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Winter

Enjoying Ski Week Without The Snow

February 25, 2018 by Cornelia Leave a Comment

Ski Week and Being Just Fine with Seeing Snow Only on Pictures

In some Southern California school districts, the short week of vacation called “Ski Week” is coming to an end. While I remember families flocking towards Mammoth Mountain or at least nearby Big Bear Mountain or Mountain High to catch some snow, this year I witnessed youth rather flying to Europe or the East Coast.

We didn’t do either. We stayed put and just enjoyed a nice, peaceful but rather chilly week with typical, delightful California sunshine. You think that’s boring? Well, I grew up with four seasons and while much can be beautiful in each one of them, there can also be endless rain in spring and fall and many dark, dark days in winter.

Snow – I don’t mind not having it, and while I used to seek it when my kids were younger for the sake of them learning how to ski, I now am just happy to witness snow falling via social media in other places, like Germany; far away, while I enjoy walking along the seashore in beautiful sunshine.

In fact, Germany just got reminded of the fact that it’s still winter and fluffy white snowflakes started covering cities especially Munich with layers and layers of snow. Perfectly right on time for our “Ski Week” here in California, ironically. So, I had my share of snow via Instagram, Facebook and What’s Up. My phone eagerly beeped all week-long announcing new pictures that were sent from family and friends overseas, covering for me the news of new snowmen popping up all over Munich.

Snowman Munich ©CaliforniaGermans
Snowmen Muenchen ©CaliforniaGermans
Snowman Munich ©CaliforniaGermans

I won’t deny it, seeing pictures of snowmen against a crystal blue sky made me somewhat envious,… but juuust for a short moment. True, these gorgeous, crisp winter days in Germany are really precious. The sun and the bright snow make for a very special light and being on top of a ski slope on a day like that, with a view of the alps around you, that’s heaven I remember.

Just as I am getting melancholy, however, I am reminding myself of the downside of snow in the city. I remember those days of shoveling mounds of snow off my car in freezing temperatures trying to get my children to their Kindergarten class on time. The challenges of driving in freshly fallen snow as well as driving on streets covered with slushy dirty snow are just as much a vivid memory as the dramatic balancing act of maneuvering the car over icy roads.

Oh, and did I forget mentioning parallel parking into parking spots battling with the snow for who is faster in filling the void space that I initially thought was an empty parking space?

California works just fine for me. If I am really desperate for snow and freezing temperatures in wintertime, snow – fake or real – is just a few hours away in the car. I can enjoy the white sparkling splendor for a few hours and then drive home to spend the evening at the beach if I like. It’s perhaps a bit of a stretch, yes, but it is possible!

Images: ©CaliforniaGermans


.

Filed Under: Editorial, Life in California Tagged With: alps, beach, California, Germany, ski week, sunshine, vacation, Winter

‘Winterende’ – Ein Gedicht

February 4, 2018 by Dieter Kermas Leave a Comment

Winterende

(Ein Gedicht von Dieter Kermas)
.

Neulich hat mich das erschreckt,
was Winterkleidung sonst verdeckt.
Körper, die weißen Maden gleichen,
liegen als blasse Winterleichen
in Bädern und an vielen Teichen.
Der Winterspeck ist gut geraten.
Hier liegt man, um ihn auszubraten.
´Ne Wabbelwampe schwappt vorbei.
Drin sind Bierchen, mehr als drei.
Die Milch wird wieder luftgekühlt,
was nett aussieht und gut anfühlt.
Ist der Mensch dann durchgestylt
wird er vom Winter rasch ereilt.
Und was er mühsam hat erreicht,
der dicken Winterkleidung weicht.
Der Körper wird nun eingesackt
und im Frühling ausgepackt.

©Dieter Kermas

Image: Pixabay.com

———————————————————————————————–——————–——

Dieter Kermas, CaliforniaGermans Author and a true Berliner, turned to writing after he retired from his profession as an engineer. Family and friends urged him to document his many experiences during his childhood in wartime Germany. This made for a collection of various essays which have been published here at CaliforniaGermans. (You can find the stories here on CaliforniaGermans.com by putting “Dieter Kermas” into the Search Box.) Apart from his childhood memories, he is also sharing some of his short stories and poems on CaliforniaGermans. Dieter Kermas, who loves to write, has published his first novel “Kolja. Liebe im Feindesland” in 2016, available on Amazon.com . Some of his work has been included in anthologies.

To get in touch with Dieter Kermas, please send an email with subject line “Dieter Kermas” to californiagermans@gmail.com
———————————————————————————————————————–—-

 

Filed Under: Lese-Ecke Tagged With: deutsches Gedicht, Dieter Kermas, German poem, Winter, Winterende

Winteranfang (Ein Gedicht)

December 10, 2017 by Cornelia 1 Comment

Winteranfang

(Ein Gedicht von Julia Eichberger)

.

Weißer Vorhang legt sich nieder,

deckt das blasse Grün nun ab.

Kälte kehrt zurück bald wieder.

Eiskristall fällt leis‘ hinab.

 .

Fleißig flöten Kinder Lieder

vom Flockentanz und Schneegesang.

Lang verblüht ist schon der Flieder,

verstummt der laute Sommerklang.

.

©Julia Eichberger

Image: Pixabay.com

 

————————————————————————————————————————

Julia Eichberger,  was born 1987 in Stralsund as the oldest kid out of three and lives now in Brandenburg near Berlin with husband and daughter.  She has enjoyed writing since her childhood. In 2012 her first poem was published by a small publishing house (https://www.sperlingverlag.de/). Several poems followed.

A trained banker, Julia is currently working for an insurance company, but since writing is a passion of hers, she still finds time to write short stories and poems.

———————————————————————————————–——————–——-

 

 

Filed Under: Lese-Ecke Tagged With: deutsches Gedicht, German poem, Julia Eichberger, snowflake, Winter

Der Winter ist Da !

December 1, 2013 by Dieter Kermas Leave a Comment

Winter road.
(Ein Winter-Gedicht von Dieter Kermas)
 
.

Der Winter ist da,

es schneit, hurra!

Die Schule ist aus,

jetzt aber raus.

Es wird gerangelt und gelacht,

auf zur großen Schneeballschlacht.

Ein Schneeball trifft zuerst den Paul,

dieser wirft drauf gar nicht faul,

den nächsten Ball schon auf Hermine,

doch die verzieht nicht eine Miene

und Hermine ist nicht fein,

reibt den Paul mit Schnee nun ein.

Es geht laut zu, mit Geschrei,

jeder ist mit Spaß dabei.

Bald sind alle durchgefroren,

von den Füßen bis zu den Ohren.

Und die Mädchen und die Buben,

eilen heim in warmen Stuben.

.
© Dieter Kermas
 
 
———————————————————————————————————————————————
Dieter KermasDieter  Kermas, CaliforniaGermans Guest Author and a true Berliner, turned to writing after he retired from his profession as an engineer. Family and friends urged him to document his many experiences during his childhood in wartime Germany. This made for a collection of various essays which have been published here at CaliforniaGermans. Apart form his childhood memories he is also sharing some of his short stories and poems on CaliforniaGermans.  Dieter Kermas, who loves to write, is currently working on his first novel. Some of his work has been included in anthologies.
 
To get in touch with Dieter Kermas, please send an email with subject line “Dieter Kermas”  to: californiagermans@gmail.com
———————————————————————————————————————–
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Filed Under: Lese-Ecke Tagged With: advent, Dieter Kermas, Schneeballschlacht, Winter, Wintergedicht

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