Both during last week and on the weekend I managed good, substantial walks, fully taking advantage of the mostly sunny weather.
On Monday (20.04.2026) it was chilly and windy, but sunny. Work obligations meant I only went for a short-ish walk of about an hour after 7:00 pm, catching the beautiful evening light.
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| Sunrise on Monday |
A mostly cloudy and chilly day followed on Tuesday (21.04.2026), with the grey clouds even shedding a few token drops of rain during my otherwise beautiful walk to Benningen after work.Wednesday and Thursday (22./23.04.2026) saw me at the office in Weilimdorf. Both days were sunny and warmed up nicely after very cold mornings (not far from frost). I went to my Mum's on the Wednesday and walked home from Zuffenhausen on the Thursday.
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| The familiar spot is now much greener than last time I walked here. |
A badly needed haircut was had on Friday (24.04.2026) morning, and around lunch time I went to see my neighbour whose cat and two rabbits I will be looking after in late May/early June when the family are away. Later that afternoon I met my book-swapping friend at a nearby café; we swapped books, had a piece of cake each and opted for cold drinks instead of coffee - it was so nice and warm to sit in the sun outside the café.
By the time O.K. arrived at around 8:30 pm, I had done all my cleaning, shopping and getting things ready for the weekend.
Saturday (25.04.2026) was the warmest day of the week at around 22C/71F. After breakfast, O.K. and I walked into town for the "Open Day" at Grävenitz Palais, which was interesting and much less crowded than the same event in February 2024.  |
| Inside Grävenitz Palais |
From there, we crossed the busy main road to the palace grounds and had a relaxed stroll there.The deer park was next, and we followed the long straight road from there to the small palace by the lake before returning home for a rest and coffee.  |
| Preparations for an event were underway around the palace by the lake. |
In the evening, we were meeting my Mum, sister and a friend at a nearby Italian restaurant, a favourite of ours for such gatherings. The five of us enjoyed the food and drink and of course the conversation and company, and eventually retreated to Mum's for dessert.
The weather was pretty much the same on Sunday (26.04.2026), meaning we were off for another walk. This time, we went to Marbach on foot and returned by train.
We had ice cream in the historic town of Marbach - my first time this year (not counting the occasional ice cream for dessert after a family meal, for instance Easter). Having walked about 16.5 km that day, we needed proper sustenance, and I made Quiche Lorraine for our evening meal before O.K. packed his bags and started on the long drive home.  |
| Just out of the oven :-) |
I packed my wedding clothes in a box and my hiking clothes in my rucksack so that he could transport them by car, making it easier for me when I'll be traveling to him by train this week Thursday.
We really, really need rain; after February was wetter than average, April has been a lot drier than average, according to meteorologists.
You certainly did a lot of walking during that week! It was a fairly typical week with familiar walks. It was a good idea to get the wedding gear etc. taken by car back to O.K.s We are needing some rain here too.
ReplyDeleteWith the beautiful spring we've been having, it would have been such a shame NOT to go out walking any chance I had :-)
DeleteThe Marbach walk in particular looks delightful. The cold mornings have caught me out a few times. I dress for the chill and then overheat during my walk as the sun comes out!
ReplyDeleteOops, that’s not ‘anonymous’ but ‘jennyfreckles’!
DeleteYes, it's winter-coat cold in the mornings, and when I leave the office, I carry the coat over my arm - not ideal, but I am not going to stand about on draughty platforms in anything lighter just yet.
DeleteThe fields of rapeseed are so pretty! You have wonderful places to walk. How lucky!
ReplyDeleteSending your clothes along with O.K. was a smart move. Your wedding day is almost here! Hooray!
Yep, only 1 1/2 weeks...! Loads to do before that, but not in relation with the wedding; first the May fête in the village (O.K. and I have the last shift at the dishwasher, plus of course we'll help with the setting up and clearing away) and then O.K.'s birthday and a few other things lined up.
DeleteWhat a lovely week of walks/hikes you had!
ReplyDeleteWill you be taking some time off work for the wedding preparations and maybe a honeymoon? I can't wait to see photos of the lovely bride and groom.
Everything is ready for the wedding - with there only being 7 of us, there wasn't much to prepare in the first place :-D
DeleteI always have the first part of May off anyway, because we're working at the May fête in the village and then it's O.K.'s birthday. The day after our wedding, we'll be off for 5 days to a place where we've been before; a hotel with their own spa and their own organic farm to provide the food, all in beautiful countryside.
I doubt O.K. will want his photo on my blog, but there will definitely pictures of myself, and probably my Mum :-)
You have some lovely walking country near you. It must be getting close to your wedding now.
ReplyDeleteYes, only 1 1/2 weeks to go, Anonymous!
DeleteMe again. I must remember not to sign as anonymous!
DeleteWalking in warm, sunny weather is such a joy, but rain must fall sometimes. The hope is always for rain overnight, but it doesn't often happen that way.
ReplyDeleteThe wedding draws near! 🍾
Very much so, Janice :-)
DeleteYes, walking in this kind of weather is great, and so far there is still plenty of green and blossoms to enjoy, but rain is really needed for everything that wants to grow right now.
We're having a very dry April as well. I can't believe your wedding is coming up so soon! When you first mentioned it, it felt far in the future!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great to feel sun and warmth on your skin again? I'm loving it.
I'm loving it, too! When we walked home from the pub last night at around 11:00, it still felt mild; I was wearing long sleeves but not a warm jacket, and it was perfectly fine.
Delete"I packed my wedding clothes in a box", how happy it makes me to see those words for you! And I am sure you are happy to write them. The merry month of May is almost here!
ReplyDeleteIt is, Kay, and we'll start it off by putting in a looong day of work for and at the May fête :-D
Delete❤️
DeleteWishing you both decades of happiness
ReplyDeleteSiobhan
Thank you, Siobhan!
DeleteWedding clothes in a box, hiking clothes in your rucksack ...
ReplyDeleteAn ideal 21st Century bride !
You are not Judy any more I'm sure than O.K. is Punch.
You don't have a red nose and large, unsightly teeth as you said on Neil's blog.
And your blue eyes are as photogenic as the rest of you.
I wish you had taken a selfie in Gravenitz Palais, under the chandelier.
Charlotte in Die Leiden des jungen Werthers lived in a room like this.
I had a brief romance with a Ukrainian woman who said she would
not have looked at me if I had had brown eyes. Her own eyes were brown.
She said I moved through Glasgow lightly like the Invisible Man.
You are right in that O.K. has nothing in common with Punch. But my nose does tirn red in cold weather, and my teeth are bothering me to the point that I am considering to do something about that.
DeleteOdd how some people are so set in their ideas about a partner that they rule out certain colours of eyes, hair or skin, without even considering the person‘s character. No wonder your romance with that lady was brief.
I advised Olga to find a wealthy single retired lawyer looking for love.
DeleteShe found one. Wolf who lives in Berlin and is even older than I, imagine.
Olga is fluent in German though she has two daughters in Scotland.
I received a letter saying she missed me and why not come to Berlin on holiday ?
She said I could stay at Wolf's apartment because he lives mostly at hers.
This struck me as too creepy. Menage a trois ? Not in a billion years !
This was back in 2011. She said Wolf was mad about her. I never replied.
Olga looked like Julia Davis a very talented comic actress and writer who
did a BBC TV series with Rob Brydon, both playing different ill-assorted couples.
Julia Davis is a total original. Having no TV I don't know what she's doing now.
Human Remains - Rob Brydon/ Julia Davis Character Improvisations. YouTube.
DeleteJulia Davis wrote and appeared in Hunderby, a comic rewriting of the beloved
Daphne du Maurier novel Frenchman's Creek. She wore a black eyepatch.
I left a comment that vanished. Saying that Olga reminds me of
DeleteJulia Davis a comic actor and writer of some originality.
Your comment went into spam, weirdly enough since your other comments came through.
DeleteBeautiful photos. I love nature and taking walks to explore the beauty around me.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing.
You are very welcome, Linda!
DeleteI like to revisit walks and hikes documented on my blog, and remember what a specific day or entire holiday was like.