Clough Fest 2011

This July, something extraordinary happened in the greater Clough family.... the Afri-Cloughs moved to Germany! After two years of being in Africa, Neil got at assignment to none other than Ramstein, Germany, a mere 3 hours away. It's still hard to believe that we have family so close by and we've been taking full advantage of it during the short two months they've been here. Neil and Emily came over in July, but their girls, Sybil, Shannon and Cassie, stayed with their grandparents for another month. They had the big job of delivering them at the end of August when we had a fantastic family reunion. 

Cochem, along the Mosel River

We met up with them in the quaint town of Cochem along the Mosel River. The wine festival was just getting started there and we enjoyed touring around the adorable town, visiting their pretty hilltop castle and simply enjoying quality time with one another.

Jon and his parents outside our hotel balcony in Cochem

Cochem Castle

The Clough ladies at Cochem Castle

During the years of my courtship with Jon and marriage, I have loved spending time with his family. I am blessed with the most wonderful in-laws in the world, to include his loving and caring parents, hilarious and kind brothers, and two sisters-in-law I'm lucky enough to call friends. I am also fortunate enough to have three nieces, who have grown into three lovely young ladies over the past 10 years of knowing them, and one spirited nephew in North Carolina. While we've been in Europe and Neil's been all over the world, I was only able to spend time with my nieces on short visits to the family farm once every couple years. I'm now thrilled to be able to spend much more time with them over the next two years. Already in the short while they've been here I've managed to have the first of hopefully many slumber parties on pallets in the living room. 

Burg Eltz

On our way from the Mosel back to Sittard, we first stopped at Burg Eltz to see my favorite castle in Europe. Unforunately, it was undergoing renovations and much of it was covered in scaffolding. Despite the crane and half the castle being covered, it's still an impressive sight to see in the midst of a beautiful forest complete with a winding creek through the valley.

Burg Eltz

Once back in Sittard, we enjoyed a weekend of togetherness with cook-outs, treks downtown to the St. Rosa Festival carnival, apple-picking and family quality time. On Saturday, we did venture to the Dreilandenpunt, or place where Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet. Along with an outdoor art exhibit, observance towers, restaurants and playgrounds, the area also has a labyrinth that is surprisingly challenging. My labyrinth team of Cassie, Jon and me (aka, the winners) managed to find our way out pretty easily, but only out of sheer luck. Others were not so fortunate and got stuck in the rain while we tried to guide them out of the never-ending maze of hedges from a look-out point. 

Neil, Jon and David at the highest point in the Netherlands

The labyrinth at the Dreilandenpunt

Biking around Sittard

Like most weekends filled with good people and plenty of fun, our time together ended too quickly and Neil and his gang had to return to Ramstein for the start of school, and his parents had to return home to DC. We so enjoyed spending time all together and look forward to many more reunions in Germany and the Netherlands over the next two years!