A few years ago, I made a trip to Germany, which included a tour through the famous Black Forest. While there, I had the opportunity to visit a studio where the components of the iconic Black Forest German cuckoo clocks were being carved by skilled artisans. As it turns out, one does not have to travel all the way to Germany to visit an authentic German Clock Shop. There is one right here in the USA, in the town of Frankenmuth, Michigan (
www.frankenmuth.org and
www.visitgreatlakesbay.org ).
The exterior of the shop has the design synonamous with an old-time German village, with its white walls, brown timber trim, window boxes full of flowers, and colorful shutters on all the windows. You can find that "OPEN" sign lit up inside the window, 7 days a week. In addition to being open every day of the week, they also have a secure website (
www.frankenmuthclock.com ), where you can order anything they sell, 24 hours a day!
One thing I noticed when visiting small German villages, is how immaculately "groomed" were the parks, yards, and grounds of the shops there. The same is true for the Frankenmuth Clock Company!
In addition to their inventory of clocks, a person can order "made in Germany" souvenirs and decorations from their website. Some of these items are also in stock, at the Frankenmuth location.
Representations of deer antlers are not only a common feature of wood sculpture for German cuckoo clocks, but "the real thing" can also be souvenir for your belt or key chain.
Besides cuckoo clocks, there are dozens of "special interest" or novelty clocks, such as the ones shown in this photo, that might appeal to someone with a military background. (Whereas a grown man might be teased for playing with miniature army tanks and navy destroyers on the desk in his office, if these "toys" had a clock as part of their design, he might be the envy of his co-workers!)
Frankenmuth Clock Company has over 1000 clocks on display, including rhythm clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, anniversary clocks, grandfather clocks, and various designs of 3D wooden clocks.
All these images of clocks came to my mind, when I was trying to visualize a way to learn this First Place 4 Health (
www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verse. It says "My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises." (Psalm 119:148) I am quite sure that my eyes would DEFINITELY stay open all night long if every one of these clocks were saying "cuckoo", every fifteen minutes, all night long! (Perhaps that is where the phrase "driving me cuckoo" originated!) I would DEFINITELY have to be meditating on God's promises, in order to keep from going "cuckoo" in such circumstances! So the next time you cannot sleep at night, just start meditating on God's promises----that will give you "Miles of Smiles"! Tricia
A few years ago, I made a trip to Germany, which included a tour through the famous Black Forest. While there, I had the opportunity to visit a studio where the components of the iconic Black Forest German cuckoo clocks were being carved by skilled artisans. As it turns out, one does not have to travel all the way to Germany to visit an authentic German Clock Shop. There is one right here in the USA, in the town of Frankenmuth, Michigan ( www.frankenmuth.org and www.visitgreatlakesbay.org ).
The exterior of the shop has the design synonamous with an old-time German village, with its white walls, brown timber trim, window boxes full of flowers, and colorful shutters on all the windows. You can find that "OPEN" sign lit up inside the window, 7 days a week. In addition to being open every day of the week, they also have a secure website ( www.frankenmuthclock.com ), where you can order anything they sell, 24 hours a day!
One thing I noticed when visiting small German villages, is how immaculately "groomed" were the parks, yards, and grounds of the shops there. The same is true for the Frankenmuth Clock Company!
In addition to their inventory of clocks, a person can order "made in Germany" souvenirs and decorations from their website. Some of these items are also in stock, at the Frankenmuth location.
Representations of deer antlers are not only a common feature of wood sculpture for German cuckoo clocks, but "the real thing" can also be souvenir for your belt or key chain.
Besides cuckoo clocks, there are dozens of "special interest" or novelty clocks, such as the ones shown in this photo, that might appeal to someone with a military background. (Whereas a grown man might be teased for playing with miniature army tanks and navy destroyers on the desk in his office, if these "toys" had a clock as part of their design, he might be the envy of his co-workers!)
Frankenmuth Clock Company has over 1000 clocks on display, including rhythm clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, anniversary clocks, grandfather clocks, and various designs of 3D wooden clocks. 
All these images of clocks came to my mind, when I was trying to visualize a way to learn this First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verse. It says "My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises." (Psalm 119:148) I am quite sure that my eyes would DEFINITELY stay open all night long if every one of these clocks were saying "cuckoo", every fifteen minutes, all night long! (Perhaps that is where the phrase "driving me cuckoo" originated!) I would DEFINITELY have to be meditating on God's promises, in order to keep from going "cuckoo" in such circumstances! So the next time you cannot sleep at night, just start meditating on God's promises----that will give you "Miles of Smiles"! Tricia
