The last day of April

The last day of April was another glorious spring day. The warm sun made more flowers bloom in the garden.

I love the friendly faces of pansies.

The pink tulips are gorgeous.

They just glow from within -- so very beautiful!

That's a tulip, too -- yes, really!

Weeds can be pretty, too.

The hollies are blooming.

The fern starts to unroll.

Daisies are so cute.

O is for Old West

I recently came across Jenny Matlock's blog and her Alphabe-Thursday where one letter of the alphabet is featured every week. I happened to come in time for O -- just perfect to choose Old West. Even as a child I dreamt of the American West and in the 1990s, I had the chance to see some of the Old West myself, feeling like a pioneer woman searching for the promised land. Manifest Destiny. I have definitely left a part of my heart in the American West, loving the hauntingly beautiful landscapes, friendly people, wide open spaces, culture, and, of course, history. The Old West. Let me take you on a journey out west. All the photos were taken by yours truly -- with a "real" camera back then. I could tell lots of stories along the way, but I rather want you to experience the deep beauty of the region, so I will only mention where the photos were taken. Try to imagine the sense of wonder pioneers must have felt seeing those places and sights for the very first time.

Bodie, CA


Monument Valley, AZ/UT


Saguaro National Park, AZ


Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, CA


Valley of Fire State Park, NV


Petroglyphs in the Valley of Fire State Park, NV


Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, UT


Goblin Valley State Park, UT


Taos Pueblo, NM


Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM


Chilies, Albuquerque, NM


Fort Davis National Historic Site, TX


Medicine Wheel, WY


Coyote in Joshua Tree National Park, CA


Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, CA


Squirrel in Yosemite National Park, CA


Acoma Pueblo, NM


Fort Union National Monument, NM


Butterfly in Pecos National Historical Park, NM


Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM


Mission San José, TX


Sauer-Beckmann Farm, TX


Old ranch, TX


Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, CO


Buckskin Joe, CO


Cowboy in Buckskin Joe, CO


Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, AZ


El Santuario de Chimayó, NM


Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad, CO


Old gold mine, CO


Indian summer in CO


Silverton, CO


Can you understand now why
I have left part of my heart in the Old West?

First Dult of the year

Those of you who have read my blog for some time may remember other posts about Munich's open-air market Auer Dult or Dult for short which takes place three times a year. You can find the previous posts here, here and here. Anyway, today was a lovely, sunny day -- perfect for visiting the Dult. First, I had to walk down a hill -- the play of light and shadow was great.


I found something interesting on the pavement. It looks like a paw print -- but I have no clue of which animal. Most likely it's man-made, as I saw several along the way. I tried to find out more, but haven't had much success so far. If I happen to hear something, I will be sure to share the information. Anyway, it's a bit of a mystery -- and I definitely like that!


At the Dult there are so many interesting things for sale like these homemade, colorful soaps which smelled heavenily.


The purses were a hoot! Be sure to click on the image for a bigger version of the photo. The crocodile purse is a riot.


There are booths to the left and right. Looking up you see the blue sky and the trees with their freshly green leaves.

There's a Ferris wheel at the Dult with a gorgeous organ.

This dwarf figurine is part of a kids' caroussel's decoration.

Some colorful stones which can float on water.

A beautiful bird.

The Mariahilf Church in the background.

I love the colorful flags.

A funny owl...

... and some cute duck coin banks.

I hope you enjoyed the stroll over the market with me.