Chilean Pine Tree

We planted a tree in the backyard when my first child was born and we did it again, when the second one came to the world a few years later. We are proud to have started this tradition.

We bought the first tree during a holiday in Italy in 2001.

It just came to us when we discovered I was pregnant. My husband planted the tree in the backyard and I told him, this would be our first born’s tree - our baby would be growing with the tree. This tree is called the Chilean pine tree.

When our girl was old enough, we pointed her tree to her and told her she could take care of it. She was tasked to water it. It was her first lesson in gardening. When playing and running around, she learned to respect her tree with its spiked leaves, too. She would be the first one to warn her playmates about the danger of getting too close to it.
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Bad is the where the public road in Kleinwalsertal, Austria ends. It is a great area for winter sports but also for summer adventures. There are enough accomodations and restaurants plus activities to choose from.

The name ‘Baad’ means thermal spring or therapeutic bath.

Baad lies 1220 meters above the sea. At the end of the valley in Baad, the Kleinwalsertal divides into three small valleys: Bärgundtal, Derratal and Duratal. In Baad rises the brooks from these three valleys: Bärgundbach, Derrabach and Durabach. To the west of Baad is the Hochstarzel.

Baad was first mentioned in history in 1434 in a documentary about the thermal spring now it where you would find the  one of the seven training centers of OUTWARD BOUND Germany.

Notrufsäule = Emergency Call Box Stations

There are over 22,000 Notrufsäule or call box stations in the German autobahn. Having those call box stations in the autobahn is very important; but it is also important to know the proper use of  it especially when it time of accidents.

How do you set an emergency call? Here are some rules that could facilitate problem-free calls:

* Where did it happen? (there are box numbers located in each call boxes that would inform the call centers about your immediate location)
* What happened?
* How are many persons concerned?
* Which kind of the illness/injury is present?

It is also important to stay on the line in case there are further inquiries! If the call center have no more questions, then you could terminate the call.

The nearest emergency call boxes in stations, at motorways and federal highways would be found if you follow the black arrows in the guidance posts or guide bars. The call boxes are always located in both sides to discourage people from crossing the lane.

These call boxes are attached in Germany to the central call of the Hamburger GDV Dienstleistungs-GmbH and in Switzerland to the responsible traffic guidance center of the police.

This is how the new autobahn campaign on safe driving looks like.

I find it goes right to the point. Simple but the truth.

If you are a tourist driving in German autobahns, you would find some tourist information along the motorway. Simply find those brown road signs.

These road signs would inform you about the activities and facilities you would find around the area and there are restaurants and accomodations, too. You would also be able to get a glimpse of famous castles or body of waters of parks along the autobahn if you see signs such are these along the road.

our strawberry patch in the garden

For the hobby gardeners, the gardening season has already started. What could be done this March in the garden? Cut the stems of the apple and peach trees. Start fertilizing the vegetables and plants including the rhabarber. Start planting the strawberries but make sure you have a folie ready to cover them when the weather would turn colder than expected.

And what else? Check all your garden equipment and gears if they are all in order. Clean and prepare them for the real work that would come in the next weeks.

Here in Germany, you should watch out for the yellow stripes when the road is under construction. Because that is the road lanes that you should follow. You should then ignore the white lanes. And for your information, the right lanes would be wider than than the left side.

Dove Tree

The Dove (Davidia involucrata) tree, also known as the Pocket Handkerchief Tree (Taschentuchbaum), was named such because of their white bracts that seems to be folded handkerchief around its flower heads. Later that day, I discovered that I was pregnant, thus, we decided to plant a dove tree for our second child.

The Dove tree is a medium sized deciduous tree that is popularly placed in the tupelo family (Nyssaceae). It is also sometimes included in the dogwood (Cornaceae) family, like the tupelos. Others refer to it as Davidiaceae; the genus Davidia is named after a French Franciscan missionary and naturalist, Father Armand David (1826-1900). The tree is native to central China — from Hubei to Gansu, to Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan.
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Umweltzone Road Sign

Starting 2007, the environmental plaque has been issued in several German cities and municipalities as well as on endangered federal highways and particularly sensitive traffic junctions that are characterized as environmental zone ” Umweltzone”.

There are different environmental plaque colors. Vehicles without an environmental plaque are not allowed to drive through the environmental zone, otherwise penalty threatens and one point in Flensburg.
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Orchid used to be only for the rich and famous, because it was thought to be too expensive to care for, well, not at this time.

When you go around a neighborhood in Germany, you would notice that the most popular window decors are the potted orchids (Phalaenopsis). This also true at home. We have more than four vases of single orchids that are prominently displayed on the window sill; plus those that are in the pots in garden.

Orchid plants provide a simple elegance in a house. The fact that most orchids come from the east adds a considerable charm to its exotic attraction. In fact, people wont miss commenting about the orchids, especially if they are in bloom.
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