A few rambling thoughts today…
The views from the path I took yesterday leaving O’s work place left me contemplating life and the natural beauty I’m fortunate to experience. This was literally two minutes from the door to his band room. Detmold is a small city in North Rhine -Westphalia, whose history dates back to the late 700’s. And no, I didn’t forget the 1 in front of the 7. If you divided Germany into four parts, Detmold lies just under Bielefeld in the middle of the upper left corner. Standing tall just outside of town is Hermann the German, “a monument commemerating the Cherusci war chief Hermann or Arminius and the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in which the Germanic tribes under Arminius recorded a decisive victory in 9 AD over three Roman legions under Varus.” There’s your history lesson for the day.. month..year.
I’ve only been to Detmold a couple of times as I was usually doing the parenting thing in Hamburg. I’m here working on our move back to Orcas Island and getting to travel a little with meinem Mann.
It is beautiful and vast here. The Elbe River in Hamburg was our shining star. Here it’s the farmlands. When you live somewhere, even in a foreign country, it often happens we became so wrapped up in the routine of daily life, we forget to take in our surroundings. The history, the stories. I of course completely submerse myself in the local culture of food but that also intertwines with basic needs. That’s easy.
So I walked O to his class and then just kept walking…thinking…. walking…. thinking…walking…
I walked the perimeter of the Freilichtmuseum, one of Germany’s largest open air museums (90 hectares-approx 200 acres) depicting country life in the past. I loved visiting here three years ago. Houses of yesteryear, gardens, fields, animals… the ways of the world before modern technology, synthetic fertilizers, mono-cropping and CAFO’s
Side note: The Omnivore’s Dilemma. A must read for those who haven’t. I’m just getting to it myself.
Growing up on the beaches of Florida and just inland with it’s strip malls and diminishing orange groves, provided me little exposure to farm life. I’m sure it existed but we didn’t know any farmers. Where my fascination with farm life began is a mystery.
My husband, born and raised about forty minutes from here, grew up working on a farm from the age of six. He wanted to be a farmer or a gypsy but the love of music overcame both. We share a similar juxtaposition. The desire to settle, nest and the desire to explore, expand. We are finding the balance together.
This walk was the sort of walk you just start without really knowing where you are going, how long it will take or where you will end up. A little how life can be at times.
In my mind, I wandered in and out of my immediate surroundings. I thought of the past, present and future.
What’s it all about Ralphie?
At one point I imagined, if I dropped to the pavement, how long would it take for someone to stumble upon me. I went through the scenario in my head, felt the hotel keys in my pocket, and carried on knowing they would track me down through our names on the room.
At the end of the day, I’m blessed with love, good family, opportunity, choices that have led to growth, joy and heartache. I, we continue to move forward, leave regret and guilt behind and remain open to… it all.
Take some time to get out in whatever nature is closest to you and let your mind wander. Let your mind rest. Feel.
And you know what I just realized in this moment. I didn’t think once about food. It can happen.
Please check out Backroad Journal where Karen is currently traveling through Germany and Austria. Great posts and photos!
Carry on…
x wendy
Wendy's Place 
I’m a city gal who left here heart somewhere in the country! Part of me loves urban life but another part yearns for fresh brisk mornings and the smell of green grass! Love the cows going about their everyday business, along with the sunlight and tranquility of the trees.
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It is a tough call… city vs country. Lovely when you can have a little of both. I’ve been having a thing for cows lately. It’s funny really. I’m not a vegetarian. Someday we might have one 😉
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What a beautiful walk, what lovely thoughts, what a great life is possible here on this blessed planet. Dad’s sitting here on your beautiful Frog Song farm thinking about how blessed I am to have you! XXX0000
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Yep… it’s a damn good life!
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What a beautiful post – it is lovely to hear from you. Have really missed you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts too. Wendy, they don’t have to think about food all the time neither …. Even if you are FAB when you do.
I didn’t know that your husband was born German – thought you both were from US and his job had taken him to Germany.
Germany is a very beautiful country – had my love there ones too.
I’m a city girl, but a couple of days at the countryside will do me good at times – but I couldn’t live there, it doesn’t have to be a big city – but there has to be opportunities and connections with the rest of the world. Are you leaving Hamburg for good ???
Thanks for sharing with me.
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Thank you. It’s funny… it’s harder to put out something from the heart. The recipes are easy.
So leaving for good is too big a question right now. I will be based back in the USA the next four years,.. that we know and O is getting a semester off and will be on Orcas most of next year. We are taking it a step at a time and grateful for the options that have been presented to us.
Miss you too! Between travel and really continuing technical difficulties I’ve felt a bit out of the loop. But I’m not going anywhere. Cyber world has no borders! xx
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Wendy, it was so unlike you … and I like the Wendy that I met this morning. Can image that it’s tough on you both now – with the distance. But I have had two long distance relationships and when people asked me how we worked it out. I said I rather having an ocean between my man and me .. being in different countries .. than having an ocean between us and sleeping in the same bed.
Today there is so easy communications with internet .. skype .. video calls. Still it’s hard at times.
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😉 I love that. And it’s so true.
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Excellent! What a lovely post – wonderful thoughts and beautiful pictures. Have a very HAPPY day 🙂 All the best 🙂
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Am glad to see you here…. Thanks.
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You really do some heavy traveling. Wonderful! I wish I could travel more often, too 🙂
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Hi Wendy ~ a touching post… your thoughtful words are a reminder of the balance of beauty & struggle in all our lives. Gorgeous photographs. Thank you. Hugs ~ Sue
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What a beautiful walk…glad you took advantage of it. Long, meandering walks are one of my favorite things to do. Lots of meditation and prayer have been done this way while enjoying the beauty of nature. So moving.
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Wendy-Such beautiful, peaceful photos!
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What an all-around gorgeous, thoughtful and sensitive post Chloe! I’m so grateful that your meandering set your mind to wandering! We’re all now the grateful recipients of your contemplative walk. (I’ve been away for a while so I might have missed it but how wonderful for you to be returning to Orcas! Another beautiful spot on earth…I have the strongest hunch though that you’d always find the beauty.) best of luck to you Chloe!
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I mean Wendy! For crying out loud!! 😉
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Thanks Spree… and one would think I’d be the chloe. No worries! It’s good to share a little more now and again. x
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I love wandering around and discovering those little and not so little villages in Germany. Detmold looks gorgeous. I loved this post and the photos are so beautiful.
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Don’t you always find yourself more “centered” when you go on a lone ramble through beautiful vistas and scenery in nature? I felt like I traveled with you today and I didn’t think about food at all:) Well, maybe once when my tummy rumbled.. This was a lovely read!!
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Your pictures are beautiful. You must feel like you are in a dream. I will definitely download omnivores dilemma. I suffer from flexitarian’s dilemma b/c I don’t eat meat but I live with 2 voracious carnivores. No kidding, I cook bacon practically every morning.
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What a lovely post and a beautiful place to ponder life. Thank you for the lovely mention about my travels in Germany and Austria…so kind of you.
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Your welcome Karen. I’m sure everyone will love them as much as I have. Cheers and tschüß….w
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Great pics! I especially love the last one.
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thanks! I could not have asked for a more beautiful morning.
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I read your 2018 post (50 this year also);; good read. Time is limited, it’s to live.
Icontinued my breakfast and landed on this page (it’s 8am here, in Berlin – ja, genau).
I know you from the farm, but reading this ‘origin story’ teases admiration and inspiration. This was 5-6yrs ago, you had a dream, you made it come true. And now it’s 2018 and you’ve set new goals that fit the person you are today. Well done, Wendy. You’re an inspiration. To me.
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That’s really lovely to hear. I’m going to go read it again now:) It’s interesting to take in what others say- and I’m adding to my 2018 intentions (overused word but appropriate), to appreciate and receive kind words and thoughts others say. To accept them fully, like embrace them, hug them tightly and keep on doing what I’m doing!
We pass through Berlin yearly to visit family- I like Berlin a lot. Happy New Year and tchuß!
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Tranquility – that’s what you give off. Just keep on being you; it’s working.
Berlin annually! Maybe I’ll run into you ‘by coincidence’, it’s such a small town. Be good.
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