Winter Walks – Osterseen (Bavaria)

As usual, the snow did not come at Christmas. But last night, it came.

 

Pea Soup Productions Presents

Snow on New Year’s Day, they said. Proper Winter to make an appearance, finally, at the crack of 2016, they said. What we’ve got instead is fog, grizzly drizzle and all the cheeriness of a Siberian laundry  with the heating up the creek.

WW1 Memorial in my village

 

Have I depressed you quite enough yet..? Welcome to the club!

Wait… maybe some spiritual guidance to lift our mood? I’ve got just the thing: Last week, while the weather was still nice and sunny, I came across this saucy lady on one of my walks:

This being Bavaria, there’s thousands of Madonnas everywhere, perched on pedestals, squeezed into grottos and stuck to the lower echelons of crucifixes, but they don’t usually wear bright red undergarments, nor red lipstick, like this one. Whory Mary…!

This is how my village looked last year at this time of year: What a difference!

When Winter Just Isn’t Winter

There’s people walking about wearing T-shirts. And cycling in shorts. In Bavaria. In late December. Outside!

It smells like autumn. But it feels just like spring. Even the bees are busy, but busy with what…? Flowers are far and few between. Plant life is dormant. Or trying to be. The poor buzzy blighters can’t sleep – it’s too hot to hibernate.

This non-winter is a tricky situation not just for them, but also for faux photographers like me. Bavaria is pretty in the snow. In absence of a powdery white blanket beautifying the season’s barrenness, there’s usually at least an early morning dusting of frost gracing the trees, making them sparkle in the sunshine.

But this year, with temperatures persistently well above zero, everything is brown and (brownish) green. The gently rolling countryside, though easy on the eye when you’re standing in it, turns into nothing-to-write-home-about snaps of muddy fields and dead bristly bits. And my camera is way too crappy to capture the faint silhouettes of the snow-capped Alps towering above the landscape in the far distance, like ghostly dinosaurs.

I had to re-think my strategy. So, here it is: Big skies, small details, textures and splashes of colour where I could find them. And trying not to get myself arrested while loitering around people’s garden fences.

Birch trees laden with mistletoe

 

And I know you’ve all been waiting for this:

Mum’s Christmas baking 🙂

 

Some of you may remember that last year’s winter-time shots of my tiny little village and surroundings were wildly different:

A stunning white Christmas: https://ladyofthecakes.wordpress.com/2014/12/26/a-white-christmas-after-all/

Followed by an equally dazzling New Year: https://ladyofthecakes.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/a-happy-new-year-from-narnia/

Apparently, there will be snow next week. Am not holding my breath…

A Happy New Year… From Narnia!

After days on end of snow, icy winds and grey skies, I could barely believe it when I pulled up the shutters this morning: 2015 got off to a dazzling start.

Not my handiwork, but perfect for a New Year’s Day pic 🙂

A walk in the woods was in order, to test out my new boots. Although snow shoes might have been a better choice. I had some fun with the camera, trying to catch the sunlight peeking through the trees.

Still with me? Let’s finish off with a nice brekkie 🙂

 

A White Christmas After All!

A couple of days ago I complained that it was ¨way too green¨ for this time of year. Well, it seems like the weather gods took heed… this is what I woke up to today:

  

 

 

Toledo Autumn Leaf

 

‘My’ North London: Hampstead Heath

I’m back in Toledo now (and have been for a full four hours), after the most fabulous ten days spent in my old home in North London. The weather was perfect – autumnal, warm and sunny – and even though I wasn’t able to re-visit all of my favourite haunts, I managed to include quite a few of them in my nostalgic tour. Like my beloved Hampstead Heath. Sigh. Let me share just a handful of photos…

The view of the city from Parliament Hill never disappoints…

Entrance to the Women’s Bathing Ponds

 

 

A Stroll (And A Chuckle) Through Highgate Cemetery

Today, I met up with some old friends in Highgate, North London. After a hefty dose of coffee and cake, we decided to take a stroll through Highgate cemetery, resting ground of many famous authors, artists, revolutionaries, thinkers.

At first, we were a bit apprehensive about having to pay to get in (£4), but it was truly worth it. Our only regret was that we’d not arrived earlier, as the gates shut at 5pm, giving us just an hour to explore this amazing place. It has everything: dignity, beauty, nature, and, above all, a touch of humour.

Funny 😉

Married to his job…?

Probably the cemetery’s most famous “resident” – Karl Marx was buried in 1883.

My chums, Tanja, whom I first met nearly 25 years ago when we were both au-pairing in the Midlands, and her lovely husband Russ.

Bavarian August Flowers

I have to admit it. Last year, I went a bit crazy with flower photos. This year, I tried really hard to contain myself. But now my resolve is crumbling… Bavaria is all lush and green and in full bloom this month, and now that I’m back in dry-as-a-crisp Toledo, I feel an overwhelming compulsion to drape some cheery blossoms over my blog…

OK… not technically flowers… but pretty and fluffy 🙂

 

 Phew, I feel a lot better already 🙂

Swinging Into Spring

Yesterday was the first day that really felt like spring here in Toledo. The icy winds had finally abated, the sun was out, giving it all it could possibly muster. To celebrate the occasion, my chums Sofia, Reyes and I decided to go for a walk by the river. We didn’t need our woollen coats, bobble hats or any other tedious winter paraphernalia 🙂

It was a very civilised stroll, befitting of a middle aged posse… until we hit the playground…

Sofia was brave enough to get on first… will it hold??

Chains are creaking rather ominously. I’ve decided to ignore it…

Reyes isn’t quite trusting it…

Now she’s getting into the swing of things…

Imbalanced? Not us!

Bank of the Tagus river gleaming in the sunshine. Soon the trees will be as lush as the grass 🙂