Still Catching Up

As you have noticed, I am usually at least one week behind with my blogging. There is just always so much going on that it takes me so long to catch up, and I do not find the time (or, rather, take the time) for blogging every day like some of you admirably do.

Let's go back to Friday, the 4th of September. Because O.K. was busy with a music appointment that evening, I did not travel to him until the Saturday. It had been another busy day at work, and when I finished at 5:00 pm, my comfortable yellow arm chair held a strong appeal - but I decided to take advantage of the beautiful sunshine and pleasant temperatures and go for a walk where I had recently been twice.

Like last time when I met the heron on my way back, I spotted a bird at the side of the path. I believe it was a kestrel. He or she remained there until I was relatively close before flying away across the field. I really enjoyed that walk of 2 1/4 hours - it did me much better than retreating to my armchair immediately after work, there is still plenty of time for that in winter, when it will be dark by the time I finish work.

Once again, a bright and beautiful moon lit up the night. The above picture was taken from my kitchen window just after 10:00 pm.

I traveled to O.K. on the next day, arriving around lunch time. After a spot of food shopping, we had coffee at the cottage, along with delicious plum cake made by O.K.'s mum, still warm from the oven.

Later that afternoon, we went for a walk, taking glasses and a chilled bottle of rosé along, which we got out on the bench at O.K.'s parents' allotment - just the two of us, such a nice way to celebrate the weekend:

Yes, my life is good, there is no denying. And yet, it is not all roses and sunshine. I do care about other people, and I do worry about what is going on in my country and all over the world. 

Just to mention a few more personal worries, there is of course always the situation with my own parents, with my Dad's health issues. It would be impossible for him to remain living at home without my Mum's constant care and assistance. Then there was the friend and village band member who died of a brain tumour on August 28, only weeks before her 49th birthday. My mother-in-law in Yorkshire, still mostly self-reliant at 86, was admitted to hospital after she fell in her cottage and was unable to get up on her own. And my parents' friends in Australia have had bad news, too, with one of them having an incurable form of cancer. 

But... much as all of this (and more) saddens and worries me, there is nothing I can do about any of it. The only thing I can do is to make sure I appreciate those around me while they are there to be appreciated, and to try and keep myself as healthy as I can, for as long as I can, so as not to add to the worries.

O.K. and I are going on holiday tomorrow. We are booked into a hotel in a tiny village in the mountains for 9 nights, not crossing any national borders. There is going to be plenty of hiking, visits to the hotel's spa, and culinary delights. I am very much looking forward to it - and although I can not really imagine what it will be like at the hotel, wearing masks everywhere except for at the dining table and in our room, booking time slots for the spa and so on, I do not feel guilty about going on holiday right now

First Walks in September

From what I gather by reading other blogs, it seems like the first of September felt very much like a clean cut for some of us, ending hot summer weather and bringing along the first chilly autumn nights and mornings, together with that beautiful golden light you only get at that time of year.

On Tuesday, the first of September, I finished work as I early as I could, and went walking for about 2 1/2 hours. After a grey, wet morning, it was once again warm enough to go without a coat, and I really enjoyed that walk. Looking at my pictures, I think you can see why.

O.K. also went walking that evening, and sent me this sunset:

Wednesday was a busy day at work, and I was glad of the chance to go for a walk with my sister afterwards. We met these two fellows sitting on top of one of the large greenhouses on the fields between our town and the next:

On the third of September, my sister went on an early morning walk - I wish I could get into that habit, too! - and sent me this sunrise:

And just after midnight on the same day (therefore, technically, on the 4th of September), I had this view from my kitchen window:

Not many hours later, at just before 7:00 in the morning, looking again out of my kitchen window, the sky looked like this:

I'd say September was off to a good start - at least in terms of weather and walks!

Read in 2020 - 18, 19

# 18: Tar Heart

by Mira Gibson

Ten years ago, Holly and Lucas had a one-night stand. Neither was ever able to forget the other, but since Holly disappeared before Lucas woke up, there has been no contact.

Now, Detective Lucas York has recently been transfered to Center Harbor Police Department and moved out of town to the rural area around the lake, seemingly to get away from the stress of town life. Or is there more in his past to flee from?

His plan of a quieter life is shattered soon, though, when he is called to investigate the murder of a young woman who was shot while out on the frozen lake. Lucas arrives at the house to find the twin sister of the victim waiting inside – no other than Holly.

As the investigation unfolds, more questions come up than are answered. What does Holly know about her sister’s life that could lead to her being killed? Do the best babysitter in town and her friend have something to do with it? Why does that friend know Lucas’ nickname, and seems strangely familiar to him? How are the victim’s estranged husband and his parents involved? Is the dead woman’s cocaine addiction at the root of it all?

When the 4-year-old son of the murdered woman, now in Holly’s care, disappears, Lucas and Holly know time is running out. They do everything they can to solve the crime, but do they really want to know all the answers?

I found much of this book hard to relate to. For instance, Holly detests her sister’s drug addiction, and yet, after her death, she tries the white powder herself (and not just once) – to „feel what her sister felt, to be part of her life“. It seems unlikely that anyone would try drugs for such a reason, especially not when they were so completely against it in the first place, and now have to look after a young child AND play an integral part in a murder investigation.

Having said that, unlike many other crime stories, I found this one not easy to guess at, and the pace was gripping enough to keep me guessing and reading until the end.

The book is subtitled „A New Hampshire Mystery Book 3“, but I doubt I will try to find Books 1 and 2 of the series. As you have probably guessed, it was a free download from the Kindle shop.

 

# 19: The Unprintable Big Clock Chronicle

by Jill Winters; Book 1 in the Caitlyn Rocket Mystery Series

This – another free Kindle book - was more enjoyable than my previous read, and kept me well entertained over several train trips.
I realised later that it would have made a nice pre-Christmas read, but never mind; I've read it now.

Caitlyn has moved to the small town of Big Clock half a year ago and is glad to have her job at the local paper, the Big Clock Chronicle. Most of her work is general office stuff, but she is an aspiring journalist and wants to write more for her paper, prove to her boss that she can do better than sorting through emails and making coffee. She sees her chance when a seemingly pointless burglary at an office coincides with the sudden quitting of two of that company’s staff, and the company decide not to have the police investigate the burglary.

Between her preparations for Christmas, caring for her dog, trying to appease her over-sensitive neighbour and working at her daytime job, Caitlyn goes to great lengths to find out more about the burglary and the women who have quit and seemingly fallen off the planet since then. Needless to say, she gets into all sorts of embarrassing and potentially dangerous situations – and even her best friend has a hard time following some of her theories about the case.

In the end, though, Caitlyn unties all the knots, and it comes to a classic show-down. The appreciative reader learns the whole truth, and for most of the story, it was easy to like Caitlyn and care about what was going to happen next. It was also refreshingly free from any romantic involvements on Caitlyn's side - there is a heroine who does not think her life is incomplete without a gorgeous man by her side.

Editing was alright, but could have been better. Well, it was for free, so I best not complain. If I should happen to find more of Caitlyn Rocket’s adventures for free, I’ll probably read them.

A Saturday To Remember

Of course, there is something to remember about every day. But the last Saturday of August, the 29th, was definitely special. 

We met around lunch time at the house of friends who own several canoes. There were six of us, and we started out sitting in their courtyard, sharing a round of savoury snacks that had just come out of the oven, washed down with a glass of sparkling wine.

The men made sure the canoes were firmly strapped to the trailer. O.K. drove his car to the end point of our planned route, then joined us in the van so that we could all arrive at the start point together.

All six of us had been on canoes before, but we aren't experts - it was all just for fun, and to enjoy a few hours on the river. The river was the Rhine - of course we were not on the main waterway, but on what is called the Old Rhine, a system of naturally meandering streams running more or less parallel with the big river, a beautiful, overgrown, almost jungle-like area and very special habitat for a number of plants and animals.

Like most of Germany, that area has also been affected by several dry summers in a row, but thankfully, there is still enough water there to ensure the animals and plants are not in immediate danger. There are several points designated for canoes and other small water vessels to get on and off the water; motor boats are, as far as I know, not allowed.

The first part of our route was so overgrown in places that it was not easy to get through. At one time, a recently fallen tree blocked nearly the whole width of the stream, and we just about managed to squeeze past, one by one. The water is never very deep, you can almost always see the ground, and so many plants grow in the river bed that sometimes the boat was sliding across the tops of the plants as if we were on a meadow. 

All our belongings were in water-proof containers in each boat, and I did not want to risk anything by fumbling about with the container to get my mobile phone out for photos. That is why I can only show you a few pictures, taken at the point where we had to get out of the canoes, carry them across land for a few steps and then get back on the water. We used this as our stopping point for snacks and drinks, and a good photo opportunity.

The last two pictures were taken at the end point. From there, it was about a 15 minute walk to O.K.'s car; we drove the owner of the canoes to where he had parked his van at the start point, so that he could drive back to where the others were waiting by the river, load the canoes on the trailer and drive home.

O.K. and I had just about enough time at home to have coffee, freshen up a bit and get changed. Then we were off to an outdoor restaurant in the fields between O.K.'s village and the next, where we were booked for dinner with his parents, his sister and her husband, to celebrate his mother's 80th birthday.

The food was nice, and although it was not exactly a hot day, it was warm enough to eat outside and sit there until after dark. Even the wasps took pity and did not bother us too much! O.K. and I walked both ways (the restaurant is about 3.5 km away from the village), and I also enjoyed that nightly walk back under the stars.

A Saturday to remember - I am sure you'll agree!

Late Summer Thoughts

On the 24th of August (a Monday), my sister and I went for a walk in the palace grounds after work. It was a beautiful day, warm without being too hot, and in spite of it still being in the middle of the school holidays, the grounds were not too crowded.

I have mentioned before how much I love this time of year, with the abundance of colours and things to harvest that nature has on offer in late summer. The light has a special quality and the blue of the sky can be of an intensity you rarely see during the other seasons.

There is also something special about what's to eat in late summer, early autumn; a mix of comfort food for cooler evenings and summery salads that come at a big variety with all that's ripe in the gardens and on fields. Maybe I will do an extra post about food soon.

Since that visit to the palace grounds, the weather has been a very mixed bag; we have had a few rainy days (hooray!) and some rather cold nights which made me want the central heating on (at least in the bath room) first thing in the morning.

I have begun watching "The Crown" on Netflix and think I will stick to the series. On wikipedia, I have read up on the historical inaccuracies; why is it, I wonder, that film makers feel the need to alter the facts that in itself are certainly dramatic and intriguing enough without any changes made to them! Anyway, so far I like what I have seen, conscious of it not being a documentary that sticks to the facts all the time.

There has also been more reading recently, some good, some not quite so good books, but I will post the reviews another time.

Now I need to get ready for work - only today and next week left, then O.K. and I will have two weeks off!

Revisiting

Sunday a week ago, on August 23, O.K. and I wanted to walk straight from the front door and give the car a complete rest. 

A place where we'd not been in a while came to mind, and we decided to revisit  the windmills on Steinfirst, visible from the top of the hill behind the village. Checking on my blog, I see that the only time we'd been there before was in February 2018, meaning that the woods and fields were looking very different back then, with spring not yet being on its way, from now, with summer fast moving towards its end.

Starting from the village, the first part of our walk took us through orchards, fields and vineyards:

But one is never far away from woodland in this area, and we soon entered the Black Forest (which does not look all that black here):

A bench near Pionierstein ('pioneer stone', named so after the troops who originally built this road a long time ago) provided a welcome spot for a rest and to eat our sandwiches:

From there, it is not far to the windmills on Steinfirst. The sign warns anyone not to get too close in winter, as large chunks of ice can be hurled off the rotor blades after a frosty night, and cause real harm. No danger of that on August 23, when we had 26 Celsius!

Rather unexpectedly, nobody else was about at the time we were there, 3:00 in the afternoon. We enjoyed the view and the peace and quiet, although the noise from the windmills was different from what we remembered; I suppose it depends on the direction and speed of the wind.

A bit further down the other side of the hill is a wooden hut where one can buy food and drink, with benches and tables dotted around. We had brought our water bottles along, of course, but on a warm sunny day, a shandy is most welcome, and so we stopped there. 

The pleasure was short-lived - as soon as I opened my bottle, about four or five wasps descended on me, not leaving me alone until I placed the bottle on the ground and let them go about it. One or two ended up inside, and so I only got one or two quick swigs out of my bottle. O.K. shared his bottle with me, but the whole scene was so stressful that we were soon on our way again.

Going back, we chose a different path, offering different views.

I had not come past this hut before; it stands close to a pond which was so covered in duckweed you could not see the water anymore.

The last part of the walk, back among the fields and orchards:

We were back home 21 km later, and except for the waspy part, had really enjoyed our walk. O.K. set the grill up in the courtyard between his cottage and his parents' house, and it would have been pleasant enough to eat out there as well; but because of the wasps, we decided to just quickly fill our plates and eat in the kitchen.

It may well have been the last barbeque of this season. Now September has begun, and already it feels like autumn - two rainy days and chilly nights make a big difference. And while I am sad to see this beautiful summer go, I must admit I am ready for cooler weather, too, and very grateful for the rain.

Another Tuesday Evening Walk, and an Encounter

Last week Tuesday, on the 18th of August, I was at first unsure where to direct my after-work walk. It was a day of fast moving clouds and very warm, and the probability of a thunderstorm putting a quick end to my walk was rather high. According to the weather app on my phone, there was no rain or thunder forecast for my immediate area and the next few hours, though, and so I set off in a south-west direction.

Only now when I was looking it up here on my blog have I realised that it was also a Tuesday when I last walked that circuit, and the sky looked quite similar on that day back in July.

These birds gathering on a power line are probably starlings, but I am not sure. Anyway, they, along with all the harvested fields, made me think summer is as good as over:

Most remarkable about my walk last Tuesday was an encounter towards the end of it:

A heron stood on a harvested wheat field, closer to the path than any other of the many herons I have spotted on those fields during my walks. The beautiful bird was only a few steps away from the path, and did not seem worried at all when I stood still, too, and slowly pulled out my phone to take a picture. He or she watched me closely, but moved a bit further away from the path only when a lady with a dog came along. The dog was well behaved and did not even bark at the large bird, but the magic of the moment was broken and everyone moved on.

My sister sent me the above view from her balcony. With the sunset painting the white buildings pink, it looked more like Miami than Ludwigsburg!

Later, when I was already safely back home and enjoying my dinner and some TV, rain and thunderstorm made their way to my area.