CRESTED TIT

Sunrise 07.32 - Sunset 18.14

+4°C

Some days are sad and grey. Wandering through the forest seems not very inspiring until you meet some small animals, some birds. They travel in groups, foraging the trees, the bushes, the branches. And they do not taken any interest in your presence. Although it seems that way, when you approach and the distance becomes less then 4 or 5 meters they fly away. Just a few meters but still. They are very energetic and always searching for food.

Snow is melting and grasses appear. Still in rest but if you look very close you can see some new blades of grass. It is only a matter of time before the forest awakes.

ICE SCULPTURES - 21-02-2013

Sunrise 07.43 - Sunset 18.05

At the edge of a small waterfall ice encloses everything within its reach. Ice sculptures arise. Wonderful small wonders of nature, encapsulated, special and sparkling like diamonds. Natures treasures are abundant when you appreciate it, see it, touch it. Use all of your  senses and experience.

CLEAR STREAM 20-02-2013

Sunrise 07.45 - Sunset 18.03

What is it about water, streaming water that never bores. It is clear, you see the pebbles on the bottom, white sand. The fragile sound of the of the current, clear as small bells. It is constantly changing, floating, endless. A bringer of life.

A small branch is like a canoe on a river of white water. And on it there are explores of forgotten lands… Yeah that is the answer why water is never boring. It is a life bringer of endless thoughts and imaginations.

EARLY BAT

Sunrise 07.51 - Sunset 17.58

A bat in wintertime and in broad daylight, what a strange sight. The small animal was flying above a pool, still partially covered with ice, and drinking and/or chasing for insects. The sun was shining bright and temperatures of about 8°C. So the bat couldn’t stay inside any longer after a long period of hibernation. You had to look twice before you believed what you were seeing. Unfortunately to far of to capture it. Luckily there were other things to capture, like a blue heron, a geese and a great white egret.

SILENT TREES

Sunrise 07.55 - Sunset 17.54

The forest, the trees are silent. A thick blanket of mist is hiding the landscape. No sounds, no wind just the sound of walking feet in the snow. In the distance a buzzard is flying into the sky, disappearing into the fog as if it was never there. On the plain the horizon becomes one with the snow covered ground.

Trees become strange creatures, you think they move, dance, swirl. The mist is tricking your eyes. But they make no noise. A breathtaking silence under the dancing trees of the forest.

HARSH CONDITIONS

Sunrise 08.02 - Sunset 17.47

It is cold again. Some days ago it seemed that spring could not be far. Temperatures well above zero. Snow and ice was disappearing fast but now winter is still here. The horses in the forest have to search for food under the snow, scratching with there hooves. On the plain the wind is blowing taking the ground snow into the air and covering up all traces, roads and tracks. Harsh conditions but also breathtaking. All daily problems, small quarrels and discussion are trivial in comparison of the greatness of nature. Just go outside and embrace the beauty of it. Enjoy the outdoors.

MAGICAL LANDSCAPE

Sunrise 08.04 - Sunset 17.45

This weekend fresh snow has fallen and at the same time it is melting, not fast, temperatures are just above zero. The snow sticks to trees, branches everything. The sun is shining and the forests and the streams look like a landscape in a fairytale. Wind blows the snow from branches and sometimes you think to experience another snow shower. But the snow flakes are different more icy and sparkling in the sunshine, as if a shower of silver comes down from the trees. The streams are filled with clear, cold water. Up close you see everything beneath the surface, sand, plants the currents. From a distance they look like black ribbons in a white, powdered forest. A magical winters landscape.

PIECES OF HAIL

Sunrise 08.13 - Sunset 17.36

Have you ever been in a shower of hail. Not the one that pinches in your eyes or hurts your head but the one that is soft. During midday a hail cloud was coming closer and closer. You could see it from a distance in a blue sky. Sun was shining but it was coming closer fast. When I turned right on a desolated plain I saw the hail falling in the distance. It looked as if it was passing by but then the first small hail stones fell down from behind the white birch trees. It felt soft and the world turned white, the air was filled with a pleasant noise and the soft hail stones where falling by thousands, millions and how strange it seems; everything looked more clear, cleaner, sharper, hard to describe. As if nature cleaned a window in spite of all the falling white hails. Perhaps the white color was enhancing the sharpness of my sight. It was beautiful.

BLUE SKY, WHITE SNOWFLAKES - 02-02-2013

Sunrise 08.18 - Sunset 17.30

This morning, in a few spare moments I took the time to gaze at the fresh falling snowflakes, you can’t keep your eyes of them. You follow some all the way to the ground, others you lose in the chaos of white dots. They swirl like a feather or drop like a stone, so different so interesting, so calming.

In the midday, snow was already gone. In the top of some trees more then twenty magpies gathered around a crow. The blackbird wasn’t impressed and was enjoying the sun. The magpies made a lot of noise. Some people think of them as a plague. Perhaps they are because than can do a lot of damage to the young birds and nestlings in spring, but now they are just beautiful but noisy birds.