A morning walk

One of the things that I enjoy here is getting up early in the morning while everything is still and quiet.  During this quiet, I have a chance to read, pray, or go for a walk.  So this morning I went for a longer walk since brunch wasn't until 8:30am.  I walk around the outskirts of town.  I start off my walk by walking past this beautiful house and garden.  One morning a few weeks ago, I met the owner of the house and he was this older man in his 70's or 80's and we had a very short conversation because he knew little English and I knew little German.  He had the biggest smile and the most pleasant countenance.  He discovered that I was a student at Tauernhof and smiled, saying "this is a very good place to spend your time."  I continued on my way, but now everytime, I stop to smell the roses at his house (pictured below).


I walk past the Spar (supermarket) and down the street behind the Schule (school).  Usually, I pass one or two people riding bikes to their destination and we exchange the usual "Morgan" (morning), "hallo" (hello), or "Gross Gotte" (greet God).  I walk to the bakery and buy a sparkling water or sometimes a croissant.  I continued my walk to pass another tea shop, some houses, apartments and crossed the bridge over the river.  I walked along the river for a bit, and stopped to read on a bench.  I continued on and circled back around town and explored some different streets.  As I walked I saw an older woman in sandals, nylons and a traditional dress stop to put her scarf on her head.  She looked liked she stepped out of the past.  Except...when I turned back around to see her walk away, she had a very hip backpack on her back.  I continued on and admired the flowers that everyone has in their window boxes.  The Austrians take so much pride in having flower boxes and beautiful flowers.  I have yet to see a flower box not taken care of. 

I continued on and passed a beautiful hotel.  I looked up to see a girl quickly skirt back from the window because she was putting on her make-up in a round mirror propped on the window sill.  It's so different, there are no window screens here, not even in our rooms.  And all the construction is very solid.  When I talked to Dagmar about the construction because her husband is building a bible school in Romania, she said that it takes a long time to build a house or building because they are built to last.  One of the features that I really like about the construction are the windows.  They swing open if you turn the handle vertical, tilt in if your turn the handle vertical up, or close if you turn the handle vertical down.  It took some time to get used to this, but it's so nice to let fresh air in when it's tipped open slightly and it doesn't let the rain in.  I found another cafe on the way back, said a few more hallos, and headed back to brunch feeling refreshed by both my reading and my walk. 

Here's a verse that inspired me this morning:

" I run in the path of your commands,

for you have set my heart free."

Psalm 119:32