Monthly Archives: April 2013

Many cultures consider the calico cat to be a sign of good fortune. The cheerful pattern of orange, white, and black patches is a genetic anomaly that normally occurs only in female cats, and just the right combination of factors … Continue reading →

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Clare Dunkle | Comments Off on die Glückskatze

To the Heart of Winter

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Clare Dunkle

In February, Joe and I spent a happy four days near Feldberg in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). It didn’t snow while we were there, but it had just finished snowing, and the stuff was lying around everywhere. This utterly fascinated … Continue reading →

Posted in Recreation, Rural scenery, Tourist destinations, Weather, Writing craft | Comments Off on To the Heart of Winter

In German, schwarz means black, and der Wald is the forest. Der Schwarzwald, the Black Forest, is now a popular tourist destination in southern Germany. But it has been known by this name since at least the days of the … Continue reading →

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Clare Dunkle | Comments Off on der Schwarzwald

Almond Blossoms

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Clare Dunkle

This is why we came to Edenkoben, Germany: to see the almond trees in blossom. A herald of spring, the almond trees bloom while many other trees are bare, sometimes as early as February. Like Easter, they promise rebirth. But, … Continue reading →

Posted in Festivals, Gardening, Recreation, Rural scenery, Seasons, Tourist destinations | 3 Comments

When I was a little girl, I was told to watch for the first robin of spring, a big, sturdy bird that liked to eat earthworms. But the fact is that the REAL robin doesn’t come to America at all, … Continue reading →

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Clare Dunkle | 2 Comments

Black Forest Pantheon

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Clare Dunkle

In February, Joe and I visited the small, elegant town of St. Blasien, in Germany’s Schwarzwald, or Black Forest—an appropriate visit to make since February 3rd is St. Blaise’s feast day. There we encountered an unusually magnificent gem of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches and religion, Folk traditions, German art, German history | 2 Comments

This word is the origin of my surname, Dunkle. Many English-speakers know that dunkel means dark. But it also means mysterious, impenetrable, secret, or murky. And the noun, das Dunkel, can also mean an enigma. Still, it’s most commonly used … Continue reading →

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Clare Dunkle | 1 Comment