The outdoors trifecta;
perfect warm, but not sweaty weather,
bike tour
picnic in the (magic European green) forest.
We bought the yearly pass to the windmill this time and so far we have been three times so it has already paid for itself. We have asked the bee man the same questions over and over again. The kids raced back and forth to the bakehouse until we had bought the last of the braided rolls without sultanas, it was late in the day so we didn't really buy that many and there were 6 kids.
We watched and learnt about the Dulmerwildpferde- the wild horses from Dulmer. I think this picture says it all. The mouse is fascinated by horses at the moment and I am very happy to relive my childhood love along with her. That said, my facilitation of the horse dream will never extend to buying one so, like me she is getting used to the idea early that she to will always have the disappointment yet financial benefit of never owning her own horse.
For the record the Wild horses are actually wild and a few are caught each year and tamed.
These little people of mine always amaze me. There was a story time during one of our visits and the lady was wandering around reminding kids to come along to listen, so we did, wondering how long the kids would last listening to fairy tales in German. Fortunately a decision was made to change the venue from the smokehouse to the old home as not even I can stand the smell in the smoke house and no ambience was lost.
The treasure chest was opened, an object was selected, the bell rang and the story began. Herr F and I realised how beautiful and relaxing it is to be read to and nearly fell asleep sitting on the table. Three stories later and the Mouse started poking the Bear so when the majority of people left Herr F took her for a walk but the Bear and the Monkey wanted to stay. After each story I asked if they wanted to go but they were very keen to stay. So with just 5 kids the storyteller continued and after another three stories when the treasure chest was empty the Bear and the Monkey walk very contently outside and started recounting their favourite story in English. I am so jealous of those little brains.
We do sometimes travel further afield...
The windmill is just around the corner from our house but a few weekends ago we decided to have a train adventure. We visited the Roman museum in a nearby town as it was the big weekend were they set up all the tents and stalls. I always forget how far the Roman Empire reached and the impact. The Bear has been planning a toga party for the past year and loves all things historical (wonder where he gets that from Herr F?) so even with a 1.5km walk from train to museum there wasn't a lot of complaining from the longer legged family members. The one with with shortest legs complained the entire way, but it was worth it. We dressed up, built a roman house with friends we met there, wrote on gold wish papers, heard the water organ and the horns, made the windmill game and pressed our own Roman coins
The brown purse was made by the Monkey and has the windmill game stones inside it.
Now she wants to ride a horse in a toga!
He's always happy to join in, especially when slaves dress him.
We rounded off the summer with the Lambertusspiel. Lanterns and singing in circles, not just once but twice, once at the kids school and once with the Kindergarten. I loved it! Most of the kids loved it and Herr F politely watched on. Though, if you have heard me sing you would feel really sorry for the people on either side of me.
The second time around we got the hang of the words better and the Monkey was thrilled to be taken as the farmers wife (de Kirmis-Frau) in the platt German song whose words are still a mystery except for "pottlekker" which is pot licker and was shouted around the house lots by the kids the next time we baked a cake.
She desperately wanted to wear the farmers basket and apparently there is a photo at kindergarten of this. She woke everyone up for the next week by singing "Der Bur der kommt" and pretending she was wearing clogs. We live on the first floor and our landlord lives below; bet he loved that week.
The German version of "There's a hole in my Bucket" is called "Dumme Liese" and it is poor Liese that is asking all the questions to Heinrich as opposed to the English version where it is Henry who asks constant questions as he is lazy and trying to get out of work. These feet don't belong to us but the father who played the Bauer- de Bur-the farmer at the kindergarten Lambertusspiel.
Just had to get a clog photo.
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