Figs From Thistles: Sledding

When we moved into our flat, I immediately asked one of our neighbors about the weather in the region; specifically, 'Is there heavy snowfall?' Christoph explained that because we live in the Rhein River valley, snowfall is rare and infrequently accumulates.

That being said, the kiddos were overjoyed and I surprised when last week it snowed and stuck! Evening practices inundated our evenings and little to be had free time last week, so outdoor recreation was placed on hold until yesterday when we followed the exodus of families to the canal.

Our village has no hills, so I was curious as to where parents and children alike were pulling their vintage-looking wooden toboggans. J and I were aware of only one 'hill' across from Littlest's school, so we set out with our less impressive, citrus colored tie-dyed plastic sled varieties. The hill enjoyed a meager covering of snow, but the exposed grassy and muddy patches were frozen making for an overall slippery surface adequate for speed.

Being Sunday afternoon, most villagers were out walking along the canal and many stopped to watch as the kiddos barreled down the hill squealing. One gentleman informed us that a hill more suitable for sledding could be found further down the canal toward the Rhein.

The hill was easy to spot as it immediately became clear where the masses had congregated. The hill was a ramp leading to the canal and was covered in snow. I really do try to refrain from adhering to stereotypes, but it does seem that Germans (as a whole) can be tough nuts to crack. Several families were giving children pushes at the top of the ramp while passersby were stopping and chuckling as some children veered off course and into the weeds. I was amazed that a bit of snow seemed to thaw the usually stoic countenances of the villagers; I was spoken to several times by (...wait for it) SMILING people and even heard a few LAUGHING ;)

The kiddos enjoyed several trips down the ramp before succumbing to the cold!

The sad little hill in front of Littlest's school; Bop didn't seem to mind!