that took plave there. The girls wanted to be part of it of course. So, fine, while we took care of our errands they were busy coloring in the category they picked under supervision there - yeah free babysitting. We came back so often probably every 5 to 10 minutes, but no they were not done and especially Bella wanted to keep going.


Chiara colored about her birthday party eveb it ended up in the "Phantasy Forest" category.

Bella picked "My most beautiful Barbie". She put a lot of effort in it, but I have to admit Iwas not so sure about that Barbie's beauty. I guess beauty is still in the eye of the beholder. The funny part was more that she wrote on the Barbie's shirt "Ich bieme schlow!" she wanted to say "I am smart!". I just had to laugh. Because it just didn't say anything neither in english or german.

"Ich bin schlau!" would have been the right words. lol

But no matter what, I few days later I got a phone call the Ms. Isabell won a price in the coloring contest and we were invited to ceremony with drinks and prices.

Isabell won 2nd price in her age group in her category and because it was Barbie's 60th birthday her price was a Barbie set and a few more little cute things. She was all excited. Chiara of course was disappointed, but Bella promised to share.

All the winners from this year.