Today I finished one part of the presentation, a new book.

Ladenburg An American Perspective

I hope you will stop by and check it out!

No matter what language you say this powerful word in,  you can’t help but be moved by it.

I love the idea of having Love on a string to wear about your neck…close to your heart.
I hope you find your own Love on a string today.

The Dragons have returned once again to our little sleepy bend in the Neckar river. Ladenburg hosted the 6th annual Dragon Boats races with 55 teams from local areas competing. The atmosphere was alive, especially because our long running heatwave broke the evening before the races, thus encouraging everyone to come and participate.

Our small stretch of beach was also transformed into Tropical beach bars with bonfires lighting up the night sky. It seemed like just about everyone came to party in Ladenburg this weekend.

I have been lucky enough to photograph 4 of the 6 years of this event and each year it gets more fun. This year, I tried to find a new perspective and came prepared with my amazing Keen waterproof shoes. I just walked right into the cool Neckar river, creating a very unique perspective to capture my shots.

So I am really hoping you enjoy this slide show of images I put together to share with you.

Being a lover of a good nights rest you would think I might find this disruption to my sleep inconvenient but honestly…I am grateful for the world that owning a dog has shown me.

I call it “Dog Hour”…those brief few minutes, in the early morning light before the sun’s intensity starts to be unbearable. All the dogs and their two legged companions leave the comfort of their beds and head in to the fields and forests.

Honestly I have gotten some truly amazing images in the 2 weeks we have been living this way. That beautiful golden morning light with it’s long shadows and finger like rays touching the yellowing fields.

The rest of the day may be a bit unbearable…but in those early morning and just as the sunsets…are pure magic.

So yesterday I had a thought, how about we not only celebrate the amazing country we fortunate to call home, but in the light of the catastrophe in the Gulf….why not make it an Independence from Oil day.

We decided we needed a few things to round out our festive 4th of July meal and so we pulled out our bikes and peddled our way to our local farms.  Most of the year the farms are closed on Sunday but demand is high in the Summer months so they do things “Self Service.”  Even Farmers need to rest on the 7th day.

Selbstbedienung is one of my favorite German words…it simply means, Self Service.  Back home in the US we call it the honor system.

We here at BTI hope you enjoyed an amazing Independence Day, full of friends, family, fireworks and FREEDOM!
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I am not much of a soccer fan, but you can’t help being sucked up in the World Cup mania if your living in Germany.

We arrived back in Germany four years ago when Germany hosted the last World Cup games.  It was such a great surprise seeing Germany show pride for their flag once more.  Post WWII, the average German didn’t really fly their flag with jubilation and it was almost a political statement if you did.  So to see the excitement and many times the sheer creativity they exhibited in decorating their house, cars and many times themselves was a true delight.

Last evening we had guests visiting so we took to the Medieval market square of Ladenburg to eat alfresco…it seemed along with the rest of the village.  The whole walk from the house to the square we passed groups of tri-color clad people, young old, it mattered little the excitement and anticipation of the game filled the air.

The USA had played and won their game earlier in the day, so as I passed these group I yelled “DEUTSCHLAND” and the replay was always “USA!!!”.

Many of the town’s restaurants have huge flat screen TV’s mounted outside for patrons to watch the game.  It seem most people gathered at a particular coffee place in town….standing…breathless waiting for the chance to get that 4 th star for their jerseys.

I spend my days capturing fractions of time, collecting them together in hopes that all these tendrils of time create a cohesive and complete moment.

On yesterday’s wander while adding images to a collection of work I am doing on the agricultural area of Ladenburg Germany we found ourselves standing mesmerized by the sound and force of the wind blowing the heavy plastic doors of the giant green house….like a feather in the wind it floated.  All the while, the air,  heavy with fragrance..the intoxicating scent of ripening strawberries, filled our lungs.

Photographers  hope to string together moments like this and create a life.  I captured this moment…in cupped hands…to share with you here. Click the link below and watch the wind blow.

The Summer Wind

Love seeing all this German pride.