Tag: Germany

Empty Nest Syndrome

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It can no longer be hidden at this time of year.

Whether it is kind of hidden in the twigs and branches of the barren trees

or openly displayed on top of poles and trunks.

And this particular nest has been empty for years and years and years. When I was little it was used by storks, then there were fewer and the nest stayed empty. Now their numbers are increasing and we have a sizable number returning every spring but they never took again to the nest up on the old tower, nowadays they live in the trees in the plain, closer to their food sources.

One Word Sunday: Empty.

Is new always better?

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This tower has been standing in its place for over 700 hundred years. During this time repairs were occasionally needed, e.g. it got a new roof at one stage, the old, blue-black shimmering slate replaced by red brick tiles – but it nevertheless kept its name: Blauer Hut or Blue Hat. This summer the bodywork needed a repair. Now I am no expert and possibly the mortar between the sandstone bricks didn’t hold anymore and short of demolishing the whole tower and rebuilding it they slapped some material on the outside. It’s new alright and in years to come it might look weathered again, at the moment I just think the new lighter and smooter wall looks ugly.

While I am at it look at the castle ruin to the right in the photo. The summer photo was taken two years ago. The trees were growing close to the castle walls and only the tower and the top parts of the walls could be seen. The winter photo is from a couple of weeks ago. It’s not just the bare branches but the trees around the castle ruin have all but disappeared; this was apparently done for safety reasons, the trees in question being old and in danger of toppling over during the next strong winds. To me the Windeck (Windy Corner) still looks kind of naked but I am starting to appreciate that the new look shows the buildings structure and beauty much better than before

Hence the answer to the question in the title is – not always, but sometimes.

A Photo a Week: Something New.

I’m a fan of frames

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I happened to be in Michelstadt im Odenwald a couple of days ago and came across this frame with the thieves tower behind it. It made me think of other frame installations I’ve seen in the past.

Ladenburg has frames like this along the walk through town to show what the area used to look before the walk was constructed.

This frame is from Leazes’ Park in Newcastle, behind St James’ Park of football fame.

Only a few kilometres to the east in Sunderland is this big shutter framing Roker lighthouse.

And the ultimate frame high in the Alps opposite this view:

The Eiger in the Bernese Alps.

Fan of … #95 where you can find more fanatical photos.

Times gone by?

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An old sign for a coffee bar in Neustadt an der Weinstraße might not be all that appealing – yet in our current times the idea of sitting in a coffee shop or a bar or a restaurant with other people, friends or even strangers, has become very appealing indeed. Let’s hope that such a simple pleasure is soon again possible.

But the name of the place lets me wonder … while “Schluckebier” is a normal, if not very common, name in German it can be rendered as “beer for quaffing”. How appealing is that?

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Appealing.

Bringing in some colour

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Rathaus Lützelsachsen

It used to be that half timbered meant dark wood and white washed panels in between but in recent years colour has come into play.

  • Barbier in Bensheim
  • Stadttambour Tüncher in Bensheim
  • Lindenfels
  • Michelstadt

At first it took me a bit to get used to it but when it works, it works.

  • Seckenheim
  • Heppenheim

Linked to Monday Window.