When tragically, my sister-in-law was killed by a drunk driver, Bill and I and our son, Corky, tried to salvage those of her personal effects we thought would always remind us of Carol.
Our son rescued an etching which is now residing at our house. Carol must have loved this remarkable piece and the more we look at it, the more astonished and enthralled we are. It is intensely beautiful in a unique way.
The etching is of a street beneath a clock tower in the medieval German town of Rothenburg. The mesmerizing image is a night scene, where under a clear starry sky, musicians are dancing and playing.
There is light coming from a nearby window and the silvery glow of moonlight creates shadows on the street. The old buildings’ flower boxes emit muted color through the evening’s glow. And the whole effect is transfixing and transporting.
But the oddest thing about this story is that Bill and I are now planning a trip to Europe.
And before we had even seen or acquired this remarkable etching, we had arranged a tour of Rothenburg!
So, we will see the old city and maybe even find the very street where Carol walked and where the artist must have enjoyed the inspiration.
Rothenburg on the Romantic Road is perhaps the best preserved medieval town in Germany and the entire walled town is considered a living museum. The wall connects five medieval gates complete with guard towers that date from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries. Gothic, renaissance, and baroque houses and fountains are highlights of the town as you walk its cobblestone streets.
Virginia Views 