Where to Now? Part 4 (and Final)

Rothenburg ob der Tauber...

was our last adventure

in Germany

Before visiting there we made a Sunday afternoon tour of the Dachau concentration camp  

That was a somber,solemn experience.  The bare trees casting shadows from the early spring sun, the chill in the air and the stillness spoke loudly of the grief of the  evil and horror of what took place.  All our hearts were heavy and sorrowful.  Back in our vehicle we traveled in silence as we each pondered our personal thoughts.

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Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a historical medieval walled city by the Tauber River. 

Now I understand those cute Christmas houses and where they originate.

A touch of medieval indoor plumbing...

Colorful facades, cobblestone and handsome men

The armory where you go for your knightly needs

Up close and personal with King Aragorn!

Ascending the wooden stairs to walk around the city wall.

Rothenburg expanded to become the 2nd largest city in Germany by 1400, because of the security of its 2 mile surrounding wall.

Might these be 800 year old foot prints?  Someone didn't wait for the concrete to dry

Can't leave Germany without authentic wiener schneitzel ...yummy!

Testing! Need to be Covid free to get back into America!

Time for the final ride in the Mercedes with trusted driver, Burt!

Welcome to Frankfort airport

Time for Gram G to fly solo to Atlanta, then Portland

Brought home a couple friends...

Left one in Dresden, but she agreed to a picture with me!

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Monday, May 30 I made a week trip back to the Park Falls, WI area.

A dear friend and former piano student, Diego Surman, passed on from the ravages of life long cancer. He was 25.  He conquered many challenges, including becoming an Eagle Scout.

I admire his courage and that of his sister, Maria, and parents, Juanita and Mitch. They honor me by regarding me as family.  

 

While there I was able to take a couple walks along the Flambeau River, visit the grave of my sister-in-law, Betty, who passed away 2 years ago at the start of Covid and visit with 9 different friends.  It is difficult to know when I will return to Park Falls.

Gotta have local cuisine...dumplings, pork and kraut!

I was relieved to return my baby rental car without harming it or me..

And grateful there wasn't much air traffic when it came time to take off from the Rhinelander airport...(Is that Germany or Wisconsin?)

Back in the Couve once again...

Lovely dogwood tree...I can tell by its bark

Pompom tree trimming time

Strawberry super moon shining over Vancouver

(Strawberry, because it appears when native Americans harvested strawberries)

(It had an orange hue but didn't show on the photo.)

First of Gram G's 2022 roses!

REFLECTIONS

     A lot has been happening these days in 2022.  The year is almost half through.  At this point I've recovered from January Covid; enjoyed February Birthday in San Diego; briefly summed up March Germany adventures; interacted with family matters and April Easter; had a late May sudden, but worthwhile trip to Park Falls; finally got outside in June to almost clean up the winter rain scum; planned a few fun activities for July: got approved and organized for house repairs starting in August.

     The saddest day of the year for me has come and gone. Tuesday, June 21 was the summer soltice...the day of longest daylight. After that daylight starts to wane once again.  Bummer.

This had been a good 3 GeoGram weeks in the life of Grandma G.

"And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming  down out of heaven from God...It had a great, high wall with twelve gates and with twelve angels at the gates...The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." 

(Revelation 21: 10, 12, 14)

Where to Now?? Part 3

I am still processing my Germany trip while getting on with daily life.

I invite you to enjoy this brief photo tour! 

We spent two fabulous days in Prague, Czech Republic...

MANY MARVELOUS MOODS OF PRAGUE

First meal...Langos food stand

Crispy, deep fried crust with topping of choice!  I had beet salad 

Tour of Medieval underground sunken homes and dungeons!

One of many city squares

Miles of Cobblestone streets

Towers and arches

Monument to Good King Wenceslaus 

A bit Upside-down?

Just checking out the Ad...

Duck Lips before a delicious duck dinner...

Or goose...or goulash

Astronomical clock on old town hall...

erected in 1410, third oldest in the world and oldest still working!

Worth investigating!

Intriguing Architecture everywhere...

Honoring Reading

We're going to the height of the city...

Burt watching over his mama!

The Prague Castle Complex featuring St. Vitus Cathedral

Where's the food after all that climbing?

Don't waste old bicycles!

Gram G at the summit of her endurance!

Saints watching over the Charles River

Charles River

Six miles of hilly, cobblestone walking! Oh My!

Dinner where the locals eat!!

Green Devil....not for Gram G

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Currently in Vancouver...

Gram G won a cake walk at the local Fred Meyers!

I tried my skill to cook a meal for the local 

"Hope Village" camp.

Twenty, small transitional homes for folks restarting their lives!  

Sent my gnomes to gnome spa for freshening 

East coast, Midwest, West coast family met up in Arizona!!  Schmidts taking over the country!!

A Royal Sunday evening Rainbow across the street from me!!

REFLECTIONS

   Time seems to be racing far ahead of my daily life. I feel like it should be April and not the start of June!  Summer is upon us and that means I need to  mentally catch up with time and "live in the moment" or at least the next two months. It seems like "time" is a never stopping conveyer belt, which I guess it is!  If one doesn't mentally keep up one finds oneself far behind.  Oh Ya...(You can quote me on that, if one so desires.)

     I have some large house repair projects starting soon, compliments of a city loan.  I will also be taking granddaughter Mimi on her Gram G adventure trip to San Diego late June.  Later in July there is family coming from Indianapolis for a PNW visit.

     Right now I am sitting in a northern Wisconsin regional airport waiting for my first experience in renting a car.  The catch...the agent isn't here until when the plane arrives, which is noon everyday.  Didn't know that, but good time to log on and catch up with blogging.  The wonders of technology.  This trip was unplanned but more on that next post!

This has been a good 2 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die...a time to weep and a time to laugh...a time to love."  (Ecclesiastes 3: 1,2,4,8)