22 - 28 September 2008

Justine's Dad, Grahame, always tried to teach her that 'success comes not by making no mistakes, but by never making the same mistake twice'. Well, this weekend Simon should have heeded his advice twice. Firstly, when he once again took part in the Hundstein bike race, 17 km up 1300m, and failed to bring home the much coveted booby prize (which last year fed our family for a week), in fact clocking in at a very respectable 1 hour and 37 minutes. Secondly, when he once again tried to match the local talent for mixing beer and schnapps at yet another village do with long tables, benches and free, unlimited food and drink, in celebration of Harvest Festival. Justine eventually found him having tea with the new vicar - he's sure this time that he didn't kiss anyone, but he does remember joining the fire-brigade.

15 - 21 September 2008

The band plays second fiddle to a load of cows at the Bauernherbstfest procession. Signifying the end of summer, and, oh yes, another excuse for a lot of beer and thigh slapping, the livestock who have frolicked at altitude for the last few months are led down the mountain through the village and into a cosy barn, where they will stay until the snow has been and gone. Usually, on this occasion, bedecked with flowers, the cows were adorned simply with bells, out of respect for two of their number killed by lightning. The sheep missed their entrance because the farmers couldn't find them that morning in all the cloud at 2700m. Let's hope it lifts before it gets too chilly up there.

8 - 14 September 2008

Having Carl and Rebecca in the house is like having the Monty Python argument/contradiction sketch playing on a loop. Simon joined in the fray to debate at length whether this, hovering around our balcony flowers in the warm sun (see photo), is a humming bird or a moth. Finally a perfect compromise was arrived at - it is a humming-bird moth usually found in lowlands and Mediterranean countries. Two days later the temperature dropped to 4 degrees and snow is covering the mountains. I expect the humming-bird moth has gone home.

1 - 7 September 2008

Stollen - its perfect blend of fattening and unhealthy ingredients is of sufficient stodginess to give you that feeling of being lovingly embraced, without the guilt that often accompanies scoffing huge amounts of cake. Just to make it even more desirable, Stollen is only available in the shops from September till March but, September, thank God, has finally arrived and we are making the most of it already. Justine has written a short poem, auf Deutsch, in praise of this most delicious cake:
Wir wollen ... stollen.