Muenster

for the last two weeks muenster has been my residence. here i visit st. georg sozialwerk, an organianization that helps individuals with mental illness and/or disability. from muenster i travel daily to ascheberg, a small town perhaps 25 kilometers to the south.

muenster is a beautiful town, but i will remember it as the bunny and bicycle city. the bouncy criters thrive in every patch of grass, and bicycles rule the streets. Bike lanes, with bike traffic signals, the city is famous throughout germany as the "fahrrad stadt". in the nw we also pride ourselves for bike friendliness, though bikeness is taken to a new level here. perhaps the bikes traded freedom of movement for a higher priority or ranking. meaning that while the bikes have accesss, there are also rules. red means stop (as opposed to yield in portland) and red is respected, even in the middle of the night at a quiet street.

this house.. or perhaps chateau i encountered while walking back from the aasee. muenster has some beautiful sights.. though they escaped my camera. perhaps my favorite is an astounding old clock in the main cathedral from 1540, that is adorned with hand-painted zodiac symbols, which traces the movement of the planets, and plays a Glockenspiel tune every noon.


my version of the aasee. made for a good morning run.

behind the university schloss is a botanical garden with stunning trees. this park became my second office.. as the dorm where i lived was unbearably warm until approx ten in the evening. this tree in particular caught my eye.

perhaps this sketch caught it.

eyes seem to grow from the trunk of this tree.

paths and allee throughout the garten.

my penpal (who coincidentally lives in the area!) and i encountered these geese behind a restaurant located in the woods.

sky as seen from a lake near Haltern am See.

here is the bauernhof, a 80.000 quadrat meter (20 acre) farm in ascheberg were individuals with handicaps work side by side with staff members. they have built for themselves an intergenerational community that actively participates in the local milieu by hosting visits, celebrations, selling produce, and being friendly neighbors.

weeping willow and drwarf. standing from horse corral looking towards where we gathered for barbecue (grillfest)

willow as seen from underneath

every thursday they sell their goods. bacon, eggs, vegetables.

miniature horses are raised here!

goose. next to the fishing pond. neighbors visit often with children to interact with the farm animals.

garden. twice a week they eat from the land.

miniature foal.

falling trees as necessary.

"here we are all equal," my guide tells me, "and perhaps as business manager, i am a bit equaller."

chickens. these i am told, we should definitely have at oatfield estates!

the wagon. earlier this day visiting elders took a wagon tour. residents watched over them, helping them out as needed. not because if was their job (they were actually on vacation at the time) but because they wanted to.. as hosts. stunning.