And There It Is, Another Lock-down.

Difficult times ahead.

Most of us saw it coming. The lock-down, although it isn't a total one, was on the cards as during summer and early autumn many didn't adhere to the oft repeated guidelines of social distancing, mask and hand-washing. Us too.

It seems that Austria will get it for a whole four weeks which will hurt many businesses badly but lives come first. Always. Somehow all of us will manage to adjust to this new normal and perhaps even thrive. In a different way. Recognizing our inner strength and realizing how strong we really are. 

On a brighter side or should I say funnier side, the hoarding has begun. Toilet paper of all things is being carried out of supermarkets not  ten but  twenty  rolls at  a time. Gosh, how much loo paper does one need in a month? Never mind that supermarkets have geared up ahead of time and I think that they also knew already a few weeks ago that a lock-down was coming. Only last week Spar had a special on loo paper. Buy twenty get ten free! As if I would be caught walking out of a supermarket with thirty loo rolls in tow. Yikes.

Bob and I are already at home for the next week or so and have got more than enough to eat. Obviously one can never have, nor has, enough treats and snack goodies! When I have a negative thought in that direction I tend to remember that we have a luxuries way of life. Compared to what war generations have had to suffer through, our little lock-down is not even worth mentioning. 

November will see our  nation on partial lock-down and also on a nightly curfew. Gosh, the last time I lived through a curfew was during my childhood. Honestly though, I think I wasn't often tempted ( if ever ) to sneak out at night...can't say if my husband adhered to his parental curfew, you know, boys being boys! Must ask him to find out if he went through a bad-boy phase.....

Biggi

A Few Delightful 17th And 18th Century Proverbs.

 Wise men's sayings.

" A money less man goes fast through the market. "

" Ask no questions and hear no lies. "

" No man is hero to his valet. "

" What can you expect from a pig but a grunt.  "

" Distance lends enchantment to the view. "

" If in February there be  no rain, tis neither good for hay nor grain. "

" A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse. "

" He that will eat the fruit must climb the tree. "

"  Walnut and pears you plant for your heirs. "

" Talk of the devil, and he is bound to appear. "

" You never miss the water till the well runs dry. "

" Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves. "

Biggi

A Bevy Of Beverages.

 The magic of tea.

Even the ritual of making a cup aids to a feeling of contentment. Getting the perfect mixture or rather the perfect colour is close to an art form. Black tea with milk needs to be steeped just right in order for a perfect taste to mingle with the milk. Through trial and error we have discovered the best tasting vegan milk alternative and I for one can't taste the difference anymore.

But there are more tea choices than black one. At the moment I love all manner of herbal teas along the odd fruity one. Marjoram, chamomile, ginger, green  and rooibos are my staples and often I run out of time to fit them all into a day not to mention which to drink when. All taste great and make great inroads into the oft mentioned eight glasses of water per day. 

Bob, now that harvest is over is spending more time at home and both of us drink tea together. Whenever I switch the kettle on, I automatically ask him if he would like a cup and most often he does. Both of us have been drinking oodles of mugs of tea lately, and often Bob makes himself an additional cup of ginger tea ( he cuts fresh ginger into little slices and adds a dash of fresh lemon juice ) in between. Each of us drink at least six big mugs a day.

Yes, we are extra healthy at the moment and it feels good to drink such a variety of tea. Both of our skins are blooming and blossoming! The main benefit of drinking so much tea is that one doesn't even think of venturing into the less healthy option like sodas or fruit juices. At least I like to think so and anyway, the various teas taste much nicer than boring old sodas.

Oh, and all of the teas  are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and goodness which can only but help in these infectious times. 

Biggi

The Magic Of Homemade Burgers, Vegan Of Course!

 Can we still call it that?

You know you are doing something right if people take you to court. The various meat and dairy lobbies are wanting to ban the word burger or sausage or cheese if it is preceded by the word vegan. Yes, semantics over burgers can only mean one thing....more and more people are switching from traditional burgers & co to vegan ones. Yeah!

Anyway, I shall still call them burgers for convenience sake. Since meat is out of the equation when it comes to cooking, there are so many more exciting and great tasting combinations for making a burger or anything else for that matter.

Usually leftover pasta, rice or buckwheat mixed with delicious beans, exciting vegetables and whatever spice I feel like on the day. Once it is all chopped and mixed one could be forgiven for mistaking it for a traditional one. In looks and often taste too.

It is no secret that this is one of Bob's favourite meals and tonight it's on the cards. Nice way for me to clear the fridge of all those bits and pieces hanging about with the certainty that it is still good enough to eat. Great side effect of our vegan lifestyle, knowing that cooked food keeps that much longer. Less wastage.

Worldwide the number of vegans is growing with such enthusiasm and speed  that more and more attempts to derail this way of life are being launched by those whose customers have switched. Whenever you see a negative article, documentary or piece about whole food plant based / veganism  see who the source is before making a judgment.

Saving the planet, our health and those of animals one meal at a time...

Biggi

Shorter Days, Earlier Nights.

 The might of light.

The clocks went back on Sunday and just like that we've hopped an hour back. Driving home from Kohfidisch this afternoon was a lesson in time-change.

My onboard clock-sounds rather flighty, doesn't it?- hasn't been adjusted yet and I don't think it will as it is too laboursome to do. Also it helps me keep one foot in real time. Real time that explains why all of a sudden an afternoon's shopping expedition of half an hour morphed into a dusk excursion.

Gosh, at first I got a bit of a fright and wondered if I had dawdled a bit too long in the supermarket because dusk and rain in October is not a pretty sight.

Look, soon we will all be adjusted to the shorter days and in about a month's time an afternoon will stop at four as it changes to an early evening. No in-between it seems. Light and suddenly dark. Once we get used to the cold and shorter days it actually is a nice time of the year.

Winter helps us unwind - going out when its cold and grey isn't as enticing as it is during summer - and this winter especially so. At least this dreadful virus is forcing all of us to practice some soul TLC and lets us discover the utopia our homes actually are...

Biggi

A Beautiful Morning In Eisenberg.

The sheer joy of walking among nature.

  The upper Eisenberg is just emerging from a thick layer of early morning mist and beckoning one to go for a closer look.

Our local geese lined up to greet me with squeaks, shouts and hoarse bellows. They are so elegant and shouldn't have to give their life to grace a plate...

 Right next to the main road lives this beautiful oldish tree resplendent with its dropped foliage at its feet. So soothing to walk by it.

 The tree in all its might and height. A stunning bit of nature marking the turn of the road. Eisenberg in the far background.

Some more geese...they are so full of character and as you can see, they love to chirp me each and every morning when I walk past them. 

Of course I do make a point of greeting them and asking how they are...as soon as I do they get cheerfully vocal.

Aren't these flowers lovely? They look so vibrant and clean that I at times wonder if they are real. Not many flowers about anymore now that autumn is in full swing.

Eisenberg has so many hidden visual treasures and each day I discover more...

Biggi

Our Little Family's Team Effort.

An almost usual Saturday night!

It was very late when Bob switched off the telly and we all headed to the bedroom for a well deserved rest. A ritual trek that even little Miss Mausi is a part of. Once both of us are settled beneath a heap of blankets she comes running, jumping onto Bob's stomach whilst settling in for parental tlc. A nice routine but not last night.

We missed her when she didn't appear before light's out and thus Bob hollered;

                                      " Mausi, where are you? "

Normally that would suffice but last night we heard chairs being moved about ( cats do have enormous strength in time of need ) and the unmistakable  collision of cat and shoe rack. If that didn't clue us in, the high pitched peep of a mouse certainly did.

At that time of night that was the last thing we needed ( don't forget that she would turn our house upside down in pursuit of this little rodent ) so nothing for it but to put on slippers and head for the source. As we are rather experienced in mouse hunts, we made sure to wear shoes while ready to jump in case it ran our way.

First we had to separate Miss Mausi and mouse whilst thanking her for doing what is her core yearning, and then start the arduous journey of catching a scared little mouse. I say journey as these little ones can flit from one hide out to the next at lightening speeds and trying to put an empty shoe carton over it is harder than one might imagine.

It took Bob  three tries before he caught  it safely beneath it and then he carefully took it outside to let it escape. Perhaps he didn't take it far enough because as soon as we closed the door we heard another commotion outside. Sadly our feral boys had noticed and thought it was midnight snack from us.

We often forget that the main reason we got Mausi in the first place was to help us get rid of mice in our house. That she has and is doing splendidly and even though it wasn't fun close to midnight, we made sure to give her a meaty treat before going to bed. Team work at its best....

Biggi

All About Second-Hand Buying Choices.

 A wonderful way to find inexpensive treasures.

 " I want my clothes to have a life and then end up in a secondhand store, where some school girl discovers them 20 years later. If the runway or red carpet is the only life clothes have, it's sad. "

               Jeremy Scott

" All over Africa, people are wearing what Americans once wore and no longer want. Visit the continent and you'll find faded remnants of secondhand clothes in the strangest of places. "

               George Packer

" Any given day you'll find me at secondhand bookstores. "

               Marcel Dzama

" Every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want. "

              Anna Lappe

" What you do makes a difference and you have to decide

 what kind of difference you want to make."

              Jane Goodall

" When I was 10 yours old, I loved-loved books, and I used to haunt the secondhand bookshop. And I found a little book that I could just afford, and bought it, and took it home. And I climbed up my favourite tree, and I read the book from cover to cover. And that was Tarzan of the Apes. I immediately fell in love with Tarzan. "

              Jane Goodall

" I am really interested in fashion but at the same time I find it quite competitive. Second-hand stuff leaves you more open to whatever your own personal style is rather than feeling dictated to by shops. "

             Sophie Ellis Bextor

" While browsing through a second-hand bookshop one day, George Bernard Shaw was amused to find a copy of one of his own works  which he himself had inscribed for a friend:

 ' To---,with esteem, George Bernard Shaw '. He immediately purchased the book and returned it to the friend with a second inscription:

' With renewed esteem, George Bernard Shaw. ' "

               George Bernard Shaw

Biggi

A Long Weekend Ahead.

 Time to unwind.

Who would have thought that end of October is so near? Time will change forward ( or is it backward? ) on Sunday and make us all confused for the following few days. Although  great timing that it happens to fall on a long weekend as it lets us have plenty of time to adjust and reset all our clocks-internal one too.

The weather is aiding us along what with its foggy days and cold nights. Weather to snuggle up and read a book or become enthralled by Netfix. 

Bob finished wine harvest yesterday and he needs and deserves this long weekend. With forethought I bought his favourite snacks and food because this weekend is like a mini holiday for him and snacks are part of that deal. That and catching up on oodles of sleep.

Long weekends have such a nice feel to them. Like a bunch of Sundays on top of each other. Especially in these turbulent times we are living in, a four day time-out is panacea for our psyche and sanity  helping us prepare for those next few months ahead of us. 

Schools have gone on holiday as of today and hopefully everyone will stay put and not visit all and sundry. A few more months of vigilance and we should be at the lighter end of the tunnel. 

A few moments ago I was doing my delivery round and again had the fortune of catching a few glimpses of a set of kittens. So cute, so cuddly and so available. Who knows....but at least seeing them was a perfect way to ease into a Friday evening...

Biggi

Building Frenzy In Our Village.

A boom in the midst of a slow down?

You know, one can't drive anywhere without having to conduct evasive tactics. Take this afternoon, when driving back from the Lagerhaus I couldn't believe my eyes when a huge building crane manoeuvred out of the mayor's yard. It was so gigantic that it stopped traffic for a while. Well, I was the only traffic after all, it being a small village.

Around the corner in Dorfstrasse a whole roof had been dismantled yesterday and today  a new wooden ready made structure was substituted. Yikes, never mind flying cats but now also hovering pieces of roofs. That is the house which started the whole new electrical pipeline procedure ( they dug a trench alongside our road to lay new cables ) which has made our road seem like a mud lane. Trust those Viennese to want the latest and fastest technology. Apparently the next generation are moving in for weekends and decided to upgrade house and internet speed. I suppose we'll all benefit.

Wherever one drives, even in Oberwart, building is happening. A good sign and a sign that Burgenland is finally getting the respect it deserves. Can't compare the pleasure of living in Burgenland to the hectic pace of a life in Vienna.

Whereas a couple of years ago many houses were for sale in our area and often were on the market a couple of years, now they are snapped up at the rate of knots. Building ground is sparse and I suppose that is why so many have decided to either add another level on top of an existing house or renovate an old one. I must say that it is rather fascinating to watch a roof be hovered in and assembled within a day. Technology indeed...best to drive slow and carefully around our village for the foreseeable future...

Biggi

An Uplifting Encounter At The Second Hand Shop.

 One never knows what the day will bring.

The Caritas shop in Oberwart is mostly staffed by young men with the odd older woman to help with the displays. Everyone is always friendly and helpful which makes a nice difference.

As I was paying for my shop I noticed a sign that said that today was half-price day! Wow, great stuff and jeans and t-shirts for about 2 euros each. Can't get any better...

" Well, I feel better now for having done something good for our environment. "

He agreed and wished that more people would think like that while sheepishly adding;

"...or trying a  vegan lifestyle because that also helps the environment. " 

Well, I was over the moon when he then told me that he lives a  vegan lifestyle  and the two of us exchanged vegan ideas, dilemmas and questions we get asked the most. It was so nice to see that a young chap was embracing and living by the same standard and belief as Bob and I. 

My faith in youth was instantly restored and for him perhaps his faith in the older generation! For a moment when we were excitedly sharing vegan odds and ends ( being vegan has that magic feeling of belonging to a special club, one that has moved one step closer to figuring  out the meaning of life )  I felt like we were the same age but then reality appeared and with it the knowledge that I am old enough to be his mother eh...hopefully not grandmother.

Everyday brings more treasures to the fore, if we just take the time to look for them. 

Biggi

 

 

 

The Data Storage Of Our Minds.

Our minds, powerful stuff.

An hour ago I drove into village central to collect the deliveries for the afternoon. The shop only opens at three after the daily siesta but still, mere minutes after it can be a hive of activity. Today was no different.

Two young army chaps stopping by to get enough snacks to last them through the cold afternoon-I think they are doing border patrols-complete with gun belt and pepper spray. Another lady was dithering over which apples to purchase and yet another one was searching for lentils.

This lady I knew and we had a quick exchange of pleasantries and the odd bit of information. And that is where our minds come in. At least I hope that I am not the only one. As soon as I saw this lady my mind went into first gear and opened all those ledgers which hold all the pertinent information of her and her family.

Honestly, the whole lot flitted through my mind and for good measure I mentally practiced all the names in her orbit. Grandkids, husband and son. Good memory practice. Listening and talking to people is one of my favourite things and it is amazing what details and tidbit one can gather. Nothing nefarious but everything highly interesting.

Interesting tidbits and information are the currency of any village and often it is the introverts that hold the most of it. Naturally one has to take anything heard with a pinch of salt-in some cases a bag of it-but as they say; no smoke without a fire.

Ah, the fun of life in a small village...

Biggi

The Might And Plight Of Potatoes.

A most versatile vegetable.

Earlier on I ventured forth to a supermarket and faced a common conundrum. The layout of this establishment means that the fresh produce is the first section that one gets to after entering the shop. Nothing wrong with that as it is one of my favourite sections after all. 

Monday mornings is also not a bad time to go shopping as the shelves get filled up with fresh offerings. The potato, as humble as it is made out to be, is rather a giant when it comes to meals. How many different yummy  ways are there to cook it?  Boiled, baked or put in a curry...the list is rather endless.

My one and only plight with potatoes is to figure out what amount to buy. Take today; there was a packet of 5 kg for the same price as one of 2 kg. I wanted to take the bigger packet but from past experience I have noticed that cooking such a big amount throughout the week is far from easy and often the spuds spoil and go to waste.

Storing potatoes isn't easy either. Having it outside in our earth-cellar is awkward as I forget they are there and it is a long trek from our kitchen to it. Our vegetable tray in the back room is okay but it doesn't guarantee freshness forever.

So there I stood next to the potatoes and thought up all the meals I could and would make throughout this week and by no stretch of imagination did I fictitiously manage to cook 5 kg's worth. Taking some of  them to mum was my other thought but she usually has so many that she wants to give  me some of hers.

Winter does make a case for more potato dishes and maybe next time I will pounce and get the bigger sized packet. As a friend of mine always says, these are 1st world problems and how right she is. As the saying goes...may that be the worst of your problem...

Biggi

                      

Found In Books.

 The treasure trove of books.

" ...a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge. "

             George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones

" Books are the perfect entertainment; no commercials, no batteries, hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent. What I wonder is why everybody doesn't carry a book around for those inevitable dead spots in life. "          

            Stephen King

" Which of us has not felt that the character we are reading in the printed page is more real than the person standing besides us? "

           Cornelia Funke

" There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we believed we left without having lived them, those we spent with a favorite book. "

           Marcel Proust, Days of Reading

" I believe that today more than ever a book should be sought after even if it has only one great page in it. We must search for fragments, splinters, toenails, anything that has ore in it, anything that is capable of resuscitating the body and the soul. "

          Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer

" Please, no matter how we advance in technology please don't abandon the book-there is nothing in our material world more beautiful than a book. "

          Patti Smith

" He often envied people who hadn't read his favourite books. They had such happiness before them. "

          Charles Finch, A Stranger in Mayfair

" Books are not about passing the time. They're about other lives. Other worlds. "

           Alan Bennett, The Uncommon Reader

" The book is man's best invention so far. "

           Carolina Maria De Jesus

Biggi

Adding A Few More Days Between Our Grocery Shop.

 Easier than I thought.

Most of us have staples in our cupboards and since the onset of corona even more so. It is just those dashed fresh items which make us run to our supermarket to replenish them and usually with many extras thrown into the trolley.

The other day, Thursday when I had planned to run into town for our groceries, the weather was leaving much to be desired and the thought of dashing in and out of the rain with trolleys and packets made me rethink the larder situation and push the shop to Monday.

It's usually the first quick look into a fridge or cupboard which might leave us wondering what to eat or snack on as we all like to have convenience and quickness when encountering  hungry moments. But honestly, when we take a second look and rethink our options, there are plenty of meals and snacks to be had. Granted, some need a bit of chopping and cooking but larders are the warehouses of culinary treats to be assembled.

Pastas and canned tomatoes can add easily three more meals, dried legumes make the base of a curry and oats the main ingredient of biscuits. And most of us have at least two or three packets of pasta, a couple of cans of tomato and other dried stuff. 

That isn't even considering all those frozen gems that are languishing in our freezer. Lately I have got into the habit of buying a big loaf of fresh rye bread ( usually at Hofer or Lidl  which has surprisingly little additives ) , slicing it by hand once I get home and portioning it into four separate freezer bags. Four portions which we love for our Sunday breakfast of toasted cheese. These loaves cost between 1 and 1,5 euros. 

Apart from the added cost of shopping too often, it also makes a difference in food wastage, which I have been guilty of and possibly still am. At least I am trying to work on it and honestly, it is rather fun thinking up ways to stretch the contents of our larder and fridge that much further...

Biggi

Kittens, Stones And A Weekend In Store.

A normal Friday.

Never mind that it has been raining cats and dogs for days  now. Roads are muddy, fields overrun and driveways slippery slopes, making  a trip up or down it fraught with anxiety and an opportunity to apply all those driving skills acquired over the years. Those gates seem awfully close!

Bob's work chariot is big and strong thus mostly responsible for the deep muddy groove outside our house. Thank goodness I don't have to reverse such a big car down it as it is bad enough in our little midget when it chooses to slide rather than stick to the tracks.  

Trying to outwit any impeding car disasters, I took the liberty and strewed a few  handfuls of well shaped stones onto the muddy lane. The adjacent garden will be just fine without them and honestly, what can one do on a Friday afternoon? The other choice would have been kitty litter but jikes, how would that look and feel? Never mind the added attraction for all and sundry feline lot to use it for what it was intended for...

Friday afternoon means I can drop off groceries at a nice family in Eisenberg, a family who happens to shelter a litter of feral kittens in their barn. Today the husband called me over to see them close up and goodness me, how cute  they were. He would have been more than happy for me to take one or all three but that is another level of responsibility not to mention the dread if Mausi wouldn't take to them.

The sky seems to be clearing at the moment and hopefully that portends a weekend devoid of  rain. The grounds have to recover and absorb this current lot before they can deal with more.  A lot of the big wineries haven't had a chance to harvest all their grapes and Bob's is no different. A weekend of harvesting is on the cards and perhaps next week too. Holding thumbs that everything will get into the barrels as soon as possible and that the vintage will be fabulous. How could it not be after such an impressionable year?

Biggi

The Soothing Minitue Of Each Day.

 The wonderful impact of ordinary things.

A moment ago as I walked past Mausi's high chair-a kist turned upside down where she can lord it over her fiefdom whilst munching away, safe in the knowledge that no errant rodent would dare sneak up on her-I noticed that for once she had licked the plate clean. Something so mundane yet I had a momentary feeling of joy knowing that she has had her sustenance for the day. Picky eaters are the bane of anyone's life!

The rain has been drizzling down in stages all day and earlier on I chose a time of rainy ceasefire to go dash outside for a spot of gardening. Our tomato creepers are not going to thrive in this cold and icy time ahead so I pulled them all out. Good golly did those roots resist departure but it provided a good workout and a feeling of accomplishment.

Our neighbours are still getting their house finished off and for the last few weeks the painters have been working on it. Their house is surrounded by scaffolding and I can just about imagine their stress levels leveling in on the high side dealing with the constant banging, banter and bashing. Bad enough hearing most of it when windows are open.

For lunch I tried a new soup concoction ...a potato, zucchini and brown chickpea soup. I cut the vegetables into small pieces, fried up an onion, added a cup of cooked chickpeas and two cups of water and let the whole lot bubble away for about fifteen minutes. Everything into the blender for half a minute and the most tasty soup was had. Something so simple yet something so rewarding.

We are all so caught up in chasing excitement, never wanting to miss out on anything and thus living on borrowed energy until our we get the bill by our body becoming ill, that we miss out on those seemingly mundane moments of life by not recognizing that they are what gives us the inner peace that no amount of consumption can bring...

Biggi  

The Astonishing Intellect Of A Cat.

 Eh, our  cat!

The weather has been horribly cold, dreary, rainy and otherwise unpleasant. One can't change it and has to make the best of it, which is what we did. Monday was the first day of this coming winter season that we fired up our oven.

Well, fired up paints a picture of chopping wood and then painstakingly making a fire but to be honest, I just heaved a bag of pellets ( left over from  last winter ) into the oven and pressed a button. High tech and no work.

It didn't take long before the lounge was warming up. There are radiators in every room but somehow one feels the warmth more in our lounge. Mausi and I were reclining on our couch- she like a hot water bottle keeping my lap warm-and reading when the oven started its opening sequence. Noise of pellets dropping and orange sparks of the first flames.

About five minutes later our cat decided to dethrone herself from my lap and made her way towards the other couch, or should I say the couch next to the window and radiator. I was astonished when Mausi suddenly took up station atop the warm radiator...first time since late spring when we turned off the oven!

She does it every season when they are in use, but how amazing of her to associate the firing of the oven with a resulting warm radiator. Clever and cunning but sadly reminding me that perhaps she merely lays herself onto  my legs for warmth and not to be close to me. For the next few months her preferred places to catch forty winks will most likely be  radiators or the floor of our bathroom which has underfloor heating. ...as long as she is comfortable!!!

A cat's way to relax...

She has honed this balancing act to perfection even if at times the couch is slightly further away from the radiator. 

Every ten minutes or so when it gets too hot she turns herself around and roasts her other side...

Biggi

A Bit Of Encouragement And Inspiration...

 Hope it helps.

"  With a new day comes new strength and new thoughts. "

             Eleanor Roosevelt

" It's in our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. "

             Aristotle 

" Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you. "

            Walt Whitman

" The best way out is always through. "

            Robert Frost

" A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows. "

            Francis of Assisi

" Everyday we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words. "

            Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

" To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. "

            Lao Tzu

" Belief creates the actual fact. "

            William James

" A strong, positive self-image is the best possible  preparation for success. "

            Joyce Brothers

Biggi

               

It's All About The Kitchen.

 Our favourite place.

When you think about it, there is no place like a kitchen. Your kitchen. A place of comfort, a place to cook and a place to hang out. Isn't it always that little table in the kitchen which we all tend to hang out on? Be it to eat, do our homework or share all the important or not so important moments of our lives.

A moment ago I was remembering all the various people I used to visit in our village and almost most of the time we would sit and chat in a kitchen. Especially the older folks made sure that there was a comfortable table in it, large enough for all the family to sit around it although sadly that didn't happen often.

Winters made it rather cozy when an Aga-stove would merrily spew forth its incredible warmth, almost enveloping you in a hug of nostalgia. 

Cooking is soothing yet also exciting as it is almost miraculous how a handful of ingredients can morph into scrumptious meals. In a way the simpler kitchens are  best because all that fancy equipment isn't really  necessary. A knife works just as well and doesn't take forever to clean.

A lot of the younger crowd never actually use their kitchens apart from heating up bits and pieces  in their mircowave or putting  take-outs onto a plate. Rather sad to see kitchens wasted but due to our fiend covid, many are starting to learn how to cook and actually develope a liking for it and more importantly, hanging out in their kitchen.

A kitchen is where we dock ourselves to not get pulled under by all the trials and tribulations that live tends to put in our way and helps us recharge our batteries if not our souls...they don't call it soul food for nothing!

Biggi

Best Way To Be In The Loop!

 Gathering Information.

Village life is thankfully a delightful way of life and has its many idiosyncrasies. Nothing at all resembling the big city lifestyle of being unaware of anyone but oneself.

This morning I took a route that I haven't hoofed for at least three weeks and wouldn't you know it, I encountered different people and noticed different drivers. Yes, drivers...

Honestly, not to get into trouble, but I think it is mostly men who take to driving about the various byways of our village in order to keep abreast of all the latest on-dits. Somehow their slow speed ( almost slow enough to stall ) gives them away. Some are brazen enough to stop, buzz down the window and happily ask what they want to know. Village life, I tell you...

In a way it is a good thing as we don't have a police station. The next one is two villages over and by the time they are called out a potential robber might be long gone. Not that we are robber central...perhaps a lawnmower or two throughout the year and so far I've not heard of a car gone missing. Although cars are almost displayed on a platter with engine running and nobody in it. Often less hassle for the slightly older of age to leave the motor running whilst they go shopping. Yes, yes, I know it sounds ludicrous but oh so true.

Towards the end of my route I met up with a couple walking their dog and we got into the usual fodder of why hardly anyone else takes the time to step outside. Especially when our outside is perfectly laid out for walking, jogging or cycling. But, easier to moan and complain about various ailments than to do a spot of exercise.

Summer has finally stood aside to let its colder cousin come in . This morning was cold enough to warrant long johns under a warm winter jacket but despite the more grayish tone that cold and rain weather brings it was a delight to be outside.

Biggi

For The Climate.

 Our foremost problem!

" Dealing with global warming doesn't mean we  have all got to suddenly stop breathing. Dealing with global warming means that we have to stop waste, and if you travel for no reason, that is a waste. "

                           David Attenborough

" I switch off lights like a manic. I drive at reasonable speeds so that I don't waste petrol. "

                           Joanna Lumley

" I care about climate change because of our children. I want to safeguard their future. "

                           Cate Blanchett

" The strongest governments on earth cannot clean up pollution by themselves. They must rely on each ordinary person, like you and me, on our choices, and on our will. "

                           Chai Jing

" In tough times, some of us see protecting the climate as a luxury, but that is an outdated 20th Century worldview from a time when we thought industrialization was the end goal, waste was growth, and wealth meant a thick haze of  air pollution. "

                           Alex Steffen

" Though every nation must do its part to address climate change, developed nations are responsible for the lion's share of carbon pollution in the atmosphere, and they have an obligation to help developing nations transition to a sustainable future. "

                          Frances Beinecke

" We will never end poverty if we don't tackle climate change. "

                         Jim Yong Kim

" Climate change is sometimes misunderstood as being about changes in the weather. In reality it is about changes in our very way of life. "

                         Paul Polman 

" If you really think that the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money."

                         Guy McPherson

Biggi

                                                                      

Driving Into The Burgeoning Morning.

 A beautiful day on the cards.

The mornings start later even though  time keeps constant. Whereas a few months ago sunrise was literally at the crack of dawn-how else would you describe half past four?- now it is at a more decent hour. Half past six.

Bob had to change cars and we arranged that I would pick him up at seven. What a magical time to be on the road. They were  empty and thus a pleasure to drive on except for a few stray commuters whose twin lights were hovering in the background. The place I needed to fetch Bob from is only about five kilometres from us, five scenically stunning kilometres.

The mist from a night's coldness was slowly hovering above the ground before dissipating into all directions. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the sun colour in a picturesque landscape. Suddenly the various hues come alive and reflect the innate knowledge that nature is awe inspiring. That special moment just before  the day starts for real.

Part of the way took me through a fair bit of forest and if it weren't for the tarred road, I could well imagine how through centuries people have lived and worked in this forest. The trees still stand strong, proud and tall and again the burgeoning morning made the fairytale come alive.

Having such a great start to a day makes all the difference and makes one look forward to the next one. Life, isn't it magical...

Biggi 

On The Eve Of Yet Another Weekend.

 Time keeps going...

October is well on the way and yet our harvest is far from over. The blue grapes are still dangling in splendid multitude all over the vineyards as if waiting with baited breath to be picked.

Picking is well under way, in Bob's case into its third week, and if they didn't already have enough on their plate with getting everything off and into the cellar, the weather is trying its hardest to irritiate and annoy. Rain, cold and then warm again. The latter is good for harvesting but not so much the former two. But, that's the way it is and one has to make the best out of it.

This whole week the electrical company has been digging and banging outside getting everything ready for laying underground cables. A right royal mess after Tuesday's heavy rain. Mud all over our road but at least they finished the digging and moved on to the last part, the connecting.

The reminders have been posted all week to inform us that our part of the village will have the electricity cut today from 8 am until 11 am.  After having experienced a few of those announcement my trust in their ability to keep within these announced time boundries is established. Not like it was back in South Africa where a power-cut  could be anywhere from a few hours to a few days. I kid you not! Those were the days of learning to be scouts. Little camping stoves and torches...

True to form, the electricity came on again and with half an hour to spare. Magic and very comfortable on a cold day. Teas or coffees can be had. 

The weather although coldish with a hint of warmth thrown in is sort of a messenger of winter still to come, it does seem strange to know that in a little over two months time Christmas is here. We all know how fast any week can flit past and nine or ten of them won't seem that much longer. 

To say that this Christmas will be interesting is putting it mildly. The only ray of sunshine is that after the festive season we should enter into the last few rounds of fighting this dastardly virus, Covid-19.

Let's hope that everyone goes above and beyond from now until then because only then can we be the winners and resume a normal semblance of life...

Biggi

Others Said It Best.

 Some quotes.

" The decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation. "

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe  

"I see drawings and pictures in the poorest of  huts and in the dirtiest of corners. "

Vincent Van Gogh

" It is not living that matters, but living rightly. "

Socrates

" I don't have false teeth. Do you think I'd buy teeth like these? "

Carol Burnett 

" The more humanity advances, the more it is degraded. "

Gustave Flaubert

" Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws. "

Plato 

" My wife can't cook at all. She made chocolate mousse.  An antler got stuck in my throat. "

Rodney Dangerfield

" Why don't you get a haircut. You look like a chrysanthemum. "

P.G. Wodehouse

Biggi 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proud Grandmothers Perambulating In Our Neighbourhood.

 A pride of grandmothers?

As you know we have had a boon of births lately. In our street there were two in the last year or so, around the corner another lot and one house further another on on the way. You might well ask what they put in our water supply!

Most afternoons one has to drive extra slowly as the roads are padded with grannies pushing prams with pride and pizzazz.  It is too lovely to see how they beam from ear to ear and how they stop whenever they encounter someone. Most of the time I  have had this pleasure the babies have been as good as gold so there must be something about the calming influence of a grandparent.

Our neighbour next door  is lucky enough to have both sets of parents live close by and they often take the little girl out and about. The grandfather is the proudest and carries the little one on his arm, chest forward with pride and sheer love in his face for this little person. Really nice to see. Of course I have to say, that this little girl is as cute as a button and friendly to boot.

Today as I was passing another granny with pram I couldn't help but smile to myself when I saw her daughter use the opportunity to hang a lot of washing on the line.  Can't be easy to be at home with an  almost two year old toddler who is starting on her journey to discover her surrounds and what her world has in store. 

These little glimpses of normality are so calming and heart warming and as old as time...

Biggi

Finding Mausi.

 A cable is being laid outside our house.

They've been at it for a few days now. Digging and banging like mad outside. Apparently the electric cables are moving underground or perhaps it is a new fiber optic cable. Regardless what it is, it is a bit of a nuisance.  Can't really drive out without encountering either a mound of rough stones or an open ditch. Coupled with a constant screeching of a grader digging and shifting concrete.

Well, it has to be done but our Mausi likes it none. She is scared and doesn't know why there is so much noise outside. At times it feels as though a helicopter is hovering overhead! 

This morning I came back from my walk and for the first time wasn't greeted by my feline child at the door. Weird as usually she can't wait to go for a quick turn about our garden. Slightly mystified I went to the usual cat hideouts she prefers - bottom shelf in our wardrobe, Bob's pillow on the bed, window sill in the bathroom to name but a few. No, she wasn't to be seen anywhere.

A slight worry came over me. Had I left the door open too long or had Bob come home quickly and she'd dashed outside in the confusion of the building noise? I searched every part of our house three times over. Even places she could never reach nor fit into but to no avail. Feeling worried I tried one more trick to find her.

The rattle of a packet with cat treats. Just as Bob can hear the slightest move of a chocolate being stealthily unwrapped two rooms away, so she can detect the pitch her packet of catnip flavoured treats makes. Thankfully it worked and she suddenly was by my side. To say I was relieved is an understatement but still I had no clue where she had crawled out of.

Later in the afternoon she was missing yet again and like the fool that I am, I searched every corner twice over. Every corner but one...Bob has stored an old suitcase underneath the bed in our spare room and there I noticed her when I bent down to look underneath the bed. She was perched on the smallest of spaces on this suitcase, almost stuck between it and the underside of the bed. Obviously a safe place for her and thankfully now I have now discovered yet another one of her hideouts...

Life with a cat...always fun and never boring.

Biggi

Bambi, Pinka & Co.

 A stunning walk after a night of rain.

 The last view I was expecting while walking behind the church was a young deer merrily grazing and forgetting the world around it.

Normally they are as shy as can be and even the hint of a footfall meters away will make them buck to safety. This one had to be reminded by me making a few clucking noises. By now she has become alert to me being behind her.

There she is...what a beautiful little thing. Eyelashes to be envied and a gentle expression  to make the thought of eating venison abhorrent !    

Don't you just want to go and sit with her?

 From the pleasant to the surreal. We have had a night of rain that nobody has seen before. My neighbour this morning told me that he measured 55 mm of rain the likes of which he has never seen before in his rather long lifetime.  The fields are all water logged and from the shape of those clouds, will be for sometime more.

  Gosh, a river promenade indeed. Normally there is only  a trickle of water in there and far from this volume which tends to dwarf the lane next to it.

The runoff from the fields make this stream, which will become part of the Pinka swell up in size.  Apart from the water's destructive force it does create some awesome images.

Biggi

The Spookiness Of Facebook.

 Can it pick up my thoughts too?

How on earth do they do that, is what I would like to know? A few months ago both Bob and I ( as well as my folks ) splashed out on the wonderous invention of socks that rebalance one's body. No more tiredness or bad posture once these socks or on one's feet. Yes, you might think we fell for a fair bit of advertising but surprisingly enough, these socks work.

As they are extremely pricey we each only have one pair and treasure those like crazy. Apparently they have an inbuilt smell disperser and thus they don't need to be washed daily...ahem... I try and stretch it to at least three walks ( they are my walking companions ) before washing them as I don't want to undo the elaborate network of fine copper threads that encompass the said magic. Call me a fool, call me whatever but I know they work.

This morning when I returned from my walk I noticed to my dismay that a small hole has appeared around the toe seam. Drat, and I haven't got needle and thread at home! 

Well, it slipped my mind until a moment ago when I clicked onto my Facebook page. 

There it was, a big advert offering a ten euro discount upon  purchase of two pairs of our magic socks   ( Neurosocks ). How do they know. I haven't seen this advert for literally months until today when I noticed a hole in my sock. Spooky indeed.

Facebook, could it be the spy in our midst? The best remedy would be to disconnect totally but they do make it so attractive to play a game here, catch up on a friend there and while the time away. Soon another social media detox is needed, but not just yet...

Biggi

For The Love Of Red Cabbage.

A new favourite is added.

What can I do when I love reading and listening about and to the latest health discoveries to do with  our whole food plant based life. So many books, so little time.

Red cabbage is one of those miracle vegetables that are amazingly full of antioxidants and also full of fiber ( nowadays the fiber is on par with antioxidants for health, and thankfully it only exists in plants and thus the proverbial two birds with one stone. ) Red cabbage should be added to every meal either as a side garnish or a main part of it. I love basing a salad around it and the beautiful purple colour it gives off.

But how to get Bob to eat it for lunch? Pretty sure that he wouldn't be happy with a plain red cabbage salad or would he? So, a few days ago I hatched a plan to sneakily add this super food into his lunch. As the lunch of the day are sandwiches ( easier to eat quickly ) I decided to chop up a bit of raw red cabbage with a red onion in order to add it to the sandwiches the base of which was an aubergine sandwich spread.(  One of the sandwiches is always a peanut butter and jam affair for extra energy! )

Lunches get made at about five each morning and when I knew Bob was in the shower I hauled out the cabbage and started to chop it up fine. Blended perfectly into the red onion and after I had  surreptitiously cleaned up the evidence, by the time he came through to the kitchen he only saw me adding ' chopped onions ' to his sandwich.

At times sandwiches come back uneaten which in itself answers the question if Bob liked them and I worried that the same fate would befall this ultra healthy new lunch combo. I had to wait until 10 pm to find out. When Bob came home I got hold of his lunch bag and noticed straight away that it was empty. The all important question of what it tasted like and if he even noticed I left until that next morning.

" Schatzi, did you like the sandwiches from yesterday? "

" You mean the ones with the cabbage? Loved them. Reminded me of coleslaw. Could you make them again for today? "

Gosh, firstly no fooling Bob and secondly, how great that he also loved the red cabbage because now at least I can add another layer of health to his lunch. Should have asked him all along about the cabbage as it would have saved me a lot of cloak and dagger sandwich making, but  you know, that is just part and parcel of a fun marriage...raise your hand those of you who haven't employed a bit of cloak & dagger, bait and switch or the pleading of ignorance at some point in your relationship...! 

Biggi

 

October Already!

 Not much longer till Christmas.

The days just keep running into and alongside each other culminating in today, the first of October. Who would have thought that time could go so fast? Just the other day it was the beginning of March, June or August. 

Bob asked me to pick up his eye-drops at our local doctor's and with the new corona measures, it has become rather a planned task and no more a spur of the moment  drop in.  Following their new rules ( big segment in our local newspaper about how and even when to visit our local doc ) I phoned ahead for an appointment or rather an appointed time to collect the eye-drops but was told I could come whenever it suited me. Great.

As luck would have it the road outside our driveway is being picked apart to put a new pipe in it.  Thankfully the young men working outside our driveway were kind enough to let me know that it would be better if I moved the car outside. Finding a parking spot in our road was quite daunting as it is plastered with work vehicles and other neighbour's cars. But, I managed eventually.

Arriving at the doctor's was rather strange. Normally it is a hive of social activity with oodles of locals sitting about complaining about hips, knees, daughter-in-laws and the odd politician whilst waiting to see the doctor. Social nearness wouldn't be a misnomer, whereas now, today, it was devoid of people except a lone person sitting in the waiting room and another standing outside awaiting her turn. Yikes, social distancing in force.

Hard to catch up on the juicy bits of village news that only a sojourn at the doctor's waiting room could bring about. Where was everyone and why are so few people sick nowadays?  Well, it is nice that not many are and perhaps, all joking aside, the whole periphanalia of a doctor's visit is even more important and helps more in getting well than the actual trip into the rooms. 

Anyway, October is here and November is near. Life is good and there to be lived...so let's live it.