sokolblog

albern port

2012-02-10T21:18:00.000+01:00

The most beautiful of all ugly ports of Vienna. I absolutely love this place, did I say this already sometime, here on my blog?

(Ahem ... I think so ...)

off to work

2012-02-07T21:17:00.000+01:00

I'm walking along here every day, on my way to work. What you can see here is the first blizzard of Vienna in this winter, and the first day when we had snow of any quantity worth mentioning.

ice

2012-02-06T22:32:00.000+01:00

I proclaimed spring a good week or so ago - but now winter has come back, and with force: with icy temperatures, and currently, while I am writing this, a sizeable blizzard right here in Vienna. Weather outside is not very inviting at all, so here some photos from last weekend, shot when we had a cosy minus 12 to minus 15° Celsius outside, with hardly any wind worth mentioning.

woolly things

2012-02-02T19:34:00.000+01:00

The first shoots of pasqueflowers!

spring flowers

2012-02-01T22:19:00.000+01:00

It is cold out there, and when I say 'cold' I mean it! (Well actually it isn't, or is a mere 10 below zero in degrees Celsius cold, pray? Compared to weather conditions on the Balkans this would be considered cosy and warm.)
Even so, spring flowers are out and about! (Of course they're frozen now, those photos were taken just before hard frost arrived.)

spring mushrooms

2012-01-31T23:08:00.000+01:00

ice!

2012-01-30T20:45:00.000+01:00

cold weather finally!

2012-01-29T20:53:00.000+01:00

plants from outer space

2012-01-26T23:37:00.000+01:00

ancient yew

2012-01-25T22:22:00.002+01:00

winds and sunset

2012-01-24T22:09:00.002+01:00

litter

2012-01-23T22:35:00.002+01:00

winter flower

2012-01-22T13:23:00.002+01:00

Although this winter hardly could be called one such, with temperatures only very rarely below freezing (and then only for short periods of time).

albern sunset

2012-01-20T22:28:00.000+01:00

lobau by night

2012-01-18T23:33:00.000+01:00

vienna sunset

2012-01-17T21:42:00.001+01:00

sun and snow

2012-01-16T22:52:00.000+01:00

winter!!

2012-01-15T22:34:00.001+01:00

I didn't really expect anymore that we'll get some winter in the lowlands: there wasn't any snow worth mentioning so far in Lobau, nor was there any ice except an extremely thick layer which couldn't even withstand a sparrow's weight - and nor was there any more today, not really, only that there was enough snow (just!!) to make a white appearance, if you didn't look too closely.

So no real winter but only a reflected splendour, and now that we've got mid-january already, and weather forecast doesn't really predict much more of it, I don't expect that we will get the real thing at all, in the un-winter of 2011/12 - not here in the lowlands. Thank you very much, climate change, you've finally managed to produce a winterless winter.

lobau

2012-01-12T22:23:00.000+01:00

I wish I were in Lobau - this photo is from last weekend only:

But to-day there was a warm, sunshiny early spring day - and I had to work. Most likely snowdrops already have begun to flower; but if they haven't yet then they'll postpone it still, at least for some days: very bad weather is forecast for the weekend, probably with some snow even, here in the lowlands.

hydrants

2012-01-10T23:43:00.002+01:00

spring!

2012-01-08T18:16:00.000+01:00

We didn't have any winter worth mentioning so far, not in lower lying regions, and it seems that this year autumn seamlessly will be prolongued to extend to spring eventually: As the flowering season of the snowdrop, obviously, could be regarded as the beginning of the new year, botany-wise!

mushrooming in january

2012-01-06T22:15:00.003+01:00

woodquarter

2012-01-04T22:58:00.002+01:00

the machu picchu of waldviertel

2012-01-03T22:32:00.002+01:00

happy new year 2012

2012-01-02T23:15:00.001+01:00

happy new year 2012

2012-01-01T19:02:00.001+01:00

I wish you all a happy New Year 2012 - with some flowers typical for the season (that is, mid-winter) (one of them, alas, not flowering though):

nut house

2011-12-29T22:21:00.000+01:00

One endangered jewel of Austrian architecture: some people would like to convert this one into a gated community! (Read on at flickr - click on photo and then click - if you're interested.)
The project, thankfully, could be stopped, at least on a preliminary basis. I was there today to visit the site before it probably will change its face forever; and I'll plan to pay even more visits in the near future.

old growth

2011-12-28T21:27:00.000+01:00

Oh nothing, I'm just feeling like if I were old: ancient, in fact.

greener grismas even

2011-12-27T21:53:00.000+01:00

whiter christmas

2011-12-26T23:44:00.000+01:00

white christmas

2011-12-24T10:15:00.002+01:00

green grismas

2011-12-23T22:39:00.000+01:00

Merry Christmas!

christmas flower

2011-12-22T22:19:00.002+01:00

snow

2011-12-21T21:54:00.001+01:00

So we had first snow worth being called 'snow' here in Vienna: it lasted for a couple of hours (but only in the border districts, not in the city of Vienna where temperatures are 1-2 degrees above levels of the surrounding land, a phenomenon to be observed in greater cities all over the world). But it was hardly worth mentioning; it's raining now. So what I posted here is something from the archives, something more pleasant.

and still it's christmas time ...

2011-12-20T22:02:00.001+01:00

... and still chances seem to be pretty small that we will have a white Christmas.

Yes, there have been snow-flakes here in Vienna already, a couple or so, possibly a few dozen, but that was it so far. Snow predicted for tomorrow though: well, we will see.

all time favourites

2011-12-19T22:08:00.002+01:00

I haven't shown mine for some time, lovely rockroses. They even flower in winter, in times when there's not much winter around.

no entry

2011-12-18T21:33:00.000+01:00

winter flowers

2011-12-17T23:43:00.002+01:00

Today winter arrived here in Austria, really and truly.
Not quite in the lowlands though, there was sleet actually - but that doesn't count as 'real' winter, not even here in lowland Vienna.

But this doesn't mean that there wouldn't be any flowers, right? Here some winter flowers for a change!

device for polluting air irresponsibly

2011-12-16T19:43:00.001+01:00

I know this has nothing to do with climate change as such, as climate change began long before mass abuse of aviation kicked in, and thus also isn't really directly related to the extremely mild winter we're experiencing here in Austria this year.

It's just one of those pet topics of mine which I ought to bring up on occasion. Aviation is highly overrated, if you ask me; there's so much beauty to be seen in your nearest neighbourhood, why spend millions of gallons of oil on getting to Thailand, or Iceland for that matter?

it's christmas time ...

2011-12-14T23:00:00.000+01:00

... but I don't care. Not much, anyway, sorry for that, but I'm one of those non-Christmassers, or is there a noun for them? To me, Christmas is something I endure, rather than enjoy. By looking through my photo archives, for photographs I didn't give much attention so far:

looking delicious but isn't

2011-12-13T21:19:00.000+01:00

Some fungi you can eat, but it isn't really recommended to do so.

For a simple reason: because they don't taste half as good as they look like.
Of which kind this one here is an example.

back to the summer

2011-12-12T22:41:00.000+01:00

snow for real

2011-12-11T23:05:00.000+01:00

Last blog post only was a teaser.
Now here's real snow:

first snow!

2011-12-09T21:30:00.001+01:00

I proudly present the first two snow flakes of Vienna, of the Winter of 2011/12:

Herewith, the beginning of Winter has been announced in the capital city of Austria.

(Sorry for the pompous word but the event seems to merit them. After all, how many true winters - i. e., winters with snow, will there be here in the lowlands of Austria, with climate change and everything?)

(Ah right ... so you're asking where there's snow ... very well: centre-right, two white spots; just click on the photo twice and you'll get to flickr, where a note will lead you.)

winter

2011-12-07T23:11:00.002+01:00

It'll be snowing where I found this flower only a couple of days ago:

It's raining cats and dogs though here in the lowlands, here in Vienna.

snow in the mountains!

2011-12-06T23:42:00.000+01:00

There's finally snow in the Alps, and other higher lying regions like my native Mühlviertel (I've got news from there from first blizzards, and high time it was for them indeed).

But alas, no snow to be had here in Vienna, and other lower lying regions: we're still waiting here for winter to arrive.

it's raining staphyleae pinnatae

2011-12-05T22:51:00.000+01:00

winter in lobau

2011-12-04T22:07:00.000+01:00

Is this what winter will look like in the future, with climate change and everything?

I fear it will. But not this year please, I'd love to have at least some snow before climate change finally will make Austria subtropical.

frost

2011-12-03T23:11:00.002+01:00

grasshopper

2011-12-02T22:24:00.000+01:00

masterpiece of architecture

2011-12-01T20:40:00.000+01:00

veronica

2011-11-30T21:59:00.000+01:00

Something more positive, for a change: some beautiful Veronica.

From the archives obviously.

kyoto protocols, and rating agencies

2011-11-29T22:32:00.003+01:00

They say that Austria most likely will not be able to fulfill the Kyoto protocols limit, even if we try very hard: too little time left for that. Our honoured Environmental Minister obviously prefers to spend millions on fines, rather than investing them in our ecological infrastructure: bravo, mister Berlakovich, I'm a fan of yours!*)

(*) That was irony, in case you haven't noticed.)

Other big news are rating agencies ruling the world, which is as ridiculous as it can get. Why, the US is in debt far deeper than Europe, the US of A in fact is almost bankrupt, but guess if any of US rating agencies will change the triple-A for them? Not in our lifetimes surely.

The system is perverted really: you give some countries bad ratings, in order that other countries can claim more interest when lending them money, which will increase their debts through interest alone, which will be bad for ratings, and even worse for interest quotes, of which other countries lending money to them will profit even more.
One is tempted to claim that rating agencies are paid by creditors to downrate debitors. And the system works, obviously.*)

(*) That, of course, again was irony,**) in case you haven't noticed.)
(**) Or sarcasm, rather?)

So to conclude: mankind, it seems, is working very efficiently to even increase the speed of self-destruction.
(Sorry for the rant, but I think this is the right time for it.)

national park

2011-11-28T22:43:00.001+01:00

What melancholy there, in Lobau!

I hate the short hours of fall, I hate it when I only come to see the sun on weekends (and even then only occasionally), and I am not at all a fan of cold and lousy weather.

But I absolutely love the melancholy of the landscape you only see in late november and december, in late autumn and winter.

what about lobau?

2011-11-27T22:05:00.000+01:00

Don't you worry, I haven't quit visiting the national park: I am of course still a regular visitor of Lobau, only it is winter now and I can't possibly spend more time there than I do in my living room anymore. Not because it is cold, but because I have to earn some money too, weekdays ... and because it's already dark when I come home!

steinfeld

2011-11-26T23:19:00.001+01:00

fog

2011-11-25T18:22:00.000+01:00

There's still no snow (except for already mentioned 'industrial snow' - of that there was some today, not enough though to register on this shot). And it looks like we'll have to wait yet a little bit longer - for first true snow here in the lowlands.

green winter

2011-11-24T22:27:00.001+01:00

Yes of course, it is winter in Austria.
Still no snow to be seen anywhere, but who needs snow?

Says I who always claims that winter, true winter, only begins with first snow. :-)

Very well, we didn't have any 'true' snow in Vienna so far, only 'industrial snow' (that is, snow falling out of fog - which only ever happens in industrial areas where the fog crystallises on pollution particles, of which there are plenty here, especially in winter).
But hoarfrost, or even plain and ordinary frost as in this photo, is just as beautiful.

french weed

2011-11-23T21:44:00.000+01:00

For the full story, click the photo, and then click it again - and you will be re-directed to the description I've posted on my flickr photostream.

last flowers

2011-11-22T21:38:00.002+01:00

woodpeckers did it!

2011-11-21T22:45:00.002+01:00

leafless

2011-11-20T21:00:00.002+01:00

random shot

2011-11-19T21:27:00.002+01:00

and now for something entirely different

2011-11-18T22:11:00.000+01:00

Virtual beer seems to be low in demand ... very well then, so be it. The riddle is solved, in case you're interested - again, just click the photo (of yesterday's post).

For today now, something completely different:

the riddle

2011-11-17T22:42:00.000+01:00

Here's the riddle - which plant is this one here?
It's not difficult, you should know that one! The first one to post the answer on my flickr stream (just click the photo twice and you're there) will get the first price.

... weeellll ... first price will be a ... virtual ... beer?!

frost

2011-11-16T21:44:00.001+01:00

So finally frost has arrived, in all earnest. Weather is icy and foggy in the lowlands, and not quite so icy and sunny in higher lying regions - inversion it is called by meteorologists, melancholy by ordinary people who do not understand much about the weather: after all, one only needs to leave town and go hiking.

vienna book fair

2011-11-15T21:00:00.000+01:00

stream

2011-11-14T19:41:00.003+01:00

vienna lights

2011-11-12T11:40:00.003+01:00

Thingy things thinged. Thingy, thingsn't it?

autumn in lobau

2011-11-11T23:07:00.000+01:00

No need for words, right?

colours

2011-11-10T21:10:00.000+01:00

vienna

2011-11-09T22:24:00.002+01:00

красный гриб

2011-11-07T22:29:00.002+01:00

some spring flower

2011-11-06T08:32:00.003+01:00

You get them in autumn too, on occasion.

riverside

2011-11-04T21:44:00.000+01:00

Schwechat river - Danube river.

flowering still

2011-11-03T21:27:00.001+01:00

Who thought that there still are so many flowers around, at this time of year? I certainly didn't.

But strangely enough, no autumn crocusses anymore (usually, I found them till mid of november - not so this year, for some reason).

funghi edibile, non-edibile

2011-11-02T22:49:00.000+01:00

So this is about fungi which, in principle, are edible, but which aren't really delicous.

Oh very well, okay then, some people love those; I don't.

all saint's

2011-11-01T22:24:00.002+01:00

Instead of my yearly All Saint's post (which I wrote here), some common and ordinary landscape photo.

les fleurs dernières

2011-10-31T21:29:00.002+01:00

cancer day

2011-10-30T22:18:00.002+01:00

It isn't the first of november yet, but firstly I am not religious (so the day doesn't matter that much, it's the intention which counts), and secondly there's a reason for preponing my yearly All Saint's post. Those concerned will know about what this post is about.

The photo is from the Cemetary of the Nameless Dead, because it is such a beautiful place, and the nameless signs should be representative for all the people unspoken of who died of cancer.

kaltes klares wasser

2011-10-27T20:48:00.000+02:00

la fête nationale (hiking day)

2011-10-26T22:42:00.001+02:00

And now ...

... for something ...

... completely ...

... different!

frost

2011-10-25T22:12:00.000+02:00

You see that I can keep promises!

So I was out in the frost, early in the mornings. But it is warmer again, not sunshiny though - but windy and rainy and foggy, ugly all in all.

Now tomorrow is our national holiday - Queen's Birthday of Austria, or the 4th of july if you like, or la fête nationale or whatever; and on this day, by ancient tradition (!!), every Austrian who is proud of his country has (!!!) to go on a walk, however short it may be - and good Austrians will make a longer hike of it. I guess that tomorrow many "good" Austrians won't even do that, as nasty as the weather will be; but I of course will, you can trust me there. I'll show proof soon!

flower and frost

2011-10-24T22:42:00.000+02:00

autumnal colours

2011-10-23T22:26:00.003+02:00

still some flowers!

2011-10-22T21:43:00.000+02:00

Flowering season isn't over yet - there are still some to be found.

airport

2011-10-21T21:09:00.000+02:00

fischa

2011-10-20T22:54:00.000+02:00

new species discovered!

2011-10-19T21:43:00.000+02:00

Just take a look at this one:

Incredible, isn't it?!

That's a brand new species discovered by me recently: I checked, it hasn't been described neither by botanists nor by zoologists, and no wonder as it obviously is a cross-breed between animal (some Sauropsid?) and plant (Populus nigra!) - it seems that neither kind of biologists felt 'responsible' for this poor creature.

I could have named it after me, but I am not so vain, I do not consider myself so very important to name a new taxon after me. Instead, I baptised it with the pretty name of Navigium populocrustix subsp. auto-navigabilis.

electric avenue

2011-10-18T22:45:00.001+02:00

This photo of course has nothing to do at all with the ancient hit of Eddy Grant (which by the way I never liked), only that the song came to my mind when taking in that scenery. I only wonder why.

schwechat river silhouettes

2011-10-17T21:43:00.000+02:00

autumn

2011-10-16T20:24:00.000+02:00

Finally, autumn is living up to its promises - which are, of course, clear air, bright colours, and frost even of which we had the first recently. No shots of frost here for today (I just didn't have the guts for a bicycle ride in the early mornings yet, but I will have some time soon, or so I hope); but of the other two there's plenty in these shots:

illmitz

2011-10-15T21:21:00.000+02:00

a very special plant

2011-10-14T21:45:00.000+02:00

Oh, I know, it doesn't look like one! But it's the Ugly Duckling of botany. Just click and read more on flickr. ;-)

wien west

2011-10-13T22:40:00.002+02:00

simmering

2011-10-12T22:00:00.000+02:00

isn't she lovely?

2011-10-11T22:15:00.000+02:00

old man's beard

2011-10-10T20:00:00.000+02:00

lobau

2011-10-09T22:06:00.003+02:00

Today I found a hornet's nest in Lobau, and even though I know that they're pretty much harmless (or much more harmless than most people think!) I can tell you that I was quite nervous around them, especially when one bumped into my head, which happened on one or two occasions.

(After all their stings do hurt, one shouldn't forget that.)

autumn

2011-10-08T22:59:00.001+02:00

Today was cold and rainy, with some snow in the Alps. Don't get mislead by this shot, taken today: it was raining shortly before. Which is why everything's looking so very much fresh - after-rain shots always do!

sokolblog

albern port

off to work

ice

woolly things

spring flowers

spring mushrooms

ice!

cold weather finally!

plants from outer space

ancient yew

winds and sunset

litter

winter flower

albern sunset

lobau by night

vienna sunset

sun and snow

winter!!

lobau

hydrants

spring!

mushrooming in january

woodquarter

the machu picchu of waldviertel

happy new year 2012

happy new year 2012

nut house

old growth

greener grismas even

*whiter christmas*

*white christmas*

green grismas

christmas flower

snow

and still it's christmas time ...

all time favourites

no entry

winter flowers

device for polluting air irresponsibly

it's christmas time ...

looking delicious but isn't

back to the summer

snow for real

first snow!

winter

snow in the mountains!

it's raining staphyleae pinnatae

winter in lobau

frost

grasshopper

masterpiece of architecture

veronica

kyoto protocols, and rating agencies

national park

what about lobau?

steinfeld

fog

green winter

french weed

last flowers

woodpeckers did it!

leafless

random shot

and now for something entirely different

the riddle

frost

vienna book fair

stream

vienna lights

autumn in lobau

colours

vienna

красный гриб

some spring flower

riverside

flowering still

funghi edibile, non-edibile

all saint's

les fleurs dernières

whiter christmas

white christmas