Territorials, foragers, great singers, puffed in wintertime (due to cold air), with shiny black feathers (males) after they pass their young phase... I could go on and on, describing Turdus Merulas and I would still feel that I haven't done them any justice.

To say that I'm obsessed with blackbirds it would be an understatement - well I'm not obsessed on the level that I have my walls covered with photos of them (not yet!); let's just say I communicate with them whenever I get the chance: Thock thock!

They fascinate me so much that every time I notice them foraging on the ground, flying around, making timid sounds from different "hidden" tall bushes/ high grass or (especially) when I hear them making alarm calls and learning how to sing/ see them/ hear them singing, I feel so happy (just like the way I felt the first time I saw/ heard them). So, it's a challenge for me not to jump for joy and I simply have to stay still in order not to scare them away.

For me, personally, it's been quite the honour to be able to observe local blackbirds in their natural habitat and to detail with photos the way they behave around small ponds [formed after some days of almost non-stop raining (starting with May 11th 2021 if I recall it well)].

It was a late afternoon during the spring of 2021, 4:50 PM and I was (coincidentally or not) [at home], on the balcony, when all of a sudden I've noticed a baby blackbird in the not-yet-ready (common) garden; I grabbed my camera as fast as I could and started taking photos.

Probably this fledgling, freshly out of the nest, 13-14 days old (or older),

was learning to fly around, or to forage for food by itself and while checking the area close to the nest, found this puddle by accident:

On a closer look it can easily be noticed that this one in particular has not yet fully formed feathers. Instead, it has tiny white plumage here and there, speckled breast, small pointy yellowish beak, barely visible eye-ring. All of these traits, as well as its fluffy appearance, concludes that this tiny blackbird is still a baby.

So maybe out of curiosity it decided that the water was to inviting not to take a quick dip; to be very precise, it only took 6.9 milliseconds to step into the pond:

Not sure if it was just surveying the area, while also being cautious - since around this area there are quite a few farm cats (or normal pet cats) who just hang out a lot, observing usually the blackbirds and the magpies - or it was simply waiting for the parents to join.

Then, all of a sudden, started scratching; if I didn't know it was a baby blackbird from the start, I would've definitely not have been able to tell it apart from other baby birds.

4.5 milliseconds later and bath time was in full mode:

Wiggling its tail, diving with its head underwater, raising its wings up and down... It was a pure joy to watch this tiny in its full splendour!

Eight days later, same spot: different blackbird!

I've noticed this one a bit earlier than the other, at 4PM.

I could easily tell that it is a young male blackbird: with a dark brown folded wing, contrasting with the fully grown glossy - almost - black body plumage, yellow eye-ring, orange-yellow beak, blackish-brown legs.

From my observations this one seemed to knew the secrets of taking a bath - maybe he was the Pond Whisperer! - showing all the way quite some skills at diving with its head underwater, folding and unfolding its wings, all the while stretching and bending its head up and down, left and right. Left me the impression that it had some experience when it comes to bathing in puddles.

When I looked closer, I saw that the right wing had a tiny grey feather which stood astray from the entire plumage:

The entire process of bathing took one minute.

Then it was time to chill for a couple of milliseconds, only to jump again immediately in the water. It simply couldn't stay away:

58 minutes later I was again on the balcony and I've noticed that it was back, surveying the puddles or maybe just foraging for fresh earthworms:

Two days later, around noon, another blackbird came in the same area. It might've just as well been exactly the same one as two days earlier; but since I did not noticed any grey feather on the right wing, I was pretty sure it was a new one.

The older male blackbirds are more confident around water and don't seem to be scared or threatened by other animals or birds who might be nearby. Emphasis on "don't seem", since they change behaviour pretty quick and nature is not to be underestimated!

It looked pretty comfortable, unafraid and ready to bathe like there's no tomorrow:

Didn't had time to take more photos at that moment so I am not sure if it spent much more minutes in the water or went on foraging, walking around or simply flew right away.

Later that day, towards the evening, after 6:30 PM, in the exact same area, a female blackbird made her appearance:

Full brownish plumage with speckled breast, a light orange beak, a yellowish thin eye-ring indicated that it was a female:

Its posture denoted that she was also pretty confident with the surroundings and looked experienced around the ponds: cooling down and simply enjoying a bath.

Almost two hours later the one and only T. Merula with a grey wing, from two days earlier, it was back in the area, foraging:

Last two blackbirds in these series, were spotted 13 days after the first one. A shiny male blackbird, perched on a tiny hill:

and a female blackbird, almost hidden under the parking pavement:

It ain't over 'till the shiny (male) blackbird prepares to forage attentive, turned slightly with its thinly legs and raised tail:

This was just a tiny insight into the daily activities of a couple of Turdus Merula specimens, as observed from my balcony, during some late spring days.

Bibliography [for appearance description]: Common blackbird page on wikipedia.

Where: Landkreis Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm (district Pfaffenhofen on the Ilm, Upper Bavaria);

When: May 16th - May 29th, 2021;

With: Nikon D3300 (70-300mm f/4-5.6G; 300mm - ISO 400-4000; 1/250s-1/4000s- f5.6-6.3; 0EV).

It was the end of March 2019 and outside was still chilly - it felt more like a late autumn or the beginning of winter, rather than beginning of spring...

There I was: snapping photos of my surroundings, with my hands a bit cold,

walking around and wondering when will the bare trees grow entirely tiny sprouts from their twigs,

when will the meadows be entirely green and when will the traffic sound be muffled again by nature...

Never have I ever thought, that would be the last normal spring, as I knew it.

Life around me was, more or less, a constant hurry, as was I, on a hurry: always trying to find the time to fit everything in one day.

Fast forward one year later (give or take), in a short period of time, I had to realize that trying to catch the next subway, the next suburban train, cooking on a hurry and eating late at night dinner because of super late working office hours (in general), or producing bio garbage almost a 10 liter paper bag daily, was actually not the normal I really wanted, and, even if I did, it wasn't possible anymore.

Thinking back of how was that normal defined before, now it makes no sense. I am aware of all the sacrifices some of us had to do, of all the pain some of us had to endure, of all the loneliness (at some point) we've all felt by now.

Many have struggled and many will struggle to adapt. Perhaps this is how evolution takes place. But ignoring what's in front of us only delays some facts that are obvious.

Soon it will be too late to still enjoy whom and what we have around us.

And I am mainly talking about the next person standing next to you or 1,5 (or 2) meters - or hundreds/ thousands of kilometers - away from you, and, last, but not

least, I am also talking about that tiny bug flying/ walking super close to you, the one you probably haven't noticed.

Because gone are the days when one's action affected only that self person.

I think it was actually never like that, it was just an impression. Our actions always had ripples through time, affecting everything and everyone around us.

With the tiniest change an old normal will slowly or quickly become a new normal. This new normal has to be a better one, has to be humble, selfless, has to matter and has to be shared with the one who loves you and appreciates you back (the ones).

Now it matters more than ever to have genuine moments of appreciation, in general, to be aware of your surroundings - nature, people, buildings... everything.

And maybe the only way out is to take each problem that arises, one by one and try finding a solution.

Take everything step by step, one day at a time, until the realization of surviving another day, another week, another month, another year and so on, becomes sudden.

This is called moving on and hopefully, without having to make the same mistakes from the not so distant past.

Where: Landscape Park Hachinger Valley;

When: end of March - beginning of April 2019;

With: Nikon D5300 (40mm f/2.8G, VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ; ISO 160-400; 1/160s-1/4000s- f2.8-11; 0EV).

Last summer one of my biggest wishes was to visit the Alpine Garden on the Schachen. On every free legal day or mini-holiday/ weekend we had to postpone due to rain or heavy rainfall - the day when clear skies were forecasted, we immediately made plans for the next morning to wake up as early as possible and make my (our) wish come true.

All was going well for our initial part of the route: taking the Werdenfelsbahn (regional train from Munich), arriving in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, going through Partnach Gorge, then crossing Ferchenbach (Ferchen Creek), taking the forestry

road, all the while enjoying the morning sun, admiring the mountains, the trees, the plants, listening to the birds singing, stopping from time to time to take some

photos, looking carefully at various plants, laughing here and there, greeting people

(who were coming down from the mountain)... But then, as we went on, walking on Kälbersteig - which at 1,660 m joined Königsweg (King's Path) - the trail(s) started to become narrower and narrower, steeper and steeper.

Suddenly I've found myself thinking: "if birds and butterflies can do it ("it" as in "climbing an unmarked trail - T6 - in the Wetterstein Mountains"), I can do it, as well!" - that's how I've motivated myself, from time to time, looking forward to arrive up, at our destination. Sure: there's a significant difference between a human climbing on a rocky slippery mountain (for the first time) and birds and butterflies who can actually fly, but in that moment that was my method of coping (mostly) with the heat, the camera backpack (which was making me sweat from time to time), the lack of water (at some point) and the trail difficulty. After tiny moments of pausing and catching our breath and strength, I was again so focused and waiting

to see if  we were getting closer to the Garden - I wasn't even slightly disturbed about the big gap on my left side which appeared suddenly; only the water running down the steep mountain wall, on my right side, was way too cold for my bare hands and made me feel uncertain for a couple of seconds, thinking only about how to have a good grip...

We almost reached our destination because our feet needed rest (since neither of us had a good mountain climbing/ hiking practice before this one). It was slightly detoured the moment we saw Schachenhaus from afar: we knew for sure we were going to just be snaily and spend some time there and postpone the visit to the Alpine Garden for the next year.

After one hour and a half of enjoying the breathtaking location, the delicious sweet

lunch, the cold beer(s) [and Radler] - now I want to go back, right away - we decided it was time to leave and take the way back.

We started on, cheerful, walking down the path, on the other side of the mountain,

afterwards walking on a trail, then on a forestry road and then: we realized we've taken the wrong road down, since maps wasn't making any sense; this was the long route to Elmau and not to Partnachklamm/ Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Neither taking the long route to Elmau, nor going back to Schachen(haus) would have been an option, since we thought darkness might catch up with us - we had no idea how the trail was going to look like...

So we walked and walked until at one point we encountered a sign indicating the path we have been on (back to Schachen) and the opposite way - the one to Elmau Castle. Moving forward, in short time, we reached the entrance of a woods, where on a white sign it was written in black, in german "paths not cleared and strewed - Partenkirchen municipality" (="Wege nicht geräumt und gestreut - Gemeinde Partenkirchen"); since the sign wasn't specifying that the usage of the path is done at one's risk (just like the sign which I see daily  - or at least 6 times per week - at

home), we thought it shouldn't be that difficult; after checking maps and seeing that apparently there's a trail going into the forest, we decided this will be the only way back.

As soon as we stepped into the woods we realized the path was blocked by fallen trees and vegetation which had grown all over the place. Such beauty that I couldn't feel afraid, especially after we quickly noticed fresh footprints on the exact same trail we were walking on! At times we either had to step over fallen tree logs or disturb different plants in order to make our way through the forest. It was serene to hear birds singing, chirping, calling, to see butterflies flying around us... and the forest was so dense that the sunlight was barely visible, flickering through the mighty tall trees... and, again, I was thinking "if butterflies and birds can do it, I can do it, too!".

As the path into the woods was ending, we could hear water flowing fast; we were sure it had to be some kind of a bridge to cross over to the other side, over the stream, just like maps was showing. When we got closer to the edge and we've noticed there was no sign of any bridge, we slowly stopped and looked down at the big part of the broken land, abruptly ending with no trail, no vegetation, no anything... simply sandy dark brown soil and the creek flowing down... Therefore, we decided maybe it would be best to try getting down, even closer to the edge of the woods, as near as possible to the creek, to look for the bridge. I relied on on my knees and hands (did not wish to mess up my ankles at such a big level difference between the forest edge and the creek bed). As we were getting closer to the edge we've noticed a big tree log, fallen exactly over the creek (what were the odds of this circumstance?!), acting as a connection to the other side. After stepping down on the rocky shore, even though we were located very close to the corner where the water was speeding, we weren't able to see too much, but we had a feeling, which turned really fast into a fact: there was no bridge - since apparently it was destroyed (so far 3 or 4 times - or more) by fallen trees from the woods and debris brought up by the creek itself from the other part of the mountain, plus heavy rainfall and snow, equals landslides.

I had no time to react: I was told we cannot go back since it was already getting late; but I wouldn't even have thought either of going back, or, just as well, dared of imagining to cross the stream.

I immediately had to leave my imagination behind since my-just-as-better-as-me-half told me "You have two options: you either cross the creek on the log, or you go literally in the water - but you'll have to hold yourself onto the tree log, since the creek flows really fast; I'll hold your camera backpack, just be careful how you step!" - or something 99,9% similar.

I immediately replied "No way: I am not going through the river... it is way too cold, the current is way too quick and my shoes are gonna be wet for the rest of the journey."

Since I was undecided about how to cross the stream, he went ahead, stepping - kind of fast for my pace - onto the fallen tree log and going over on the other side of the creek.

At which I immediately reacted by turning my back and my legs started shaking like a leaf.

"Are you coming?! Come on, there's no time, we cannot go back, it's already getting dark into the woods and we still have to walk a lot on this side! ... Wait, don't come! Wait, I'm coming back! Don't look at the water, just look in front of you, at the tree log and look at my feet: both are slightly in the same line and I am moving them slowly, one by one. And remember: they have to be a bit curved, to fit the form of the log!"

All that time I was only looking at the water and I could only feel it splashing tiny cold droplets on my legs.

Once near me, he took my camera backpack, I stepped slowly onto the fallen tree and I crossed Ferchenbach, not looking at it, but really seeing it out of the corner of my eye.

After stepping down from the log, my legs were, again, shaking. Then I turned my back once more: I couldn't see him (or almost watch him), for the third time, stepping on that tree log; it's no easy task watching the person you love, the most, crossing a mountain river, on a fallen tree log... three times... And I knew best, once again, how not to face my fear: standing there, at that moment, I just looked quickly in disbelief at the creek in front of me, then, with my back turned, and my legs shaking, my mind was going nowhere, suspended in time, just waiting...

Once we were both on the other side, it was... challenging (to say the least): at times we had to walk on missing trail and grab on to tiny plant roots and young trees, just to be 100% that we have a good grip. When I knew (not sure how exactly, but I knew - maybe I could hear Partnach flowing in the distance) we were close to exiting the second part of the woods, I couldn't wait much longer so I walked fast and stepped into a tall bush of Rosa Canina (I think) and scratched, just a tiny bit, my knee, in two places.

When I saw the old stone bridge over Partnach (or Ferchenbach?!) I said loudly "Civilization! Quick!!! Please take a photo with your phone, so I don't have to

stop right now and take my camera out from the backpack!".

After crossing over the bridge and walking for a bit, very close to Partnach Gorge, I've noticed this sign, a bit hidden and I couldn't believe my eyes:

After exiting the Gorge, we bought water, sat down on a bench and took everything in, for some minutes.

We ended up only being thirsty, tired and with some fresh earth, from the woods and mountains, on our legs and sneakers.

That night I tried a bit to make sense of what we've experienced during the day:

Even my background reminded me of our journey into - basically - the Unknown:

Next morning I tried again to backtrack everything:

Meanwhile my background had a homey feeling

and discovered how fit had been tracking one long workout:

The following days, after researching online and reading various articles, I was: unsettled to find out that landslides have occurred in Ebenwald and in the area close to Partnach Gorge; displeased when reading that Ferchenbach has been quite abandoned, more than 11 years ago; and when realizing that there were suppose to be signs and fences to mark a blocked zone, I was disappointed, overall.

From time to time I (we) recall that day, in Werdenfelser Land and I remain grateful and thankful to the mountains for receiving us in a not-so-hostile-way: to type "lucky" it wouldn't be enough.

Where: from Partnach Gorge way up to Schachenhaus and back - south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bayern;

When: a little bit after the middle of August 2019;

With: Nikon D5300 (40mm f/2.8G; ISO 160-1600; 1/60s-1/2000s- f3.2-11; 0EV) - unless specified under photos "Handy photo" or "photo taken with my Handy".

Disclaimer: the road described is under no circumstances safe for persons who have never climbed a mountain, or haven't got any training for hiking on difficult mountain trails (T6), especially without proper equipment, drinkable water, printed map.

This is my own experience and I've tried to express it as best as I could, in a positive way [since I believe it would make no sense to focus on the not so good moments].

Bibliography/ further reading:

a) Wikipedia articles:

• in English - "Werdenfelser Land", "Partnach Gorge","Wetterstein", "Rosa Canina".
• in German - "Wettersteinalm", "Schachen (Wetterstein)", "Schachenhaus", "Schachensee", "Wettersteinalm", "Map of Wettersteingebirge" (Wetterstein Mountains), "Ferchenbach affluent of Partnach in Bayern" (mobile page).

b) Mountain bike News - internet bike community forum (in German):

• "Strecke am Ferchenbach Richtung Ellmau Murenabgang" (Route on the Ferchenbach in the direction of Elmau Mudslide) - both pages;
• "Ferchenbach Weg Sperrung, noch aktuell?" (Ferchenbach Route Blocking, still current? - both pages;
• Documented trail near Ferchenbach, from July 2019, with photos taken by geronet (part of the photos reflect exactly how the missing part of the woods and the trail was looking back on August 18th 2019, as well)

c) Alpine Garden on the Schachen route indications on Botanical Garden München-Nymphenburg website - in English;

d) Regional ticket information regarding the price and the route from Munich to the mountains (in German);

e) Alpine grades difficulty on Berg Freunde (in English);

f) Various articles in German:

• "Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Am Ferchenbach drohen Hänge abzurutschen" (=Mountain slopes threaten to slide in Ferchenbach) - 21.06.2018, 04:26 Uhr [video no longer available];
• "GAP: Ferchenbach wieder von Holz befreit" (=Garmisch-Partenkirchen freed from wood again) - Freitag, 10 August 2018;
• "Großer Stress um kleine Brücke" (= Big stress for a small bridge) - Aktualisiert: 23.10.12 - 19:13;
• [BR/ Breitkopf, Martin] "Bewährungsprobe für Hochwasserschutz in Garmisch-Partenkirchen" (=Probation test for flood protection in Garmisch-Partenkirchen) - 21.05.2019, 04:27 Uhr.
• [Brinkmann, Tanja] "Schwierige Lösungsfindung: Ferchenbach bleibt ein Sorgenkind" (=Difficult solution finding: Ferchenbach remains a problem child) - Aktualisiert: 24.02.19 - 18:44;
• [Igelspacher, Alois] "Gesperrte Wege - Betretungsrecht, Naturschutz und Sicherheit" (= Blocked Paths - Right of Access, Nature Protection and Safety) - 02.08.2015 (aktualisiert am 19.04.2019) [also mentions the missing bridge and has a photo of Ferchenbach];
• [Schlegel, Julia]"Der Ferchenbach - die Bedrohung für die Partnachklamm" (=The Ferchenbach - the threat for the Partnach Gorge) - 21.06.2018, 02:51 Uhr.

Smiling down at passers-by and so soft to the human touch, they withstand wind gusts from 16km/h up to 85km/h (or more)... proof that delicate beings are often among the strongest we've ever seen.

Just like the piece of plastic who had a good winter rest under the snow,

the Catkin takes a break, just as well, but on the willow branch, counting crows,

enjoying the company of other creatures alike and not so alike,

even though sometimes they're blue inside... because the Catkin does not see colours, but it simply accepts everyone around.

And where there's a catkin, more will be around:

The same happens with relaxed Plastic: where there's a piece of Plastic, many pieces will await silently, hidden under the trees/ grass...

Who else awaits quietly?! - This tiny cigarette butt:

Luckily, it doesn't await for the Palomita (= tiny female pigeon in Spanish) - which I watched 2 weeks ago, walking around on Kalamaki beach (Παραλία Καλαμακίου), trying to eat cigarette butts - to be picked up and to be eaten.

A fragile ecosystem developed around the Catkin:

So fragile that it cannot communicate, say anything against a plastic cup which was thrown on the ground (or blown away by the wind):

But maybe this is the new vicious circle: when one tries to only see the beauty and the positive,

seldom, the negative starts to take another shape, to be seen from a different point of view:

What was once green, turns into blue

and what was once blue, turns into green again...

Just like that, by simply observing the Catkin World, one realizes:

when one plastic disappears, another one retakes its place.

Looking closer, this world unfolds sometimes quiet, sometimes yellow,

and sometimes full of catkins on a Salix.

Where: Landscape Park Hachinger Valley, Unterhaching;

When: towards the end of March 2019;

With: Nikon D5300 (40mm f/2.8G; ISO 160-400; 1/200s-1/4000s- f3.2-11; 0EV).

It's not a coincidence that I recently went to visit the Botanical Garden of the City Prague and I saw many caterpillars (and butterflies) and that next day I came back home and discovered a green caterpillar on the balcony!

Some us make such long journeys that one cannot possibly fathom: full of endurance and difficulties, obstacles of all kinds, new faces, new sceneries, but also full of nice surprises.

Cannot even imagine what a journey this caterpillar has had and apparently overwintered as a larva on goat willow and no one noticed.

Next morning I went to buy some lettuce,

since we thought that for the caterpillar it wouldn't be enough just to feed on willow. I carefully spread some pieces of lettuce leaves on Salix,

but the caterpillar started eating at 6:41 PM.

Meanwhile I looked online for this exact caterpillar, not knowing the species.

Later on, that evening, we discovered from a reddit source that this particular exemplar is Angle shades.

After reading online that it feeds also on apple, but not on Salix, we carefully moved it with a toothpick on a Braeburn Columnar (we have 2 columnars, but Golden Delicious has fewer leaves than Braeburn). Later on, that same evening we checked to see how it was doing: one of the leaves was half eaten and Angle shades was already near another leaf, just sitting on a twig. Simply amazing how it wasn't going to finish the entire leaf and was already moving on, near another one, in order not to damage the entire plant!

Unfortunately Angle shades lasted on the Braeburn until next day, early morning; we kept on looking on every plant, but we never saw it again... a blackbird (or some of the other birds that live around in the neighbourhood) probably came and ate it. If it is so, this caterpillar's journey wasn't over yet, since it helped a baby blackbird to be stronger and survive.

Where: home, on the balcony;

When: Monday, June 3rd, 2019;

With: Nikon D5300 (40mm f/2.8G; ISO 160-400; 1/60s-1/500s- f4-8; 0EV).

Yesterday, and the day before yesterday, and all the days before that, seem so far away... [like footsteps in the (soft) snow]

even though it hasn't been a long time since the first snow fell down... almost 8 weeks ago...

And only 7 weeks ago there was a muffled quietness all around.

It made the river barely perceptible.

In the fresh fallen snow nature's companions were trying to find their balance.

Not everyone was strong enough to support so much snow, particularly the Salixes (willows).

People and dogs of all ages ventured out

on the narrow pathways, enjoying the brand new white world of wonders.

Although it was cold, the rooks where out in the field, trying to look for nuts and seeds. A bit of a struggle in such tall and velvety snow! As soon as they sensed somebody approaching they flew away in the tiny orchard, on the right side.

As the night was getting closer, footprints

and a couple of (female) blackbirds filled that snowy Thursday afternoon.

Where: Landscape Park Hachinger Valley, Unterhaching;
When: beginning of January 2019;
With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 18mm-105mm - ISO 200-400; 1/250s-1/500s- f7.1-11; 0EV).

Distance is what keeps us appart but what also keeps us together.
Thanks to this distance we learn to appreciate more what we have, what we share and what makes our connection unique.
This appreciation stems from technology (I specifically opted not to write "modern", because I believe that technology can be medieval

or modern only because we relate it to our present time).
As a whole, technology has its own identity and the power to change the world from different points of view, at certain moments in history.
Because sometimes we somehow end up to go to these places where time has stopped and everything looks almost exactly like it's 1232 all over again.

But since we are aware of the present, the surroundings tend to be a little bit uncommon (not my ideal choice of word) compared to what we are used to. And it is only when we step further into the narrow alleyways

that we start to take it all in: a late gothic style with different messages from the present



which has a certain atmosphere,

a mix between a bit of fear, darkness

but also enjoyment, blisfullness and comfortability at the same time.

We don't know it yet (or we know it but we tend to forget), but technology made it possible... possible to explore further the world we live in, possible to make a profit, possible to better our lives and go beyond frontiers in order to connect with others and further the development of our present day.
We just have to (still) learn to be aware of the complexity and the ethics behind every type of technology that we might discover, invent, develop or even forget that we have.

Where: Hall in Tyrol;
When: end of August 2016;
With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 18mm-105mm - ISO 400-2000; 1/30s-1/100s- f5-9; 0EV).

• we enjoy being woken up at six thirty in the morning by Greylag geese who fly towards the horizon sharing their flight call,
• two magpies are checking the area near the trees from the river,
• a Labrador is running joyful near the meadow,
• some people are riding happily their bicycles, others enjoy a morning run,
• butterflies fly low in the meadow,
• I stopped to smell the roses,
• some sheep graze under the trees, some on old bunkers,
• one sheep is scratching its head against a tree,
• the puddle in front of me is dried out since one week ago,
• tiny birds fly all around towards the corn field,
• I can still see and feel the dew,
• in the orchard many apples
  
  have fallen under and near the apple trees,
• some people are cooling their feet in the river,
• two friends are chatting while riding their bicycles... and
  
  Ceropegia woodii
  
  keeps on growing,
  
  
  blooming
  
  and enjoying the space she shares with other
  
  plants.

Where: home;
When: end of July 2018;
With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 52mm-105mm - ISO 400-500; 1/60s-1/160s- f3.5-10; 0EV).

Did I ever stretched my leg just to find there's actually no place under the desk in order to stretch my leg onto?!

Just a few times today...

Did I ever touched the top of my head just after I've put the sunglasses back into their place?!

Only a couple of times yesterday...

Did I ever let my perception interfere with the real reality?! Only one time.

And it took me many many days to figure out that sometimes what I thought I knew/ understand it is by far what I was supposed to perceive in the first place.

It might sound complicated, but maybe too many times we tend to see facts from our own perspective and not from the perspective of others surrounding us.

If we would also perceive the facts from someone else's perspective that would be empathy.

The thing is, empathy can be very tricky, because seldom it is right there in our face, ready for us to use it, to embrace it but we don't realize it until it's already in the past.

On Tuesday someone very special to me asked me "Why does always time passes by so fast when I'm with you?" and I answered "Because it's time... that's what time does... time passes by!".

I know what she meant, but that was simply my answer.

Did I ever had my hand squezeed so hard that I only realized it after a couple of minutes?!

Only one time...

Where: Markt Garmisch-Partenkirchen;
When: end of April 2018;
With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 18mm-105mm - ISO 320; 1/13s-1/4000s- f3.5-10; 0EV).

There are infinte types of summers, so diverse and unique just like each one of us.
Among others, for me, last summer was a bohemian one, during which I've discovered the following:

1. Daniel Swarovski, the glass cutter and jeweler
   
   was born in Bohemia;
2. Prague is filled with witty, funny
   
   and interesting souvenir shops, if you know wehere to go;
3. almost each building,
   
   some lampposts
   and even some gates
   
   around the city center area are decorated in various styles, living proofs of Pragues rich history;
4. sometimes the best details
   
   
   are to be found when you climb a hill, in order to see the largest ancient castle in the world;
5. Prague is home to the fifth best Zoo in the world:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. a corner of a building
   it's not just a simple corner;
7. familiar faces
   
   are to be found when you least expect;
8. words
   
   are not enough to express ourselves;
9. in order to never forget certain parts of the history, places
   have to be marked;
10. a different perspective
    is always welcomed;
11. unicorns
    do exist;
12. doorways in Prague are quite majestic;
13. buildings
    do carry out messages;
14. eight human hands showing different gestures,
    
    such as the v(ictory) sign and the stretched out palm, represent freedom and democracy;
15. some places do look
    
    like portals to another long lost world;
16. of course, chocolate, does
    
    come in various forms.

Where: Prague;
When: towards the end of August 2017;
With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 18mm-105mm - ISO 6400-160; 1/30s-1/1250s- f4-11; 0EV).

"Happiness"... such an abstract-subjective-complicated-and-yet-so-simple word to describe our most inner feelings and state of mind...

Sometimes it seems that we cannot really pin point the way we are headed, like we have lost our compass, other times we find excuses to postpone different projects and tasks, other times we find ourselves lost in a grimy routine, where we have no passion for the jobs we do, no smiles and "thank yous" left for the people around us.

We make such strong efforts while searching for (daily) happiness when all this time it probably laid in sharing a simple conversation with a friend, drinking a beer (or more) with colleagues/ friends after work, typing to someone dear and saying a simple "Hi! How are you?", drinking your morning coffee from your favourite mug, or maybe it laid in enjoying some Xmas cookies baked by your best friend,

or in sharing a chocolate candy with someone dear:

or in cooking/ sharing dinner with the one(s) you love.

So, before doing some strong mental efforts to think how to feel happy, just be aware of the small moments around you, small moments that you are actually part of.

Where: Muenchen;
When: November 2016 - January 2017;
With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 18mm-105mm - ISO 6400-400; 1/20s-1/640s- f5.6-6.3; 0EV).

We sometimes go places we've never been before and we instantly feel happy, fulfilled, familiar...

It could be that at first this feeling of belonging is mixed with the unpleasant feeling of being scared, afraid of the unknown.

But there's always a good side to a negative situation: it could be a familiar language [although you've never spoken it before],

or meeting new friendly people. And then, slowly but surely you start to put down roots. That's how the feeling of belonging settles in.

Harder are the moments when you have to face your own fears of moving on [although you're looking forward to it].

Because that's what we do: we sometimes leave behind the leaves we gathered from our favourite park(s),

we sometimes (maybe) apply a fresh coat of paint where we spilled coffee in a late sunny (probably) spring morning...

and sometimes we try taking with us everything we have.

That's why is of the utmost importance to just give ourselves time and just enjoy even some uncomfortable moments like getting caught up in a storm while trying to find a café with a friend, or missing the train to work, or having to run errands in minus degrees...

Because it doesn't matter how aligned the stars are, we will never be 100% content with everything around us and it takes time to see progress and make place and implement innovative ideas.

I also think it's important to ask ourselves from time to time what type of person do we want to be.

Seldom it's easier just to copy smiles, paste positive actions and literally climb a mountain and then stop and touch some flowers while climbing it down.

Where: Hirschberg mountain, Kreuth, Bavaria;
When: beginning of July last year;
With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 18mm-105mm - ISO 200-400; 1/250s-1/3200s- f5.6-11; 0EV).

With the New Year being just around the corner, it may seem that there's no time left in order to keep the resolution(s) we've made at the start of this year (in case we've made any)...

Speaking of "resolution": "the concept, regardless of creed, is to reflect upon self-improvement annually." But why wait for the New Year to have this reflection?! And the answer "everybody does this" is not a good one, in my opinion.

I strongly believe that one should want to be better, to strive to achieve great actions, to improve oneself daily, slowly but surely. But since we're complicated beings (and this is neither an excuse nor a blame), sometimes, we tend to forget the promises we've made to ourselves or to others and, from what I've noticed, we have a tendency to sabotage ourselves a lot.

Therefore, we enter this vicious circle of routine or maybe we are so comfortable in the situation we're in that we never think things through or we never even think of recognizing that we have it so good. Or maybe we comfort ourselves with "it could be worse" when we feel our world is ending.

It would be so much easier if we were nice people, in general, just because, no reason needed. Or smile and feel content and start our days with a positive attitude and not let different actions or situations get the best of us.

Because sometimes we say words that we shouldn't or we engage in actions that on the long term will actually harm

us, - binge on too many series, eat too much I don't know what, work more than 8 hours daily, sleep very little, cross the line and make inappropriate jokes, do more sport than our bodies can take it, listen to music way too loud, spend money on too many things that we don't need (and these are basically just examples within reach... the list could go on forever) -

a resolution is (maybe) the answer we were looking for.

So, if time is running out and you suddenly remember there's one more resolution to keep, there is still hope!

Just thinking about the impact our words and actions will have upon the people and the environment around us, and how this impact will affect us, as a being, as well, is one important resolution.

Where: Bad Tölz, Bavaria;

When: middle of October this year;

With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 42mm-105mm - ISO 160-1100; 1/30s-1/1600s- f4.8-9; 0EV).

Whether we're old or not I strongly believe that we should have a positive look upon the action of getting older.
Getting older shouldn't be regarded as a negative stage, or such a negative stage...

For example, so it could be that at a certain age, one can start enjoying drinking wine, from once in a while, with friends or with the significant other, or enjoy some whisky in the nice companion of the team, after a hard working day/ week at work.

But then the day comes and it's your birthday. And the most difficult gift you could ask for is the gift of not receiving any material gifts, as in: any things at all. A simple "Happy Birthday!" as a reminder that family and friends haven't forgot you, would be enough.

Great expectations arise from the most quiet of places inside our own being. Some people deliver what you expect for, some don't. It doesn't mean anything. I understand now that some of us don't like celebrating their birthdays so they assume others don't like it as well, others say they don't want to celebrate their birthdays and then no one organizes anything for their birthdays and they feel disappointed and forgotten; then some of us like to extra celebrate their birthdays to make others around them happy and they stress a lot with organizing and the last category: the ones that celebrate just because, no reason needed.

I, personally, through the years, fell into all the above mentioned categories. Couldn't exactly pin point which is the best, because I am not the same person whom I used to be 10 years ago. I can only say it's nice to be the center of attention for one day and to be pampered and hugged and to receive a cake and all, but is also nice to spend a regular birthday, just like any other day.

So, yes, age is just a number, when you reach a certain stage in your life and you want to trick yourself a bit into thinking that you are not actually getting older, but younger.

And the saying "age is just a number" always makes my friends smile, especially the ones who sometimes start spiraling on about reaching a certain age and not having this or that, on different levels in their lives. I see a tendency in some people that the easiest way is to see what they don't have, then to enjoy what they do have.

So, with a little (OR AN INFINITE) of patience one can have everything one's heart desires. [Here I would exclude stuff because stuff require space and let's face it: they're just stuff and we all get caught up into wanting, buying and having stuff just because.]

Where: Salzburg, Austria;

When: towards the end of May last year;

With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 18mm-105mm - ISO 200-1000; 1/125s-1/4000s- f8-11; 0EV).

Not seldom I find myself caught up in different talks in which I cannot seem to find my words, until the other person sums it up perfectly. A very recent conclusion to such a talk was: "Me time is underappreciated in some cases. Why did we arrive at the point where less rest and loneliness are the equivalent of laziness and selfishness?"

I don't really need an answer to this. It's more of a statement to reflect upon, more of a self-taught lesson actually.

More than 100% we've all been in that point where we have different things to do and there's literally no time to get together with others (as in: other people than the ones we work with or the ones we see at home, daily).
But then intervenes the self judgment that we sometimes tend to inflict upon ourselves: "Just this time, I will cancel my appointment so I can meet with my friend, just this time I will go out an hour for a get-together-coffee with my friend - even though I can barely speak (thank you sore throat!) - just this time I will be 15 minutes late for my afternoon appointment/ class (since I have to wait for my friend), just this time I will delay this project because my friend has problems and needs to be listened to..." No, no, no... not just this time, but every time!

And then, fast forward in the future - your own future - you, the one who always made time for others, you become the negative character in your own story. And when you realize you have put your own self at the bottom of the list, you feel tired and the thought "how you accustom others is exactly the way you have them and then they take you for granted" pops up into your mind. It's neither good, nor bad, but: you start feeling underappreciated and frustrated because you send yourself at the bottom of the list. Sure, life presents us sometimes with the most difficult situations we could have ever imagined, but that is not an excuse to forget about ourselves and keep on taking care of others 48 hours daily (yes, I am aware that there are still 24 hours in a day). Feeling miserable and like a robot does not mean to persevere and putting yourself first, does not make you a bad person.

Yes, we are social beings,

but minding your own business and going on with your life, is not anti-social.

I also strongly believe that saying to a friend (or someone you consider a friend) "I am also busy & I still make time to see you!", is not a polite way to treat your so-called friend. It's the contrary...

To step with your feet on your own wishes and tiny desires is unacceptable. Life happens: we grow up, we move alone (maybe), we find our (dream) job, we get married (one time, two times, many many times), we have children - and not necessarily in this order - and, then, there is no time to go get a haircut, enjoy a warm bath, watch a 20 minutes episode of your favourite TV show, go grab a beer with the boys,

be interested in politics, read a novel, sleep more than 5 hours per evening, so on. And I heard that brushing your teeth and taking a fast shower it's not "me time".

Could it be that we tend to sometimes surround ourselves with people who are afraid of being alone, with people who always need a second opinion, or that we are cowards to really face the ones that make us feel bad and we simply ignore them - hoping that the feeling of self-judgment will go away?!
What ever happened with the "you" who enjoyed breakfast every morning, with the "you" who dedicated a couple of hours, weekly, for a hobby, with the "you" who slowed down while walking?!

I firmly confess that I like to have snaily days, although I don't have the luxury to have them as often as I want. Sometimes they're during holidays (if I actually realize that I don't have to be in a hurry to do stuff), sometimes, if I get lucky (don't we make our own luck?!), I get to have 4 snaily days in a month, with sleep included. Just sometimes.

Taking the focus out of others (who are not dependent on us) has never made us selfish, nor bad. It's just a big different point of view. It's really o.k., from time to time, to crawl back to your own private sphere and stay there for a while.

Where: Munich (first two photos) and Murnau am Staffelsee;

When: towards the middle of June last year;

With: Nikon D5300 (VR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G; 18mm-105mm - ISO 200-800; 1/125s-1/1600s- f5-11; 0EV).