It's been a while since my last blog - but as a blog only reflects what's happening in life, then there are bound to be a few gaps every now and then.
It's been very misty here in the Moseltal and even though the other side of the valley is only about a quarter of a mile away, we can't see the other side from where we are. It can be a bit depressing, so today we drove up out of the valley, up into the sunshine and blue sky all the way to Bingen on the River Rhine. There's no mist there, but the water level is getting very low as there's been no rain for ages.
On a small island in the Rhine at Bingen, is the Mouse Tower, or Mäuseturm, which was used in past times for collecting tolls from the boatmen, but is better known as the Bad Bishop Hatto's final refuge from the mice who pursued him and finally had him for lunch. No mice today, except this one that I saw in an empty hall alongside the path....
It's possible to walk to the island at the moment, if you have a good pair of wellies a sturdy stick and a waterproof bag for your camera. I had the wellies, but the path was made from slippery stones and the water was calf height at places - so I watched someone else slip and slide and paddle along it instead. The barges are still passing in the main channel, but apparently their loads are having to be cut back a bit because the water's not as deep as usual. The last time we visited the Rhine was back in January, when a barge had overturned by the Loreley - on that visit we couldn't even drive along some of the road by the River because of the flooding, now we can almost walk to the Mouse Tower because there isn't enough water. Times change.
Indeed they do, so I've put my last personal painting on hold and have started a new one. It's very similar in thought to my 'Frankie and Wilbur' painting - I'll post that in my next blog, or you can see it on my website.....
www.ramplingpaintings.com
under the 'Katzen/Cats' section.
Just beginning it anyhow, better get the brushes out.....
Soon,
Tschüss
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