Tag Archives: bonding with Germans

Hessen

Photo dump from last night’s wine stand…

We had absolutely gorgeous weather last night, so Bill and I decided to go to the wine stand. It was our first one in a long while. We were sick in mid June, and then we were in Switzerland. I think the one before our sickness we missed because Bill was in Spain, and I hadn’t wanted to attend the wine stand alone.

We sat in the corner, where we usually sit, waiting for people to show up for the event. Bill got me a Riesling, and himself a Graubürgunder. I think the stand was hosted by a local winery.

Below are some photos I took. We talked to our American neighbors, and I told one of them about my Peace Corps experience in Armenia. She said she’d always wanted to join the Peace Corps, but feared it might not be possible, because her partner is in the military. I explained that military members can join, as long as they aren’t involved in intel… and even if they are, I believe that after some time, they can join if they wish. I actually think the two of them would be great Volunteers, if they were ever inclined to join. But, of course, that all depends on if Trump ruins the Peace Corps with one of his horrific policies.

We also met a man who had a beautiful dog named Stella. Stella is an Australian Shepherd and Border Collie mix. She was very friendly to us. I think I won her over with many butt scratches.

The sausages they were selling actually looked really good last night. We probably should have had one.

Sweet Stella!
I love what they did with this bottle.

It was nice to go to the wine stand again, even if I did have to pee like a racehorse at the end. I think tomorrow, there’s going to be a flea market, and the wine stand will be open again.

Hopefully, this week, there won’t be any fires to put out. I think Bill has bought some ribs for our modest July 4th celebration, here at home. I don’t see it as celebrating America’s birthday so much as having a reason to cook some awesome ribs. 😋

It’s crazy that it was so hot last week, and today, it’s just 80 degrees. Last night, it was 76, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I’d love to see this weather stick around, if only because maybe my ankles will stop being so swollen.

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German lifestyle, Hessen

A few photos from last night’s chilly wine stand…

Last night, we decided to go to the wine stand, which happens every other Friday, here in Breckenheim. There wasn’t a big crowd, probably because the weather was a bit iffy. We had rain and storms yesterday, but the sun also came out for awhile. The temperature was slightly brisk, especially for June. I brought a light wrap with me to ward off the chill.

I’m glad we decided to go, even if I did drink too much wine and woke up with a hangover. We ran into a really lovely elderly German couple who are always kind to us when they see us. They joined us at our table, and we practiced our German, while the wife practiced her English. They ate pizza, and offered us some, but we had chili on the stove.

Even though sometimes we feel a little party crashers when we go to the wine stands, we’ve really come to enjoy these community events. The people in Breckenheim are mostly friendly and inclusive… moreso than what we experienced when we lived in Jettingen and Pfäffingen. Sometimes I do miss living down near the Black Forest, though, if only because there was a lot to do, especially on the weekends. There’s a lot to do up here, too, but it has a different vibe. I especially miss taking hikes in the Schwarzwald. I could do that here, too, I guess… but the scenery is not as beautiful to me.

Anyway… here are a few photos.

My favorite photo of the night!

We don’t always go to the wine stands anymore. Sometimes, we just don’t feel like it, or the weather isn’t good. I tend to drink too much wine when we do go… But I have to admit, with a few exceptions, we usually have a good time hanging out with our neighbors. We’ve been told that Breckenheim actually started the wine stand trend in this area, which is used to raise funds for different clubs. The clubs host the stands at the weekly markets, too.

We left the wine stand at just the right time. Bill was getting hungry, and he was very tired from an early flight back to Germany from Poland. Not long after we left, the sky opened up with rain!

Tonight, we have reservations at Landhaus Diedert. It will be the first time we’ve gone there for dinner. Tomorrow, we have lunch reservations at Villa im Tal. So stay tuned for lots of food pictures over the weekend! It’s also a religious holiday on Sunday and Monday (Whit Sunday– the final day of the Easter season– and Whit Monday). I think there are community events going on for that, too, including a raffle that Bill bought tickets for.

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