Thursday, July 27, 2023

The Rocking Horse

 

When Kaefer turned one year old, we gave her a rocking horse for her birthday. A couple weeks before, the Geek and I went to Rottenburg, a small city about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) away from Tübingen. We knew that there was an excellent shop that sold wooden toys and we wanted a solid, wooden rocking horse for our daughter. These toys aren't cheap, of course, but they are handmade and of superb quality. The horse was also heavy, and we (i.e. the Geek) had to carry it quite a way back to our car. (Most German cities and towns have pedestrian zones and you can't park your car in front of the store. We walk.) It was so worth it!

As soon as Kaefer could climb that horse, she was on it - and sometimes she did quite the daring "stunts", as you can see in the picture above. She was a fearless, daring little girl (she still is) who pretty often almost made my heart stop.

In the next picture you can see the other toy she loved - a Bobby Car. A Bobby Car is THE classic toy car for small children in Germany, produced by the company BIG in Fürth and Burghaslach in Germany. It is made of very strong plastic that is indestructible (these Bobby Cars keep forever) and can even carry an adult. Kaefer got the classic red one with a trailer. Here she transports the sheep the Geek and I had bought at Stonehenge in England while we were dating (because a sheep is exactly what one buys at an ancient site like Stonehenge, right?). The rocking horse and the Bobby Car made a good team.

My two sweeties riding into the sunset together - this is a very favorite photo of mine.

12 years later, a teenager by then, she still sits on that rocking horse. Today, it lives in our bedroom - I don't think we will ever get rid of it.

I'm sharing these sweet faces with Nicole's Friday Face Off.


15 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

These photos are all heart melters. Thank you.

roentare said...

She was adorable as a baby.

Tom said...

...when our kids were young I bought a solid wood rocking lion. The grandkids have enjoyed it too.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

If I was filled with admiration for Kaefer before, then my admiration just magnified a hundredfold seeing her wear that CANADA sweatshirt! Hooray for Kaefer. That girl has good taste! Wonderful memories are tied up in those childhood toys and I am glad that they still mean a great deal. Best wishes - David

Iris Flavia said...

Das ist ja wild! Schon auf dem ersten Foto sieht sie aus wie heute!
Danke für das "Lächeln"!
Wäre auch was für Annies Smiles heute...

My name is Erika. said...

These pictures are adorable Carola. We all know our children will grow up, but it does happen so quickly. It's a good thing we live in a time of photography and so we can have photos. I love seeing the toys too, like the Bobby Car. Thanks for sharing these heart-warming photos. hugs-Erika

Valerie-Jael said...

Fabulous story with the rocking horse, those wooden toys are really very long lasting. Great photos of our Sweeties, too!
This post really rocked. Hugs, Valerie

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Those are all adorable photos, especially the look on your daughter's face in the first one!

kathyinozarks said...

I love the rocking horse-very special with great memories too. enjoyed the photos Happy Friday Kathy

DVArtist said...

What wonderful memoris in photos. I love your post and thank you for sharing it with FFO. Have a lovely day.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I'm in LUST with that rocking horse. It would make a great companion to several of mine. I would ride it, too. So glad you won't get rid of it. I know it not only holds fond memories, it must have cost a fortune, even 20 years ago. The car is cute, but the rocking horse is amazing.

Veronica Lee said...

Such precious memories, Carola.
I am sure that rocking horse will be enjoyed by many generations to come.

Hugs and blessings

Rostrose said...

Liebe Carola,
unser Enkel Jamie hat ein ganz ähnliches Schaukelpferd 😃🎠! Es ist vermutlich schon etwa älter als das von Käfer, denn wir haben es von Sigrun, meiner Tante zweiten Grades, bekommen; es gehörte einst ihren Kindern und ist demnach etwa ein halbes Jahrhundert alt. (Das älteste ihrer Kinder wäre jetzt knapp über 50 - allerdings ist mein Cousin Ulrich 2019 bei einem Autounfall ums Leben gekommen.) Sigruns fünf Kinder haben das Pferd im Lauf der Jahre ziemlich niedergeritten, weshalb die Mähne schon etwas schütter ist, ein Ohr fehlt - im Gegensatz zu eurem hat es Lederohren - und die Haltestange wurde von meinem Onkel durch einen passenden Ast ersetzt. Aber im Großen und Ganzen scheint es unverwüstlich zu sein. Ich werde das gute Pferdchen demnächst herzeigen. Vielleicht wird euer Pferd ja auch mal der nächsten Generation Freude bereiten. Jamie neigt übrigens ebenfalls zum Voltigieren und hat darauf schon mehrere Kunststücke gezeigt. Er ähnelt damit seiner Mutter, die mir in ihrer Kindheit auch oft wechselweise den Puls hochgejagt und das Herz fast zum Stillstand gebracht hat, weil sie so ein "Klettermaxi" war.
Alles Liebe
Traude
🌸🌿❤️🌿🌸
PS: Supersüße Fotos!

Barwitzki said...

Beautiful photos with wonderful memories... of course a rocking horse, the quintessential children's toy for the living room.
And yes, it has to stay and wait for new playmates :-))) Oh it's going to be a party.
How nice :-)
Love from Viola

Fundy Blue said...

What a heartwarming post, Carola!