Bergheim, Thursday October 9

We had originally planned to head south to Colmar today, but Bruce started the day with a bit of a cold and we concluded that a quiet day at home and here in town might be the right thing to do. A rest and recharge after yesterday in Strasbourg. It was better by the end of the day and, in a peek into the future, we did indeed get to Colmar on Friday. Tune in tomorrow to hear about that.

Sue Anne's major project for the day was to capture lots of the inscriptions over the entryways to houses here in town. Most contained either a graphic representation of the occupant’s trade or an indication of the year in which the house was built. Or both. Some almost looked like hieroglyphics.

As is often the case in the on-location drawing business, she did attract the attention of one home owner who eyed her very carefully, fearing we suspect that she might have been some sort of tax collector, documenting improvements to the property. Or a zoning inspector.

There used to be all sorts of rules about what color you could paint your house, depending on your trade or your religion. And the French people do have a longstanding enmity with tax collectors and fonctionnaires in general.

In Baltimore, she was once suspected of being a meter maid. We think she might have successfully cleared up today’s misconception by giving the home owner a glimpse of the finished drawing.

A note for understanding the drawings: they depict bas-reliefs in streaky reddish stone over the doorways in the village. I believe the various tools relate to the vineyards and the planting, harvest, and pruning of the grape plants. The pretzel is a pretzel. The squiggle that looks like an ampersand is the number 1. The rest is initials of the occupant. Sometimes the 2 is backwards. The grumpy Frenchman was glaring at me as I drew the ‘pizza cutter’ carved in 1622. And then there is the guy with the crazy long mustache that seems to turn into vegetation. I ponder on that. The second one down, the long one, has two sets of initials and two different tools.

 

We recently learned that the ubiquitous red (and sometimes yellow) stone comes from the Vosges mountains, just to the west of here. We shall be visiting there soon.
 
All told, Sue Anne made three circuits around town during the course of the day. Bruce happily joined her on one of these after a nice rest.

Above is a tower in Bergheim along the inner town walls. Across the former moat, all green grass, is the second ring of walls. Sue Anne really just liked the scene for the lovely fall foliage, similar to that of New Hampshire.

There will be more action tomorrow. We promise.