Learning To Negotiate With Little Maxi.

 Oh yes, the rain was one of the topics of negotiation!

The darling has taken to getting out of his basket the minute I wake up in order to say good morning. Too cute, especially as he looks rather dozy first thing in the morning. Eyes barely open, yawns galore along with elaborate stretching. Why should he be any different to us?

His eyes, as cute as they are, are the bane of our contention. They have a matted and crusted fringe hanging over and even  in them. Hardly pleasant for him and not a pretty sight. I know he hates it as he tries to rub the side of his face along the carpet. Before you ask, I have tried quite often but his head is a touchy area, one prone to sudden teeth exposure.

Slowly but surely I have gained some foothold in the face-cleaning department. Mum gave me an old cleaning cloth ( soft and pliable ) which I use each day, moistening it and then rubbing it gently over his eyes. Twice on each side is as far as I can get before the little darling drops his cloak of cuteness. Fair enough, can't be that pleasant for him.

This morning after our long walk I decided to cut his fringe, regardless of  whether he liked it or not. Being prepared is half the battle and therefore I get out scissors, comb and treat beforehand. Oddly enough, as much as he hates having his head washed, he sat as still as a mouse while I cut his fringe. What a darling!

His eyes are looking much better now and hopefully are less irritating for him. He was thrilled to bits at receiving a few of his favourite treats and not once growled or misbehaved. Couldn't be prouder of him...

Of course by this afternoon his hero status had waned. We had on and off rain this afternoon which made the grass and roads wet. As soon as I saw that the rain had stopped, I took Maxi outside for his afternoon constitutional. Well, the little rascal took only a few steps in the wet grass, did a quick #1 and then put on all his four brakes. Whichever way I tried to lead him, he refused going so far as giving me that look of;

        " Really, are we doing this again? " 

Okay, he won this round....negotiations are a two way street after all. I'll try again to take him outside in an hour or two and see who wins that round.

Biggi

Flower Duty, Again...

 A week of reconnecting with my charges.

It has been a few months since I last had a slot on the flower-duty roster. Who knew that June to August would go so quickly? Honestly, it seemed like just the other day that I did my first week of flower duty and this morning, it almost felt as if I had never been away. 

The flowers haven't changed much. A few have grown up, a few have merely upped sticks and the rest have remained the same. I suppose that is the aim of a controlled flower bed. 

One of the watering cans has gone although I am not surprised as it was starting to fray everywhere. Only one left and of course the very long watering hose. Nothing for it, but to use it as I didn't feel like filling and carrying ten watering cans. Actually, it is so much easier with this hose. At least once I had undone all the kinks and knots.

It didn't take long before someone came to chat to me. Watering a public flower bed has its own magnetic attraction and isn't it often those fleeting little chats, chats devoid of heavy content, that make the world seem right? A smile here, a joke there and nothing much of consequence, yet exactly those short encounters are what make us feel part of society.

Well, another six days to go, another six opportunities for being connected to our village. Of course the weather might play up and take a few days away. The rain, it isn't in Spain...

Biggi

A Bit Of Sunday Sunshine...

 A few more pictures.

It is always uplifting and nice to be met by deer. So far they hadn't spotted me and thus I was able to slowly creep up on them. Mother and cub, I think.

Graceful exit into the cornfield. A nice start to being in the moment...couldn't breathe too hard nor walk too loud, no, only focusing on them was the order of this moment.

A simple and natural apple tree still clad in leaves and fruit. Soon the bareness of the winter season will start to show, restarting the eternal cycle of nature...

Those yellow charmers who seem to have been styled by a hairdryer. Not quite sunflowers, but perhaps a distant cousins?

Here is a sunflower herding its cousins into a semblance of order.

Finally, the promised Sunday sunshine....

Biggi

Bottling Wine Helps To Focus.

 Being in the moment!

We did bottling today. Sounds strange unless you part of the wine and beer making world. What it means is that the barrels of wine eventually need to be transferred into more user friendly bottles, and that is the process of bottling. Of course via a clued up system of filtering...

We bottle still mainly by hand. Nothing high-tech for us. Each of us has their station and Bob being the strongest ( and incidentally also the youngest ) is in charge of putting the caps on the filled bottles and stacking the bottles into crates. Mum is the one who makes sure everything runs smoothly, doing the lion's share of the bottling work and Albert is integral to making sure the filtered wine keeps flowing. A well oiled family affair.

My humble job during bottling is the filling of the bottles with wine. Wine that flows through a fine funnel, which only stops when one lifts the bottle of the funnel. Today I had two funnels going at the same time, and let me tell you, it isn't easy keeping track of them. Quite a number of times the bottle floweth over!

Just one glance at Bob, or mum or Albert had me loose my place in the scheme of things. That is how quickly it goes. One moment of not concentrating on my task at hand and the wine floweth over... Kind of a reminder about life.

How often do we actually focus on the task at hand? Be it a conversation, watching tv, cooking or driving. Often our thoughts run miles ahead of us thinking of either the future or the past, instead of the all important present. 

I kind of think that if we could be present, focused and in the moment most of the time, life would be that much more fulfilling and enjoyable. Perhaps we wouldn't achieve as much as society expects from us due to constantly nudging us into the multi-tasking lane, but then again, maybe we wouldn't be so stressed, sick or unhappy either. Might be worth a shot at focusing on being in the moment at least some of the time...

Biggi

Some Affirmations And Thoughts.

 Quotes that make me think.

" I do not fix problems. I fix my thinking. Then problems fix themselves. "

Louise L. Hay

" You've been criticising yourself for years and it hasn't worked. 

Try approving of yourself and see what happens. "

Louise L. Hay

" The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years. "

Deepak Chopra

" Modern medicine, for all its advances, knows less than 10 percent of what your body knows instinctively. "

Deepak Chopra

" Most humans are never fully present in the now, because unconsciously they believe that the next moment must be more important than this one. But then you miss your whole life, which is never not now. "

Eckhart Tolle

" The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you know anything about. "

Wayne Dyer

" When your higher self is present, it always promotes peace. "

Wayne Dyer

" Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life. "

Ludwig von Beethoven

" You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul. "

Swami Vivikananda

Biggi

A Few More Quotes.

 A bit of Buddhism...

" Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else;

 you are the one who gets burned. "

Buddha

" No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. 

We ourselves must walk the path. "

Buddha

" You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. "

Buddha

" Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. "

Buddha

" We are what we think. All that we are arises from our thoughts. 

With our thoughts, we make the world. "

Buddha

" It is better to conquer yourself than win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell. "

Buddha

" It is better to travel well than to arrive. "

Buddha

" However many holy words you read, however many you speak,

 what good will they do if you do not act upon them. "

Buddha

Biggi

Roses Drooping In The Rain And More.

 Red roses always shine regardless of the weather.

They need the rain but somehow floral happiness looks different...

No, not roses. A collection of beautiful wild flowers gracing the front yard of a house down the road. Makes me feel good when I walk past it each morning.

The rain was eventually over giving the roses a chance to get rid of the heavy moisture the natural way....evaporation.

Lattice art work. Yellow stunners brightening every day with their cheerfulness.

These red poppies are enormous and tall. They are in the region of a meter tall and thus are able to defy the protective fence in order to be seen from the road.

Climbing Ivy gracefully showing off its tendrils. Seeing nature's veins is amazing and again lets us know that nature is alive and needed, not just to grace vases...

Biggi

A Satisfying Quarter Of An Hour Spent Clothes Shopping.

The joys of shopping in second-hand shops.

Bob and I went to Oberwart this morning and took a turn at the local Caritas shop. Gosh, they had an amazing special: all clothes and shoes 2 euros per item. 

Yeah, saving money, saving space in the landfill and saving the environment in one swoop.....

Bob found a pair of original 501 Levis and is over the moon. Imagine, 2 euros!!!!

 He found a great dress shirt, and a label one too boot. A Ralph Lauren shirt for again, 2 euros. 

The staff there was also kind enough to check if they had anymore similar shirts in the back. Sadly not, but there is always another time.

Isn't it funny how people volunteering are friendlier than the people paid to work? After our stint at this shop we went across the road to a health shop and the lady there was sour as anything almost doing me a favour to take my money!

Bob has a good eye for things...he spotted this nice rain jacket. Fabulous for me to walk in. Although Bob mentioned that he might take it into the vineyards....we'll see about that!!!!

A red sports jacket, one that is just perfect for lounging around. Glad someone threw it out because I have space in my wardrobe.

Finally, a pair of black pants. From Otto Kern, an expensive German label.

I normally don't worry about labels, but I wanted to make people aware of what nice stuff is out there on the second-hand circuit.

Every little deed counts in saving our climate and environment, and supporting second-hand now and again helps slow down the fast-fashion madness.

Biggi

An Interesting Winter Ahead For Maxi & I.

 The little man doesn't like cold, rain or I suppose, snow!

Last night it started raining and of course, it continued well into the morning, the morning I usually take the boy out for his morning rituals. Calling him a boy is akin to fake news....he is an old and grumpy little man!

I know he was desperate for his outing this morning, but the minute he felt a raindrop on his back, all bets were off and he put on his four little but surprisingly strong brakes. Nothing, really nothing would budge him. At least he eventually deigned to walk to the gate and relief himself against his favourite shrub. Small mercies because after that the only way I could move him was to carry him inside.

Trying a bit later, because let's face it I live in constant fear of tripping or stepping on one of his #2s inside our house, I went a step further and got his warm coat out. Gosh, I thought he would be thrilled to step outside stylishly clad in a warm covering but no, even trying to get his feet through the foot-hole proved to be impossible and was accompanied by growls and snipes. Yikes, what a grumpy old man!

Naturally  I left him alone as I value my fingers too much but I could see that he was ashamed of his outburst and was watching my every move from his basket in his own way purveying a sense of being sorry. Cunningly I realized that eventually his need would be too great that even a few drops of rain wouldn't make a difference. Yes, true.

What will I do every morning and evening come winter? Should I offer him treats each time he does his business outside, or should I get a carry sling and carry him far enough away from the house that when I put him down, he would run straight back home and hopefully stop along the way for you know what.

The plot thickens and I fear his waistline will too. Imagine not going for long walks? No, I will have to find a way that he enjoys going for a walk with me regardless of what the weather holds in store. Fun and games ahead for sure...

Biggi

The Feeling Of Gratitude Is Essential To A Happy Life.

A few more quotes.

" Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; 

remember that what you have now was once among the things you only hoped for. "

Epicurus

" True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not. "

Seneca 

" Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance. "

Eckhart Tolle

" The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings. "

Henry Ward Beecher

" Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. "

William Arthur Ward

" Gratitude bestows reverence...changing forever how we experience life and the world. "

John Milton

Biggi

The Perfect Holiday?

 Much to do about nothing...

This morning I was talking with a pair of holiday makers who are staying in a cottage in the vineyard. They come every year and book for six weeks at a time. Lovely. Stress free.

Throughout this time I have sporadically caught glimpses of them whilst I was mowing the lawn next door. They were enjoying the garden, sun gazing on appropriate loungers, reading a book or sitting at the table playing a round of cards. Idyllic.

At times I have seen the man take their elderly dog for a sedate turn about the vineyards but apart from that, not much more activity.

Well, today I had a nice chat with them, more than the usual friendly greetings. He told me how relaxed he was. She told me how wonderful the quietness of rural life was. Bliss compared to where they are from and isn't it funny how one takes things for granted until someone mentions the sheer magic of it.

A holiday without the constant running about, driving here and there just to see the various attractions on offer one thinks one ought to have a look at. Just thinking about driving around during a hot summer in order to peruse a castle or two is making me feel hot and bothered already.

With all the offers of cheap holiday packages all over the world being ubiquitous and almost obligatory- nice bit of advertising there - most of us have forgotten what a holiday is supposed to be. A time to unwind. A time to relax. A time to reconnect with our loved ones ( even though we live under the same roof ) and a time where a pair of jeans, a couple of t-shirts and slops suffice. 

Is it any wonder that so many are heading for burnout, heart attack or worse? Hardly anyone takes the time to sit still and de-stress in order to prepare for the next year. No, sadly with the advent of social media, holidays have become extra opportunities ( !! ) for people to show off exotic holidays, showing them off in minute details, such as every meal, every excursion and every shopping trip. That is far from normal, not to mention the permanent good moods displayed in these postings....

Biggi

Wisdom From Medieval Times.

 Quotes of yore.

" People pretend not to like grapes when the vines are too high for them to reach. "

Marguerite de Navarre

" Lying is a thriving vocation. "

Susanna Centlivre

" The first key to wisdom is defined, of course, as frequent and assiduous questioning. "

Peter Abelard

" The fields have eyes, and the woods have ears. "

Geoffrey Chaucer 

" For even he who is most greedy for knowledge can achieve no greater perfection than to be thoroughly aware of his own ignorance in his particular field. The more be known, the more aware he will be of his ignorance. "

Nicholas of Cusa

" Letters are signs of things, symbols of words, whose power is so great that without a voice they speak to us the words of the absent; for they introduce words by the eye, not by the ear. "

Isidore of Seville

" A tale is but half told when only one person tells it. "

The Saga of Grettir The Strong

" When I investigate and when I discover that the forces of the heavens and the planets are within ourselves, then truly I seem to be living among the gods. "

Leon Battista Alberti

" Nothing good ever comes of violence. "

Martin Luther

" What is better than wisdom? Woman. What is better than a good woman? Nothing. "

Geoffrey Chaucer

Biggi

Growing Our Own Vegetables, Not What It's Cracked Up To Be!

 Betwixt snails and hot weather.

Every year we plant stuff in our vegetable garden and are actually rather proud of it. At the beginning, but after a while, when heat and drought ( man-made by forgetting to water ) and the odd army of snails interfere, the fun goes away.

It takes so much water and time to grow tomatoes that I have renewed respect for the professional growers. A moment ago I managed to pick three ripe tomatoes and was happy about that, but at the same time, three were unpickable due to having been devoured by said snails. Well, I suppose they have to eat as well and who are we to deny anybody food?

The daily watering gets done with the rainwater we collected, mainly because we don't have any outside water source apart from it. But, it is amazing how much water it takes to grow tomatoes. I suppose it is more economical in green houses etc. At least I hope so.

The two feral tomcats have now taken a liking to dozing the day away in the vegetable patch. Perhaps more to keep an eye on the new cat, she who gets fed on the front door step. Somehow the two boys have gotten wind of the fact that we feed her slightly more upscale food. Can't help it, as I still have a hope that her owners might appear. The way she follows Maxi and I on our excursions is priceless and not something a feral would deign to do. This cat deserves to go home to a loving family.

The hot weather seems to have been whisked away by a flurry of clouds and wind. Brilliant! A few more warm days predicted for the weekend but then, autumn will start to leave little hints for us. As long as the rest of our tomatoes grow to grace our salads before the weather turns....

Biggi

Health, Our True Wealth.

Sadly, often undervalued.

" It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver. "

Mahatma Gandhi

" What drains your spirit drains your body. What fuels your spirit fuels your body. "

Caroline Myss

" The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind. "

Caroline Myss

" Your body hears everything your mind says. "

Naomi Judd

" Happiness is the highest from of health. "

Dalai Lama

" In understanding the basics of digestion, you'll discover who's in charge.

 Here's a hint. It's not you. "

Nancy Mure

" Let's build wellness rather than treating disease. "

Dr. Bruce Daggy

" Every negative belief weakens the partnership between mind and body. "

Deepak Chopra

" Your body holds deep wisdom. Trust in it. Learn from it. Nourish it.

Watch your life transform and be healthy. "

Bella Bleue

Biggi

The Day Of The Bin, The Rubbish Bin!

 Collection day on a sweltering day.

Honestly, it has been sweltering for the last few months and it shouldn't come as any surprise that the rubbish bins are not smelling like roses. How could they after five weeks of daily rubbish additions whilst languishing in temperatures of over 30 degrees? Add to that the fatalistic ingredient of dirty cat litter as well as dog's business parcels, and you can just about imagine the outcome.

This morning was rubbish collection day ( rest rubbish-ie, whatever can't be put into the various recycle containers ) and it was high time. Yikes, wheeling this beast out to the curb was awful. Just rank, especially after I added a months worth of Maxi's offerings ( neatly collected in environmentally disposable rubbish bags ) that couldn't have been left where he placed them. Social correctness, which I might add that some dog owners don't adhere to!

Out to the curb and even though I am still battling to smell properly after my stint with corona, I could get a clear whiff of this beastly affair. Jikes, it was so bad that I was holding thumbs that the rubbish truck would even take it. They might have thought that something was decomposing in it.

Today of all days the rubbish collection run was late, very late. Normally they have done their round at about nine in the morning, but for some reason they only collected our street's rubbish at two o'clock! A further few hours of cooking in the sun. Whoever had walked past our house during the morning might have wondered why they hadn't seen Bob for a while!!!

The main culprit of the odor is little Maxi's business. There must be an easier way to dispose of it, even if I have to empty each plastic parcel into a hidden part of the forest...or I could drop them daily into the public bin next to the local bus stop...yes, that  sounds much better. Oh, the delightful little domestic worries of the simpler life in rural climes...

Biggi

A Lovely Monday Morning In Burgenland.

Sunflowers and more.

 Peeping over the fence watching the world go by. A nice reminder about living life a bit slower.

A reflection to reflect upon...small ripples reminding us that even the solidity of a house isn't permanent.

The steady yellows almost shouting a good morning for all and sundry to hear...and see.

The famous bench steadily witnessing the various seasons and activities next to our little pond. A book would complete this utopia.

Yellow again. Uplifting and cheerful.

The gentle ripples upon the water's surface paint a thoughtful and wonderful image.

There are many big pike in the pond ( although I am sorry for them as they are continuously being fished and released ) that like to jump out of the water. Often when Maxi and I go for our many walks, we can hear the fish jumping and perhaps having a good time.

Biggi

A Bit About Attitude.

Quotes of course!

" Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. "

Zig Ziglar

" Happiness is an attitude of the mind, born of the simple determination to be happy under all outward circumstances. "

J. Donald Waters

" It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome. "

William James

" Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. "

Winston Churchill

" If you can't change your fate, change your attitude. "

Charles Revson

" When a person doesn't have gratitude, something is missing in his or her humanity. A person can almost be defined by his or her attitude toward gratitude. "

Elie Wiesel 

" There is a need for financial reform along ethical lines that would produce in its turn an economic reform to benefit everyone. This would nevertheless require a courageous change of attitude on the part of the political leaders. "

Pope Francis

Biggi

In The Heat Of The Day...

 The incessant summer.

Thank goodness for our old house. The walls are about 60 cm thick and thus keeps our house nice and cool. Granted, the ceiling / roof isn't insulated to today's standards, but still, we somehow have our own little air-conditioned space. Bravo to the builders of yore.

A couple of years ago our new-ish next door neighbour came in for something or other and the first thing she commented on was how lovely and cool our house was. Turns out that their newly built house was a proverbial sauna in summer. What were the architects thinking? Well, the following summer they installed an air-conditioner. Makes one think, doesn't it about the good old ways?

So, after mowing lawns and cleaning cottages this morning, we stayed indoors after lunch. No good going outside as it must be in the mid-thirties out there or at least it feels like it. Bob and I were lounging on the sofas when we stumbled upon a re-run of an Agatha Christie murder mystery. Dubbed into German but still a breath of fresh air on a hot summer's day.

To me there is such a comforting feeling associated with watching or reading anything by Agatha Christie and Bob enjoyed it too. A time where cell phones weren't even thought about, a time where children proudly wore hand-knitted jerseys and played outside without needing any electronic childminders.

The heat is set to continue but thankfully summer is nearing its end. Again, I am extremely grateful that we have a home to live in and that apart from feeling the heat, we aren't afflicted by nature's reminders about our collective deviation from taking care of it. It isn't that far from us that people have lost their homes and sadly also lives in fires and floods. Kind of puts everything into perspective, doesn't it? 

Biggi

A Stunning And Magical Sunrise In Eisenberg.

 Early bird does catch the worm...

Maxi wasn't feeling too well and thus couldn't go on his long morning excursion which meant that I was on the road that much earlier and had an opportunity to be a part of a spectacular sunrise.

The branches of this tree almost look like they are holding hands while reflecting on the beauty of this sunrise.

The vibrant colours are really only seen for a very short while. Sometimes a matter of minutes before the vibrancy dissipates. 

A sunrise does look so much more attractive when it is measured against a mountain, lake, animal or in this case, the merry branches of a huge tree.

About a hundred meters further I got a glimpse of the awakening sun getting ready for the day. Nature never ceases to amaze and surprise me. 

What a privilege to be able to witness this magic provided by Mother Nature...

Biggi

The Oddness Of Not Listening To Your Common Sense.

 The lure of a fashionable mask proves too great.

Most of winter and spring all of us had to wear masks when out in public. In supermarkets, pharmacies, doctor's rooms etc and of course while walking among people. Not just any mask, but the illustrious N95 or FFP2 mask.

It took a while before they mandated that only those masks could be worn and only after they found out ( scientifically of course ) that ordinary masks, bandannas, cloths or surgical masks aren't effective enough. Or rather, not as effective as the N95/FFP2 ones, which are said to keep out in the order of 95% of the possible viral load and also keep it in. Don't want to infect others!

Fair enough and good show that they admitted being wrong on earlier mask policies and I for one felt and still feel safe wearing these effective masks. Why on earth would I want to downgrade and start wearing pieces of material over my face when it hardly keeps out the bugs?

Well, Austria relaxed their mask policies and now only the essential shops need to be entered wearing a mask. Any mask because they dropped the FFP2 requirement! What on earth? Why on earth? And even more baffling, why are so many suddenly sporting any mask but the most effective one? Doesn't make any sense unless there is a shortage of them.

Today at the supermarket I was surrounded by folks wearing trendy face coverings again. One or two FFP2 maskers but honestly, I think they wore it out of convenience because they had them dangling off their rear view mirror in their car.

This shift in mask wearing policy is baffling considering that the number of new cases has shot up again and winter is already beckoning from the distance. Today's number of new cases was 850, which is up over 300 from yesterday. A lot of those new cases are from holiday makers returning home.

 Don't get me started on the stupidity of going on a holiday abroad when the pandemic isn't over yet. 

It doesn't mean that a lot of infection happens while we are out shopping but if one set of masks has proven to be the most effective in keeping out tiny particles that do want to infect us, why change to a less efficient model?

Biggi

Taking Maxi For An Outing.

 A trip down the road, a trip prepared.

Today the second load of wood was delivered to my folks. Cut firewood that needed to be stacked into the shed. A whole cubic meter's worth. Hard work, but nice work, work I could take Maxi along with me.

Travelling with a dog means a bit of planning. Nowadays, just like for kids, he can't merely jump into the car and move about. Those days are gone along with headrest-less cars. He has his own little seat belt attachment, an old towel for covering the seat ( one never knows if he might take umbrage at my driving ) and of course the home comforts any dog owner can't leave without. His second cushion and a bag of treats. 

My mum was prepared. She already had put a big bowl of cold water in the shade for him. Can't get more welcoming than that, apart from the immeasurable cuddles he received the minute we arrived. Oh, he loved it.

It was a strange garden to him and yet he behaved extremely well. Naturally he explored the length and width of it no doubt marking his territory discreetly in the process. I was busy wheeling the full wheelbarrows into the shed, a place he couldn't and thankfully wouldn't go inside but I was thrilled to notice that he plonked himself down a meter from the entrance keeping me in his vision. 

A friend of my parents also helped and he knows Maxi from walking his own dog. More importantly, Maxi knows him and he was thrilled to see him there almost doing cartwheels trying to get a cuddle. Lovely. Maxi needs these affirmation of affections ( oh, don't worry, Bob and I give him oodles ) as he has been through a lot of emotional trauma recently.

Today I realized that he is feeling much better, that he is a well behaved little dog and that he now accepts me as his mum. When it was time to go home, he couldn't be happier to be lifted into the car and was almost dashing into our front door when we got home...perhaps that was more to do with showing off to Mausi, who obviously couldn't come along.

Biggi

Tomatoes, Where Have Thy Tastes Gone?

 The plight of the modern tomatoes!

Each and every time I do the same. Tomatoes beckon me with their siren red colour but then I glance at their price tag and walk to the next vegetable. But oh, they look so nice and isn't a bright colour a sign of a life elixir? Back I go and debate the various offers on display.

Therein lies the rub. So many different tomatoes. Be they cherry or loose but all expensive. I forgot how and if they were pricey in South Africa, but here it is often cheaper to buy a packet of ham, salami or cheese than a pound of tomatoes. Unless one buys the budget brands. The cheap supermarket offerings which on most products are almost the same than the high-end labelled ones but sadly, that assumptions stops when it comes to tomatoes.

They look the same, they feel the same but oh boy, they don't taste the same. In fact they taste of blandness and cardboard. A waste even at their cheap price but somehow I end up putting them into our shopping trolley. Stupid really and a bit reminiscent of what Einstein said; insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results! 

On the other hand, trying to stay one step ahead of this exact dilemma ( because we get caught out year after year )  Bob and I especially went to a plant market in April so that we could buy several tomato plants. Which we did, and which we planted but which are still refusing to turn red and the odd one that has, we have to compete with a horde of snails...

Maybe tomatoes are what is wrong with the climate? We mass produce, we outsource we fertilize with chemicals for fun and we strip natures' goodness off soils and thus off nature's products oh, and we want to pay as little as possible. The only way to change it is to vote with our wallets...ie. stop buying the cheap tasteless imitations of tomatoes ( meat / cheese / lettuce / anything ) and rather save up to buy the real scrumptous tasting ones...

Biggi

Walkies! The Eccentricities Displayed By Our Delightful Old Dog.

Are they real or is he just playing with me?

All I know is that my neighbours are having a fantastic time watching the two of us attempting our daily walk. Early mornings, when nobody watches us, are not a problem and in fact he trots around like a young pup complete with elan and a grin.

The midday, afternoon and evening sessions are the problem. Yes, he does need to go out that often because being so old his bladder isn't as strong as it used to be. Granted, it has been hot but the silly sweetheart refuses to take the route that is covered in shade. No, he wants to promenade on the main road in direct sunlight.

That's where our little power struggle starts. I try and lead him into the shade for obvious reasons but he lately puts on all four brakes and refuses to budge another millimetre. Only option ( and believe me, I have done it ) is to pick him up and carry him about a hundred meters down the forest lane. Once I put him down he can only go home. Oh yes, he knows where home is. 

Often he stops mid-walk because he gets distracted by a dog barking in the distance, a child shouting or a car approaching. Stop and no further until I coax him out of his trance. Well, today he upped the ante. We were about ten meters into our walk ( and believe me, he needed to relieve himself ) when he decided to plonk himself down in the middle of the road. Yes, as if it was nap time! Yikes, a senior moment or a play at being picked up....well, pick him up I did which is what he wanted all along judging by the silly grin he had on his face.

 Clever little one has me snookered. If I want him to do a number two, I have to agree to his terms however far-fetched or annoying they are. Well, not annoying as I quite like carrying him about...Oh yes, I can see that I created my own problem but what can you do when this little dog is so cute?

Biggi

Blackberries On The Forest's Edge.

 A lovely Sunday morning snack!

Having written about them yesterday, I couldn't believe my luck at stumbling onto a new blackberry spot. There were so many shrubs lining the forest's edge that I must have devoured at least a hundred grams worth.

A look down my blackberry aisle...almost all the way along the left side these shrubs were proliferating in huge proportions and providing easy snacks without too much interference from thorny sentries.

The beauty of leaves...so simple yet so calming which is what we need in our at times hectic world.

Don't you just want to pick blackberries? Ah, the lovely plump ones were sadly too high up but those I could easily reach tasted sweet and lovely.

Walking away from the fruit find I couldn't help but be surprised to see what appears to be a gravestone set among the trees. I wonder what it signifies and if it has anything to do with the horrors of the Second World War. 

An hibiscus shrub almost ready to be picked. 

The brilliant greens today were a salve for the soul and a breath of fresh air...literally!

Let's hope that the current building boom ( or madness! ) doesn't extend to our magical and essential green areas.

Biggii

A Season For Blackberries.

 The edible kind.

Last year there were hardly any. Wherever I looked ( we all have those secret places! ) there was a dearth of blackberries. Gosh, hardly enough to pick at and not enough to even attempt to make some jam.

Well, not this year. The berries are out enforce. Walking along the various by-lanes and paths of Eisenberg one can't help but stumble across shrubs of them. Lovely. Nice and big berries that are so easy to pick off, well apart from escaping the sharp thorns all around them. I try not to pick too many on my walk as I don't know if I am picking from someone else's patch. These things matter in the rural order of life.

Luckily our garden is blessed with an abundance of blackberry shrubs. Annoying when they have to be pruned but rewarding right about now. And sweet they are too.

Yesterday after my walk I went and picked a handful to put atop my muesli, but naturally I also had to sample a fair amount to check if they were sweet enough! At one point our new feral lodger came to join me wondering why I was stretching up among the thorny twigs. Honestly, I do think she shook her head my doings!

Anyway, I couldn't wait to have my breakfast. These berries made such a lovely garnish in my muesli bowl and tasted even better. As one does while eating breakfast, I was reading online at the same time and therein lies the rub...I was so occupied that I merely looked at my spoonfuls on the way to my mouth but forgot to look at the bowl itself...

When I had eaten the last spoonful I took the bowl to the sink and on the way I noticed a movement out of the corner of my eye. What gives? Well, serves me right...on the  counter where I had put them earlier a couple of ants were zig-zagging across it in giddy delight. Oh well, a little bit of a detour from my vegan diet assuming that there were more than those couple of ants on my berries.

Biggi

A Few Quotes On Climate Change.

Every bit helps.

" Eat less meat and fish, drink less milk. No request could be simpler, or more consequential. Nothing we do has greater potential for reducing our impacts on the living planet. "

George Monbiot, October 2015

" Reducing meat and dairy consumption will have positive effects on greenhouse gas emissions and human health. It will also help biodiversity, which must be conserved to ensure the world's growing population is fed. Changing our diets will lead to a more sustainable future and complement food security goals while addressing global food inequalities. "

Dr Roslyn Henry, School of Geosciences, 2019 

"  Climate change  isn't an issue to add to the list of things to worry about, next to health care and taxes. It is a civilizational wake-up call. A powerful message - spoken in the language of fires, floods, droughts and extinctions - telling us that we need an entirely new economic model and a new way of sharing this planet. Telling us we need to evolve. "

Naomi Klein

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

Paul Polman

" We are the first generation to feel the sting of climate change, and we are the last generation that can do something about it. "

Jay Inslee

" You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. "

Jane Goodall

" What's the use of a fine house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on. "

Henry David Thoreau

Biggi

Changing Times.

 The early day shifts are ending.

Another sign that summer is waning. The days are getting shorter and with that our early morning starts are gone. Well, by small increments but still, getting up at three in the morning seems to be a thing of the past. Until next year...

Daylight is taking longer to set its distinct marker and thus Bob's work hours are moving back an hour. We still get up before most sparrows and villagers. Funny how the weather determines our alarm clock setting. Bob knew yesterday already that today would be a day filled with bouts of rain and thus our alarm clock was set for a late five thirty. Almost a sleep in!

A fat lot of good that did. Like clockwork the two of us woke up at half past three. Yes, our bodies are used to the early times and I have to say, waiting until Bob had to leave for work seemed like an age. Even organizing our pets was out of kilter. They too are used to us starting early and their internal clocks are set for it.

The new outside cat who is still nameless in case she gets found by her parents ( apart from girly, kitty cat, silly & precious ), was already hovering at the front door waiting for her breakfast at four, Mausi sleepily took note of every endearment we uttered towards a dozy Maxi and he, poor lamb, had to hold his business a bit longer until I was ready for him. Even light took forever to appear.

The day started with a rain burdened sky which gave us a timely reminder of the autumn to come. Those divine rainy days that are neither too cold nor too warm but perfect for reading a book, drinking a hot cup of tea or knitting something for the ever growing fold of pets.

On the flip-side, it gets darker earlier and nothing wrong with that. Somehow an evening seems more like it when it is underscored by a dark background.

Biggi

Feeling Hopeful About Hofer.

 The shop, not the politician!

And just like that the parameters changed. Hofer, the discounter from Germany where it goes by the name of Aldi, has with one post changed the playing field for vegans here in Austria.

They asked a question online. 

        What vegan foods would you like us to stock?

and the people answered. Over a thousand replies so far and still going. As it stands, Hofer has been very proactive on the vegan front and we buy our milk from them. The best vegan one on the market...according to us. In the past few years they have added more and more purely vegan foods and I love that. 

It isn't as though I buy all of what they have because it is rather processed. Vegan or not, processed isn't good. Only now and again. But the fact that the Hofer chain is asking what other vegan foods to stock tells me that veganism is here to stay. Imagine, Austria the land of Schnitzel & co. developing a love for  Tofu & co. too.

Apart from my love of the vegan lifestyle, I am thrilled for each and every one that joins us because it means that the climate can get a breather. If only people knew how much the environment is helped each time one chooses a vegan option over the carnivore one, they might stop being so anti-vegan.

The last few months we have all come to realize and feel what climate change actually looks like. From abstract paper headlines to reality. It isn't pleasant, is it? What if all of us choose to eat vegan one, two or three days a week? That alone would make such a huge difference. Less rain forest burnt, less animals raised in factories more ground water available and hopefully a chance at stopping those awful temperature increases.

Hofer has realized the potential of catering for vegans and I hope that the other major supermarket chains will follow suit. A good day for our earth...

Biggi

August, Here Again!

The end of summer beckons.

The months just keep flowing into each other and even though one shouldn't wish time away, I am glad to be rid of those extreme hot days. Hopefully they are a thing of the past and don't venture into our neck of the woods for some time to come.

August, means the last months of the summer holidays and by now many kids will have doffed their scholastic robes and quite happily leaned back and relaxed. Tanned, chilled and certainly not looking forward to the start of school in four weeks time. 

What the school year will bring no one can tell. The pandemic isn't over yet and judging from the sheer number of people heading to beaches near or far, the school year to come might be a carbon copy of the one just past.

The mornings are lovely and crisp which I have found out that Maxi loves. He can't wait to go outside and run around, dragging me behind. It is so heart breaking that I can't let him off the leash but he can hardly see so the times I did let him off, he ran into walls and stones in his path. Sad, but now he has me to guide him. So the leash is just dandy and in a way gives him surety that he isn't alone.

As I am sitting at the kitchen table the clouds are flitting past the window, some grey and some white.  We are so lucky not to have been affected by the horrendous weather calamities of late. Either the floods and hail in parts of Austria and Germany or the horrific wildfires in Greece, Turkey and Italy. Gosh, how much more before we start to collectively change our lifestyles?

August makes the shortened days more visible. Whereas a month ago it was light before five, now it is closer to six. At the moment Maxi's internal clock is set for going outside before five but today I managed to distract him until half past five before heading outside. Honestly, I don't mind going for a walk that early, but it certainly isn't fun to bag up his business in the dark! And before you suggest leaving it, you don't know our neighbours and their eagle eyes...

Biggi

 

The Little Man Needs A Raincoat.

Delicate and stubborn...

Unless he has very pressing matters to attend to, he won't put a foot out in the rain. Suddenly a small 6 kg bundle of joy turns into a 100 kg anchor. All feet anchored and the only way he might deign to go outside is if I carry him. Yes, a dog's life.

He does have a bathrobe of sorts which his other mummy used to put on as soon as he came back inside after a walk in the rain. Granted, his fur does tend to soak up all the moisture from grass, puddles and raindrops. Putting on his ' dry-robe ' is such fun as I have to first put his head through the collar section ( which he does without any grumbles ) then accommodate his tail and finally tie everything together with a belt around his middle. Love it and I think he does too. Nice, fluffy and warm.

Well, it rained this morning and it reminded me that he needs a raincoat, and when I was in town today I had a look at the canine clothes on offer at the pet emporium. Gosh, raincoats galore but yikes, how pricey! The cheapest and honestly, most flimsy and ugly one, cost 15 euros and the most expensive a hefty 40 euros. Are these folks mad? So much for a tiny bit of cloth? No, never mind he will just have to get wet as dogs have been doing for centuries!

When I told mum she suggested that I sew my own, which after the initial shock  ( sewing isn't my strong suit ) I thought, why not? I do have two old rain coats that I was going to throw away due to them having holes and they would just be perfect to design raincoats with.

My knitting and crocheting isn't that bad so I am hoping that sewing fits right in there. Poor Maxi will be my model and who knows, he might look so fetching in this raincoat-to-be that my phone will be ringing off the hook...or he might be scared for life!

Biggi

A Rainy Sunday Morning.

 Nature took a breather after the incessant heat of late.

Various puddles emerged in the fields next to where I walked today. It rained hard during the night and early this morning, at about six o'clock, we had a minute's worth of hail. Awful to hear the sound of small hail balls hitting roofs and drainpipes.

This group of pigeons were as tame as could be and never even bothered to take flight as I came closer and closer to them. In fact, they seemed to be smiling at my folly of walking on a Sunday morning.

I love the way they balance on the telephone wire. Like athletes of the first rank!

My favourite trusty old tree is keeping in good health and spirits, which gives me a feeling of comfort and continuity....life goes on.

The reflective power of water never ceases to amaze me. Be the reflection literal or figurative it has the power to make one retreat into the calm seductiveness of our imagination, thought and self.

 The perfect bench to reflect upon is conveniently hidden from prying eyes...I think I have to take Maxi there to ponder, wonder and wander.

Biggi