The farm

The day dawns wet and cool. We wake up to the view of the castle and blue skies laden with rain clouds. Very soon the sun peeps out and the sky turns brilliant blue. It's our day to chill and do nothing. After breakfast we wait for our missing luggage that's promised to make an appearance soon and in true German tradition the lost luggage is restored to us. It's time to celebrate and we do it the village way. A long walk around the village to take in atmosphere and to work up an appetite. It's a mild day not too many people around,the shops are open and we look into each of them  some quaint,some modern,some just ordinary but it's not the shops or the houses,it's the setting. Very much out of a fairy tale. Dolls houses by our standards,little windows peeping out of roofs,lace curtains,people who cycle with children in carriers behind them. All very efficient.

We have mastered the kitchen in the house so come home to a meal of fresh salad and rice . The ingredients like all chefs will tell you make all the difference. It's fresh and tasty and simple.

The afternoon is spent sitting on the balcony enjoying mild sun and just a nip in the air,reading a book.

Then a long walk (a brisk one this time) and its tea time already. Home made cheese cake and plum crumble cake and while my heart and head tell me I should steer clear of it,greed takes over and I shovel it into my mouth,never mind the guilt.

While the sund continues to shine we set off to a farm and as we enter and walk to the cow sheds the smell of hay,cows and cowsheds brings back so many memories of childhood. The cows here have no horns,and are brown and white with blond eyelashes. They look harmless enough chomping happily on a mixed feed of corn and some other stuff,things I have never seen and can't identify. The calves are just a few days old and unmindful of danger,they are more than happy to be petted and played with. It's a huge farm with paddock s for horses,cow sheds,tractors that bale hay,huge preparations being made for winter and much activity. Horses graze peacefully on the grass. Beautiful majestic creatures who clip chop down the cobbled streets as elegantly as a woman in high heels.

The farms have large tracts of land with winding roads and some which enter a dark forest. We take the part to the forest as for us this is a new experience. The silence is defending and the only sounds are of birds twittering in the trees. Chestnuts ,apples and pear trees line our path . Some laden with fruit. Walnuts trees are also laden with nuts. It's all there for the picking but no one does. Autumn has arrived and leaves turn colour and fall. It's peaceful silent and absolutely perfect.