Secret sign language?

Having claimed yesterday that everything in Germany is "normed", I learnt otherwise today when I googled the markings on trees in the forest. There is no standard! Strange as the quantification & quality of felled trees is very precisely laid down in law.

Can't be quite sure what our forester used in the section near our house which he is having thinned out but pretty universal is the yellow "/R" on the right hand tree - it signals to the harvester driver a logging track - in German "Rückeweg" i.e. the path to use to get at the trees to be felled.

After that it gets difficult. I think the yellow ring mean "bring it out in one piece", the red rings cut in to agreed lengths, probably 4m or could even be 2m which is the standard length for "paper wood" which has between 8cm and 30cm diameter. Usually used for the paper industry but often used for firewood. This type of wood is usually poor quality/diseased or too thin for anything else. What the wavy yellow ring on the centre tree is beyond me - clearly diseased, perhaps thats a sign to put on the side along with the tops of the trees which are then sold in large heaps for private persons to saw up themselves.

Had planned to post after lunch but had the TV on & watched the UK budget speech or rather the response from Mr Miliband. Is there anywhere else on earth where grown up men can act like that at the same time as governing a country? Loved every second of it and admired the (deputy) speaker trying vainlessly to keep some semblance of order. And the humour...brilliant.

Now, many may think the Germans don't have a sense of humour . Well it's different, especially here in Bavaria. I think the northerners come closer to the British sense of humour but in Bavaria it can be difficult - Angie still doesn't understand it but have to say Mr&MrsB do.

There is though something the Germans do during the carnival season (just ended) and today in Munich at the start of the "Starkbier" season, which is to have politicians at events where they have the Mickey taken out of them- called "derblecken" in Bavarian. Actually quite popular with many politicians as it's more of a positive when one gets a mention - if you don't then you are of no interest, Not sure there is anything similar in the UK.

Cooler, partly cloudy but dry day before tomorrows heatwave. Yesterday I heard they are now doing afternoon wildfire spotting flights over our area as the risk is so high!