When Amanda’s Friendly Friday Photo Challenge prompt “Revisited” appeared in my Reader today, I thought about it for a moment and then opened my photo app to see which moment in my life I’d like to revisit through this post. While browsing my photos, I came across pictures my little sister sent from her summer vacation on the Baltic Sea in 2016. While there, she picked out this beautiful Muschelkasten and collected some shells on that beach for my birthday gift.
Strandkörbe near Heidkate in 2016
In 1970, my two favorite aunts treated my two sisters and me to a vacation in that very same area of the Baltic Sea in Northern Germany. The Ostsee vacation was a reward for having helped care for our grandmother during the final days of her life in 1969. My aunts had run out of vacation time during my grandmother’s illness, so my sister and I volunteered caring for our Omi in the daytime during our summer vacation.
Gabi, Susi and I at the beach in Heidkate in 1970.
The summer of 1970 my aunts rented a small cottage right by the beach in Heidkate.
While there, we celebrated my little sister’s 6th birthday,
and even took the ferry to Sønderborg, Denmark,
where we each got a gigantic ice cream cone dipped in chocolate.
It was one of the happiest summers of my entire childhood!
Never before had I seen such an enormous body of water,
heard the sound of ocean waves,
felt warm beach sand between my toes,
watched crying gulls circle above,
nor collected seashells,
all in the warm sunshine of a summer breeze …
This seashell treasure box on my desk take me right back to that summer at the Ostsee.
That’s where my love of the sea must have come from.
Happy Friday!
Sabine
This week’s Friendly Friday Photo Challenge is hosted by Amanda at Something to Ponder About . Click on the link to check out her post and the links to the other participant’s blogs in her comment section. Amanda also has detailed instructions for anyone wanting to join in the fun. Next week’s Challenge will be hosted by Snow again. See you there!
Thank you Schwesterherz for letting me use your Heidkate photos for this post!
in cahoots with muddy boots 
I love this memory, and the fact that your sis sent sea shells as a birthday gift. Perfect and collected. Have a wonderful weekend, Sabine!
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Thanks Missy! 🙋
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What a sweet memory! Glad your sister had a photo for you to use. I’m heading to bed early again. Not the best week so far but will catch up with you soon.
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Sleep tight Marlene! Hope you get some rest!
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A perfect stroll down memory lane for you Sabine and the box of shells is just perfect to go with the sentiment.
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Yes it was Linda! I still love collecting shells and have some from as far away as Bali!
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That’s amazing having shells from that far away Sabine, and those beautiful and delicate shells will always remind you of peace and tranquility or a special vacation.
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Yes, the peace and tranquility was soothing. Especially after such a difficult year with my grandmother’s illness. I was just 10 years old at the time and glad to have my aunts be there for us girls.
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Yes, it was good to be with family after that – any family member’s illness sure takes it toll on the rest of the family.
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Your sea shell box is lovely Sabine. A nice remembrance indeed.
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Thanks Arlene! It is indeed a nice remembrance! 😊
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Hey Sabine! So pleased you wanted to join in again on Friendly Friday. A perfect post for the prompt! And what a special holiday it was. I haven’t been to HeidKate but have been to Sonderborg on the other side! Memories like this are rather special.
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This is my first time joining a WP challenge and it’s a great way to think and blog a little out of the proverbial box! Thanks for hosting it! I hope to someday retrace my steps at the Baltic Sea and swing by Denmark for another one of those ice cream cones! 😉
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Sehr gern liebes Schwesterherz,
Es war ein schöner Sommer damals und ich hoffe wir machen irgendwann nochmal dort Urlaub
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Ja, erst Heidkate und danach Amrum! 💖
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Beautiful, the memory and the gift! I was born in 1970 so there’s that… 😉
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I treasure it all, being with my grandmother during her most difficult time, the vacation and also the gift. I wouldn’t trade any of it! Thanks for commenting and reading!
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This gave me goosebumps!!! Where your love for the sea originated, indeed! Happiest summer of your childhood, wow. Those memories are so, so, so precious. And of course your photos here are beautiful, love the sea shell composition with the red-and-white linen, impeccable!
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Hey Snow, I’m glad you liked this! Who would have thought at that time that one day I’d live on the West-coast near the Pacific! I’ll check back at Amanda’s blog to take a look at your interpretation. There weren’t many links yesterday. 🙋
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Beautiful memories. The photos of Strandkoerbe bring back many memories from my childhood vacation at the North Sea. 🙂
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Where at the Nordsee did you vacation? I hope to some day go back and retrace our steps. Thanks for visiting here Tatjana! 😊
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Cuxhaven mostly. I also remember trips to Husum and Buesum. Fun memories.
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Hey, I took a quick peek at your blog and will be back! Have a good week!
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Thank you! 🙂 Have a great week, too.
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Hopefully, You should see some more links on my blog now that I am awake and approving comments, Sabine!
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On my way! 😉
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Lovely!!
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