BIKE RIDE TO WEINHEIM (AGAIN)
I rode to Weinheim last week and rode the forest trails in the Schloss park and was thinking about going to the Hermannshof garden at that time but it was getting on in the afternoon and I thought I'd see it another time.
Beware if you don't like flowers, then this entry will not be for you.  The weather today is awesome, I had to get out on the bike.  In California I would say that Summer is my favorite season.   When we moved here in October, it was Fall and I thought it was so pretty with all the colorful leaves, that Fall would be my favorite season here.  Then winter came and it was cold and cloudy for so long, even tho the snow was very pretty, Winter is not my favorite.  But now that Spring is here I think Spring is my favorite season.  I just love seeing things grow.  I was thinking about another forest ride but a friend said the tulips where blooming at the Hermannshof garden and that it should not be missed.  She was so right.  I am so glad I went.  Although I think this garden will have more blooms of different kinds as Spring continues and will be very beautiful for another trip.  I rode probably 18 miles round trip.  I found a much better route to Weinheim than last week.  Less city and more trails for bikes on this route and I didn't get lost as much.

As I went past our local lakes I saw a commotion in the water and went to investigate.  I had seen a small fish jump awhile back and it surprised me because I didn't' think there were any fish in the small lake but wow today I saw a school of maybe 20 large fish.  Some of them had to be 24 inches.

Carp maybe?

Then on with the ride.  On the way to Weinheim and back I saw several of these storks with the red legs.  They like the grass fields.  They are very skittish and it is hard to get close for a picture.  They fly away.

A Blue Heron

Hey , what can I say, even the dandelions here are big and pretty.  There are meadows/fields of dandelions.

Stork with red legs.

OK, Here are many flower photos of the garden.  I am sorry, I just love the flowers.  They are even so much more beautiful in person, I wish you could have been there to see them.

This one is called "Queen of Sheba"

This white blossoming tree was so impressive not just because of the pretty flowers but also because it is so large.

It is beautiful to stand under all the blossoms on the trees and look up at the blue sky.

These trees are so pretty, I see them all over, along with the white blooming trees.

Then of course there is LUNCH.

It really isn't very big.  I thought about going for seconds but I didn't.

On the ride home.  

The town you see along the hills in the background is Weinheim, where I was at the garden.
The crop with the yellow flowers is a popular one I see in a lot of fields.
A friend says this is probably rapeseed used for oil.