We’re back! Knitting Daughter and I had a great time visiting Claudia and her family in Germany. What a treat! It is taking me a bit of time to get my head out of the jetlag clouds and back into work, so I figured I had better write this post this morning while it might still make sense.
We left on Tuesday and arrived on Wednesday morning. Claudia picked us up at the airport and took us home to catch breakfast and a few hours of sleep, before heading out to explore. Germany is GREEN all over the place. It is absolutely beautiful. Lots of rain and cool weather while we were there (which you know I like). We saw lots of fields of hops growing in Claudia’s town. Hops are 
used in the making of beer and you don’t see hops around here. They grow up the lines attached to the poles, and are harvested later in the summer. It’s a good industry for their town. The other thing that we saw growing all over was Spargle – which translates to Asparagus. Did you know that when the asparagus turns green, it is over-ripe and bitter? I’ve always liked asparagus, but the white asparagus that you get in Germany (before it turns over-ripe green) is so much better.
We spent the week being shuttled to and fro through the beautiful countryside by Claudia and/or Andreas. They are awesome hosts. We went to Munich a couple of days, to tour the famous Neuschwanstein Castle another day (see the photo? And to think the King lived in that castle for less than 150 days before his death). We also spent an afternoon tracking down my roots in a small village a few hours away. (Zipped down the Autobahn to get there. Not sure I’m a big fan of those fast speeds and crazy highways, but we had good drivers in Claudia and Andreas, and we 
lived to tell about it!) My grandparents came to the U.S. from Germany when they were in their 20’s, and it was fun to be in their town of Schnaitheim (near Heidenheim), see their old stomping grounds, and have coffee in a shop around the corner from their neighborhood. This is the photo of the schoolhouse that they attended. We found my grandpa’s house – or rather, land. The original house has been torn down and a four-family flat built in its place. It’s always sad to see that happen.
Now for the Mini Contest – where do your grandparents come from? I have a set of grandparents from Germany and a set of grandparents from here in the U.S. How about you? Leave a comment and I’ll randomly draw one winner in a week. (That’s what makes it a mini contest – just one winner. You know we usually draw a prize for every 250 or so comments in our regular monthly blog contests, but this time I have just one big skein of Wollmeise Lace to give as a prize!)
On Monday I’ll share photos of our time at the Wollmeise brick and mortar shop, as well as a photo of Claudia’s beautiful garden-filled backyard. It almost made me want to garden! (But not quite. I kept thinking of the heat and humidity that always arrives in St. Louis in July and August….)
Sheri hopingyouhaveagreatweekendandhavetimetoknit
Both sets of my grandparents are English… but then I am English too. So I’ll be the ‘Grandma who came from England’ for my (future) grandkids. Right? I love thinking that some day they’ll go and visit my homeland and wonder how life was for me there.
My grandparents came from Sicily – my grandfather was born there in 1899, but came to the US in 1900. My grandmother came from a large family, 12 siblings. My grandfather was an only child. They compromised and had 6 kids, so I am one of 19 cousins. We are a loud Italian bunch when we all get together.
Glad the trip was wonderful. Such great memories to have with your daughter!
Both of my grandfathers emigrated to the U.S. from Italy. Both of my grandmothers were born in the U.S. to italian-immigrant parents.
Both sets of my grandparents were born in the US, but great-grandparents on my fatner’s side were from Germany.
Both sets of grandparents were born in Germany and stayed there all their lives. My parents, now in their mid-seventies, both came here to the U.S. in the 1950’s. They came separately after WWII, met here and married, later became citizens.
My dad has one brother who lives here in Ohio also. My mom has no family in the U.S. Right now my Tante Mia, Dad’s older sister, (78 yrs old) is here visiting.
I’m so glad you had a wonderful trip. Germany is beautiful, and really reminds us just how much of a baby the United States is historically!
Irish/Scottish/Welsh/German on Dad’s side and Scottish/Irish/German on Mom’s. They were almost all farmers with BIG families until my generation. I married a Yorkshireman just to add some English to the mix. š
One set from England and one set from the US
Wonderful holiday, thanks for sharing. I was able to do this type of trip with my mom recently. We traveled to Greece, not Germany though.
both sets of grandparents are from Greece. Good ppl, good food, fantastic country š
What a wonderful trip – fun to read about. I was in Germany 26 years ago for a month and would love to have the chance to go back someday.
All my grandparents were born here. On one side, an ancestor immigrated from Ireland before the Revolutionary War. On another side, a great-great-grandparent was Cherokee. The rest range from more Irish, Welsh, Scotch, English, French, Dutch and German.
I also have German grandparents, although they are the children of immigrants, not they themselves. The other side of the family has one grandparent whose people came in 1620, and then one who came inthe 1920s form England. We are, mostly, the children of immigrants. One of the strengths of our country!
All my grandparents lived in the Netherlands…. my parents immigrated to the United State from Holland after WW2. They traveled on a freighter with a 1yo & 3yo. You bet my mom kept them on a leash so they wouldn’t fall overboard!
My grandparents came from the Netherlands and Ireland. I would love to visit both of those places some day!
Grandpa was born on the boat, in US waters, on the way over from Sicily. The other side of the family came over from Bohemia, when it still existed.
One set of grandparents came from”Prussia” in the late 1800’s and the other side of my family came from the Pomeranian area of Germany also in the mid to late 1800’s. My grandmother from Germany taught me to knit when I was very small.
My grandfather was born in Italy and came to the US when he was 9 years old. My grandmother was one of ten children and the first to be born in the US.
What a fun idea for a contest! My grandparents are from Bridgeport, CT and Philadelphia. All their parents were immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and Poland. I’ve traced one of the Irish families back to great-great-grandparents. I hope to resume “the hunt” for the others when life allows a chunk of time.
My grandparents (both sets) came from China.
Both sets of grandparents came from Missouri.
My grandparents are all from Michigan, and going back farther than that, my relatives hail from Ireland, Scotland, England and Germany primarily.
My father’s side is from the Philippines and my mother’s Lithuania.
K
Both sets of grandparents are from Ohio, go back one more generation and it’s Ohio and Lebanon …
All of my grandparents were born in the United States. My maternal grandparents were born in Ohio and my paternal grandparents were born in New Hampshire.
My grandparents come from Ohio and Massachusetts. š My maternal great grandparents came over from Ireland. As a young boy one of my uncles thought his mother was from another country because she was from Massachusetts. That always makes me chuckle.
all American and in love with German wool (or at least I am)
My grandparents all came from Ireland.
Both sets of grandparents were born and raised in the US. On my mom’s side, my great-great-grandfather was born in Osnabruck, Niedersachsen, Germany. On my father’s side, the most recent immigrant was William Dunnigan, who was likely Irish but I haven’t been able to track down where he was from yet.
My dad’s side came from Austria and my mom’s we’re aren’t completely sure. All I know is the maternal line came on the Mayflower. Pretty cool, actually!
Father’s side from Germany, Mother’s side from Ireland. Glad you had a good trip and glad you are back.
Spargel is white because it is “bleached”; it is grown under some sort of protection so that it stays tender. I spent 4 years in Europe avoiding it š
My grandparents’ parents were from England / Ireland on one side and Ireland / Italy on the other side. There are still Hollands in Ireland and Dapras in the Tyrol area.
My mothers parents were born in Michigan but their parents all came from Germany. My father’s dad was from Ireland and his mom was also form Michigan but her parents had come from Italy.
Most of my grandparents, and their families were born in the USA. My paternal Grandfather is Finnish though. He taught us how to cuss but not how to hold civilized conversations… as a result, we mostly speak English with our cousins still living in Finland. My other grandparents were all mixes of English, German and heavens only knows what other nationalities.
One set of grandparents was originally English/Scottish, the other set, my grandma is Italian, my grandpa was Dutch and emigrated when he was 2.
My mother’s parents both came from Germany. My father’s mother’s parents came from Poland.
My grandparents were all born in the US, the most recent immigrants in my family were in the late 1800’s, from Germany and Norway. I’d love to go to Europe some day and see where they all came from!!
My maternal grandmother came from Germany as a very small child. My maternal grandfather came from Canada as a small child (his parents came from England and met and married in Canada). Both of my paternal grandparents were born in the US, with their ancestors coming from England and Scotland.
Three grandparents from the US and one from Hungary I think. I’d have to look up the forms to verify the country.
My father’s parents were from Kiev, Ukraine and my mother’s father was from Mexico and her mother…Cuba. They met in the Bronx! where I was born.
It makes a nice mix.
My maternal grandmother came from Transylvania, my maternal grandfather from Budapest. My paternal grandparents were from Poland/Hungary/Russia — it depended upon the year. They all emigrated around the turn of the century. Reading the comments makes one remember what a great mixture we Americans are!
My maternal grandparents both are from Huntington WV. My dad was adopted and believes his birth mother was from Sweden, his adopted mom and dad also grew up in Huntington WV.
Sounds like you had a wonderful trip – I’m glad you’re back safe and sound!
Ukraine
What a fun time in Germany!
My maternal grandparents were born in Ohio. My paternal grandparents were born in Illinois.
My parents were immigrants from Germany and Serbia, displaced by the war, so I have one set of grandparents from each place. Sadly we have no relatives in the USA.
My great grandmother came from Frankfort & my great grandfather came from Freiburg….it was great to be in Munich last Christmas Season to see the Castle also..it was beautiful with snow…loved the Christmas Markets, delicious food…now I know why I love all that yummmy food!! Glad you all had a great time…ready to go again!! whoohoo
Mom’s ancestors came from Switzerland..don’t know much about them.
My grandparents? A farm town in Missouri on one side and Chicago, Illinois on the other!
ooh, my daughter and granddaughter lived in germany when my son in law was stationed there (and deployed from there). she misses it terribly. she loved it there.
as for my grandparents…all four were from italy. yes, i am an FBI.
Lovely pictures and stories from you trip to Germany
My father and his parents were from Algeria.
My maternal Grandmother was Welsh/English and my maternal Grandfather was German/English.
I’m so jealous of your trip to Germany! I keep trying to convince my boyfriend to take a job over there so I can be there always (well at least for a couple of years). So beautiful!
My mother is Korean, and my father has all sorts of European countries mixed in his blood, including Polish, Irish and Welsh.
All of my grandparents were born right here in the US, which I realize is boring. So for a bit of color – my paternal grandmother and each of her siblings had bright red hair. Her parents were what she called Scotch Irish or Scotts Irish, meaning, as far as I can tell, Protestant Irish. I am not sure when they came to America, but it was before the children were born. That would have been around 1900 or earlier.
Grandparents came from St Louis on Dads side and from Oklahoma/Louisiana on the moms side. I have to go a lot of generations to come from Germany, England, Netherlands and Ireland.