Beautiful Spring Week

Although we've had mixed weather this week, starting chilly and wet, it became milder from mid-week onwards, and spring has been at its best since Thursday. I took advantage of the good weather and got quite a few walks in.

Monday (13 April) was chilly, wet and grey. My trains were on time, and I was able to start work (from home) at 9:30. Early afternoon I was booked for my quarterly eye check-up, which went as smoothly as can be expected. My last work appointment for the day ended at 6:00 pm, and 15 minutes later I was out for a walk. However, the almost imperceptible drizzle turned into proper rain, and so I cut my walk short and was back after less than an hour.

There was no time for a walk on Tuesday (14 April) between work and the pub, where my team and I were booked for the quiz. Out of the five who had said they'd be there, two cancelled at the last minute, which left just three of us - a very small team with no realistic chance at one of the first three places, especially considering that some of the teams are ten strong (sometimes more). 

Still, we decided to go ahead, also because we thought it unfair towards the publican to cancel our booked table at such short notice. And guess what - when it comes to the sheer number of points, we would have come third, but because three other (larger) teams had the same highest score, they took the three first places. We were justly proud of ourselves, particularly because we'd had a PERFECT score in the 2nd round. (Our quiz is two rounds with 12 questions each.)

My usual day at the office followed on Wednesday (15 April), but unlike most Wednesday, I didn't go to my Mum's after work. Instead, it was the day of our department's event.

Most departments at the company where I work have their annual event before Christmas; often they visit a Christmas market together and then go for a booked meal. But everybody tends to be rather busy in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and therefore we have decided years ago to have an after-work outing some time in the spring.

At about 4:30 pm, our group took local trains to get to Esslingen which is on the opposite side of Stuttgart. Germany's oldest maker of sparkling wine is there; this year, the company (Kessler) have their 200th anniversary. We were booked for a tour of the cellars, followed by a glass of sparkling wine and then a meal at a nearby restaurant.

Back in 2011, with my family and some friends I had been to such a tour, but this time was a bit different; our friendly and knowledgable guide told us more about the company's history and less about the cellars as such. Comparing both tours, I can't say that one was "better" than the other, they just had a different focus but were equally interesting.

Under ten minutes on foot, and we were at the restaurant where we had a very good meal with friendly and efficient service. From there, it was only about another ten minutes back to the train station, and I was home at 10:00 pm.

Thursday (16 April) was sunny and a bit warmer than the week so far. I worked from home, walked for an hour afterwards and then went to my Mum's for a delicious fresh salad.

Sunrise on Thursday

Late afternoon on Thursday

Sunset on Thursday, as seen from my Mum's balcony

O.K. and I spent the weekend separately because of an engagement with the band, which gave me plenty of time after work on Friday (17 April) to do my cleaning and then walk to Benningen in the beautiful early evening sun. Much to my delight, the lane that had been blocked by construction work last time was open again, and I had a very relaxing walk with no need to find alternative paths.

Between Ludwigsburg and Freiberg

On the way to Benningen

Evening light on Friday. The three-coloured lilac has been sending wafts of its scent towards my kitchen.

Cherry tree in front of my other kitchen window.

Saturday (18 April) was the warmest day of the week at 23C/73F. My sister and I had arranged to meet friends from our former group of volunteers for breakfast; it was very nice to sit in the morning sun (not too hot yet) and catch up with them.

In the afternoon, I took a train to Marbach and went for my familiar walk to Steinheim, with a few deliberate variations. I'd not been at the remnants of Blankenstein castle since June 2023, and it was good to see the place is kept clean and cared for.

A familiar view for many of you - looking back towards Marbach, shortly after the start of the walk.

It's actually the view from this bench, where my Mum and I have usually had a brief rest after climbing the hill.

_River Murr in Steinheim

Rapeseed

Blankenstein Castle above Steinheim

View across the valley from the castle ruins

Lehrhof

View from "my" bench

My grassy path

View from another bench where I stopped for a few minutes

On the way back to Marbach

It was beautiful in the woods; still sunny but more tender green leaves on the trees now, while the pretty white star-shaped anemone bloossoms still adorn the ground between the trees and along the path, all enhanced by incessant birdsong.

I really "bathed" in all things spring that afternoon, and almost four hours later was back at the train station in Marbach for the short ride home and something to eat.

A bit of rain (but not as much as would be necessary right now) fell on Sunday (19 April), and it was windy and a lot chillier - no shorts and short sleeves for me today! My sister and I met at our Mum's for coffee and a delicious home-baked apple pie - still a bit warm when we ate it. I didn't go straight home afterwards but took a short loop on the fields before turning in.