just because
I need it now
taken in Spittal, Austria, on a late afternoon dedicated visiting a new city (not as nice as anticipated) and shopping (very good due to a boutique with my favorite label of clothes, not easy to get)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Green
After my glacier excursion I explored (besides other) *G*r*e*e*n* for Project Spectrum - still in Austria.
As soon as I saw this shining green meadow I had to stop the car for a photo stop. I like very much the mountain forrests in spring when the larches, the only conifers that loose their needles during winter, put on their fresh coat.Their color sticks out so very prominent.
These flowers from the same meadow point out the effect of complementary colors.
After quite a long, nevertheless beautiful drive we took a walk in one of the valleys to look for the local climbing spot. What I found was this play of late-day sunrays and deep shadow.
As soon as I saw this shining green meadow I had to stop the car for a photo stop. I like very much the mountain forrests in spring when the larches, the only conifers that loose their needles during winter, put on their fresh coat.Their color sticks out so very prominent.
These flowers from the same meadow point out the effect of complementary colors.
After quite a long, nevertheless beautiful drive we took a walk in one of the valleys to look for the local climbing spot. What I found was this play of late-day sunrays and deep shadow.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Glacier Tour in May
As written in my last post I didn't enjoy the mediterranean spring but for some days the left-overs from winter in Austria. Fun!
It were only some days but I came back with so many impressions, which I hopefully might find the time to write them down.
We didn't make it to the very top of the gorgeous Großglockner, that sits exactly at the end of the beautiful Ködnitzvalley near the little village of Kals.
But we did have a great tour on "top of the world" to the minor peak Teufelskamp with 3.500 m hight.
Coming down I found this quote of my favorite mountain writer Reinhard Karl: "It doesn't matter which mountain you climb, from the top you will always see further." How right he is and how matching to find this piece of poetry in this moment.
After one hot afternoon getting us and the gear adjusted we started through mountain spring flowers and a lovely, but not yet green wood of larches.
Yes, the backpack was heavy.
No, I don't like to carry it.
Lucky, lazy me I found a possibility to send it up to hut later on by the supply cable car of the hut where we would spend the night. Yeah!
We stayed in the Stüdlhütte, a very comfortable mountain "hut". The word "hut" doesn't fit too well anymore. It used to be a small refuge but has been completly rebuilt. From the pictures I saw before I didn't imagined how good it fits onto this ridge.
The people running it are very friendly, the food was excellent. Only my body let me down, because it doesn't adjust to altitude easy. I would have needed one or two more days for acclimatization, but the hut was going to close for season's end.
The next morning saw us quite early. I don't have a chance very often to do "real" mountaineering. It's so exciting and on the other hand quite strenuous to body and soul. "What am I doing here" at the breakfast table, still half asleep, still sore from the foreday. "Wow, great, I love the world" as soon as I left the hut.
Soon we found out we wouldn't follow the rather difficult track, so we returned and started our Tour de Glacier. The conditions were perfect: Stable weather (very important for safety), clear sky for the view, snow hard enough not to sink in going up, enough snow on the glacier so no risk of falling into a crevasse.
It was pure bliss now. No hurry necessary, no steepness for a long time.
In the middle background rises my new goal: the Groß-Venediger on ski. Some year to come, yes.
Great weather, great well-being.
I love this vastness so I have to put in another picture. Skiing down later on was like in a dream. Firn! The snow froze overnight and melted due to the sun. If you hit the right moment it is like cruising in fresh butter. I had the right moment!
On the top I was all by myself, so this is my "Gipfelphoto" (peak photo).
It were only some days but I came back with so many impressions, which I hopefully might find the time to write them down.
We didn't make it to the very top of the gorgeous Großglockner, that sits exactly at the end of the beautiful Ködnitzvalley near the little village of Kals.
But we did have a great tour on "top of the world" to the minor peak Teufelskamp with 3.500 m hight.
Coming down I found this quote of my favorite mountain writer Reinhard Karl: "It doesn't matter which mountain you climb, from the top you will always see further." How right he is and how matching to find this piece of poetry in this moment.
After one hot afternoon getting us and the gear adjusted we started through mountain spring flowers and a lovely, but not yet green wood of larches.
Yes, the backpack was heavy.
No, I don't like to carry it.
Lucky, lazy me I found a possibility to send it up to hut later on by the supply cable car of the hut where we would spend the night. Yeah!
We stayed in the Stüdlhütte, a very comfortable mountain "hut". The word "hut" doesn't fit too well anymore. It used to be a small refuge but has been completly rebuilt. From the pictures I saw before I didn't imagined how good it fits onto this ridge.
The people running it are very friendly, the food was excellent. Only my body let me down, because it doesn't adjust to altitude easy. I would have needed one or two more days for acclimatization, but the hut was going to close for season's end.
The next morning saw us quite early. I don't have a chance very often to do "real" mountaineering. It's so exciting and on the other hand quite strenuous to body and soul. "What am I doing here" at the breakfast table, still half asleep, still sore from the foreday. "Wow, great, I love the world" as soon as I left the hut.
Soon we found out we wouldn't follow the rather difficult track, so we returned and started our Tour de Glacier. The conditions were perfect: Stable weather (very important for safety), clear sky for the view, snow hard enough not to sink in going up, enough snow on the glacier so no risk of falling into a crevasse.
It was pure bliss now. No hurry necessary, no steepness for a long time.
In the middle background rises my new goal: the Groß-Venediger on ski. Some year to come, yes.
Great weather, great well-being.
I love this vastness so I have to put in another picture. Skiing down later on was like in a dream. Firn! The snow froze overnight and melted due to the sun. If you hit the right moment it is like cruising in fresh butter. I had the right moment!
On the top I was all by myself, so this is my "Gipfelphoto" (peak photo).
Friday, May 9, 2008
apple blossoms, mother's day and travel plans
In North Germany we experience the most beautiful weather for quite a while already. I feel like a new person: open, awake even with a lack of sleep. Endless admiration for the wonders of nature. Everything is in blossom at once. All little birds leave their nests, birds singing their operas while I type this in the early sunshine. Beautiful light in my little house with the sun rising in an absolute cloud free sky. (For some folks this might be weather like each day, but for sure not for us.)
Last weekend was long thanks to the 1st of May holiday. Instead of driving for climbing I stayed home in my garden that is only beautiful and sunny for 2 to 3 months per year. Got the yard ready after winter. Worked a lot in the house with decluttering and cleaning. Worked even more for the job.
Enjoyed doing yoga each day outside (*love*), taking quality naps, eating fresh asparagus everyday (season has just started *yummy* and I live in asparagus-country) , some bicycle rides near sunset time. Did a lot of planing for the coming vacations.
In the meantime the birds are singing their good night songs. The blackbirds song is so beautiful.
This afternoon was spent with packing - fixing my ski between the bikes on top of the car and more. Yes, my ski!
Till yesterday afternoon I thought I was going to my beloved South of France to climb the cracks on the oceanside. But the weather is quite bad in the parts of Europe that are normally the destination to escape the Northern grey. But nope, not now. Would be ridiculous to leave this fine sun for rain. And climbing would really not be recommended in uncertain weather.
After some minutes of discussion and the conclusion to go rock climbing in the Bavarian Alps all up the sudden sprang up the idea for a high Austrian mountain. Thanks to internet we got all information needed in less than an hour. Perfect ski tour conditions. But F. does not ski. Even that might not be a problem, because possible we can rent snow shoes for him. My ski stuff was already packed away in my mothers house, so F. went there while I worked this morning. The car is packed with the same thousand of sacks, bags and boxes as if we would travel 6 weeks or months - and we only have a short week, but we are prepared for every possibility. I wonder what we end up finally doing. Off we go to Austria very early in the morning.
This is what some of my student created this year for Mother's Day.
The cover of the booklets is crinkled cardboard. The little pink hearts are felt prepped with fuse by me. The children had to make their own template and then cut it out from the felt.
For most of the children it was one of their first experiences with the hot iron to glue them on. The binding we practised before on a big cardboard with thick waste yarn I have in my cupboard for this purpose. My heart is always touched when I see this expression of love.
With this picture of one of the fantastic recent sun rises seen from my bedroom I say good-bye for a couple of days. Enjoy your May!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Spirogyra
I'm quite happy regarding my knitting.
As soon as I saw the Spirogyra pattern in the spring issue of the free online knitting magazine Knitty I knew, they have to be mine.
Inbetween grocery shopping yesterday I stopped in a local yarn store and found the perfect - because neutral - colored cotton yarn.
I most of the time t-shirts or blouses with half or two/third long sleeves. For the climate here - outside and inside me - it is quite convenient to be able to cover up in the cooler hours.
Yesterday evening I casted on for the swatch and was very satisfied with the look. Sorry, no picture, because I already frogged it. So know I have a small project on hand for the go - exactly what I need .
As soon as I saw the Spirogyra pattern in the spring issue of the free online knitting magazine Knitty I knew, they have to be mine.
Inbetween grocery shopping yesterday I stopped in a local yarn store and found the perfect - because neutral - colored cotton yarn.
I most of the time t-shirts or blouses with half or two/third long sleeves. For the climate here - outside and inside me - it is quite convenient to be able to cover up in the cooler hours.
Yesterday evening I casted on for the swatch and was very satisfied with the look. Sorry, no picture, because I already frogged it. So know I have a small project on hand for the go - exactly what I need .
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