Our visit with Ulrike and her husband necessitated a drive south of Stuttgart into the Black Forrest. The Walz family cottage is a beautiful home tucked in a secluded corner of the forrest. The winding roads narrowed over time until we hit a dead-end, and their charming house. The only sounds I could hear were birds, the wind, and the water from a stream. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
The cottage - like much of Germany - has an incredible history. Ulrike showed me the original front door, with the date "1724" inscribed in stone above the entrance. This home is older than my country.
After a wonderful lunch we embarked on a two-hour hike through the forrest. Joining us was the Schiffer's "hund" that had joined us for the day. (I love this dog; in fact, meeting her in 2005 was what prompted my family to add a Westie to our family in 2007. So it is good to see her too!)
I have noticed over the years that Europeans are - generally - more physically fit than we Americans. (I know, this is not a major news flash.) But the long hikes after a meal allow them (and their lucky visiting guests) guilt-free moments like this ...
Yes, that's right. This is genuine "Black Forrest Cherry Cake" (Steffi's grandmother's recipe) ... being consumed in ... The Black Forrest!
Returning to Bietigheim-Bissingen for the evening, it was an extra surprise to see Daniela, who came home from to join us for a light dinner and to watch the Germany football game. I have known Daniela for many years (she even stayed with my family for Christmas one year) and it was so much fun to catch up with her and hear about her soon-to-be published Master's thesis.
The true "dessert" to my day was my FaceTime chat with Kristen, Miles and Emery.
Thanks for making Father's Day feel special from the other side of the pond. Love and miss you,
Dad
