Last summer
A recall: ..... was not much of a summer; one week in June, one week in July (haying) and one week in September (haying again) The last day of the Julysummerweek, we managed to go for a swim (the one and only time) in beatyful lake Vilsalpsee. Very refreshing, indeed .... brrrrr!
Niki spent his entire summer in Glasgow, writing his masterstuff. Julia worked in the highrope garden and helped haying and stuff like that. I did not keep up my blogg writing, because the time I spent in front of the laptop I spent with skyping with Niki and read his check his dissertation on spelling and grammar. And more hours checking ferries to England, dogfriendly hotels in Lake District and Brussels AND organising our holiday in the Seychelles. I hope everybody understand that I had absolutely NO time for tuut.blogg :-)
The ferry was needed to get Niki, including stuff, back home from Scotland. By car. Including Julia and dog. Of course. If possible, we make a family event out of most things. As usual. This was end of August.
Who thought our car would ever park in the streets of Glasgow????? ( And WHO drinks Heineken in Scotland, where you can get the most wonderful drafts?????!!!!!)
Niki leaving the yard of Patrick Thomas Court for the last time, where he lived since september 2013.
On the way back to the ferry in Hull (to Rotterdam) we made a little detour via Lake District, where we spent one night. In a dogfriendly hotel - but sooo very nice and british. Lake District is the british miniature version of Scotland.
On the ferry Pontiac had to stay in a kennel.
Doesn't look particularly dogfriendly - but it had the advantage, that you, as dogowner, were allowed to leave the ferry with your car before everybody else. Guess because all dogs had to get off that boat fast, to pea (piss)..... - after 14 hours!
In Brussel, again, we stayed in a dogfriendly little hotel, at the old fishmarket, right in the middle of the old towncentre. Brussels was quite nice. At least parts of it. And the belgian beer is good too.
By the time we all got back home, it was already september and almost time for our southseaislandtrip. And by the time we got back home from there, it was the middle of october. Now it's end of October and our valley is full of SNOW. Everything is white out there!
T
Referring to previous insert
Why does the right end of the picture get cut off????
I wanted to smile at you from that tree too!!!!!
OK - then I smile at you from another beach, from under another tree :-)
Last morning on La Digue. That was the nicest island in my opinion. Small and cosy. Beaches and nature were great everywhere, though.
T
Back home
It was a wonderful holiday full of sunshine, lazy days, sea, good food etc.
Arrived at home friday. But as we have the privileg to live on another beautyful spot of this planet, it'a not that bad :-) Though we missed the warm sunshine a little today........... But on the other hand, we all love the different seasons in this part of the world.
T.
The Indian Ocean
It's quite warm, but still refreshing. Sometimes so refreshin that you make a little jump when the first wave reach the stomach. And after snorkelling it's great to warm up and dry in the sun.
T.
Beaches
In creole, which is spoken here (originally), beach = anse. A few impressions:
Coconuts
T.
Pictures for previous insert!
Why the heck, again, didn't my inserted pictures get "delivered" with the insert?????
OK - here they come. I hope......
T.
October 3rd 2014
Since the1st we are on Mahé; the biggest, third and last island on our journey.
We stay in a selfcatering appartement this last week with an awesome typical Indian Ocean view. Almost kitschig.
This was todays activities:
Continue!
This is me. Saw a lot of colouful fish. And a turtle, and a ...... a - hmmmm???!!!!! a rochen. Rocka?! Flat big fish looking like an airplanerocket. You know...... with a sting. A loooooong sting.
T
Our dream holiday
Here is the proof! We are in the Indian Ocean.
A lot in the wet part, of course, but right now on a dry island. Of course. Slightly bigger than the one in the background. Right now we are on Praslin. Last week it was La Digue. Tomorrow we go to Mahé.
To be continued soon :-)
T.
3 months
..... since my last insert -at least!!!!! It has been an interesting time, a good time - and right now - it's the most perfect time :-) But I want to be sure it works, before I write more - because I'm (we are ) sitting on an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.....
So long; test test ...
OMG
Oh my god - help! From tomorrow on days are getting shorter again., Christmas in a little more than 6 months!!! And the summer hasn't even started yet. Really. Only a little... This is my new favourite sandwich:
Glad midsommar, everybody, out there...!!!!!
T.
Construction work and oysters
Let's begin with the construction work, although the oysters were before, but the oyster part is nicer.
It's Barbie who's building. Barbie is Emils niece, lived at home (next door to us) until now, but as it seem, she and her boyfriend need more room, so they are having their own part built, next to the existing house. It's gonna be a semi-detached, kind of. All the lorries have to go in on our driveway and through the lower part of the field right behind the house. But that's no problem - guess they only build once:-)
This is why Emil cut down those two trees and moved the rabbits house.
And the road through Schmieden is going to be renewed too, these day, so dust everywhere. Which is to prefer to mud, so luckily we have great weather right now. 21h30 and still 18°!!!!!!! Fantastic:-)
Now to the oysters - they were fantastic too. I never had oyster before, actually. I have always waited for the perfect time and the perfect location. Found it in Oban, Scotland. In the harbour, of course.
It was delicous. Julia still has to wait for her oysters, as she had to stay at home and write important university stuff and take care of our menagerie, so only Emil and I flew to Glasgow to visit Niki and to tramp around a little along the westcoast of Scotland. 4 intense days, by train, bike, bus, ferry, rental car, taxi. From Glasgow to the Isle of Arran, then to the Mull of Kintyre and then up north, before returning to Glasgow. We had a great time and NO RAIN.
A nice Taxidriver took us too a ferrystation in the middle of nowhere. The ferrylanding on the other side was also in the middle of nowhere, but the nice taxidriver called an old lady (some kind of "private" taxi, as it seemed) to pick us up on the other side - as - we had such a good time riding our bikes on Arran and missed last buses on either side:-)
After a good scottish full cooked breakfast we continued by bus. Scottish breakfast is half the fun. The other half is draught beer and whisky. And the gorgeous nature, of course.
Scottish single tracks roads are great; you don't have to bother about driving on the left side, you are just happy to find your way in the middle avoiding holes and sheep.There are meeting points, but other cars are so rare, you seldom need one:-)
I love Scotland!
Busy as bees
Because those bees have really ben keeping us busy the last few day. After a week with rain and snow, our bees started out, like mad, to collect pollen.
On Sunday Emil and I put an extra honeyroom on each of our two hives and, additionally took some out of the bigger beecommunity to make a new fresh small one, in the hope of keeping them from swarming. As it seems, our bees weren't quite satisfied with our work, and decided to swarm. Yesterday. Beeflashmob!!!!!
Holy smoke!
At least they were kind enough to land on the fence, instead of a tree, they first aimed at. But it wasn' t so easy to get them into a box, as many of them sat in the long gras. We managed to get a whole bunch of them, though, as it seemed we didn't get the queen. The queen is essential! As the rest gathered higher up on the fence we got that badge in another box. Apparently with the queen this tims, so as we put the queenbox on top of the notqueenbox, so to say, and opened it, all the bees came storming out and crowded at the entrance of the queensbox, anxious to get it. These are only part of the original community, who decided to "move out". The rest, and that's really a LOT, are still in the old hive. These bees get a new hive and tomorrow we take them to Vilsalpsee where they will get a new home with a gorgeous view. Next to the ones we took out the day before.
It that doesn't make good honey.............
Emil has been on holiday all may long. Working holiday. Always been busy -
like with
cutting down two trees, next to the drive way and move the rabbits house further down on to the lawn.
This because Emils niece Barbara is going to build a house behind Norberts (Emils brother) house which is situated behind our house. For this purpose the driveway has to be made broader, for the lorries. After the works are finished the driveway gets its original shape again, but probably better. And I wanted to have those trees cut down anyway, They got too big, making too much shadow. So - everybody is happy. I guess Albrecht, the rabbit, too.
Not to get bored, Emil fills out his time with renewing the horsestable.
At least he hasn't have too mow the lawn, but can enjoy his meal as this job is getting done by Hombre, our spanish gardener
I do nothing - I just take pictures :-)
T.
Shit!!!!
Just created a wonderful insert with lots of nice photos - but - PUFF!!!!! - gone!!!! Shit!
But what the hell; we are all fine, having a good time:-)))))
T.
Utkast: May. 11, 2014
Here are at least two pictures, from the lost insert. The flowers are the yearly Mother's Day Primula Auricalas, picked by Emil. Same procedure as every year.
The grey/green picture shows the weather yesterday. Today was the same. Tomorrow it might be a bit whiter from above. Brrrrr....
Short Message
..... because I'm soooo busy. The weather was grey and wet and cold this week, so I have eventually started to paint the stairway and -rails, towards the attic. Former attic..... -:)
Before that cold and wet weather it was rather sunny and warm, Julia was at home, thanks to lecture free Easter time and the sheep wanted to rid of their wintercoats. We all helped together, so it was quickly done, but the cat did not want to help,
Emil is very, very busy too: he's on holiday from today on. Working holiday. All May long. But I think, we'll squeeze some holiday- days out, as well. Work-Life balance, as it is called. Very important thing. This was today's work, by the way<.
The plan is to finish the the horsestablerenewablework, and make the rest as fancy as this part
And tomorrow we're going shopping. At Lions Fleemarket in Reutte. Funnier than is sounds!!!!!!
T.
Fr'Ostern!
Happy Easter Holidays! Glad Posk/Pask/Paask (whatever.....)! Anyhow - have a good time, out there:-) What you of course always should have :-)))))
Beautyful, isn't it?! A bit chilly, but quite normal for this time of year.
Beneath the white it's all green. Look!
This dear little deer knows that too:
I was actually teaching ski last week. On Füssener Jöchle in Grän. All week long. Imagine! But now the skiseason is definitively over, here in our valley. Julia spends the Easter Holidays with Emil and me. Niki decided to stay in Glasgow. He's got a lot of writing to do.
Albrecht, the rabbit is also at home
Is he the one delivering the eggs?????
T.
Some activities since last insert
Emil and I went for that ride:
I think that was sunday one week ago, as we got snow again. Ca 30 cm! And it has been cold all week, although sunny, but the snow is still there, in the forest. The fields are mostly snowfree again and with good imagination you could say it is starting to get green. There are lots of crocusflowers in the fields, since a few days.
Yummie for our bees:
To be continued
T.
Sunday in March
The weather is grey, the temperatures stayed above zero for the second night = MUD, between remaining ice and snow. But at the same time it makes the snow and ice melt 24 hours, instead of 5-6 h when we had -5° C in the mornings. Ski area is still running, until April 6 here in Tannheim, until after Easter in Grän.You can still ski all the way down and on friday Emil told me the pist was in great shape even in the late afternoon. Cross country still possible, but not everywhere. I have more or less finished my skiteaching season as I refuse to teach small kids and the grown ups are rare. Worked only tuesday, last week But I'm quite happy with the situation; went riding 4 days, last week and maybe Emil will let the white one carry him through the forest towards Vilsalpsee. I'd take the Tinker. Emil has a rare sunday off, today see, and Julia stays in Innsbruck over the weekend. So Emil and I have a "sturmfreie Bude" :-)
Some of our more or less woolen animals ( pictures were taken yesterday - I'm getting fast!!!!)
T.
March
It's "varvinter" ( shit - I can't even write this typical swedish word because I haven't got that special letter) Does anybody out there know an english translation? This is what it looked like today
Backyard
Frontyard
Have to run. Beebreedersmeeting (hey - lots of eeee there :-). Might continue tomorrow.
T.
