Binky and Mama hiking near Three Oaks.

Went hiking in Gauangeloch. In this spooky pine forest we found mushrooms.


This is Amanita muscaria or fly agaric. In German it is called Fliegenpilz.



The woods were full of them!

Kathryn went to London and who should she meet?

This year we took part in SAP's Global Diversity Days. We focused on Alaska and Hawaii, since both states turned 50 this year. Rhein-Neckar Fernsehen came and filmed the event. The video is available on www.sap-tv.com.

I embedded the video below. See if you can find me or Kathryn, or Alan and Dorle in the film.

Happy Halloween!


Scary Binky Dog


Carving Pumpkins


Scary Characters


Howdy Pardner!

The following are some photos from the visit of my father this year.



Kati and Ursula hiking.


The 4-castle landscape, Neckarsteinach. On the left, the Schwalbennest (Swallows Nest) clings to the cliffs above the Neckar. Another castle can be seen at the base of the hill. The other two castles in Neckarsteinach are behind the hill to the right.


Dilsberg across from Neckarsteinach is a walled-town atop a hil. Alan and Dorle joined us on the walk. We then had lunch in the town.


Walking with my father in Gauangeloch. The corn has been harvested.


A field of rape seed in Ochsenbach.

This week was the Viking festival in Adventon near Osterburken. Adventon is a permanent medieval village, where the founders want to make a historical village to use as a site for events like these.


Hungry peasants, Ursula, Kathryn, Aiden, and Noah.



Here come the Vikings! Their leader announced that they were there to sieze domestic animals, such as women and children.



The melee! After the last man was left standing, he would annouce that the warriors were not yet ready for Valhala. He would then command the dead to rise. The process would then repeat itself.

We visited the Felsenmeer (Sea of Boulders) in Lautertal in Hessia a couple weeks ago with Mark, Vickie, Danny, and Sabrina.


Kathryn on a Rock


Kathryn, Sabrina, and Danny


Mark and Vickie

A quick trip to Alsace and we found Monkey Mountain! These Berber Monkeys come from Morocco and Algeria. On entry to the park everyone gets a hand full of popcorn. Hungry monkeys wait along the trail.


Sleepy



Watching



Hungry

Afterwards we visited Haut Königsburg. This is an 12th century castle that Emperor Wilhelm II restored at the beginning of the 20th century.

The view towards Germany.

Playmobil Park in Nuremberg

We went here with the Plumleys.


Kids behind the waterfall.


Stacie climbing around.


Ursula descending into the maze.

The Shea family gets medieval! At the beginning of August we visited the Mittelalterfest in Angelbachtal. We made some progress on our outfits.

Last weekend we went to the Medieval Festival in Angelbachtal. We are starting to really look like a bunch of peasants. I had put a rope on as a belt. When I actually started looking at leather belts, the owner warned me off, saying that the rope was more authentic. Kati got herself a pair of boots, while Andrea and Ursula bought dresses. I satisfied myself with a staw hat. It was a hot day.

We are still unpacking boxes. At least we hung up our pictures. Kathryn is the first to empty all her boxes.