Health

Yesterday evening did try to overcome the inner "Schweinehund" (lit. pigdog = one's weaker self) and go the village bash. Angie wasn't feeling up to it and for me alone, too far to walk and too cold and damp to bike ride. So an evening in front of TV and wood fire.

Today turned out much better than expected. Although I didn't watch it on TV, for the 9,000 odd participants in the traditional dress groups that marched through Munich this morning it luckily stayed mostly dry. Mainly Bavarian groups but also from throughout Germany as well as Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Rep etc etc. None from the British Isles - I wonder if any such groups ever apply to take part. Around 70 brass bands and loads of horses - French Percherons, Belgian Brabants South German Heavy Horses but not a single Shire. Come on UK stop being so insular,  keeping yourselves to yourselves. Take part instead of complaining about the odd £ or €.

HOWEVER behind the four mounted police leading the parade was a British Mini dressed up in Bavarian police green. Here is the link to the 2 hour video but the Mini can be seen within the first two minutes.


There is so much one could tell about the reason for most of the groups but far too much for Blip.

Our county - Unterallgaeu - as well as the Bavarian county of Lindau on Lake Constance and the city of Memmingen launched a competition this summer for the best trees in the area. Trees being such an important part of our environment - important for our animals & bugs, our air and visually for our well being. When I see an old tree, I wish it could tell me what it has witnessed over the decades and indeed centuries.

This example not far from our house cannot be entered, at least not from me. The competition ended on Friday. The sign in front of it is sponsored by a brewery (we are in Bavaria) but simply shows the way to the village tennis club! Sun was out for our evening walk and this photo was shot directly in to the sun.

The track is not cleared in winter of snow and ice and thus on the left side where it is not mowed you will possibly make out loads of stinging nettles. Just in case anyone has a problem with these (very important for  moths and butterflies) and wants to reduce them without using chemicals. Try spraying them with a strong salt solution or put salt directly on the leaves when damp. Have you ever noticed there are never stinging nettles on the side of roads that are treated by the councils in winter with salt/grit? The cheapest form of salt is usually the large sacks (40kg) sold by agricultural merchants as animal salt.