Little Girls

A little girl climbed up into the seat across from me on the Ubahn today.  Her mom lugging a backpack and stuffed animals sat beside her.  Both mom and daughter took turns straightening the blanket on her lovies.  She squirmed in her seat, trying to see out the window, finally getting her feet tucked under her bottom as a booster.  She squealed when she saw the Danube River.  She stretched her neck to see the tops of the curved UN buildings.  She pointed out the football field to her mom with excitement.

Her mom gently held out her arm as a brace every time the Ubahn came to a stop.  She brushed the hair out of her daughter's eyes.  They held hands and the mom rubbed her thumb over the pudgy back side of her little hand.  It was a tender moment.

I used to have little girls.

I held out my arm for them in the car if we came to a sudden stop.  We affectionately called it "the mom arm."

I brushed their hair back, and even pulled it back in a hair tie to prevent syrup tangles on pancake mornings.

I held their hands.

I loved my girls.

My little girls are teenagers now.  It's not as simple as it was then.  I can get distracted by their activities and relationships and regret for my weaknesses.  Today I was reminded that motherhood isn't just schedules and cooking and cleaning.  It's tenderness and listening and care.  I am still learning how to be a mom.  And I thought I was almost finished.

Stadtwanderwegs - Part 1

One of my favorite ways to explore Vienna is by its hiking trails. There are 11 circle paths laid out throughout the city, each one takes anywhere from 3-5 hours. Vienna has well over 500 kilometers of hiking trails 90% of which are in woods and nature.

My goal is to complete all of the Stadtwanderwegs (city hiking trails). And let me tell you why. You can get a pin! If you collect 4 stamps you get a silver pin, and for 7 stamps you upgrade to GOLD! That, my friends, is serious motivation.

Stadtwanderweg 4:  Jubiläumswarte
Last month my friend, Lisa, and I ventured out on Stadtwanderweg 4:  Jubiläumswarte. I was glad Lisa taught me how to look for the signs, as they are not always easy to find. Kind of makes for a fun adventure, though.

 At least the first half of this pond is accurately named:  Silver Lake

Such a typical scene. I see many elderly people out in nature here.

Some cheaters take the bus.

A highlight of the Jubiläumswarte trail is the tower you can climb to have a fabulous 360° view of the city.  For those of you who know me well, yes, I climbed to the top by clinging to the center pole.  I am SUCH a chicken when it comes to heights.

Worth conquering my fears

What?! The stamp has been stolen? Lisa and I both had looked up info on the hike and found an article that said this particular stamp many times is "purloined". I was very sad that I couldn't get my stamp, but hope this pathetic picture will convince them that I was there.

Post hike we stopped at Trzesniewski, a Viennese open faced sandwich joint with 9 locations where people usually order their sandwich (or two or three) and eat standing up. I skipped the Pfiff of beer you can order, coming in at a mere .2 litres. So funny to see people carrying their mini beer steins to their high top tables.  


Stadtwanderweg 5:  Bisamberg
On Kayli's final day before heading back to University, we took a family hike through the vineyards. A friend of mine described Bisamberg as a Garden of Eden, where you can pick fruit and nuts all along the path.  

Harvest Time

Not sure why my family was posing as superheroes.

We also found a lovely cafe along the way. The Austrians sure love their outdoor cafes.  We ordered two bowls of Ginger Pumpkin Soup to share. And then promptly ordered two more. Sehr lekker!



Stadtwanderweg 8:  Sofienalpe
My friend, Julia, invited us to join her for a hike and a picnic lunch on her birthday. I was so happy to join in the fun for more exploring. It was also lovely in this group to have a mix of English and German spoken throughout the hike.  

Fall crocus? On such a cold fall day it was surprising to see so much color.

The group ended up taking a shortcut back home, so I missed the stamping point. Someday I will have to go back to complete the hike. I am so thankful the hike took a different path home or I would have missed these gems.

Quite a mushroom collection

We also came upon the most unique cemetery I've ever seen. The deceased are cremated, then their ashes are buried at the base of a chosen tree. They become a part of the cycle of life and people can still have a place to come to remember their loved ones. It's so beautiful and serene. Some trees have family names, but some are according to themes.

Tree of Love - I think this is the one where Dave and I should be buried.

Which tree would you choose?

Stadtwanderweg 9:  Prater
My sister, Juli, came for a quick visit from Oxford, England, where she and her husband are living for his sabbatical year from his post at the University of Rochester in New York. She is used to rainy England so we didn't let the drizzly day bother us. As my friend and EcoTrek Fitness founder Cari Draft says, "There is no bad weather. Just bad gear."  

This Stadtwanderweg has the least amount of feeling that you are away from the city.  In fact, the trail takes you under the highway we take to the airport. At first I was disappointed by this, and yet I love the fact that Vienna has not allowed urbanization to take over this prime piece of real estate.

What a joy to spend the afternoon catching up on some serious sister time, sharing about our families and life experiences. Juli has travelled the world, shares my love of learning, and is someone I deeply respect. It was so life-giving to have her here.

Part of the reason why this hike took us nearly 5 hours...

Stempel Progress

Three and a half Stadtwanderwegs complete. I will keep you posted on my progress. One silver pin coming soon!