Logging

I sometimes wonder why we keep horses who stand around eating Euros 23 hours a day. Using horses for forestry work is still practised in some parts particularly in the very steep alps and although it is recognised as being the best method for the protection of the forest floor, who can afford the time nowadays.

Farmer Franz called to say he would now be coming over to winch out the two trees that I couldn't manage. All shown on a short video so will spare the details, save to say what a good job he did steering the two wheel drive tractor around corners with both front wheels in the air.

Yesterday I heard a couple of reports on the radio about the British Army renewing their contract with the local councils in our part of Bavaria. With an HQ is Oberstdorf and four more houses, some 10,000 British soldiers come here annually for training. In winter skiing, avalanche rescue etc and in summer for kayaking, trekking, paragliding, rock climbing. Later there was a short clip on TV.

Got a big lump in the throat hearing the mayor talk about how much they enjoyed having the Brits, not just the amusement watching the first skiing attempts but generally what an enrichment they were (for the council taxes) for the area. Then a couple of Brits saying how much they enjoyed the annual outing and often coming back with their families to stay for a holiday.

The contract runs long after the British Army pulls out of Germany in the near future and regardless of the referendum!

When the family was over in August 2013, we went on a toboggan run, having to queue for a while. Directly in front of us were a group of five backpacking Squadies who we got talking to and they recounted how much they enjoyed the beer training weeks. Think they felt a bit foolish, muscle and gear packed, mingling with hundreds of children to get a chance of tobogganing down. They had been trekking  for a day or two and were on the way back down to camp.

Weather today was wonderful. Sadly a bout of afternoon kidney stones cut my enjoyment short but by evening they popped out and all was well again.