blauboy’s posthaven

Today was a special day for us North Europeans. In November, according to the internet, the average temperature is around 7° Celcius (45° Fahrenheit); the average sunshine duration is two hours per day. I remember a 6th of November, back in the nineties, when I was working in the garden in my t-shirt, sweating in 20° C (68° F). Last year, 2009, on November 25th the thermometer on our patio showed 28° C (83° F) - proof. But today, November 14th, 2010, this was beaten by up to 39° C (102° F) in the sun!

So we decided to take advantage of the heat and started the BBQ season 2011.

We had some quite warm days here during the first days of November. Maybe the reason, why this fellow scared me late in the evening on our patio. Shouldn't toads be in hibernation or torpidity at this time of the year? Well, I thought of keeping it for the winter. But my two daughters decided that it was ugly ("too many warts!"). Plus, none of them wanted to kiss it... so we let Mr. Pop Eyes free again.

Last remnant of my trip to styria: A collection of views over the Leutschach valley. Starting 7.30 in the morning, pictures were taken from the same spot of my balcony throughout Thursday, October 28th, 2010, until around 8 pm. The snow-covered mountains in the background mark the border to the Republic of Slovenia.

Life could be worse. Instead of sitting in the office, working like a dog, I took pleasure from visiting a winery in Leutschach, southern part of Styria, Austria. Great landscapes. Great food. Great wine. Here I stayed, this was my room, this I ate and this I drank...

Language and landscape are alike, but the country is different: I am in Graz, state capitol of Styria ("Steiermark"), Austria. Every corner of the historic city, which is UNESCO World Cultural Heritage since 1999, seems to be an invitation for the camera. Bathed in October's warm sunlight, each gorgious view from the town's hill "Schloßberg" is worth a snapshot (October 27th, 2010).

October 10th, 2010. Back at Friedrichshafen, Bodensee (Lake Constance). No sailing this time, instead we appreciate late summer sun, fresh air and, indeed, some ice-cream. Yet another delightful day...

The biggest inland water of Germany is the Bodensee (Lake Constance), at the most southerly edge of this country. The freshwater lake spans 536 square kilometers, is part of the frontier between Germany, Switzerland and Austria and furthermore only just about 100 kilometers away from where we live. So it was about time to drive down there for a sailing sunday full of sun and joy! (September 19th, Friedrichshafen)

September 2010: It is now a year that we live here, at this terrific place at the southern rim of the Swabian Alb. Throughout these last twelve months I took pictures of the changing view from our patio. And I tried to find the same angle with every photo, to catch the different colours throughout the seasons.

What a strange phenomenon overhead: Shortly after sunset a dark blue band splits the sky. None of us has ever seen anything alike before. Summer lightning? Southern lights ("aurora borealis", Cretan style...)? A clash of two areas of high pressure? A cracked athmosphere? Any other suggestions, somebody?

(Seen on the eve of August 31, bay of Kalathas, near Chania, Crete, Greece.)

Tuesday, August 31. Strong winds at the beach of Kalathas (Akrotiri), near Chania, Crete. Ronja, 8, for the first time discovers rough sea. While the first fiercely wave slaps her on the back and makes her tumble through the waters, she quickly learns how to cope with the surf. Within minutes not the sea is playing with her anymore, but she's playing with the wash of the waves!