There’s a common misconception about Global Warming. People think it’s going to get much hotter. Actually, in Ireland and most of Europe, it’s going to get a lot colder, and with more and more rain. That’s because the jet stream, which keeps Ireland, England and Northern Europe “warm” will shift far to the south as […]
Dinner with Friends
A pre-Ireland party with Guinness with old friends Mike and Brigitte in our favorite pizza joint in the village of Eberstadt, near Darmstadt the other night. I’ve known Mike since 1989 when I had first joined the staff at the “European Stars & Stripes” newspaper, published at that time in the town of Griesheim. The […]
BuCOWlic scene in Weidenhausen
Marie and I came up with a new word the other day. It describes perfectly the scenes you can enjoy all around the Siegen-Wittgenstein land.
Weidenhausen 700 Birthday Celebration
It’s a remarkable experience to be a part of the birthday celebrations of a hamlet marking seven centuries of history. The townspeople of Weidenhausen, in the Siegen-Wittgenstein area of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (all 495 of them) turned out during a lovely weekend to mark the birthday with a series of events. Marie and I were fortunate […]
Rinthe is a picturebook hamlet in the Siegen-Wittgenstein area
One of Marie’s ancestral villages is right out of a storybook which could be entitled, “Most Perfectly-Preserved German Farm Hamlets.” Rinthe consists of a dozen farms and absolutely nothing else. The scene is right out of the 1700s and most of the farm houses and barns were built in this period and still retain their […]
Weidenhausen Three Times as Old as America
The hamlet of Weidenhausen celebrates its first mention in an official document (1309) with summerlong events all this year. Last night’s party at the festival tent was probably attended by all 495 residents plus many who came from around Germany for class reunions and at least two Americans. It was a night full of great […]
Meeting the Muesse Family
A highlight of Marie’s third trip to Germany was meeting more Muesse cousins in Weidenhausen, which is celebrating its 700th birthday all during the year. Today’s events started with a special church service followed by a visit to the home of Heinrich Muesse and his family. We met up with the Muesse family later at […]
Hotel Raumland a Great Home Away from Home
We’ve stayed two wonderful nights at the peaceful Hotel Raumland just outside of Bad Berleburg, in the Siegen-Wittgenstein area of central Germany. The hospitality here has been fantastic. We’ve eaten all of our meals here and each has been more special than the last. Starting with fresh asparagus with a schnitzel on our day of […]