Hi. As a kid, I loved construction and I loved miniature. I would make miniature tents from straws (for bears, because apparently bears slept in straw beamed tents). I was never into dolls, courtesy of two older brothers. Mostly books. Books, straw bending and aforementioned bears.

So, the view from my Münchner based friend’s balcony, an allotment garden below her new building, brought back those same joyful memories‒ with a sprinkling of icing sugar style snow! Similar to a city view at landing and takeoff, but with so much more meaning and nearness. I found a great piece on these Kleingartenkolonies explaining their birth in the 19th century. Basically, “teach a man to fish” and “teach kids what a fish looks like before it’s battered” style thinking. Pre-wholefoods stores. These are the original community gardens.

There’s something about the miniscule, which affirms I am the forest over tree thinker in most instances. Add to that, the soundproofing of snow in a city adds an ethereal element. And I can see why making gingerbread houses is so popular in this part of the world (they never made sense in sunny Christmastide). Plus, maybe they’re really meant for bears…