Leaving All Germs Behind

by

As the church bells were chiming on Christmas Eve, Dina and Kb clinked mugs of hot lemon and honey tea with us Bookfayries, toasting to the demise of germs and the hope for brighter, sniffle-free days.
They spent Christmas battling the flu and now having emerged from the duvet fortress determined to leave all traces of flu and cold in the past. What better setting to embrace a fresh start than the snow-dusted New Forest?
By the way, they recovered that quickly because of our Special Siri-Selma-Care (known as SSSC©️). We are lucky as Bookfayries we don’t get the flu, or have you ever heard of a fairie flue?

Beim Läuten der Kirchenglocken am Heiligabend prosteten Dina und Kb uns mit heißer Zitrone und Tee mit viel Honig zu, auf dass alle Bakterien sie fliehen und ihre Nasen sich vom Schleim befreien.
Sie verbrachten Weihnachten mit dem Kampf gegen eine böse Grippe. Nun sind sie ihrem Matratzenlager entstiegen, um mit uns im leicht beschneiten New Forest ihre Gesundung zu feiern.
Übrigens erholten sie sich derart schnell wegen unserer berühmten Spezial Siri-Selma-Pflege (bekannt als SSSC©️). Wir beiden Buchfeen sind glücklicher Weise immun gegen Grippe – oder habt ihr schon mal von Feengrippe gehört?

“Look at those beautiful Bookfayries!”

The iconic ponies of the New Forest were waiting for us. Blanketed in frost, they stood like sentinels of the forest, their thick winter coats glinting in the crisp sunlight. As we ventured out, camera in hand and tissues finally left at home, it almost felt as if these shaggy guardians were whispering secrets of resilience. Or maybe they were just gossiping about us as they have never seen such beautiful Bookfayries before.

Die Ponies erwarteten uns. Eingehüllt in Frost standen sie da wie die Wächter des Waldes, ihr dickes Winterfell glitzernd im harten Winterlicht. Als wir endlich die Taschentücher zu Hause gelassen hatten und mit der Kamera herumstreiften, schien es uns, als ob diese zotteligen Wächter uns Geheimnisse über Widerstandskraft zuraunten. Oder wunderten sie sich über solch anmutige Buchfeen wie uns. Solch feine Wesen hatten sie nie zuvor gesehen.

A Pony Conversation
“Look at these two,” snorted Chestnut, shaking snow off her mane. “They’ve just crawled out of bed.”
“ Herd Flu,” replied Grey with a knowing nod. “Heard it’s been going around.“
“Ha! Let’s see how long they last without sneezing.“
Chestnut tilted her head, watching us stumble through the snow. “At least they’re trying. – Hi Grey, do you have New Year resolutions?”
“Same as always,” Grey answered. “Keep calm, carry on grazing, and never let the cold bother us.”
They turned back to their patch of frosty grass, tails swishing dismissively. But the message was clear: resilience is key, and life goes on, one snowy hoofprint at a time.

Ponygespräche
“Schau dir mal die beiden an,” schnaubte die Kastanienbraune, wobei sie den Schnee von ihrer Mähne schüttelte. “Die sind gerade ihrem Bett entschlüpft.”
“Grippe raffte sie hin,” antwortete die Graue wissend nickend. “Ich hörte, die geht um.”
“Na, da bin ich mal gespannt, wie lange die es ohne zu Niesen aushalten.”
Die Kastanienbraune betrachtete uns durch den Schnee stapfen. “Zumindest versuchen sie es. – He Graue, hast du dir was zum Neuen Jahr vorgenommen?”
“Na, das Übliche. Immer mit der Ruhe, lässiges Grasen und niemals lass die Kälte uns stören.”
Sie wendeten sich wieder ihrer Stelle mit gefrorenem Gras zu, ihre Schwänze abweisend schwingend. Ihre Lehre war deutlich: Widerstandskraft ist der Schlüssel und das Leben geht seinen Lauf, einen Huftritt nach dem anderen.

Their message resonated. Out in the fresh air, surrounded by the ancient trees and the timeless rhythm of nature, it is impossible not to feel invigorated. The New Forest — and its amusing ponies — reminded us that recovery is all about moving forward, even if it’s one small step at a time.

Wir sahen ihre Lehre sofort ein. Draußen in der frischen Luft, umgeben von alten Bäumen und dem zeitlosen Rhythmus der Natur ist es unmöglich, sich nicht gestärkt zu fühlen. Der New Forest mit seinem lustigen Ponies machte uns deutlich, es geht einzig darum, immer eins nach dem anderen.

As we pack away the cough medicine and stock up on vitamin C, we’re taking those frosty whispers of wisdom into 2025: breathe deeply, walk briskly, and keep the snacks handy.

Als wir unsere Hustenbonbons wegpacken und unsere Vitamin C Vorräte auffrischen, hören wir dieses weise Raunen für 2025: tief atmen, stramm gehen und immer was zu essen bereit haben.

So here’s to 2025: a time for clear lungs, clear skies, and maybe even clearer resolutions. May we all stay calm, resilient, and utterly unbothered by the cold. Cheers to a flu-free, fabulous new year!

Also für 2025: freies Atmen, freier Himmel und freie Vorsätze. Mögen wir alle cool, widerständig und gewappnet gegen die Kälte sein.

To A New Year: Flu-Free and Fabulous
Für ein neues gesundes und fantastisches Jahr

The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂



© text and illustrations, Hanne Siebers & Klausbernd Vollmar, Cley next the Sea, 2025

167 thoughts

    • Liebe Uschi, lieber Herbert,

      der New Forest liegt in Hampshire und SE Wiltshire, also südlich von Norfolk. Es ist ein National Park, der etwa 5 Std. mit dem Auto von Cley entfernt ist.

      Die Grippe ist jetzt abgeklungen, es gibt noch ein paar Nieser und an und ab einen Hustenanfall, aber im Grunde geht es uns wieder gut.

      Euch auch einen guten Rutsch
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, dear Martin 🙏 🙏

      Now we hope for lots of snow. In the New Forest we only had a little snow for a short time. But in about a fortnight, we’ll go up North to Scotland for real snow.

      Wishing you a wonderful New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Dear Fab Four of Cley,
    So sorry to hear you were ill. But it does seem that the SSSC procedure worked for you! I’m glad that the flu did not put too much of a burden on the holiday spirit.
    All I can say is OMG!! Those New Forest ponies have knocked my socks off and left me with my mouth hanging open.. Magical!!
    Thank you for showing us Hanne’s work.
    Happy New Year,
    GPhttps://pacificparatrooper.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/th-18-e1735559524336.jpg

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Lieber Jürgen,

      wir sind so mehr oder weniger drüber hinweg mit ein paar Niesern und Hustern zum Abschied, aber wohl auf.

      Wir wünschen dir ein wunderbares Neues Jahr. Möge deine Gesundheit sich verbessern und alles einfach und fröhlich werden
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Darlene

      We are happy that you like Hanne-Dina’s photos. We were lucky having a little snow there. In a fortnight, we’ll go up North to the Cairn Gorms, Britain’s Arctic, we expect lots of snow there.

      Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year and lots of ideas for your writing
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Margaret

      We have recovered again. No more sneezing and coughing. Siri’s and Selma’s caring worked wonders.

      We wish you all the very best for you for the New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  14. Hello from rainy Vancouver. No snow in sight – just lots and lots of rain, which brings a wonderful freshness to our streets. We are celebrating the 6th Day of Christmas waiting for the arrival of 2025. I was very interested in your New Forest adventures (Hanne-Dina – your photography is beyond amazing) So I had to find out more….

    I found out that the New Forest encompasses one of the largest areas of unenclosed pasture land, heathland, and forest in the region. And that the area was designated as a royal forest by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, marking its historical importance. It was also recorded in the Domesday Book. You are so very lucky to be able to enter this magical place!

    I love tagging along on The Fab Four adventures. Exciting!!! Happy New Year to my dear friends from our house to yours.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Rebecca

      The New Forest is especially beautiful in the snow. We drove up and down there all day and enjoyed seeing the ponies. In a fortnight we’ll go up North in the search for snow. We’ll go to the Cairn Gorms, Britain’s Arctic.

      We send the Budd-Clan love, hugs and our best wishes for the New Year. Stay happy and healthy
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Jo

      Everyone around us had the flu or a cold. Actually, it wasn’t that bad and we are fully recovered now. We wish you a flu-free time. It’s too warm here. When we lived in Scandinavia nobody had the flu or a cold in winter.

      Have a great time in the UK.
      Wishing you all the very best for the New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you very much 🙏 🙏

      We are happy that you like Hanne’s photos. These ponies are magic, aren’t they?

      Wishing you a wonderful happy and healthy New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Mermaid

      Well done, the healing energy arrived, and we are fully recovered again. Thank you!

      Wishing you everything that’s good for you for the New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  19. So glad you are on the other side of the flu wave. The photos are wonderful and I can almost feel the fresh air and snow crunching under my feet. (Oops better get something more substantial than flip flops) Wishing you all a Very Happy and Healthy New Year.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  21. Absolutely love the black-and-white photos of the handsome flour-leggeds . . . and am glad to hear you are mobile . . . the various colds being almost an inevitability of your current part of the year. The year 2025 only hours away here Down Under am sending my warmest wishes to the cold and dark north hoping that more will be and more will go right in the year to come for you than move the other way . . . blessings . . .

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Thank you very much for your kind words.

      We have fully recovered again and now preparing to go up North to Britain’s Arctic. We hope for lots of snow.

      Thanks for liking Hanne-Dina’s photography.
      Wishing you a wonderful New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, dear Terry.

      We are recovered and preparing our trip up North now in search of lots of snow.
      Thank you so much for liking Dina’s photography. It’s moody, isn’t it?

      Wishing you all the best for 2025
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  25. Herd flu!! (Sound of knee slap.) Beautiful photos, make for some nice zoom and crops also. Are the moisture spots an added effect? The photos are elegant, with or without. (I just caught a cold. I hope I didn’t get it from this blog! 🙂 )

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Dear John

      Oh dear, we have recovered and wish you a quick recovering. The germs did jump from one blog to the other, naughty beings!

      The moisture spots are added effects. We thought they gave the pictures a certain elegant magic without being kitschy.

      Happy New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Alessandra

      Thank you for liking Hanne’s photography. These ponies are cute, aren’t they?

      We are all recovered. The caring of Siri and Selma was great. And now we are preparing our next holiday going up North in the search for high snow.

      Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  34. Beautiful photos of the snowy New. Forest and ponies. 💕 Wishing you all a wonderful and peaceful 2025, with no more colds and flu. I think your resolution to not be bothered by the cold weather is admirable. 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Cathy

      Great that you like Dina’s pony pictures. We were so lucky to have some snow in the New Forest. Everything looks much more magical in snow.

      We are fully recovered.

      Wishing you all the very best for the New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  35. Ich freue mich, dass es Euch wieder besser geht. Ja, Widerstandskraft gegen die Kälte werden wir wohl zunehmend brauchen – innen wie außen…

    Kommt gut ins Neue Jahr, danke für die schönen Fotos in all Euren Beiträgen und für uns viele neue Fotos im neuen Jahr.

    Viele Grüße, Belana Hermine

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Liebe Belana Hermine,

      ja, wir sind wieder wohlauf, Siri und Selma sind wieder frech und Kb und Dina wieder emsig mit dies und das zugange. Sie bereiten unsere nächste große Reise in den Schnee vor. Wir werden in zwei Wochen hoch in den Norden, zu Britains Arktis fahren, und dort eine Weile bleiben.

      Da werden wir sicher wieder anmutige Bilder mit nach Hause bringen.

      Dir wünschen wir viel Freude und Gesundheit fürs Neue Jahr
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  36. I am sorry about the flu but pleased that recovery is under way. On the day in which you were making that good photographic record of our New Forest, we were driving into driving snow on the way to Southampton General Hospital for one of my BCG vaccine instillations; the snow was beginning to thaw on our way home

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Dear Derrick

      we are up and around again, fully recovered.
      So you know the New Forest in snow as well. When we were driving around there, it was empty as many English people think one can’t drive on snow. Actually, Kb likes driving on snow, he is used to it from Scandinavia and Canada. We suppose it is not something special for you as well.

      Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  38. Jackie and I have been similarly affected. We escaped Christmas but came down with nasty coughs and colds (Or in my case, ‘Man Flu’) on the 27th. We wont be doing too much revelling this New Year’s Eve that’s for sure! Enjoy the New Forest. Hope to see you soon. Wishing you all the best for 2025. So Happy (Aaaachoo!) New Year. Laurence and Jackie

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Laurence and Jackie

      We have recovered and are out and about again. We are preparing a trip to the Cairn Gorms now, hoping for lots of snow there. We’ll stay there for a fortnight.

      Wishing you a very quick recovery.
      We’ll stay at home tonight and soon start to prepare quite a complicated Pakistani meal we got as a Christmas gift from our neighbours. As we are not so skilled in cooking it’s a challenge. But with a drink we’ll manage I suppose.

      Happy and healthy New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  42. The New Forest is a lovely area, we visited in autumn several years ago which was full of lovely colour. I didn’t know they had had snow and heavy frost there this year. It does look chilly and I hope you were able to keep warm. The photos are, as usual, superb. Well done Hanne for braving the cold. My best wishes to the four of you for a happy, healthy and enchanting 2025 🥂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Jude

      It wasn’t that cold there it was just a light frost. Of course, we were wrapped in our big favourite sweaters. We weren’t cold.

      Thank you for liking Dina’s pictures. We love these ponies and followed them through the forest.
      Wishing you all the very best for the New Year. Stay happy and healthy
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
      We are looking forward to your flower pictures.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Indeed, we were fortunate to have some snow in the south. We loved it.

      Thanks for commenting.

      Wishing you a wonderful New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  44. The “viral infection” got me a week before Christmas and is only now (31st) getting better. Christmas day with my sisters, then our anniversary on the Friday (we were to have a night in a small hotel on the coast) all cancelled. So, here is the New Year and what a glorious set of photos you have given us here! Have a happy, HEALTHY and safe 2025 from the Orchard County in Northern Ireland. 🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Ashley

      We are recovered now. Actually, it wasn’t too bad and our two Bookfayries cared for perfectly well. Thanks to their care, we recovered quite quickly.

      We hope that you will recover soon. What a pity to have an infection when you want to go on holiday to the coast. We send you healing vibrations and fairy dust.

      Let all the bad germs back in the old year. Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • After some frantic phone calls & an email I was able to move our stay on the coast to February. So a double celebration then, our belated anniversary & my birthday. That might call for an extra night away. Look out for my post from Port Devine! Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy healthy 2025. 🌞🌞🌞

      Liked by 2 people

  45. Uns hatte es Ende September/Anfang Oktober mit einem grippalen Infekt erwischt. Der Zeitpunkt, den Ihr Euch für das Bettenlager ausgesucht habt, war wohl weniger gut gewählt. Aber schön, dass es Euch nun wieder einigermaßen gut geht. Weiterhin gute Besserung!

    Das sind ganz tolle Aufnahmen, Dina 👍🏻

    Alles Gute, vor allem natürlich für 2025 gaaaanz viel Gesundheit, wünscht Euch die Silberdistel. Guten Rutsch!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Liebe Silberdistel,

      uns geht es wieder gut und wir sind munter und fröhlich. Über Weihnachten krank zu sein, war gar nicht so schlecht, denn so konnten wir allen sozialen Verpflichtungen entgehen.

      Prima, dass dir Dina’s Fotos gefallen. Vielen Dank.

      Auch dir wünschen wir ein gesundes und fröhliches Neues Jahr
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • We are recovered now. Thanks a lot for mentioning the zinc picolinate, we had never heard about it before. We’ll buy a bottle of capsules just in case.

      Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Guten Tag, liebe Syntaxia

      Liebe Grüße vom Meer in die Kemenate. Habe herzlichen Dank für die tollen Wünsche. Auch dir ein gesundes Neues Jahr voller glücklicher Momente

      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Paddy

      The germs stayed in 2024 and we are fully recovered. Thank you very much for your good wishes.
      Wishing you and your family a wonderful, healthy and happy New Year

      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Joan

      What a great surprise 🙂 We are fully recovered now, the germs stayed in 2024. It was the loving care of Siri and Selma which made us recover that quickly.
      We wish you a wonderful New Year full of happy moments, lots of joy and perfect health
      💙💫🌟✨🌟💫💜

      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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  58. I’m very glad to hear that everyone is feeling better. I love the idea of a duvet fortress – Yes! The third photograph especially appeals to me, with the ponies spread out under the wavy trees in the frosty weather. Beautiful! And I think the Pony Conversation is perfectly appropriate. 🙂 But the final bit of advice is even better! It’s very refreshing. Thanks for combining stunning images, humor, and good sense. A nice recipe for a successful 2025. Best to you all!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Thank you so much, dear Lynn 🙏 🙏

      Fortunately, we are fully recovered, no more duvet fortress. That expression was inspired by Heinrich Heine, a German poet, who fell ill during his exile in Paris. He wrote about his mattress fortress.

      We wish you a wonderful 2025, a healthy one full of happy moments
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you for mentioning the origin of the duvet fortress, Klausbernd. I had heard of Heine but knew next to nothing about him. This led to a pleasant morning wormhole experience on Wikipedia. What an interesting life he had. I especially liked the Ideen: Das Buch Le Grand censorship critique with all the blank spaces and the poem “Where?” “Wo?”) on his tombstone.

      Enjoy the rest of your day!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Lynn

      Heine was born not far from the city where I was born. His house of birth is a popular pub nowadays. We think that fits.

      All the very best to you
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  60. There is something noble about horses, wild even more so. These in your pictures I’m sure aren’t domesticated. We don’t have a lot of the wild variety in the US anymore but they are here. We have many horses in my neighborhood for which I feel lucky. Happy New Year!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Jacqui

      these are wild horses. We don’t have many in Britain, but some are in our neighbourhood too. These horses from the New Forest are famous. Many people go there to see them – like we did.

      Wishing you a happy New Year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks. Hanne-Dina is a famous photographer and Kb. is a professional writer, we have enough possibilities to publish

      Willkommen


      Sorry, but we suppose you couldn’t pay our fees for an article/post.
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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  65. Thank you for swinging by my site, Klausbernd, and your best wishes for the coming year:). And visiting here is a wonderful treat – I know the New Forest well as I was born and brought up in Ringwood and spent my youth cycling around the New Forest as a teenager far longer ago than I care to recall… Your beautiful photos have captured the soul of a wonderful place and its inhabitants. Glad you’ve recovered from the flu – I hope 2025 is a happy, healthy year for you.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Hi

      Thanks a lot for your kind comment.
      We loved driving around in the New Forest.
      Great that you like our photos, that made Dina smile 🙂

      All the very best for you
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  67. I’m glad to read that you’ve recovered. I’ve yet to fully recover from the beauty of this collection of photos. I have such warm memories of times spent in snow — including a holiday at a friend’s traditional home in the Black Forest, and a morning walk there in fresh, deep snow. I enjoyed seeing the trees and the land as much as the ponies, but the photo of the two white ponies is breath-taking. Are those yellow flowers blooming beneath them? Whatever they are, they’re a lovely little grace note.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dear Linda

      These little yellow flowers are gorse. That’s what the ponies like to eat.

      We loved it at the New Forest. It’s different from the hilly Black Forest, where you can be sure to have winter snow. When Kb was a child, he went with his parents to the Black Forest every year for skiing. The traditional homes at the Black Forest are quite big and cosy. Lots of wood. People and cattle lived under the same roof.

      Thanks for your comment
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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