Looking up

It didn't take long this morning for the sun to burn off the freezing fog. By lunchtime it was a tropical +3°C and I manually shut down the central heating and wrenched open the terrace doors to let the spring like feeling stream in to the house.

Prior to that, had done the morning walk near Sontheim hoping I would find a Tractor Tuesday, tractor but looks like the farmers are waiting a bit.  Photographed several trains as alternatives but on returning home as we got out of the car, saw this hot air balloon which had clearly just crossed directly over the property was about to land and close to where we had come from.

Having grabbed the camera and dashed walked across the horse field to see more thought I could quickly get in the car and see where they landed. In fact was very close to the village and on the map I have marked that spot.

Was also sending my son J, WhatsApp photos of the event as he owns a balloon and has had a licence since he was 18. He has said how much he would like to try it out here, the conditions in the UK becoming more and more difficult. Seemingly farmers have discovered that locking fields is a useful source of income should a balloon land on it.

Traced the balloon which is Austrian registered (OE-ZCM) to the owner in the east of Austria who runs a commercial balloon flight business but seemingly also does trips within Bavaria. J told me the last time he was here that ballooning in winter is quite good as one doesn't have the problems with thermals and can thus fly/drive during the whole day rather than just at sunrise/sunset as is the case in summer. And because one is travelling at the same speed as any wind, it's as good as the same temperature on the ground but one does have a good heater on board!.