A Short Zeeland Walkabout - One Lazy Sunday Afternoon

We always find a way to fit at least one adventure into our week... even if I don't manage to write about it in a timely manner. Most recently, it was our Sunday morning family walk through a lightly-frozen Zeeland countryside.

We started out in the tiny town of Nisse, wandering past the romantic gazebo and pond, onto the meandering country path. All around us was farmland and the occasional water canal, and the only sounds were those of our chattering voices tempered by our ecstatic panting "chocolate" Labrador.

At one point we passed a gentle giant, known here as a Belgian work horse, who seemed to want to join us on our escapade.

Our legs were cold, but we kept going, trying our best to navigate the monstrous American double stroller along the sometimes muddy way. Then there were the patches of thin ice that turned into gigantic puddles once stepped on, crackling crisply under our feet.

An old Dutch couple crossed our path, insisting that we let our frisky dog back off of the leash, and unexpectedly popping unsolicited gum drops into our toddler's mouth (which he later spit out, since it was peppermint-flavored).

Reaching town again, I longed for more time outdoors. Afterall, it had only been an hour, and who wants to rush back to the house on a rainless Zeeland day? But since the wind was too much for the children, we headed home to sit by the fire, finally ending the day with a fine meal of Franconian Bratwursts and slightly-sweetened sauerkraut, courtesy of Tobi's parents (who came up to spend the week with us).

This weekend's adventure will include yet another trip down to Bavaria and pretty Franconia to visit friends, family, and our would-be home there. Stay tuned for photos and stories about our upcoming adventures down in Germany's picturesque South.