A Sunny Week

Not a single drop of rain fell all of last week. In fact, the last time it rained here was on the 24th of February. Nights and mornings are still cold to the point of frost, but the days have been warming up nicely, most days reaching about 14 to 15C (57-59F) with Saturday being the warmest at 18C/64F.

On Monday (2nd of March), I went exploring: My usual walk to Benningen can be done on different paths, and I felt like trying one that I had not followed before. Quite unexpectedly, I came across a small hollow that looked like it might have been a quarry at one time, but it is possible that it is a natural feature. That was quite a treat for me.

A new path!

Not been here before - it's just on the other side of the rail tracks where I walk about once a week.

Man-made or natural? The pond is of course man-made, but I am not sure about the rocky walls.

It was very quiet there with only birdsong to hear, and of course the occasional train.

On more familiar ground again, with Benningen on the horizon.

I worked at the office in Weilimdorf both Tuesday and Wednesday (3rd and 4th of March). On the Tuesday, I got off the train in Kornwestheim and walked the rest; on Wednesday, my sister and I met at our Mum's for a chat, a meal and helping with a few things (mainly stow away the very last of her Christmas things).

On the fields between Kornwestheim and Ludwigsburg on Tuesday late afternoon.

Sunset, just before I reached Ludwigsburg on the Tuesday.

What you see here is not the sun, but the moon rising a bit before 8:00 pm on Wednesday.

Thursday (5th of March) I took part at an all day online course for work. Originally, it was meant to take place in Ulm; I already had my hotel room and train ticket booked, but the week before, it was announced that the course was now exclusively online with no possibility to attend "in person". That was a shame, but I was able to cancel both the room and the train ticket.

The course was interesting and helpful for some questions I have to deal with at work, but oh my was it intense! There were only five of us plus the trainer. One of the participants was the type who love hearing themselves speak, and apart from asking some valuable questions the answers to which were interesting to all of us, he commented everything else at length... and when I say "at length", I mean it! He kept explaining what they did in his company back in 2013 (not at all relevant to what we were learning now!), and just wouldn't stop talking... I was a little disappointed that the trainer didn't stop him. Instead, she rushed through the last two items on the agenda, and one of these was of particular interest to me.

When we finished about 20 minutes later than scheduled, I shut my computer, grabbed my shoes and jacket and practically fled the scene - I HAD to get out, preferably before sunset! I managed my Asperg-Eglosheim round, walking off some of the tension, but mentally feeling really exhausted.

It was my turn to host an online meeting that lasted until lunch time on Friday (6th of March). Apart from a few technical hiccups (we are all used to them by now, but that doesn't make them any better), it went very well. 

I did most of my cleaning in the afternoon, and early evening walked into town. We have many clothes shops but very few left that you could call "house of fashion", where you get good quality items and the staff is qualified to advise you and often goes the extra length for you. They have been around for decades and still enjoy very good standing in my town.

A couple of times a year they host a fashion show, and my Mum, her friend and I love attending. This time, I went with my upcoming wedding in mind. The show was good, and we had a lot of fun; however, none of the outfits presented by the models was what I could see myself wearing to the registry office. But after the show (the shop was closed to the general public by then), we were allowed to browse, try on - and of course buy - until 10:00 pm, and I ended up buying a pretty dress which will serve me well not only on the 8th of May. At about 9:00 pm, the three of us left, tired but happy.

Some more household stuff needed doing on Saturday (7th of March), but at about 1:00 pm, I left for the train station and took a train to Marbach. I walked my usual Steinheim walk; the previous time was in December and you can see the pictures of that beautiful day here.

Early March looks and feels different to December, and I was happy to spot the first anemonae in the woods, among other things. This time, I did a wider loop and walked almost 19 km altogether. I had brought a sandwich and my water flask, and stopped for short breaks on sunny benches when I felt like it, making it a very enjoyable afternoon.

First anemonae!

The pictures have loaded in the wrong order, I'm afraid - this is actually the start of the walk, looking back just after leaving Marbach.

The river Murr

Historic house in Steinheim

Church spire in Steinheim

Abandoned vineyard

This was a perfect spot for my (late) lunch - it was 2:00 pm.

The village of Lehrhof

On Sunday (8th of March), my federal state of Germany (Baden-Württemberg) held a General Election. For a few years now, my sister and I have been volunteering at one of the polling stations in our town; the last time was in February 2025. This time, we were at a different location, at an elementary school closer to home - it takes only about ten minutes to walk there from where I live.

Don't I look all serious and official?

Two regular booths for voters to make their crosses on the list, and the lower one on the teacher's desk at the right height for wheelchairs.

That way, we knew quite a few of the people who came voting, including our Mum and her friend. We worked the morning shift, starting at 7:15 and leaving at about 12:45 for a few hours to rest and do other things (I spoke to O.K. on the phone as well as to Mary, my mother-in-law in Yorkshire, who turned 92 that day) before returning at 5:45 pm.

The election officially ended at 6:00 pm, and that's when the job of counting the votes began. It wasn't overly complicated this time but still took our team of seven about two hours - everything is done VERY carefully and double-checked to make sure no mistakes are made and nothing happens that should not happen. We all signed at the end to confirm that we were reporting the correct numbers of votes, then we put the class room back in order, and at 9:00 pm I was home.

My sister and I find this good work, and we enjoy it - doing our bit for democracy in our country. The right to vote is important and not to be taken for granted, and to live in a country where you can go to a polling station and cast your vote without fear of pressure or violence is something to be grateful for.