This melody, as well as the accompanying text, is known by most German children. It’s sung on the day of St Nicolas when children are waiting for dark to fall and St Nicolas coming by and putting little presents in the prepared boots.
Let us all be cheery and bright and look forward to Nicolas' night. Merrily, merrily, ding ding dong! It's Nicolas' evening before too long.
It’s written on the picturesque house façade of this house in Hornbach:
This tree stands inside the castle ruin of Lindenfels. It is already old but the tree doctors are doing everything to keep it alive and have put in splints so that it doesn’t topple over. Burg Lindenfels was first mentioned in 1123 and thus has a really long past to look back to.
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Trumpeting to ages past.
Sometimes perspective is forced upon you as was the case here. This herald angel stands on the parapet above a large gate inside the wider courtyard of the castle Fürstenau – the only way to look is up.
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Revelling in the evening light, Burg Breuberg, a monument to times gone past: built in the era of the Hohenstaufen with large extensions during the Gothic and Renaissance periods.
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The Sea of Stones in the Lautertal is a magnificent natural wonder of the Odenwald. There is geological explanation and a mythical one about two giants hurtling stones at each other.
And just to make sure that you do not think I am showing you close-ups of some pebbles, let me add something for scale:
A couple of weeks ago juxtaposed the new and old parts of Schloss Fürstenau in Steinbach. Here are some of the windows from the various buildings.
The clear cut classical lines of the new palais with the black and gilded lattice look perfect with the white walls offest by the grey frames (I have no idea what the colours originally were).
Dormer windows jutting out of the slate tiled roof and the wide bay window in sandstone.
My favourite windows are the skew ones in the old part which are on the outside of a staircase.
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The eldest parts of Schloss Fürstenau in Steinbach, part of Michelstadt im Odenwald, were built in the 14th century. It is still used residentially which is why the court yard is only open for a few hours each day. The newest part is the “new palais” on the left. The renovated white, grey and gold façade is quite the opposite of the more mellow, medieval parts.
Cycling with the train.
A couple of weeks ago we took the bikes and a train.
That’s the Odenwald Bahn, the red train running from Weinheim to Fürth/Odw.
We ditched the train at the end of the line and cycled back, all 17 kilometers.
Bye, bye, train!
The Ragtag Daily Prompt: Train
In some parts of Germany houses (not just roofs) are covered with wooden shingles. It’s a very special look.
pictures imperfect blog 