Maybe it is naive and egoistical of me, but I do really enjoy this summer. Most days, there is no need to think about taking an umbrella or cardigan when leaving the house. One can simply slip something on and go. But then of course I am neither a farmer nor do I have a garden; all the watering I need to do is my potted basil on the windowsill in the kitchen.
On Sunday, we went walking in an area I've posted about before. (Click here and here for my 2015 posts from the area.)
Stuttgart, although a city of more than 600,000 residents and the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg's capital, has a surprising amount of woodland - proper woodland, not just a few trees in a park. They offer nice walks in the shade, with birdsong and butterflies to keep you company.
Clicking here takes you to the English wikipedia entry about the palace. The author seems to be undecided about whether to call it a castle or a palace, but apart from that, the article offers some interesting details.
Actually, it was the woods we wanted to walk in, and so we did. I only took a few pictures along the way:
We then reached this lake, Bärensee (Bears' Lake), a place where we'd stopped before (see the above linked posts from 2015). There were many people about, as was to be expected on a fine Sunday such as this, but we were lucky and found a table outside on the gallery in the shade.
A refreshing drink and light lunch later, we were once more on our way through the woods, taking a different route back to where we had left the car.
The woods themselves are still largely green, in spite of the draught. But fields, meadows and grassy borders all show the lack of rain clearly. I hope things won't be quite as bad as our farmers fear.
We've had a relatively dry summer, too, but over the last few days we've had torrential rains. Saturday night a huge storm settled over our area and dropped 10 inches of rain! Then it rained some more on Sunday and yesterday. We should be somewhat caught up by now!
ReplyDeleteThe lake is pretty! Do bears live in the area, and is that why it's called Barensee?
I just remembered to tell you, my friend who majored in German language and European history (I think I mentioned him visiting Germany a couple of years ago) just recently moved back to this area because he accepted a teaching position in a private high school. Although he will be teaching world history, the headmaster has already started making plans for him to begin teaching German next year! I would love to learn a little German...maybe once I progress a little more with my Spanish I can take a few lessons!
Bears have long ago become extinct in the wild in Germany, but for centuries, most of the country was covered in dense woodland where bears, wolves and wild boars roamed. Nowadays, we have too many boars because their natural enemies have disappeared ("thanks" to man's efforts in hunting them and cutting in on their natural habitat more and more all the time).
DeleteThere probably were bears in the area at some stage, but not anymore for at least 2 centuries now.
Yes, you mentioned your German-speaking friend. I hope he'll be as happy at his new place of work as you are at yours!
Never and nowhere is there perfection! Our summer is no longer so hot, but it certainly is WET. Usually we don't have to mow the lawn as often by the end of July, but once a week is barely enough at the moment. OTH, I don't have to water the plants on my deck or in the garden so much.....I do enjoy seeing your photos of Stuttgart.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a lot of work, but I guess it is all part of the parcel when one wants a nice garden :-)
DeleteSorry to hear summer has become wetter than you'd like it to be. Right now, I guess many people here would rather have the wetter (and cooler) weather!
Lovely woods. I do not do hot weather and have found the past week with its torrential downpours such a refreshing change that I am quite ready to meet the expected spell of heat again with renewed vigour!
ReplyDeleteWe've had rain last night, and it is raining as I am typing this - but still very warm, we're expecting 33 or 34C again today, so it is hot and humid and feels like some tropical country rather than a Swabian town!
DeleteYour garden, the fields and everything around you must be also refreshed by the downpurs you had last week.
The summer is just too darn hot for me! Can't wait for the autumn, the cooler temps and the colorful leaves, that is my time of year! We have had lots of rain this summer, in fact today, parts of Atlanta area had 5 inches of rain!
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of the walk through the woods, you know I do!
I am also looking forward to autumn - not just because of the colourful leaves etc. but also because O.K. and I will be on holiday for the first two weeks in September!
DeleteNothing like a walk in the woods. Nothing. It seems more humid than out in the open but the smell of the trees and the floor of mulch is just wonderful. In my opinion, of course.
ReplyDeleteWalking in the woods is nice any time of year (and in almost any weather), but on a hot day, it is just so much more pleasant than out in the open where you feel as if the sun is pressing you into the ground!
DeleteI'm not sure why I didn't comment on this before I went away because I certainly read it. I love walking in deciduous (not coniferous) forests because there is usually something for all of one's senses.
ReplyDeleteYou were probably distracted by the preparations for your trip. I like all woodland walks, no matter what kind of trees are dominating, although deciduous forests show more changes with the seasons, and there is something very special about such a walk in autumn when the leaves turn or in spring with that first tender green.
DeleteI've always been scared of coniferous forests although I'll go into them if I'm accompanied. It's a totally irrational fear but one I've always had. Oddly I have no fear in a deciduous forest.
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