A Piece of Autumn

The days till Christmas are numbered. The year 2020 seems to pass us by so uneventfully fast with the highlight being the Corona virus pandemic. Despite this, our lives must go on. The sun still continues to shine and the seasons still change. We may not notice it that much but autumn this year is very beautiful. I have never seen such golden yellow trees while driving along the tree-lined streets of Mönchfeld. I am even tempted to stop and take a photo but doing this is not allowed and will put my life and the lives of the other motorists in jeopardy. We don't really go out that much you see, we try to stay at home as much as we can and we only go out when needed: do groceries, go to the doctor for an appointment, buy medicine at the pharmacy. We try to decline invitations to meet unless really necessary. 

Good thing there is a piece of autumn in our home. There is this japanese maple tree in front of our house and it has really turned into beautiful hues of orange, ocre, and red. When I look out my kitchen window, I can also see its splendid colors. The last few days was rainy and windy so the leaves have already fallen to the ground. Good thing I was able to capture a few shots before it became bare.

Ain't she a beauty? Even on a cold, gloomy and foggy morning, its fiery color stands out, a beautiful reminder to all of us that even on the gloomiest of days, there will always be something beautiful that comes out of it. Hopefully next fall, our tree will be as vibrant as this year's or even better.

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What's Happening in October in Stuttgart?

We are already halfway through the month of October, but it still has lots to offer for both young and old. Here are some events and activities that the City of Stuttgart and its neighboring cities has to offer this fall season:

1. Kürbisaustellung (Pumpkin Festival) at Blühendes Barock in Ludwigsburg: 

The annual pumpking festival runs until November 03, 2019. This year's theme: The Fantastic World of Fairytales. If you grew up enjoying the tales of the Grimm Brothers for example, then the giant pumpkin exhibit is a must! Lots of activities are in store for visitors: halloween pumpkin carving, music, story telling, pumpkin gourmet creations, and lots more. Entrance fees: 9,00€ for adults, and 4,50€ for children from 4-15 years old.

Giant pumpkin sculture of Peter Pan and Tinkerbelle. Sculpture by Pit Ruge.
Photo taken from Blühendes Barock website.

2. Culmination of the Remstal Garden Show:

For 164 days the Remstal became a unique experience, opening up new paths, testing new formats and making new encounters possible. With it, the communities and cities around the Remstal became closer more than ever. To culminate, an inter-community closing ceremony will take place in Waiblingen on 20.10.2019. In the evening, Waiblingen lights up, with the city center bathed in a colorful sea of lights. A fireworks display forms the brilliant finale of the event and the Remstal Garden Show 2019.

3. Halloween at the Wilhelma: 

It is Halloween at the Zoo on 31.10.2019! Children and teenagers until 18 years old in costumes have free entrance to the park. Wilhelma transforms into a Halloween town with spooky lights, a dim atmosphere, scary silhouettes and creepy decorations. Special Halloween program from 11:00 - 20:00. 

These are just some of the things that you can do with your family this month of October in Stuttgart. I wish you lots of fun and enjoyment with the whole family! 

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Golden October - Autumn Is Here!

With October comes the fresh, crisp, chilly breeze of Autumn. Trees begin to tranform in color in wonderful hues of yellows, oranges and golds, very apt for the Germans term "goldener Oktober".

In October, we still get to enjoy some sunny weather, perfect to enjoy the colors of the autumn season outdoors. So while the weather is still nice, a day out with the family is definitely a must! So grab those hiking boots and walking sticks, warm drinks and happy spirits and enjoy the golden landscape.

Because when November comes, the cold winds will blow the golden colors away, bringing with it rain and dark skies, making way for the winter that is to come.

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An Autumn Musing

The cold days are now slowly creeping in. I can still recall the not so distant days when the vineyards look so full and lush, with the Lembergers and Trollingers heavy with fruits, ready for the harvest season. 

Lembergers in all its glorious, ripe beauty.
Taken at the Weinberge Am Schnarrenberg in Stuttgart.

The autumn season has many a meanings for me. It marks the end of summer, yes. But it means a bountiful harvest, and of preparing for the new life that spring brings. It allows us to slowly get used to the mild, chilly and sometimes wintry breeze. 

As the leaves turn from green to hundreds of different hues of yellows,  oranges, and reds and then finally to brown, it brings in an air of sadness. And yet you smile because despite this oh so natural phenomenon, innocent children shriek with laughter at the sight of piles of fallen leaves and at the crunchy sound of the leaves crushing beneath their covered feet.   

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5 Ways To Go Green This Autumn

The days are getting colder and we can feel it in the chill of the crisp morning breeze. Soon the leaves will turn red, orange and gold, the trees will soon shed their leaves but autumn is still a good way to become green.

So how to go green this fall season? Here are some five ways to get you started:

1. Buy green. Choose products that are environment friendly. If you have a home office, opt to buy eco-friendly office supplies. Although you may have heard it a thousand times, always recycle! What do you do with those tons of paper that's been printed on one side? You can use the other side for just about anything: notes, as sketch paper for your little ones to draw on, to print your drafts on. Once both sides are used up, you can collect them again to be sent to recycling facilities.

You can always look for these logos so you will know that a product is eco-friendly or supports environmental and sustainability causes:

2. Keep the bills down this cold season. Instead of turning up the heat, grab a sweater. Improve your knitting or crocheting skills by making a throw. If there's no one in the house, then by all means turn off your heater. Or better yet, get a programmable thermostat so you're only heating the house when everybody is at home.

3. Walk! The cold is always a good excuse to get into the car to make a trip to the groceries but try to minimize this one. Walking is a healthy routine that you should not miss except on days when the roads are really dangerous to thread on. The cool crisp air and the foliage is something to be enjoyed while they last.

Pumpkins of different shapes, sizes and color for your Halloween decor.

4. With the fall season comes Halloween. If you are decorating your home for the halloween, opt for the natural and non-commercial. Buy locally grown pumpkins to be used as gourds and jack-o-lanterns. Use recycled paper  to decorate your windows. Be creative and you will have a nicely decorated home with no extra spending.

5. What to do with all those fallen leaves? Collect them and compost them. Once the spring season comes, you will have your own organic fertilizer to enrich your garden soil. You can also use the leaves as fuel if you have a fireplace. These leaves make good decorations too!

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