2024 May: YIKES! I Slept Through The Alarm!

Yes, that’s exactly how I feel. Like I slept through the alarm for a meeting or missed work! The stress and my clouded head go into overdrive to fix the situation. Oh, I know what happened. Apparently, I’ve slept through part of spring and all of summer because it is now winter. The snow, hail, and rain in the BlackForest are daunting, and yes, my internal clock has failed.

But I am not going to let this stand in my way. No way! I might need to pull out the snow coat, but let’s do this. As some of you recall, last month was my birthday, and we spent two wonderful days enjoying the Wine Strasse near Bad Dürkheim. We stayed in a wonderful old villa/castle., Schloss Edesheim. You can click on the link to see more and change the language in the right-hand corner of the English flag.

The first night, we ate dinner at the Wine Castell Restaurant across the street from our hotel. They had homemade everything and all local dishes, including one of our favorites: snails! Truly, these snails were better than the places we’ve eaten in France.

Lutz enjoyed their Saumagen, and I have to agree if my one bite was that good, I’m sure the rest was superb!

The pork loins with gorgonzola sauce were also a hit. This is a great restaurant if you’re passing through.

Our friends from Kaiserslautern, Markus and Anneliese, joined us for the five-course dinner at the Schloss Edesheim the next day, which was out of this world. The package was a two-day stay and included the dinner. It’s worth every bite!

Before dinner, we took the stool tram to the top of Reitburg Bahn. This was a cool trip, slowly climbing the mountainside and not too high above the ground for those who fear heights—like Lutz and me.

The trip was worth the view!

Dinner that evening was amazing, and the dining room was quaint and charming!

The main course, lamb on polenta, was my favorite of all five courses!

When my alarm woke me in winter, we headed for indoor fun at the National Park Centre Ruhestein. This is the coolest museum I’ve visited in a long time. It was so fun to experience a truly four-senses tour. The only thing missing was the smell of the forest (a little pine air freshener would have done the trick for your sense of smell). This place is an architectural masterpiece. Click the link above for more about this amazing place; it should be in English.

Even the inside was amazing. So much light until…

You headed for the long dark path that takes you on a grand tour of the Black Forest environment. I didn’t record the sounds but imagine yourself walking at night through the forest, listening to the sounds of the animals and nature.

It is very kid-friendly, and along the path, many exhibits in several languages with hands-on activities were set up.

You could even pet the animals!

The path goes deep underground to view what is happening under the trees. The exhibits of animal and plant life below the eye are spectacular.

This museum is a must if you are in the area and want to know more about the Black Forest and its splendor or to get out of the cold. It was a treat for the eyes, ears, and senses. Plus, it had a great cafe for your taste buds!

Besides cooking, staying warm by the fire, and reading, we began cleaning our boat, Virus, for our summer tour to France. But before we take off on the canals, we’ve been packing for our four-week exploration of Croatia. We drove to Sirmonie, Italy, on April 24 for two days. It was amazing! It is a beautiful old city on a peninsula extending into the Garda Sea—lots of walking paths and old history.

If you want to avoid the crowds, the best time to go is in May. The weather was super, except for a few clouds.

We stayed just before the bridge in a hotel with a super restaurant across the street.

The sunsets were spectacular. After two days, we decided to head out since it was an Italian holiday, and the small cafes and shops were horrific!

Next Stop: We plan to stay in the old town of Porec, then head to the National Park Plitvice to experience where Karl May’s film, Winnetou, was produced (presently, Lutz’s favorite author). Then, it’s off to a super Airbnb on the beach south of Split for some sun and sightseeing. Our final experience is a week-long boat and bike trip to Dubrovnik, stopping at several islands for bike tours, then back to Split and heading home. Please keep your eyes peeled for June’s newsletter. It should be a great event and lots of info for your next visit to this unique area!

Until next month, I hope you all are warm and have not slept through spring and summer like I have! Set your alarm daily to remind yourself that adventures are always available, no matter the weather!

Fave Recipe: Gluten-free Soughdough Starter

Gluten-free sourdough recipes are all over the net, and I struggled to find one that worked until a friend introduced me to this amazing site. I’ve made sourdough pancakes, waffles, bread, and more. Check it out!

Fave Resource: The Allergies-Solution for relief

I’ve had the good fortune of finding this site and reading Jill McLaughlin’s cookbook for those suffering from autoimmune challenges. I’ve benefited from many of her articles, but this one is for all those who suffer from allergies or have friends who do and have tried every solution. Maybe this one is it! Click here to learn more.