Favorites » His Blog
-
-
Day 3 - through to Day 7 - Birds, Bikes and Boule
At breakfast I was now mastering how to apply the grafschafter goldsaft along with quark to black bread. Our next activity was to be given a tour of some of the nesting boxes in the area that are home to the Athena Noctua
Otherwise known as the 'Little Owl' or 'Steinkauz.' Our host being a champion of these little predators, having fashioned and introduced nesting boxes in this part of Germany as part of a regional programme to increase their numbers. (It helps that he speaks the regional dialect of the farmers, and is a Dr of Biology). From a few nesting pairs when he started, there are now around 60 nesting pairs in the region. The farmland is good habitat, but many of the fields are being turned over to the production of maize for bio-fuel. This pays the farmers a handsome subsidy, but is taking away the habitat of a variety of creatures.
The morning was bathed in glorious sunshine, great for visibility. More merriment from our host as I produced my compact sports binoculars and passed them across for inspection. The comment that came back in German was along the lines of 'chuck them away'. It felt good to stretch legs and breathe in the country air, using a little country lore to view these little feathered sunbathers without unsettling them.
Over the next five days, we were to venture out a number of times, on bicycles and on foot. The effects of being saddle sore vanished after the first couple of days. I had been given a bike that had no brake operated from the handlebar, to brake you needed to 'reverse pedal', great fun stopping abruptly at traffic lights and crossing roads.
Our hosts entertained us during the evenings as well; we had an evening onion cake courses (about eight if memory serves) and wine with a number of friends and family invited. There was also a game of cards that you attempted to win by getting rid of your cards and being the 'big boss'. The one last left with cards in hand being the tellerwaescher (dish washer).
|
Add him as a friend >
