Soggy surprise

Embach awoke to a surprise 15cm of soggy snow yesterday. Snow had been forecast, but we expected nothing more than a sprinkling.  A little snow in October isn’t unusual. It lasts a day or so and goes away. At this time of year we expect deep blue skies, crystal clear air, cool nights and warm days.

Not only were the Embachers surprised, the few remaining visitors from Germany and elsewhere were caught unawares and the cattle in the fields were bellowing grumpily because the grass in the meadows had disappeared in the night.

Heavy, wet snow at this time of year is tough on the trees and gardens. Branches lie broken around the village, green leaves lie scattered, brought down before they had reached their golden best. Bushes are bent double with huge humps of snow on their backs, flower beds are flattened and vegetables ruined.

The flowering balconies (see blog: Flower Power on the Balcony) are bedraggled and pedestrians must beware as the way to dispose of them is to toss them into the road below rather than carry them through the house.

The surprise was so great that even a number of rowan trees still retain their scarlet berries. Vogelbeer (as they are known here – it means bird berries) are much prized as they make the best and most expensive schnapps. In the autumn, ladders lean at crazy angles against the Vogelbeer trees as every last berry is stretched for and carefully harvested.

But the sun is shining and no serious damage has been done. The snow is quickly melting and we can hear the tintinnabulation of cows grazing once again.