Quote from: thijsdegraaf on November 27, 2021, 09:15

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 04:33

Quote from: Wilm on November 26, 2021, 16:44
Thank you very much, Martha! 

You're very welcome! I just wish I could speak or write your language (whatever it is) as well as you write (and probably speak) mine.

Don't you speak a little German Martha? Looks like Dutch     (You wrote that you as a little girl lived in Heidelberg)

Yes, I do. An itsy, bitsy, tiny, little, botched-up version of German!  See my answer to Wilm right above this.

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 23:26

Quote from: Wilm on November 27, 2021, 13:30

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 06:51

Quote from: Wilm on November 26, 2021, 16:44

Maybe cuteness. Or schema of childlike characteristics. ...

Basically, it's about the fact that babies - whether human or animal - are perceived as cute by everyone. Big googly eyes, round soft shapes, small nose, overall very small face relative to the size of the head, so childlike proportions.

Wilm, I got curious and dug around a bit on the internet. Turned up this blog...  from Shutterstock, of all places!

SS refers to it as "the cute factor," as opposed to "cuteness" (which is what sounds best to me). But either way, it's exactly as you described it above.

https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/the-cute-factor-why-were-obsessed-with-pictures-of-babies-and-animals

Thanks, Martha, I didn't know about this blog post.

Is what Thijs writes true? Did you live in Heidelberg when you were a child? I was born there and lived there until I was 23 years old.
At that time Heidelberg was the European headquarters of the US land forces. Were your parents or your father in the US Army?

Yes, that's exactly right. My father was with the US Army. We lived at 107 Roemerstrasse (that's my own English phoenetic spelling) in Heidelberg from 1951 to 1954. During that time, we traveled all over Western Europe, from the boot of Italy to the fjords in Norway. It was a great time to be an American in Europe and quite a marvelous introduction to the world!

I'll add that I started school (first and second grade) in the American school there. Our teachers were Americans, but they had local assistants who taught us to sing in German a wealth of Christmas carols and folk songs, how to count, the German alphabet, colors, clothing, body parts, and other basic things. I can still sing many of the things I learned, but they would probably sound all wrong to you, because for me it's just rote memory from a loooooooooong time ago.

Römerstraße - it must have been called ,,Mark Twain Village". ,,Patrick Henry Village" was located some miles away- as far as I remember...

I used to play tennis there. 

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 00:48

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 23:26

Quote from: Wilm on November 27, 2021, 13:30

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 06:51

Quote from: Wilm on November 26, 2021, 16:44

Maybe cuteness. Or schema of childlike characteristics. ...

Basically, it's about the fact that babies - whether human or animal - are perceived as cute by everyone. Big googly eyes, round soft shapes, small nose, overall very small face relative to the size of the head, so childlike proportions.

Wilm, I got curious and dug around a bit on the internet. Turned up this blog...  from Shutterstock, of all places!

SS refers to it as "the cute factor," as opposed to "cuteness" (which is what sounds best to me). But either way, it's exactly as you described it above.

https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/the-cute-factor-why-were-obsessed-with-pictures-of-babies-and-animals

Thanks, Martha, I didn't know about this blog post.

Is what Thijs writes true? Did you live in Heidelberg when you were a child? I was born there and lived there until I was 23 years old.
At that time Heidelberg was the European headquarters of the US land forces. Were your parents or your father in the US Army?

Yes, that's exactly right. My father was with the US Army. We lived at 107 Roemerstrasse (that's my own English phoenetic spelling) in Heidelberg from 1951 to 1954. During that time, we traveled all over Western Europe, from the boot of Italy to the fjords in Norway. It was a great time to be an American in Europe and quite a marvelous introduction to the world!

I'll add that I started school (first and second grade) in the American school there. Our teachers were Americans, but they had local assistants who taught us to sing in German a wealth of Christmas carols and folk songs, how to count, the German alphabet, colors, clothing, body parts, and other basic things. I can still sing many of the things I learned, but they would probably sound all wrong to you, because for me it's just rote memory from a loooooooooong time ago.

Römerstraße - it must have been called ,,Mark Twain Village". ,,Patrick Henry Village" was located some miles away- as far as I remember...

I used to play tennis there. 

I don't remember it being called Mark Twain Village or anything like that.

But yes, it was Römerstraße. I remember that spelling now. It's the first street address that I remember memorizing.

Quote from: marthamarks on November 28, 2021, 00:55

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 00:48

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 23:26

Quote from: Wilm on November 27, 2021, 13:30

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 06:51

Quote from: Wilm on November 26, 2021, 16:44

Maybe cuteness. Or schema of childlike characteristics. ...

Basically, it's about the fact that babies - whether human or animal - are perceived as cute by everyone. Big googly eyes, round soft shapes, small nose, overall very small face relative to the size of the head, so childlike proportions.

Wilm, I got curious and dug around a bit on the internet. Turned up this blog...  from Shutterstock, of all places!

SS refers to it as "the cute factor," as opposed to "cuteness" (which is what sounds best to me). But either way, it's exactly as you described it above.

https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/the-cute-factor-why-were-obsessed-with-pictures-of-babies-and-animals

Thanks, Martha, I didn't know about this blog post.

Is what Thijs writes true? Did you live in Heidelberg when you were a child? I was born there and lived there until I was 23 years old.
At that time Heidelberg was the European headquarters of the US land forces. Were your parents or your father in the US Army?

Yes, that's exactly right. My father was with the US Army. We lived at 107 Roemerstrasse (that's my own English phoenetic spelling) in Heidelberg from 1951 to 1954. During that time, we traveled all over Western Europe, from the boot of Italy to the fjords in Norway. It was a great time to be an American in Europe and quite a marvelous introduction to the world!

I'll add that I started school (first and second grade) in the American school there. Our teachers were Americans, but they had local assistants who taught us to sing in German a wealth of Christmas carols and folk songs, how to count, the German alphabet, colors, clothing, body parts, and other basic things. I can still sing many of the things I learned, but they would probably sound all wrong to you, because for me it's just rote memory from a loooooooooong time ago.

Römerstraße - it must have been called ,,Mark Twain Village". ,,Patrick Henry Village" was located some miles away- as far as I remember...

I used to play tennis there. 

I don't remember it being called Mark Twain Village or anything like that.

But yes, it was Römerstraße. I remember that spelling now. It's the first street address that I remember memorizing.

Römerstraße. I found it on Google Earth. A friend of my mother's (aunt Hilde  ) lived in or near Heidelberg. I visited there as a child.

Quote from: marthamarks on November 28, 2021, 00:55

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 00:48

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 23:26

Quote from: Wilm on November 27, 2021, 13:30

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 06:51

Quote from: Wilm on November 26, 2021, 16:44

Maybe cuteness. Or schema of childlike characteristics. ...

Basically, it's about the fact that babies - whether human or animal - are perceived as cute by everyone. Big googly eyes, round soft shapes, small nose, overall very small face relative to the size of the head, so childlike proportions.

Wilm, I got curious and dug around a bit on the internet. Turned up this blog...  from Shutterstock, of all places!

SS refers to it as "the cute factor," as opposed to "cuteness" (which is what sounds best to me). But either way, it's exactly as you described it above.

https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/the-cute-factor-why-were-obsessed-with-pictures-of-babies-and-animals

Thanks, Martha, I didn't know about this blog post.

Is what Thijs writes true? Did you live in Heidelberg when you were a child? I was born there and lived there until I was 23 years old.
At that time Heidelberg was the European headquarters of the US land forces. Were your parents or your father in the US Army?

Yes, that's exactly right. My father was with the US Army. We lived at 107 Roemerstrasse (that's my own English phoenetic spelling) in Heidelberg from 1951 to 1954. During that time, we traveled all over Western Europe, from the boot of Italy to the fjords in Norway. It was a great time to be an American in Europe and quite a marvelous introduction to the world!

I'll add that I started school (first and second grade) in the American school there. Our teachers were Americans, but they had local assistants who taught us to sing in German a wealth of Christmas carols and folk songs, how to count, the German alphabet, colors, clothing, body parts, and other basic things. I can still sing many of the things I learned, but they would probably sound all wrong to you, because for me it's just rote memory from a loooooooooong time ago.

Römerstraße - it must have been called ,,Mark Twain Village". ,,Patrick Henry Village" was located some miles away- as far as I remember...

I used to play tennis there. 

I don't remember it being called Mark Twain Village or anything like that.

But yes, it was Römerstraße. I remember that spelling now. It's the first street address that I remember memorizing.

There was a bridge built by the Romans (German translation = "Römer") in Heidelberg to cross the river Neckar and get to Ladenburg (founded in the year 40 after *) - a former Roman fort. So you were living on historical ground.

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 12:02

Quote from: marthamarks on November 28, 2021, 00:55

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 00:48

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 23:26

Quote from: Wilm on November 27, 2021, 13:30

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 06:51

Quote from: Wilm on November 26, 2021, 16:44

Maybe cuteness. Or schema of childlike characteristics. ...

Basically, it's about the fact that babies - whether human or animal - are perceived as cute by everyone. Big googly eyes, round soft shapes, small nose, overall very small face relative to the size of the head, so childlike proportions.

Wilm, I got curious and dug around a bit on the internet. Turned up this blog...  from Shutterstock, of all places!

SS refers to it as "the cute factor," as opposed to "cuteness" (which is what sounds best to me). But either way, it's exactly as you described it above.

https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/the-cute-factor-why-were-obsessed-with-pictures-of-babies-and-animals

Thanks, Martha, I didn't know about this blog post.

Is what Thijs writes true? Did you live in Heidelberg when you were a child? I was born there and lived there until I was 23 years old.
At that time Heidelberg was the European headquarters of the US land forces. Were your parents or your father in the US Army?

Yes, that's exactly right. My father was with the US Army. We lived at 107 Roemerstrasse (that's my own English phoenetic spelling) in Heidelberg from 1951 to 1954. During that time, we traveled all over Western Europe, from the boot of Italy to the fjords in Norway. It was a great time to be an American in Europe and quite a marvelous introduction to the world!

I'll add that I started school (first and second grade) in the American school there. Our teachers were Americans, but they had local assistants who taught us to sing in German a wealth of Christmas carols and folk songs, how to count, the German alphabet, colors, clothing, body parts, and other basic things. I can still sing many of the things I learned, but they would probably sound all wrong to you, because for me it's just rote memory from a loooooooooong time ago.

Römerstraße - it must have been called ,,Mark Twain Village". ,,Patrick Henry Village" was located some miles away- as far as I remember...

I used to play tennis there. 

I don't remember it being called Mark Twain Village or anything like that.

But yes, it was Römerstraße. I remember that spelling now. It's the first street address that I remember memorizing.

There was a bridge built by the Romans (German translation = "Römer") in Heidelberg to cross the river Neckar and get to Ladenburg (founded in the year 40 after *) - a former Roman fort. So you were living on historical ground.

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 12:02

Quote from: marthamarks on November 28, 2021, 00:55

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 00:48

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 23:26

Quote from: Wilm on November 27, 2021, 13:30

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 06:51

Quote from: Wilm on November 26, 2021, 16:44

Maybe cuteness. Or schema of childlike characteristics. ...

Basically, it's about the fact that babies - whether human or animal - are perceived as cute by everyone. Big googly eyes, round soft shapes, small nose, overall very small face relative to the size of the head, so childlike proportions.

Wilm, I got curious and dug around a bit on the internet. Turned up this blog...  from Shutterstock, of all places!

SS refers to it as "the cute factor," as opposed to "cuteness" (which is what sounds best to me). But either way, it's exactly as you described it above.

https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/the-cute-factor-why-were-obsessed-with-pictures-of-babies-and-animals

Thanks, Martha, I didn't know about this blog post.

Is what Thijs writes true? Did you live in Heidelberg when you were a child? I was born there and lived there until I was 23 years old.
At that time Heidelberg was the European headquarters of the US land forces. Were your parents or your father in the US Army?

Yes, that's exactly right. My father was with the US Army. We lived at 107 Roemerstrasse (that's my own English phoenetic spelling) in Heidelberg from 1951 to 1954. During that time, we traveled all over Western Europe, from the boot of Italy to the fjords in Norway. It was a great time to be an American in Europe and quite a marvelous introduction to the world!

I'll add that I started school (first and second grade) in the American school there. Our teachers were Americans, but they had local assistants who taught us to sing in German a wealth of Christmas carols and folk songs, how to count, the German alphabet, colors, clothing, body parts, and other basic things. I can still sing many of the things I learned, but they would probably sound all wrong to you, because for me it's just rote memory from a loooooooooong time ago.

Römerstraße - it must have been called ,,Mark Twain Village". ,,Patrick Henry Village" was located some miles away- as far as I remember...

I used to play tennis there. 

I don't remember it being called Mark Twain Village or anything like that.

But yes, it was Römerstraße. I remember that spelling now. It's the first street address that I remember memorizing.

There was a bridge built by the Romans (German translation = "Römer") in Heidelberg to cross the river Neckar and get to Ladenburg (founded in the year 40 after *) - a former Roman fort. So you were living on historical ground.

Wilm, I remember that bridge very well. Even have a photo that my mother took of me standing on it, with the Schloss behind me, I think.

I also remember the medieval Red Ox student tavern in old-town Heidelberg. Roten Ochsen... I just looked it up! At age 6 or 7, I was too young to drink the beer on tap, but I remember eating there!

That was a very happy time in my life. Thanks for bringing the memories back to me.

Quote from: marthamarks on November 28, 2021, 19:23

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 12:02

Quote from: marthamarks on November 28, 2021, 00:55

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 00:48

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 23:26

Quote from: Wilm on November 27, 2021, 13:30

Quote from: marthamarks on November 27, 2021, 06:51

Quote from: Wilm on November 26, 2021, 16:44

Maybe cuteness. Or schema of childlike characteristics. ...

Basically, it's about the fact that babies - whether human or animal - are perceived as cute by everyone. Big googly eyes, round soft shapes, small nose, overall very small face relative to the size of the head, so childlike proportions.

Wilm, I got curious and dug around a bit on the internet. Turned up this blog...  from Shutterstock, of all places!

SS refers to it as "the cute factor," as opposed to "cuteness" (which is what sounds best to me). But either way, it's exactly as you described it above.

https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/the-cute-factor-why-were-obsessed-with-pictures-of-babies-and-animals

Thanks, Martha, I didn't know about this blog post.

Is what Thijs writes true? Did you live in Heidelberg when you were a child? I was born there and lived there until I was 23 years old.
At that time Heidelberg was the European headquarters of the US land forces. Were your parents or your father in the US Army?

Yes, that's exactly right. My father was with the US Army. We lived at 107 Roemerstrasse (that's my own English phoenetic spelling) in Heidelberg from 1951 to 1954. During that time, we traveled all over Western Europe, from the boot of Italy to the fjords in Norway. It was a great time to be an American in Europe and quite a marvelous introduction to the world!

I'll add that I started school (first and second grade) in the American school there. Our teachers were Americans, but they had local assistants who taught us to sing in German a wealth of Christmas carols and folk songs, how to count, the German alphabet, colors, clothing, body parts, and other basic things. I can still sing many of the things I learned, but they would probably sound all wrong to you, because for me it's just rote memory from a loooooooooong time ago.

Römerstraße - it must have been called ,,Mark Twain Village". ,,Patrick Henry Village" was located some miles away- as far as I remember...

I used to play tennis there. 

I don't remember it being called Mark Twain Village or anything like that.

But yes, it was Römerstraße. I remember that spelling now. It's the first street address that I remember memorizing.

There was a bridge built by the Romans (German translation = "Römer") in Heidelberg to cross the river Neckar and get to Ladenburg (founded in the year 40 after *) - a former Roman fort. So you were living on historical ground.

Wilm, I remember that bridge very well. Even have a photo that my mother took of me standing on it, with the Schloss behind me, I think.

I also remember the medieval Red Ox student tavern in old-town Heidelberg. Roten Ochsen... I just looked it up! At age 6 or 7, I was too young to drink the beer on tap, but I remember eating there!

That was a very happy time in my life. Thanks for bringing the memories back to me.

Hello Martha,


I am glad that I could revive your past.

I must correct you on one point: the bridge that the Romans built has not existed for countless centuries. There is only a memorial stone that reminds us of it.

The bridge you remember, the "old bridge" originally dates back to the early Middle Ages.

However, I would like to write a few lines on the subject on the occasion of other discussions in this forum.

When I was young, I was often at the "Neckarwiese" - the Neckar meadows would perhaps be an apt translation. This was full of people of every culture, ethnicity, religion, skin color, origin... It was a multicultural, peaceful, lively and usually sun-drenched place. Endless US Americans were there and the contact with them was friendly, positive and lively. Heidelberg had 130,000 residents, a great many students, and an additional 36,000 or so residents who were part of the U.S. Army. It was an open coexistence without resentment.

I would wish if such social coexistence would continue to prevail in all countries - including the USA and Germany. Unfortunately, this is disturbed today by multiple factors. I personally find that an infinite pity!

We should all make the greatest effort that a peaceful coexistence on earth is possible. I contribute with pleasure my part to it!

Quote from: Wilm on November 28, 2021, 21:20

The bridge you remember, the "old bridge" originally dates back to the early Middle Ages.

Thank you for that, Wilm! I'm happy to know which bridge it is shown in the pic that my mother took of me in the early '50s. All I can say in my own defense is... it sure did look awfully old to me.

And yes, I share your appreciation for peace and harmony in the world. At least at this time of year, one would think we could hope to achieve it.

And that brings up more beautiful memories of mine from Heidelberg:

** exquisite hand-made Christmas tree decorations, including many hand-blown and hand-painted ones, not to mention hand-carved nativity sets (creches).

** tales of Father Christmas depositing "lumps of coal" in naughty children's stockings (I was never one of those, of course!)

** festive open-air Christmas celebrations as people of all ages carried lighted candles and sang in the street... and not a single time did anyone fear getting run over by an angry driver in a truck. Sad.

But we are talking now about 70 years ago. Very different times, unfortunately.

This feels so nice. And this is 20% level for video

Congratulations Dumc!
I had received in October 90,-$ for a picture.
That was also a joyful surprise.