6 April 2015 - Easter Monday -

Today had been planned to the very last detail by Karl who was taking Annika with him, by train (she was the cheapest companion and is also a fantastic navigator) to collect our Peugot lease car from Basel, France.  The reason for this was that if we picked up the car from France, we can return it in France, when we get to Paris on 15 May. 

We all walked to our local station in the "sunnyness" of the morn to wave them off and the boys and I went to the local fields to play with the Aussie Rules football which did attract some attention - from afar being the discrete Germans.  No chance of a bakery treat as NOTHING was open in Bermatingen.  I was hoping school would be good today after the early morning fresh air but suffice to say it was as frustrating as predicted but funnily enough after dinner tonight we had a roaring good time doing maths with Luke.

Having found some delicious looking very thick bacon on our shopping expedition on Saturday, the boys were eager to have bacon and bread (soaked in the sizzling bacon fat) for lunch.  The oohs and aahs and then general silence told me that they were enjoying their lunch.  I spaced mine out with red capsicum and pumpernickel instead of the fried bread and the bacon was indeed worthy of oohs and aahs.

Winegrowing area!

 The day grew colder and dimmer but we really needed some more energy burned off so headed out up our street to discover what lay beyond.  Only a few doors away there was a beautiful palomino pony and some sheep and we actually worked out that Autenweilerstrasse leads to Autenweiler, the next little town only 2 kms away!  It was the forest wanderweg that enticed us and off we went.  There seems to have been a fair bit of logging recently with neat stacks of lumber to the side of the track.  We were hoping to see some deer but only spotted some deer hides which were heaps of fun to climb!

Luke and Tim at their happiest!

A bit different from our Australian road signs about kangaroos and wombats!

Our forest.

One of the deer hides.

Very glad that they didn't fall in!

Returning back there were a few flurries of snow drifting down so our guess is that the temperature was only 3 C or so.  It was good to explore some of the other back streets and even discover the Bermatingen hohle (Bermatingen Cave) which is a sandstone cave dug by men which was discovered in 1840 by chance. The purpose and ages of these caves are uncertain and may have been used since the Middle Ages.  So how's that!

Winter time still according to the trees!

We were just thawing out from the walk when Karl and Annika arrived home with our Peugot and smiles!!  I was glad to see them back safely  and hear that Karl had driven around roundabouts in the right direction!  It is always a challenge to drive on the unfamiliar side of the road.

Easter wine...not quite Wolf Blass but for me (as an almost tea-totaller), this local cheap wine was quite nice!

By the way,  having been given some tips by my friends Kylie and Kirsten about the chalk markings over the doorways, and having Googled about them, I now know what their significance is. It is a Catholic tradition in Germany at Epiphany as Kirsten wrote:"On 6th January Catholic children ("Sternsingern / Star singers") often go around houses dressed as the 3 kings, carrying a star. They sing songs and nowadays collect money for charity. As part of this tradition, a New Year's blessing will be spoken on the house and as a sign of this 20+C+M+B+15 will be chalked on the door."

Photo from yesterday showing the chalk markings.

The letters C, M, B have two meanings. They are the initials of the traditional names of the three magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar and also abbreviate the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ bless this house.” The “+” signs represent the cross and the year is written either side.

The blessing of the chalk which is used further adds to the tradition.

"V. Our help is the name of the Lord:
R. The maker of heaven and earth.
V. The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in:
R. From this time forth for evermore." (Darryl Moresco, OCarm)
 

The idea is that in time the chalk fades but the message sinks deep into the hearts of those in the house.

I rather like this tradition.  Once we started to notice the doors, we have noticed that most of the doors in this little village have the markings as do the little chapels and churches we see scattered about the countryside.  There have been some diligent chalk markers at work!