And So It Starts.

A change in time makes eight o'clock nine.

You sort of expect it, know it is coming but nevertheless, this morning was a total time disaster. Well, more the telling of it. All and sundry were at odds, sundry being my iPad, our alarm clock and the all knowing Smart-TV. None of them could agree and that had me in a state of timeless limbo although Mother Nature had awoken on time and it was her most glorious sunshine that gently kissed me awake.

What a silly standard of time. Most of the day we've both been adrift in the telling of it. The yearning for lunch was only brought on when I saw the time on the computer but hungry I was not. Kitty had her own timely struggle to bear, that is where was her breakfast and who would take her outside for a walk? Daddy obviously not as he turned out to be a strict adherer to old times. Fast asleep until the ungodly hour of half past seven...or six?

On the other hand, one of the most amazing changes this has brought, is the fact that we wake up to a cheerful, brilliant and noisy world outside. Birds, bees and bugs are afoot and a buzz with most choreographed precision which makes me hopeful that at least in our little village bees have escaped the sentence set upon them by the weed hating mob.

As they say, this too shall pass and within a day or two most of us will have forgotten that there was a time change at all buoyed along by the extra daylight and the ebullient mood that goes hand in hand with seeing Mother Nature come alive.

Biggi

A Bit Of Happiness On A Saturday.

Sometimes we need a little nudge to be happy.

" Folks are usually as happy as they make up their minds to be. "
Abraham Lincoln

" Happiness is when what you think, what you say
and what you do are in harmony. "
Mahatma Gandhi

" Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. "
Marcel Proust

" Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn't calculate his happiness. "
Fyodor Dostoyevsky

" Now and then it is good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy. "
Guillaume Apollinaire

"With mirth and laughter make old wrinkles come. "
William Shakespeare

" It is the very mark of the spirit of rebellion to crave for happiness in this life. "
Henrik Ibsen

" The power of finding beauty in the humblest things
makes home happy and life lovely. "
Louisa May Alcott

" If only we'd stop trying to be happy, we could have a pretty good time. "
Edith Wharton

Biggi

Bunnies Ahead Of Schedule.

Animals rule for sure...

A lovely bunny posing expertly for the camera. If only you could get a sense of how big she really is, you would be amazed. This rabbit has a litter of one week old babies and looks rather well for having given birth to so many.

These babies are so tiny and cute that it took all my might to not take one of them home. Their eyes seem to still be closed but never mind, both their mothers keep a close eye on them.

In the same garden enclosure a most elegant and fetching rooster rules the roost. Isn't he handsome?

Running from Mr Rooster? How fluffy and cuddly this chicken looks. Seeing these animals bloom with character and individuality makes me so glad and happy that I don't partake in eating animals anymore.

A happy commune of friends with the occasional tiff and screech but a great example of how being different is acceptable and part of life.

I took this photo at the same time we were looking at her babies and I think she was proud to show them off...

Biggi

The Essence Of Life.

Unexpected but highly interesting point of view is encountered.

We all pay lip-service to the idea that you can't take it with you, but in reality we race through our lives trying our hardest to fill the coffers to the brim not realizing that full or not, they stay behind. Our village has had rather a lot of funerals lately and it makes me think about what is important in and to life.

The one thing everyone tends to trample over on the way to wealth is health. Ironically that is a non renewable commodity which many only find out when it is too late. Alas, pills aren't the panacea everyone imagines and relies on.

Only this morning I unexpectedly managed to get an audience with the local plumber. Modern living can't be faced without having a plumber on hand to fix bathroom emergencies. So yes, they are up on the same pedestal as hairdressers, doctors and electricians. So when I heard that he would drop by, I instantly changed an appointment I had to be able to get together with him.

And there came my surprise when after finishing we got to chat among other things about death. Death and how we leave with no pockets to take stuff along. As he was telling me his intention to take life easy in order to enjoy it while he had it, it was as if he was preaching to the converted. To me it was a most refreshing discovery to realize that there are rare gems about if one takes the time to listen.

Biggi

A Bit Of Cheerfulness.

Pinks and yellows...

Dorfstrasse abounds with pink beauties. It is sheer bliss to walk down this road, saluted by a row of pink stunners.

The steady yellow shrub never fails to amaze with its brightness. Soul food.

Nature tends to find a way to blend colours in an optimal way.

The sole magnolia tree in Dorfstrasse fits in perfectly and one has to look twice to spot it among the pink stalwarts.

A delicate green setting fit for a jewel at the end of one twig. The details of all plants never cease to amaze me.

I could get lost in thought staring up into the branches of this tree. Often those seemingly ordinary props next to our homes or in our gardens are a fountain of tranquility and dare I say the stuff of a calm and tranquil mind...

Biggi

The Time Has Come...

The end of March madness!

Come Sunday most of us will be in trouble. Late and in trouble. Yes, it is that time of the year again to confuse all and sundry with changing the clocks. Forward or backwards...still in doubt but luckily I can pester Bob about it.

So silly to have to do it twice a year. Our car has chosen the high road and has resolutely refused to change its clock settings and I must say I am rather fond of being an hour behind in our car. In the beginning it did scare a few of the folks I ferried to the doctor's as they are usually of an age where punctuality is everything and arriving half an hour ahead of schedule is what it's all about. How many times have I had harried phone calls due to being a minute late...

Bob was mentioning that they might start work from seven next week as it gets light so much earlier but when we remembered the time change on Sunday, we both were in a spot of bother figuring out if they will start at seven or eight, depending on how light it will be. It isn't as if we are in any way mathematically challenged but the time issue gets us every time.

At least we can add, subtract, multiply and divide in our heads which isn't that common anymore. Do the even teach the times table anymore now that everything seems to be heading for digital? Gosh, don't let me get started on the 5-G euphoria everyone is frothing over. Imagine the added radiation that will be emitted by a plethora of antennas? And all for those silly and unnecessary toys like self driving cars, computerized fridges, faster downloads and the ability of Governments to keep track on everyone, on what everyone buys, where everyone is and what everyone does each minute of the day... George Orwell's 1984 wasn't fiction after all. Scary thought and scary future.

Biggi

Monday Is Back In Town.

The end of March is near...

I had forgotten about rain. More of a drizzle but continuous nonetheless. Not much of it had during winter but now I suppose it is good to soak a rather dry ground. The odd thunder keeps hovering in the distance and of course Mausi is acting like a scared little cat. On my lap.

This was supposed to be the week of Brexit but now it is more of a Nexit. Oh well, if it were up to me I would love everything to go back to normal. Britain staying put and people everywhere being nice to each other again. When did all this hostility start? Were we always so snippy with each other but managed to hide it better? But let's see what the future brings. Over 5 million signatures and about a million marchers should change the course of history.

Back here in gentle Eisenberg life goes on and blessedly on an even keel. Monday equates to a reset for a new week with the countdown to our Weinfrühling starting in earnest. First week in May isn't that far away. It really has become a permanent fixture and marker for the official opening of tourist season. Well, ours at least.

Mondays are disliked by the Boomtown Rats but you know, once Monday is done and dusted a glimpse of Friday isn't far off. Men, depending if they were henpecked by their other halves might be huge fans of Mondays and the chance to escape to work. No, no, not here in our house I hope but eh, one never knows! Anyway, Monday is almost done and dusted and the week that much easier to contemplate. So it isn't such a bad day after all...

Biggi

The White Phase.

The vineyards awaken...

The vineyards dwarfed by a most stunning tree clad in white, scented and abuzz with hundreds of hungry bees who are having their field day.

Wherever I looked beauty abounded. There is just something so special about staring into a vortex of blossoms. Invigorating but calming all the same.

The vines yet have to catch up to the fruit trees. Awaiting their turn it seems and why not. Apples and apricots before grapes and their nectar...

Our local lookout bridge and sometime party place espied from a distance...

To my mind there is no wrong way of looking at the blossoms. Everything appears more romantic and likable when seconded as a sturdy background...

Biggi

Blossoms & A Cat.

Oh, and a little yellow lemon tree...

A perfect set of road signs only, which one to choose? Even the high road leads to wine!

A practice run for the upcoming Easter hunt!

The plethora of trees is awash with brightness and magnetism. A soul enhancing sight.

The magnolia tree on Dorfstrasse will be in full bloom soon. A walk down this road is filled with an array of natural perfumes and beauties.

A little lemon tree being let out for the first time today. During winter's harshness it gets to spend time inside. In comfort and heat. Yes, the one and only lemon hanging on the tree survived to tell a tale of luxurious living...

Our other former feral cat is waiting for mum to dish the food. He gets tamer day by day and by the looks of him, portlier too...Life in the country is the best.

Biggi

For The Love Of Daisies.

From weed to food.

A friend told me the other day that she had seen a nutritionist talk about daisies and how packed with nutrition they were. " Daisies, like on our lawn? " I asked her. Yes, those are the ones.

Daisies are bright spots of nature after a dull monotone winter and we are blessed with many gracing our front lawn. Last year I made a point of growing and protecting them ( from lawnmower man ) becoming innocent fatalities by the need to have a perfect lawn. Our standoff lasted until the beginning of May but we were the last to fold in our village. I wish they'd consider the plight of bees a bit more than the need to blend in.

Well since that report has aired, bees have even more competition for their daily food. Putting a bunch of daisies on your bread as spread sounds pretty enough but somehow I wasn't convinced. Don't want to be pushing up daisies yet!

Synchronicity is as accurate as a Swiss watch. Yesterday during my visit at the old age home, I was telling her about the odd thought of putting daisies on one's bread and wouldn't you know it, she had seen the program too and had already done a forage outside for some. Even though she is well into her eighties she is sharp as a tack.

" I am not sure about those daisies outside. They do spray a lot of weedkillers and such. "

Yip, not many places about that haven't fallen prey to perfectionist gardeners...at least we have never used any sort of chemical anywhere in our garden so that if I do get tempted to try a daisy, it will be as fresh and clean as a daisy ....

Biggi

Funny Looks At The Old Age Home.

Always good for a giggle.

Today I made a plan to coincide a visit to Güssing's old age home and our weekly shopping. Sanctioned from above-no, not that far up-only my village elders. They have suggested that I try and look in on most of our villagers who have swapped domiciles.

I especially left early this morning as I had worked out the correct time to drop in for a quick visit. That golden hour after breakfast and ablution but before lunch. Yes, timing is everything when visiting. The first resident I dropped in on, was luckily ready for receiving visitors. I had been to see her before and we proceeded to have a nice chat, catching up on local happenings.

In due time I took my leave ( the clattering of the lunch trolley in the corridor was heralding the sacred hour ) and was lucky enough to be given a bottle of wine from her. She has rented out her vineyard to a top winemaker who makes sure she has wine on hand. Well, now I had one of these coveted bottles and even though it had no label I knew what it was. A tasty and rather expensive bottle of Blaufränkisch.

After thanking her many times over, I left her room and headed out for one more lady to see. She lives a floor down and thus I couldn't help but meandering along the populated corridors of an old age home ( old folks don't miss a trick! ) with a bottle of wine in my arm. A few raised eyebrows, smiles and looks of longing were headed my way. No, not for me of course...although that old boy sitting in the corridor did have a twinkle in his eye!

Eventually I found who I was looking for but could only say a quick hello to her as she was about to be served her lunch but sadly didn't recognize me anyway. I must have come across rather odd though because I had one arm behind my back trying to shield my bottle of wine from her view in case she thought it was for her.

On my way out, a nurse walked with me and thank goodness I explained my predicament as she had thought I was rather brave to already have a bottle before lunch...

Biggi

And Just Like That Winter's Gone Into Hibernation.

Tomorrow's start of Spring is underscored by perfect sunshine.

Walking uphill supported by this divine vista took no effort at all...the wind was whipping the willow's fringe all about.

Not much further along we were greeted by the most bright little buds. If only words could convey the vicissitude of nature.

The willow providing a spot of shade for a budding row of vines.

Today's blue sky made the blossoms shine like jewels. A treat to behold.

A half day later, in the late afternoon sunshine, another romantic old house was putting its best foot forward in the lieu of Spring. Sad to think that nobody wanted to buy this house.

Another of nature's bounties blossoming prettily for all to see. I think this one is an apricot tree and one that we can take fruit from...

Biggi

A Glove Of Garlic A Day Keeps Many Away.

The goodness of garlic.

I sort of knew that garlic was up there in the superfood group but only yesterday I found out that it is the top dog in regards to helping fight illness on my fronts. Health or rather lack of health front. More healthy than broccoli and co and only followed closely by onions and leeks. Thankfully I love all of the above.

For the love of garlic or love me despite my garlic...in regards to Bob I have been leaps and bounds ahead of the curve. I put a glove of garlic into his salad every day and thus he won't notice whether I ate some or not while at the same time keeping him healthy.

Back when I was working in our Salon manning the desk, I couldn't afford to eat garlic apart from a Saturday evening which often turned into a garlic fest. Is there anything more delicious than freshly baked garlic bread?

My one uncle was a garlic slave long before it became trendy and he is sort of hale and hearty despite being an octogenarian. Of course he didn't have to deal with customers. Gosh, he's twenty years ahead of me at least. Wish I had listened to him back then...

Long ago when I worked in New York, my employer made me peel a glove of garlic every day so that he could swallow it whole with a glass of water in the hope that the garlic odor would be non-existent...there's the rub. Nobody tells you in case of garlic over indulgence and often the only way to tell is if all of a sudden all and sundry offer you a peppermint or chewing gum!

Wouldn't it be fabulous if everyone ate garlic daily because then no one would notice garlic consumption.

Biggi

Soul Cleansing Nature.

Instant mood lifter...

A bright sunshine in the middle of an overcast gray morning sets a tone for things to come...

Willie's chickens often cheer me along as I meander past them. Eat, talk and cuddle...very human indeed.

A contrasting guest? A set of birch trees look their best despite seasons or unwanted house guests.

Pacing out a standard dueling distance perchance?

The world awakens...

My new best friend follows me everywhere and never leaves out an opportunity to come in for a cuddle. Breaks my heart to see the sheer joy in her eyes when she gets a cuddle...all those years she fended for herself, navigated cold winters and hot summers with only herself as company. Well, at least now we can give her plenty of attention.

Biggi

The Lure Of The 70's.

A fabulous decade.

As you know I am undoubtedly a huge fan of ABBA, Carpenters and co. Apart from Old Blue Eye's generation the 70's just had that special something that one can't help but tap a foot to. Even today or rather especially today. Who doesn't turn up the sound when one of the iconic songs is played on the radio?

Lately I have been more receptive to that decade and even last night an iconic movie was featured on Netflix. Bless them. Bob of course chose to forgo this movie due to its scary scenes. Might be that Bob harks back to his younger self upon seeing the title or even hearing the opening score. Yes, only one movie has this effect...Jaws.

I watched it late last night and despite the odd scary appearance by the shark, the movie was witness to how life has changed for us and somehow I am not so sure if it is for the better...People had a more casual approach to life and living but the nicest bit was a two hour escape to a time where the footprint of the internet wasn't as ubiquitous as sand on a beach.

As much as we have all embraced the high points of a life online, we are being made all too aware of the small print that we somehow didn't read when we signed up for knowing everything the minute it happened. The fact that one of the worst crimes to befall New Zealand was being streamed online and horrifically being actually watched by so many, makes me wish that we could etch-a-sketch our way of life back to the heydays of the 70's...

Biggi

Where There's Smoke...

A casual Saturday afternoon in Eisenberg.

We are at that divine age where it isn't thought of as odd to have a Saturday afternoon sleep. Of course we are still young enough to employ a ruse of either reading or watching telly, which might as well be classified as sleeping aids.

Bob was doing the former while I was languishing on the couch doing the latter. The child was purring on the radiator and the odd sounds of Eisenberg's afternoon life bore through the supposedly soundproof window. About half an hour in Bob came through alert and fireman-ish:

" Can you smell the smoke? "

and as he made me aware of it, I could. Now all thoughts of gently living out our Saturday afternoon were gone.

Called to action, the two of us inspected every room of the house. Nothing. The bedroom, lounge and entrance hall were touched with smell of smoke. Bob went outside to look at every angle of our house, top to bottom in case we had missed an accidental fire. Nothing. One more avenue of investigation stood before us, or rather Bob.

He went up into the attic armed with torch and a feeling of dread. Nothing. What were we smelling and where was it coming from? Bob ventured out on a further recci and came back with the goods. Turns out a neighbour two houses down was burning up a storm in his garden, feeding branches, twigs and what nots onto a huge pile in his garden. Bloody hell, what an awful acrid smell.

For the rest of the afternoon the two of us have been bemoaning this state of airs...opening windows doesn't help either but at least moaning and complaining about the thoughtlessness of our fellow villager seems to have done the trick...

Biggi

A Bit Of Thought Diversion.

The fabulous Jane Austen is still relevant centuries later.

" A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment. "
Pride and Prejudice

" I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal. "
Jane Austen's letters

" Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion. "
Pride and Prejudice

" Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings."
Mansfield Park

" A woman, especially if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can. "
Jane Austen

" Better be without sense than misapply it as you do. "
Emma

" No man is offended by another man's admiration of the woman he loves; it is the woman only who can make it a torment. "
Northanger Abbey

" Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure. "
Mansfield Park

" Men were put into the world to teach women the law of compromise. "
Jane Austen

" Her own thoughts and reflections were habitually her best companions. "
Mansfield Park

Biggi

Healthy Quotes.

Health and environment; can't live without them.

" Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. "
Albert Einstein

" Serving meat and dairy products at an event to combat climate change is like selling pistols at a gun-control rally."
Morrissey

" This may surprise you, because it surprised me when I found out, but the single biggest thing that an individual can do to combat climate change is to stop eating animals. "
James Cameron

" We are the first generation to feel the effects of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it. "
Barack Obama

" If the entire world decided to become vegan tomorrow, a whole host of the world's problems would disappear overnight. Climate change would decrease by 25 percent, deforestation would cease, rain forests would be preserved, our water and air quality would increase, life expectancy rates would increase, and our rates of cancer would plummet, so certainly, with that one action of becoming vegan you are quite effectively making the world a better place. "
Moby

" What you eat every day is a far more powerful determinant of your health than your DNA or most of the nasty chemicals lurking in your environment. "
T. Colin Cambell

" There are two kinds of cardiologists:
Vegans and those who haven't read the data. "
Dr. Kim Allan Williams

Biggi

The Sheer Bliss Of Leading A Simple Life.

Ordinary but far from boring.

Being content is half the rent. Life being lived trying to achieve one notch after the other on the perceived totem pole of success is far from peaceful and dare I say an uncertain type of business. Take the nation yonder over the pond who are not sure what their lives will look like next month.

All those trappings of success might be worth a lot less from one day to the next. To think of all the stresses endured to own all that stuff and then the worry over losing it...not much fun and far from relaxing.

Contentment for me is having roots. Contentment is thinking up an elaborate dinner for Bob and having him ask for a second helping. Contentment is seeing our two cats rush towards us for a cuddle with the cutest little smile on their faces. Contentment is the ability to potter along and enjoy life's simple moments.

A bee feasting on a budding flower, a dog being elated to see me, the sun shining and thus affording me a chance to hang the washing out to dry. These are the moments that dot the i's and give a feeling of being in the right place. A simple life might mean a small car, old well worn clothes and second hand furniture but it also means freedom. Freedom not to buy into the notion that we are what we look like, what we have, where we live and how many likes we get from arbitrary friends on social media.

The latter being the font of ill feeling among so many. If only they realized that what others post is far from real and the staged happiness is really just that, staged. Perhaps the best chance of feeling content with what we have is to opt out of social media...because it is okay just to be normal...

Biggi

A Spot Of Seasonal Colour.

Cool, windy but oh so divine.

Even devoid of their gold, rows of vine are a beauty to behold.

Ah, a budding peach....

A calming oasis of blades mingling merrily waiting for the vines to bear fruit.

And in a few months time they will be heavy with delicious peaches. Wonderful nature.

A dash of yellow here and there brings a smile to bear...

Biggi

Egg Free And Flaxseed Wise.

Why haven't I tried this before?

Being vegan for me is an all-in deal and I am grateful for it. No deliberations and dithering over what to eat and what not. The knowledgeable Dr. Pamela Popper said something that made sense to me. Moderation ( which so many think is perfect ) is like having a four numbered lock but all you ever know are three of the numbers, not enough to open the lock. The metaphor being that for your body to have the benefits of being a plant based vegan, you have to go all in...

Eggs seem to be the biggest hurdle for most but somehow it doesn't phase me so much apart from needing something to bind baked goods. As you know we've been making lots of different veg-burgers but somehow most of them despite falling into a taste range between interesting and amazing, where defying togetherness and just falling to pieces.

A new recipe book brought me to the magic of crushed flaxseeds. A few tablespoons mixed with water make a most amazing egg replacement. Not to mention the health benefit. Reading through various articles made me aware that flaxseeds contain more lignans than any other plants. Lignans are powerful antioxidants and a great source of fiber.

Having to think outside the box has made it more fun for me to cook. More tasty and definitely more colourful.

Biggi

Winter Gets The Boot.

The awakening of nature.

A mingling of plants yet so much more after a season of gray.

Early mornings do bring out the best in nature. Blissful colours in the sky, hazy mist entulle and tweets from above.

A row of trees that at times remind me of the African plains.

Deutsch Schützen wrapped
in mist-ique!

The road to happiness perhaps? The strong colours and borders of the countryside are what makes it so darn nice.

Nature's cheerleader? Pom pom queens dangling atop a tree.

Biggi

A Busy Saturday In Eisenberg.

Amid stunning weather.

Another attempt to mentally torture English students brought me to Hannersdorf for extra lessons. A test is on the cards and by golly, the stuff they need to learn is alarmingly hard to understand. Even Bob was stumped when I asked him whether he knew the difference between a gerund and infinitive or rather when to use them. Gosh, even I had to scour my textbooks and la internet this morning to get the gist of what I do know instinctively. Alas, students want chapter and verse eschewing gut feelings and instinct.

The man to fix our window was supposed to come this morning as well but, as mum correctly prophesized, no roofer on a Saturday. At least we have organized a time for Monday afternoon. Don't worry, the weather prediction is for dry and sunny!

The afternoon was upon us before we knew it and halfway through it, Bob took me along for a drive to drop something off at his work mate. A short trip over the border was rewarded with the most breathtaking scenery. Rolling hills, emerald green fields, roaming cows, a couple of fishing ponds and my favourite, streets of divinely rustic chic houses in all colours but white..

The houses lining the winding streets are authentic, often far from perfect but therein lies their charm. A street with homes that emit warmth and life. Having oh so pristine and perfect homes might be enjoyable inside the covers of a magazine, but a house needs to be alive and lived in. Naturally, being surrounded by images of pulchritude made me painfully aware that I had left my camera at home, so you will have to take my word for the beauty that lies just a-yonder.

Biggi

Friday Again.

March madness.

First week of March done and dusted. Who would have thought a couple of months ago in festive season's heyday that March would seem as if it appeared at the click of a finger? Despite nothing major having happened to pin time on - such as oh remember when this happened? it does seem to have passed insanely fast.

Each week starts off with a lengthy gap ahead of the impending weekend but somehow without seeming to do so, the days flip over faster than one can cross them off the calendar. I do like to look forward to certain days of the week either as a marker or because a nice occasion looms ahead. Walking on Wednesday, for example.

This week had a lot of highlights and the one that springs to mind is an excursion to Eberau. I was driving someone to the physio and on our way home we popped into the local grocery store. Small village, small shop, little choices yet surprisingly on reflection they stocked everything one could need so far from town. Only a few items of each but enough to make me realize how spoilt we are for choice in everyday life.

But the thing that made this shop special was the owner's attitude. As we were paying ( two o's for me; oranges and onions ) she enquired whether we were from Eberau to which we professed our Eisenberg affiliations. Despite being a mere 20 km apart, these two villages might as well be bookends to a plethora of scenic villages. Anyway, after she realized that we were out of towners possibly never to be seen again, she said:

" Well, thank you so much for popping into my shop. I really appreciate it. "

and just like that she's made a fan of us. Going for a drive will have a little bit more direction and meaning from now on...

Biggi

An Unexpected Trip To The Forgotten Attic.

A dare if there ever was one.

Naturally when I would have liked to play damsel in distress my saviour ( a.k.a. The Bobster ) was at work. A phone call had to make do. Today of all days is one for fables and movies. All day the wind has been howling and blowing close to gale-force and even my walk had to be shortened cause despite my hefty frame, the wind gusts were winning.

Mausi and I barricaded ourselves with a good book and tried to block out the constant reminders of the gusts. Despite our triple glazed windows the noise was abhorrent and spooky with the occasional loud bang in between. At one stage both of us almost jumped off the couch because there definitely was a bang on our roof.

I went outside quivering in dread at what I might encounter but no, couldn't see a dent at all. Back inside in order to do a repeat an hour later. I did the rounds again and found broken pieces of plexi-glass lying outside our bathroom window. Was it ours? Well, when I walked around our house and faced the front, I noticed that one of the skylights was sans cover. Oh, that couldn't bode well.

Our attic is dark, inhabited by either mice, martens or cats and is a bummer to get in to. But, I had no choice but to crawl up and inspect the damage. With foresight I put on some old work threads, took a torch and cellphone and headed for my rendezvous with the attic. Getting up those rungs of our ladder was not fun but eventually I succeeded and was standing in our attic.

Didn't look as bad as I expected and contrary to my imagination there were no half eaten animals lying about. The window though, has lost its cover and can be called a gap in the roof now. A couple of phone calls later had my parents ( aren't they the best? ) dash around with temporary fixits that Bob and I are going to attach until the window gets fixed by a professional. Wish us luck...

Biggi

The Lure Of Labour.

One of life's little pleasures.

Village life holds many forms of relaxation. Either by participating in it yourself or by proxy. Is there anything more relaxing than watching someone else do work? Living in a village affords one the pleasure of talking with people, be they arbitrary, friends or family. In fact, not talking to people is a form of bad manners. Whereas in a big city one would be taken for a weirdo, here in our small village it is part of the village rule book. Taking an interest in others and what they are up to, and if one does have to share tidbits than hopefully correctly!

Nothing stays a secret and even the most banal stuff becomes public knowledge. Take this afternoon for example; I was helping my parents put a new coat of paint on their veranda ( a most punishing design when it comes to painting it ) and as it was a sunny afternoon, many villagers were out and about. A few stopped to shoot the breeze while at the same time relaxing along with the movement of our paintbrushes.

There is something special about watching others do mundane work. Be it the momentary joy of knowing one isn't doing the work oneself or the hypnotic repetition of seeing paint being applied which might be a little bit more fun than watching it dry!

Personally, I think that doing odd jobs outside the house makes one more approachable, more down to earth and it forms a nice conversation opener. How could it not? There aren't many occasions that we have the time to sit still and just be or rather just paint and how nice to have an occasional audience to exchange pleasantries with.

Biggi

Colourful Impressions.

Nature, what else?

Whenever I see this green algae floating merrily about I think of fairy tales, princes and mint.

Early morning meeting tweeting up a storm. How marvelous to witness behaviour so similar to ours atop the line. Some were tweeting, others screeching and the rest not listening.

All over the neighbourhood stacks of wood are languishing next to trees, garages and on their own. Often I stop to count the rings of their ages.

Alone among splendour.

Quick of foot and hard to photograph. One hears the rustle of leaves before hearing their claws finding traction up tree trunks and finally seeing them posing so gracefully.

As I loved being part of this mornings tweeting meeting, I thought I'd end with them. Characters indeed with the boss on top giving orders and directions...

Biggi