Trying To Keep A New Lot Of Plants Alive Inside Our House.

 One step ahead of Eisheiligen and our cat.

Last week Bob and I went to an outdoor plant sale. Everything is outdoors nowadays even though it took some convincing to walk around the stalls. Gosh, everyone and their aunt Agnes was there stocking up on seedlings and baby plants.

Bob is getting wise to my Gemini tendencies ( can never really decide between one or the other and take neither ) and organized on the drive there what we should get. Fair enough, a plan is good. Tomatoes and chili it was to be.

Every stand had both so we managed to get some lovely organic tomato plants and a chili one too. About eight or so. The trouble is that every year the Eisheiligen ( a cold front ) arrive in the first week of May and planting anything beforehand is a daring operation as frost could come in with one fell swoop.

We have chosen to house the plantlets inside one of our outhouses but as mum reminded me yesterday, the plants need sunshine which ideally would be a window sill...inside our house. We had brought her one tomato plant and she wisely has put it on their kitchen sill and goodness me, it is almost the size of a tree. Well, not quite but much bigger than our plants.

Yesterday, I moved plants. Old plastic trays from last year's window boxes were found and the plant pots put inside it. Easy enough until I carried them inside, past the mistress of our house, Miss Maus, who naturally thought they were for her.

What fun she thought, no more chewing grass outside. Oh great, Mummy loves me and is giving me my own little catnip garden. Yip, I could read it in her eyes as I had to shoo her off the sill.

Every morning ( well actually only this one ) I go and see if they are still in one piece or rather on stalk. Honestly, plants take a huge risk when moving in with us. Either I forget to water them or the cat decides they might be a fantastic snack. Oh well, hold thumbs that we get to plant the plants outside the week after next.

Too good to ignore...catnip perhaps?

Biggi

Tulips, Because They Are So Vibrant And Alive.

 Blooming marvelous...

The sunlight was just perfect this morning illuminating these faithful tulips to show their richness.

The memorial where these tulips reside has a big rock in the middle of it and a few tulips use it to shine some more...

The rebel yellow tulips do fit in quite nicely with their red siblings.

Aren't the individual petals stunning? Elegant yet vivacious.

The tulip home base. The more the merrier and every morning when I walk past them, I get a feel of their cheerfulness and a sense of what really is important in life, and what not.

Biggi

Shoulder Pads And More On The Horizon.

 Or should I say, Horrorizon!

I suppose one needs to be of a certain age to appreciate this and I certainly am. Yes, having had firsthand experience with 80's fashion, I can vouch for the fact that it isn't the most flattering of fads. Looking at old photos from this era isn't for the faint of heart.

Already most of the stores are going crazy stocking jeans ( also other trousers but I tend to gravitate toward jeans ) that could have come straight out of the back of many a wardrobe, attic or cellar. The torn knees are rampant and the high waisted and belted loose fitting jeans are being promenaded all over town already. I suppose they are more flattering than the former ubiquitous skinny jeans but only just.

Little do the youngens know that shoulder pads are entwined in this era and who could ever forget our icons, the ladies of Dallas, Falcon Crest, Who's The Boss and of course the 80's poster girl, Madonna? Gosh, that reminds me about the other style trend that might follow...teased hair. Teased and full of hair spray.

Hardly any of us gals went out to the discos ( yes, nightclubs in our time where places of ill repute with scantily dressed staff ) without a can of hairspray in her purse. Oh yes, going to the bathroom was a lesson in navigating hovering layers of hairspray mist. And not the expensive one either, No, the good old cheap one that stuck like glue to our poor strands of hair. Fringes wouldn't dare sag with a touch of Elnet on them.

One thing I have learned from all this is that it pays to keep clothes for longer than a season, year or decade. Trends go in full circle and being clad in vintage gear that is part of the current fashion is fun, cheap and good for our planet....age does have its advantages!

Biggi

Looking For Birds.

A kind of daily treasure walk.

An acquaintance mentioned to me last week that her husband who had freshly entered retirement was looking for a bird. No, no, a real bird. A sort of cousin of the woodpecker but rarer. His main aim for the moment was the sighting of this bird and its family. The Eurasian hoopoe-Eurasischer Wiedehopf

Several bird-feeding station have been set up and nurtured by him and his friends ( oh, we are a bird loving lot ) around the area but the bird has not been gracious enough to let itself be seen. Should I sight this bird on my numerous walks, please to send a short text message with coordinates.

Well, why not, an extra element of excitement to my daily walks and a chance to see it from a different perspective. Yes, birds live on higher levels purveying us from their lofty vantage points. At first I had to make sure what type of bird they all were looking for and my acquaintance quickly showed me a photo on her phone. Yes, a bird distinctive enough to be noticed.

So, these last few days I have been looking about trying to sight the elusive one. No luck so far but I have noticed many more avian friends aloft the various branches, shrubs and rooftops. They do sing so beautifully and cheerfully.

When I hear the daily avian choir I can't help but feel that everything is right in the world despite the pandemic hanging over our heads. Whether I will find this bird is yet to be seen but seeing that I change my routes often and try new territory, the chances are good.  Happy birding ahead...

Biggi

A Bit Of Positivity.

 Quotes to start the week.

" It always seems impossible until it is done. "

Nelson Mandela

" The only time you fail is when you fall down and stay down. "

Stephen Richards

" Optimism is a happiness magnet.

 If you stay positive good things and good people will be drawn to you. "

Mary Lou Retton

" You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream."

Les Brown

" The struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need tomorrow. "

Robert Tew

" The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. "

Dolly Parton

" If you want the light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining. "

Guy Finley

" Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it. "

Albert Schweitzer

" A problem is a chance for you to do your best. "

Duke Ellington

" Miracles happen to those who believe in them. "

Bernhard Berenson

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

Winston Churchill

Biggi

A Touch Of Green Among Other Things.

 On the cusp of summer...

Early morning when the sun created a sparkling green contrast...

Hidden gems in ordinary gardens scattered all over our neighbourhood.

From bare to green in mere weeks. I never cease to be amazed at the power and beauty of nature.

Apple trees are sporting their blossoms and promising a bountiful harvest. 

A bit more grass, ordinary yet extraordinary all the same. Power, beauty and renewal all in one.

Cherry or apple? I was sure I'd remember but now I am not so sure. Regardless, stunning nonetheless and another reason to love nature...

Biggi

Another Bee In My Bonnet...

 ...Or a foot scantily clad.

See, it pays to read and learn new and interesting things. Novel ideas that somehow make sense and lift the curtain on certain discomforts....' so that's why this is ' ...

Two weeks ago I received my copy of The Story of The Human Body by Daniel Lieberman and finished it this afternoon. Most fascinating and illuminating with the best bits toward the end. One of the thesis he put in there was the fact that we weren't designed  ( or rather our body ) to wear shoes. Yes, we do need to wear them but not such technically advanced ones which running shoes tend to be.

Almost everything is aided along by the various foams and supports that our feet become lazy and that might lead to problems such as back pain or foot discomfort. It makes sense, doesn't it? Everything gets done for our feet so that the various tendons, muscles and nerves can lean back and relax resulting in them weakening. Don't use it, you loose it!

Well, this has had such an impact on me that I have already perused the portals of online shopping about those funny looking toe shoes. Seen them on some documentary but didn't get the name. Walking my daily route totally barefoot ( which might be the best thing for my feet and back ) would be a bit difficult not to mention a tad socially contraire. That might put a mad as a hatter label on me!!!

Turns out that there are plenty of shoes available that mimic the barefoot experience. Granted, I won't get those individual toe-shoes but I am honestly leaning towards trying out a barefoot shoe ( oxymoron isn't it? ) and thus giving my feet a better workout and ultimately my back some relief. 

Bob will have a good laugh at me but I know that he will also get a pair of barefoot shoes and wonder why we didn't revert to them sooner. At least I hope so because these shoes are also much less expensive than those expensive running shoes with their all round support. Goes to show that we mustn't take everything at face value and the gospel truth... Can't wait to try out my barefoot experience and will let you know.

Biggi

And Just Like That It's Friday Again.

 A momentous week.

Tomorrow will be a week since the funeral of Prince Philip and a few days since Queen Elizabeth had her 95th birthday. Two historic events, but sad nonetheless. There will be many occasions that we'll hark back to what we did when we watched his funeral in the same way we think back to Princess Diana's death and funeral. As I said, the final chapter of an era is closing.

This week also saw the resignation of our health minister and who could blame him. Everyone wanted to give his two cents worth, everyone commented on how to do his job better yet nobody would have stepped into his shoes. Not to mention that he received death threats and was under permanent police protection. I think he did a great job and deserves some time out. 

A new health minister was sworn in this week and this one is a practicing medical doctor. He knows his stuff and it can only be of value to Austria. That he happens to be young ( well younger than me ) and hip is what a few folks objected to.

He was sworn in wearing a suit minus a tie plus nice pair of trainers. Hip, trendy and full of self confidence...gosh, you should have heard the complaints about his audacity to wear trainers!!! Oh, some even went so far as to send him a proper pair of shoes! Oh well, if that's all than all is well.

Personally, I am hoping that he will utter some words of wisdom on the general state of diet in Austria and ask people to get more healthy. A healthier body shouldn't react so badly if attacked by the corona virus and isn't that what it's all about ? Let's see what these next few weeks will bring and if the new health minister is a rebel in more than just his sense of style...

Biggi 

Thursday Is The New Wednesday.

 A flock of shoppers, including me.

In my mind I had been planning my trip to town all week long. It was supposed to be on Monday but I thought because of all the shops opening up again I would wait until today, Thursday. Usually town is a nightmare to navigate on Wednesday due to the street market and pensioner's day so I wisely changed to Thursday.

These last two days we used up a lot of staples and surprisingly didn't starve! Rather a challenge to see how far everything will stretch and honestly, I could have waited until Saturday. With all those confusing corona issues and still having Wuhan's total lock-down in mind, I like to make sure that cans of tomatoes and packets of pasta are always on hand. So far we've been lucky in that supermarkets have never closed during this past year.

So off I go today into the metropolis of Oberwart and couldn't believe my eyes. Town itself was packed. Cars everywhere, people on pavements dipping in and out of shops. What happened to the good old laid-back Thursday? I must say that the supermarkets were crowded with pensioners which makes me wonder if they have corona fatigue or whether they feel invincible due to having been vaccinated. They should really start to limit the amount of people in supermarkets and open more check-outs!

The shopping center itself was relatively normal. I needed to go to their health shop and while I was there I quickly dropped in at one of those ubiquitous garment sellers. Cheap and flimsy. Asking the shop assistant to point me to the sports wear I was flabbergasted to be shown to a corner of clothes that firstly was made for size zero women and secondly looked more like casual sleep wear. What happened to good old fashioned tracksuit pants and t-shirt? Moments like these make me realize how little I do need and how I can make do with what I have. 

A bonus was being able to get food for Miss Mausi as her tastes have shifted to a more luxurious brand of Gourmet. I know, I know, she is spoilt rotten but cats won't eat what they don't like. They would rather starve to death then let a morsel of disliked food pass their lips. This cat keeps us on our toes and amused whilst praying that she likes what we serve for her dinner...

Biggi

Tulips And A Brave Cat.

 A cheerful and colourful combination.

The magic of watching a tree come to life is even nicer when viewed against  the backdrop of Eisenberg.

Look who decided to sun herself atop a  budding cherry tree! Too gorgeous and too funny. I wasn't sure whether she was stuck or not and thus baby-talked her into a hurried escape.

The tulips are out again making the neighbourhood shine and cheerful.

A purrfect model for the catwalk....striking the pose!

Tulips really are amazing and these beauties have resurfaced in their usual spot again. The war memorial.

All's well and this darling cat has safely descended her tree all the while keeping an eye on me...

Life is beautiful when we choose to look closer and notice the little things...

Biggi

A Bit Of An Idiom Tuesday.

 Often used but not often thought about.

You know the drill. You are already familiar with the procedure. 

Who's is she, the cat's mother? Why does she have such a high opinion of herself?

 When pigs fly! Never.

Hell for leather. Very fast.

 Went out the window. Disappeared.

 At the drop of a hat. Suddenly

It's no skin off my nose. The outcome will not affect me personally. 

He can't cut the mustard. He's not performing adequately.

A cold day in July. Never happens.

All the tea in China. Great wealth.

Take a gander. Take a look.

Right as rain. Absolutely correct.

Forty winks. A short nap.

Kith and kin. Family.

Chin music. Meaningless talk.

Biggi

A Drizzling Start To The Week.

 Monday, oh so quickly again!

Rain, nice and not nice. The proverbial two sides to a story, coin or affair. We need rain as everything does wear an air of dryness. Could be the lack of snow, real seasonal winter snow that we  never got the pleasure to use for snow fights, skiing or romantic background. 

But rain makes most tasks more cumbersome never mind more muddy although going for a walk in the rain is magical and why shouldn't one walk in the rain if one is more than happy to take showers, go for swims or wade in a river. All to do with water and none of them bad for us. A walk in a gentle rain is bracing, good for the complexion and makes the cup of coffee at the end of it seems like nirvana.

Nearing the end of April and the start of May makes no sense when we consider the recent weather we've had. First the long cold, icy cold, cold spell and now a possible week of rain...but perhaps we need to readjust our inner seasonal compass and expect  more of it and learn to live with and according to it.

There are many positives to a bout of rain. Flowers get an spurt of growth, dust gets swept away and any hint of a drought is negated. Water is so precious after all and yet, most of us don't respect it and what it represents. Life, life, life...

Biggi

Another Try At Opening Shops.

The end of yet another lock-down.

Truthfully, I can't tell you which number lock-down it was. Third or second after all? Regardless, after almost a month of being closed, most shops will open up again on Monday. Restaurants and hotels will still be closed until an undisclosed future date but we all hope it will be the middle of May. Hope does spring eternal...

I have to own up to feeling quite excited about the prospect of shopping for goods again despite actually not needing anything. No, I lie, I do need more wool and perhaps a new lot of running shoes. For some reason mine wear out quickly!!

Perhaps more than anything else, these lock-down phases have taught a lot of us a great lesson. We don't need much to be happy. Food and drink, more is luxury. Again, wearing clothes at home is more for oneself than anyone else. Who sees us when we are locked away? Imagine having spent a lot of money on last year's style of clothes only to not ever had the chance to show them off? Yip, clothes aren't that important after all. 

Although I do fear that many fell into the online portals of Amazon & co, judging from the often sighted UPS van and the many empty cardboard boxes on the kerbside when it is rubbish collection day. Yes, us too but mostly books and Bovril.

Burgenland has upped the anti when it comes to testing and from Monday many more test centers will have opened to coincide with the shops opening up again. Testing often should and possibly does help keep the numbers down but only time will tell.

In the meantime, I might do a stint of shopping for my essential must-haves but only cloaked in mask and the knowledge that I have passed my home corona test with flying colours.

Biggi

A Bit Of Philosophy.

 Historical words to ponder over.

" Liberty consists of doing what one desires. "

John Stuart Mill

" If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him. "

Voltaire

" Life must be understood backward. But it must be lived forward. "

Soren Kierkegaard

" Science is what you know. Philosophy is what you don't know. "

Bertrand Russell

" The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. "

Epicurus

" One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been. "

Sophocles

" I do not know how to teach philosophy without becoming a disturber of the peace. "

Baruch Spinoza

" If you are lonely when you are alone, you are in bad company. "

Jean-Paul Sartre

" Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat. "

Jean-Paul Sartre

" A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears. "

Michel de Montaigne

" The greatest glory in living lies not in having fallen, but in rising every time we fall. "

Ralph Waldo Emerson

" Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish so much. "

Blaise Pascal 

Biggi

An Early Start To The Day.

New perspectives and insights.

Bob had to leave very early for work and that meant that I could set off on my walk before seven. Could have been a bit earlier but I waited for the diffuse light of dawn to clear up a bit. Have been watching too many true crime programs  recently, and most of them featured diffuse light!!!

What a pleasure to reconnect with the early part of the morning. The world looks so vastly different and sounds so too. Birds are at their most charming, dogs haven't woken up properly yet to emit more than a grunt and mice's leaf rustling mostly gentle and quiet. A treat to be able to notice these ubiquitous early morning ritual of nature.

The first part of my walk takes me through our village and isn't it funny what one gets to notice and see so early. Early when nobody thinks anyone might be watching. An excursion to the front gate for the daily newspaper with bed hair and baggy pj's followed by an embarrassed grin hello. Most of the time I try and studiously look front and center but often the unexpected sound of a slurping foot or a throaty cough make that impossible.

Almost at the end of the village, in fact the last house which I thought the owners had left because it has that sad forlorn look about it, an older man tried to imitate the infamous scene from The Life of Brian whilst opening the right-side wing of his balcony door but once he noticed me  ( made sure to really slurp my shoes ) he deftly dove back inside. Jeez-a-lou, remind me to change my route if it is early again. That's the darn drawback about living in a small place...names and faces are not a mystery!

Early mornings have a serenity to them that becomes addictive. The peace and quiet before the engine of life moves from neutrally idling into first gear. Meditation comes in many shapes and forms and for me that is walking. Couldn't have landed in a nicer place to do my daily meditations...

Biggi

 

A Touch Of Tough Love On Our Feral Felines.

 A short and sweet affair.

At the moment I am reading a most fascinating book on human evolution by Daniel Lieberman - The story of the human body- and as per usual I tried to translate some of the gist of it into normal life. Well, the cats were first in line as I can just about imagine the not so silent protest Bob would make if I tried out some ideas on him...

One of the main points about the human evolution is the fact that since the Industrial Revolution almost everything is done for us when it comes to food. We don't have to grow, harvest, chop any of it. We don't have to hunt, skin or portion meat and we often don't even need to stir the old wooden spoon as a lot of us merely heat up pre-cooked food or go out for a meal. Not good for our bodies as we don't use up energy in doing all those chores that industry has done for us.

So, on to our feral darlings. Everyday I hasten to feed my two darlings with a generous bowl of dry cat food and a nice big can of wet cat food shared between them. Most kind and with hindsight most energy saving for them. They don't have to hunt their meat anymore and in fact mice and birds have morphed from tasty feline morsels to entertainment. Yes, these two feral boys are getting lazy and large. Not on my watch!!!

Famous last words...two days ago I chose to only give them dry food albeit an extra generous helping of it. Well, that went as expected. Not well at all because the two boys thought that wet food was still to come and sat there waiting ad nauseam for it. Knowing that millions of cats only get dry food ( often more nutritious though not tasty ) I turned a blind eye to their antics until yesterday afternoon. 

I had just filled up ( yes, hardly any eaten ) their food bowls for supper when I happened to glance out the kitchen window and see the one of them sitting almost in front of it, looking ever so cute and adorable and pleading. What is a mum to do? My good intentions lasted only a day because I got a can of cat food, rushed out and filled each bowl to the brim.  Honestly, I wonder who's educating who...

As for any further plans to implement some of the books ideas, I must play them wisely as I am sure that our princess would throw a loud and mutinous veto along with her dad...

Biggi

Nature's Golden Touches.

Visual treasures hidden in plain sight.

 Plain blades of grass yet so much more. A swaying sidebar along one of Eisenberg's many lanes, spreading cheer with every wave...

A little gingerbread house abandoned at the side of the road hasn't lost its appeal. Gloriously enveloped by the blossoming branches which tend to lend an air of mystique bordering on romance.

 A perfect set up...golden blades of grass, empty wires awaiting the next crop of vines all with a backdrop of green pastures.

This image doesn't do the steepness justice.  A tractor had just been inching up and down mowing the grass at acrobatic angles of gravity with bravour.

Another golden moment too good not to share...

Further down the hill, in between the two Eisenbergs, a happy emergence of yellow dandelions. A cheerful sight.

The purple lupines ( that is the closet I got to identifying them although I could be mistaken ) are out and about giving a nice depth to tired wintry lawns...

Biggi

Weeding Out The Old Wardrobe Inhabitants.

 Long overdue and not so hard to do.

I can't tell you how many programs I've seen about arranging, sorting, discarding and minimizing the old wardrobe. Oodles I tell you, and each time I promised myself to follow suit...famous last words, until the night before and appropriately in the middle of it, I mentally started to weed out the various bits of our wardrobe only to thankfully follow suit yesterday morning.

The thought of it is more of a stumbling block than actually doing it. Equipped with a hearty breakfast and enthusiasm I started. Holding up each item of clothing and thinking of whether I love, wear or like it was not that easy. The mind tended to sabotage by flitting thoughts like across;

   " No, don't throw that away. There might be an occasion when this top might come in handy. "

How silly because realistically, if I haven't worn it in the last year, I more than likely won't wear it in the next. In the throw-away pile it went. It isn't as if my clothes had cost me a fortune. Most of what I have is second-hand ( by choice! ) but even though, parting with them was hard.

 Cunningly I took the throw-away pile ( some clothes are too worn-out to give to someone else ) and straightaway took it outside to the bin. A sort of out-of-sight, out-of-mind kind of deal. You know what, it worked because later in the afternoon when Bob came home to do his side of the wardrobe, I had already forgotten which items of clothing I had thrown out. Win, win...

Bob had it easier as I had put all of his t-shirts and shirts onto the bed into piles, neatly folded. He surprised me by being decisive and quick with all his decisions and his throw-away pile got nice and hefty. One funny aside; when it came to sorting out his drawers' drawer, he was mightily surprised at how many ' new ' ones where lurking in the back of it. 

" I didn't realize how many drawers I have. In the mornings I just take the one in front because it's there. "

Today I am so pleased with the spaces on our shelves and drawers. It feels much lighter and better and is a breeze to choose from. Let's see how long the order lasts.

Biggi

The Quaint Sub-Plots Of Small Village Life.

 Life wouldn't be the same without them...

Look, sub-plots abound around us. Not discounting the avian wing that constantly performs one opera after the other, life in a small village simply lends itself for quaintness and unique characteristics.

Take this morning for example. There I was coming back from a long walk when I noticed a car idling halfway around the corner of the road next to our house. Yes, basically in the middle the road, half in and out of the bend nicely blocking any and all traffic. Not that there is that much apart from the huge cement trucks for the construction down the road-not much of a challenge and somehow makes me think that this chap hadn't thought through his choice of road for idling. 

Well, the reason he was idling was that he was chatting to a friend who happened to be walking by. Nothing like rolling down your window and shooting the breeze for the next ten minutes. Couldn't help but notice as they chose to chinwag right outside our house.

As I was turning into our gate the one chap opined that I was rather late coming home from my walk! Ah, keeping track, isn't he...

Another lovely little quaint line in today's plot was the fact that halfway into my walk, as I was turning the corner, I stumbled onto my husband loading up his work van. Nice surprise and luckily for him he looked pleased to see me too. No, no, hardly stopped my stride to say hello and thankfully so because his work mates drove up at exactly the same moment. Imagine if they'd seen us hugging and kissing? Bob wouldn't live that down...

Living in a big city often equates to those divine quaint little human asides being overpowered by  the sheer enormity of navigating the physical, emotional and environmental aspects of living in a city. Look, not everyone would and could enjoy life in a small village but for me it has meant the luxury of having time and the opportunity to take note of the lovely sub-plots of this aria called life.

Biggi

Quotes.

 A lazy Sunday.

" You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserves your love and affection. "

Buddha ( 563 BC-483 BC )

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

Buddha ( 563 BC-483 BC)

" Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children. "

Sitting Bull ( 1831-1890 )

" The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone. "

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ( 1749-1832 )

" As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live. "

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ( 1749-1832 )

" Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury. "

Coco Chanel ( 1883-1971 )

" How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone. "

Coco Chanel ( 1883-1971 )

" The guilty think all talk is of themselves. "

Geoffrey Chaucer ( 1343-1400 )

" Stung by the splendour of a sudden thought. "

Robert Browning ( 1812-1889 )

" No good opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible. "

W. H. Auden ( 1907-1973 )

" Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul. "

Alexander Pope

" To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves. "

Alexander Pope ( 1688-1744 )

Biggi

Eisenberg In Splendour.

 Wonderful impressions of an awakening nature.

The early morning sun brings light and a few shadows onto these two romantic kellerstocks surrounded by oodles of vineyards.

A bent branch still able to express beauty.

Just in case I get lost, a nice reminder where to go...

A stylish bit of green never goes out of fashion.

A lovely garland of new beginnings and opportunity wrapped around a big old tree trunk.

The dandelions are out again dotting the landscape with happiness, freshness and cheer.

Biggi

A Bit About The Duke of Edinburgh.

 A long and interesting.

" When a man opens a car door for his wife, it's either a new car or a new wife. "

Prince Philip

" Everyone has to have a sense of duty. A duty to society, to their family. I mean, you name it. "

Prince Philip

" I reckon I have done my bit. I want to enjoy myself a bit now, with less responsibility, less frantic rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say. "

Prince Philip

" Occasionally I get fed up, going to visit a factory, when I am being shown around by the chairman, who clearly hasn't got a clue, and I try to get hold of the factory manager, but I can't because the chairman wants to make sure he's the one in all the photographs. "

Prince Philip

" Young people are the same as they always were. Just as ignorant. "

Prince Philip

" People think there's a rigid class system here, but dukes have been known to marry chorus girls. Some have even married Americans. "

Prince Philip

" I would like to go to Russia very much - although the bastards murdered half my family. "

Prince Philip

" The conservation of nature, the proper care for the human environment and a general concern for the long-term future of the whole of our planet are absolutely vital if future generations are to have a chance to enjoy their existence on this earth. "

Prince Philip

" It's my custom to say something flattering to begin with so I shall be excused if I put my foot in it later on. "

Prince Philip

" There is nothing like it for morale to be reminded that the years are passing - ever more quickly - and that bits are dropping off the ancient frame. But it is nice to be remembered at all. "

Prince Philip

Biggi

How To Sneak In A Round Of Broccoli.

 Now you see it, now you don't!

Broccoli seems to be one of those vegetables which one either loves or hates. Kids especially seem to have bought into the hate camp and I am willing to opine that they have either never really tasted broccoli or it hasn't been cooked the way it should. Nothing worse than a pale sickly green overcooked stew of broccoli...

Yesterday happened to be burger night in our house. Not because it was Wednesday but because I drew a blank on what to make for supper and thus settled on hamburgers. As you know there are always beans ready to be used in our house. Either canned or pre-cooked in the fridge. Everything else that constitutes our hamburgers depends on what's in the crisper and fridge.

Yes, a great way to use leftovers ( cooked rice / pasta / sweet potato ) and a fantastic way to make use of vegetables. There was a head of broccoli that needed to be cooked and I used that. Raw, finely chopped  ( almost sheared off so finely that it looks like broccoli pearls ), as well as three finely grated carrots and of course the usual suspects of onions, garlic and spices. Oh and raw oats or wholewheat flour to bind it. 

In fact the way that anything that is finely chopped or grated can't be classified by name after cooking, made me think of all those kids who could happily eat the burgers and its healthy secret ingredients. Honestly, one can't see it once the burgers are cooked and often not taste it overly so if spiced spicily. Win-win situation for any parent fretting over their kids not getting enough vegetables and I suppose that the same might apply for many a husband who out of habit decry the use of broccoli.

Well, I had a leftover burger patty for lunch and it was delicious. I love the fact that a ' treat ' actually is filled with healthy goodness. Did I mention that half the mass is always made up of ground up beans? Either cooked chickpeas, lentils or black beans chopped in a blender. Healthy food needn't be boring nor bland...and kids needn't be deprived of the vital part of their diet...vegetables.

Biggi

The Chimney Sweep Again.

A clean and tidy-up ensued.

We have a notice of his appointments on our pin-board and since the start of this year I have been eyeing  the date for the first chimney clean. It seemed such a long way off and yet, here we are. Today was the day. The day that major cleaning ensued.

Not that he would have noticed in those three minutes he was inside the house! All for nothing, except I am rather pleased to have some neatness again. If only for a short while. With cat and us the house does seem to lose its pristine state at the rate of a cat. A cat tearing up and down the rooms, a cat shedding fur and a cat clawing at various wooden door frames! Typical, blaming the cat....not at all. A house needs to be and feel lived in, comfortable and usable. That it is and thus all is well in our household...

Waiting for the sweep meant not having the oven on. No heater of any sorts, which today of all days was a challenge. Cold and sporadic snowflakes falling meant that the pleasant feeling of last week's weather has evaporated. Yikes, so quickly too. An amalgamation of seasons indeed. This morning it was sunny and crisp with a lovely blue sky until about ten o'clock when the grey clouds moved in along with sporadic snowflakes and icy temperatures. We'll give it another week before we start to complain more loudly.

Somehow having a chimney sweep grace our house must equate to a spate of good luck, don't you think? The superstition formed over many generations has found a firm foothold with many, and me! Perhaps it is the dark aloofness of it all-our sweep does resemble a pirate to some degree what with his many earrings, black mask and cap-that kind of stands no nonsense from bad luck, problems or negativity. Well, here's to a grande year ahead and good things in stead...

Biggi

A Bit About The Environment.

We only have the one so let's look after it.

" Try to leave the world a better place than when you arrived. "

Sidney Sheldon

" The only way forward, if we are going to improve the the quality of the environment,

 is to get everybody involved. "

Richard Rogers

" Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends,

 have become global garbage cans. "

Jacques  Yves Cousteau

" A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers,

but borrowed from his children. "

John James Audubon

" Without the oceans there would be no life on earth. "

Peter Benchley

" If a man walks in the woods for the love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen. "

Henry David Thoreau

" Unless we keep this planet healthy, everything else is for naught. "

Victoria Principal

" People are overwhelmed looking up at the Mount Everest of environmental challenges 

that we face. But you put one foot in front of the other and you recognize that

 not everyone is Sir Edmund Hillary. "

Ed Begley Jr.

Biggi

 

A Bit More Of Eisenberg.

 A slow and lovely walk amid the gentle hills of Eisenberg.

A shrub leaning elegantly and fetchingly alongside a wooden wall, gleaming in the burgeoning sunlight.

Each little stop is rewarded with a stunning view, accompanied by the soothing and bright signs of spring. The vineyards have been coloured awake from wintry respite.

Isn't that magical? Imagine waking up to this view every day...

Same tree yet different ambiance. A perfect spot for a picnic or a comfortable bench upon which to peruse a treasure trove of books.

The signposts of spring can't be missed. Trees, so divine and able to make one enter a field of dreams, day dreams....

Not forgetting the green shoots of spring which are scenically and strategically placed alongside the road leading into Eisenberg...if nothing else will make one slow down, seeing the vibrant and bright shoots of spring surely will.

Biggi

Sunday Tidbits.

Squirrel and co.

 Another run in with my new friend! Cuteness overload...

The pink blossoms are out and about. A bit of soul food along the way...

The three amigos singing their song. A beautiful chirping concert alongside the road.

The road in question yesterday morning. The sky foretells the cold weather to come but despite that or because of that the pink road shines in glory. Magic, isn't it?

A different sort of pink which I think might be the tentacles of a magnolia tree. Just so stunning to see our neighbourhood so filled with cheer and colour.

A bit of tree art to end of the day. No words needed....

Biggi

A Little Bit Of Maths.

Firing up the brain.

Listening to a podcast the other day I was made aware of an interesting fact. Brains, use it or loose it! The trick to have a healthy mind would be to make it try out new things. Not only the good old standbys that we do by rote. No finger stretching for our brain there. Same as when we don't use certain muscles for a long time, they shrink and weaken.

Gosh, I was listening keenly and pleased when the word knitting fell. Yes, there I was ahead of the curve but then the expert mentioned how great it is to either study a new language, re-visit mathematics or study something which at the outset seems difficult. In fact when it seems hard to fathom is when our brain starts working out and using that part of it again.

So, not wanting to have my brain shrink ( hoping it has a fairly decent size now ) I decided to buy myself one of those study guides for maths. Revisiting youth so to say because let's face it; how much of the mathematics of our school years have any of us used in our daily lives? Apart from primary school that is. Adding, subtracting etc although even that is being replaced by calculators and smartphones. 

Standing in front of the study guide shelf at the store was a revelation. Enthusiastic as I was I straightaway picked up a guide for the grade 10 and once I glanced through it, I quickly put it back down and also my expectations. Gosh, all Greek to me!

Slowly I perused the various guides for the different grades and eventually settled on a more entry level one. Put rather a dampener on my mood. Clearly I have been shrinking my mathematical side of the brain by not making any use of it. That is going to change and in a way I am quite excited to see how far up the grades ladder I can climb  towards...

Biggi

The Spit-Test Has Arrived.

Burgenland takes charge.

The other day whilst driving ( the only time I can listen to the radio ) I heard the news about spit-tests. Corona tests done with spittle and not with that awful earbud for la nose or should I say le brain. The corona numbers have been increasing rather prolifically in our area and finally Burgenland's premier  has taken heed and charge by arranging for a spit-test to be sent to every person in Burgenland. Before Easter too. How great is that?

Testing in the comfort of one's home is nice, easy and without hassle. Organizing a test ( and I have to say, Austria is fabulous in that they do offer free testing ) is not so easy as it involves booking online and using a smartphone. Yikes. Well, Burgenland has cottoned on and are offering testing without having to book beforehand. 

A game changer, because let's face it, the easier it is to do the more people are going to make use of it. Imagine if they had a couple of testing-areas outside of town where we all could pop in for a quick test before going to the shops without having to make appointments. Often the solution seems so simple yet politician make it so bureaucratically difficult and diffuse.

This morning when I got back from my walk a brown paper bag was dangling over our gate. The council had handed out two tests for us ( our names on it ) and with great enthusiasm albeit slightly tainted with worry, both of us did the spit-test. One would think that spitting is easy...not so! But, both of us managed and both of us had a negative result. Yeah, no corona...

Biggi

More Of Nature's Pick-Me-Ups.

 Whites & Blues and a squirrel.

The power of nature unfolds...

How intricate. I am in awe of nature's ability to make something so divine from almost nothing.

I did promise  you a squirrel...and what an imp it is. It followed my machinations of hauling out the camera whilst hopping from branch to branch and tree to tree. At least it stopped to pose for a second.

Too lovely not to share. Making new memories and hopefully replacing some of  those horrid mental pictures we have all accumulated during this last year.

Last one for the year...soon the blossoms will change into whatever they are meant to be and the whole cycle of life will continue. Somehow I seem to remember this tree being a wild cherry one...will have to wait and see or rather taste and know.

Biggi