Cloudy days make for spectacular sunsets

November 28, 2012


As a Californian, I admit I am a bit hard on the weather here. The freezing cold that sets in in early November - if not October - and the limited sunlight are hard to get used when one comes from the glorious weather of the Pacific coast. I remember the days there where more than two consecutive days of rain meant a stateside revolt. Ha! How times have changed... Now once the snow starts to come around, all is forgiven with the grey, dreary skies and I am once again German weather's biggest fan. Oh, Schnee... (I can hardly contain my excitement for the FOUR WHOLE DAYS of forecasted snow this weekend, perfect for kicking of the Weihnachtsmarkt season!)

So while I sift through all my photos - and impressions - from Barcelona and Berlin, not to mention focus on the rather massive task of hosting a belated Thanksgiving feast with friends this weekend, please enjoy some lovely scenes from dusk in Wiesbaden:










Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische


Autumn + Early Winter = Schnee Spectacular!

November 03, 2012


When I saw that snow was forecasted last weekend, I was thrilled (it was only October!). Then when I actually saw snow falling for most the of morning out our window, I was thankful that my weather app was actually accurate. But then when I was out buying bacon and syrup for a celebratory 'snow' breakfast, I saw my husband walking the dog on the other corner and what should pull up between us on the street but a car absolutely covered in snow. Not the sprinkling that had been happening all morning, with not a speck of white to be seen on the ground. No, this car had inches of snow on it, somewhere that the snow was sticking. My eyes locked with my husband's over that snowy car and I knew - we had to go to higher ground.  

So after a seasonally-appropriate breakfast of buttermillk waffles, bacon, melon, coffee AND mimosas (hey, the first snow practically requires a party in its honor), we bundled up tight, packed into the car with Bailey and headed into the mountains. As if the autumn colors in our town weren't enough....


... they were soon sprinkled with a magical dusting of white as we got high enough. Autumn colors AND the magic of winter snow? The best of both seasons was too good to be true!


We went to our usual snow spot, the Naturpark Rhein-Taunus trails, since they are high enough for good snow and close enough for a quick afternoon trip. After last year's disappointing snow showing (one morning of actual, built-up snow - that was all she wrote), I was overly excited about such a beautiful display so early in the season. My hands stayed mostly frozen on our little hike because I couldn't stop pulling out my phone to snap photos after 'oooing' and 'ahhhing' around every bend. 

Bailey dog was equally, if not more, thrilled than I. In her usual snow persona, 'Coke Fiend Bailey' (nose covered in white powder and erratic, super-hyper behavior), she had a blast sticking her face in the snow and running around like a crazed animal. She too thought it had been far too long since she'd played catch with Schneebällchen. 

To make an already stunning landscape even more breathtaking, the sun decided to break out as we headed back to the car, making the dazzling juxtaposition of autumn leaves and snow even more vivid with rays of sunshine playing off the colors with the added backdrop of gorgeous blue sky. What a day!

Here's hoping for a white Christmas...


























Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hisch