Polar-iced

Anyone remember how we were fighting, three years ago, in January 2016 to get Blip rescued from the clutches of Polaroid and in the months leading up to that the sometimes bitter discussions, recriminations, long time members leaving, some getting banned and some losing money?
My b-i-l had not long before joined, bought a life membership and was then granted the gift of a further life membership which he very kindly gave me - I was over the Bliping moon! Then the instant Polaroid affair and finally, thanks to the incredibly hard efforts of a handful of dedicated Blip-nuts, we were rescued. And since then, matters have rolled on day, for week, for month, for year without any major hassle and there reigns unity and harmony again.

Can't be said often enough - thank you, the wonderful voluntary team who keep us going. But naturally, all those who helped get the cash together with the crowd-funding event and those who can pay monthly/annual subs that keep it afloat on a day to day basis. And there are many loyal and dedicated Blipers who, for whatever reason, are not in a position to financially chip in but through their being fully in the Blip family, contribute so positively to the site. And I am sure these people derive so much mental support from the secure, loving, thoughtful community we have all created.

By heck are we great ....NO ..... WE ARE THE GREATEST.

Thank you Blipers.
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Boring Blip again today. Some snow fell overnight and as I was alone all day, took my time to have a nice stroll out with Luna in the morning. Light snow and a light breeze with the sun trying, but 99% of the time failing, to make an appearance.

It was a forest walk from the house over deep riveted logging tracks and fallen trees on to hard wide gravel roads. We bumped into a "well-known" village resident who seems to drive out to use the same path 365 days a year. We literally bumped into one another at a T junction. He doesn't respond to the standard Bavarian greeting nor exchange words as he tries to control his probably very nice and very active, retriever size, hunting breed dog. Today was worse in that he couldn't get a proper foothold on the snow. So sad to watch as he fought to move on. Nothing else to do than wait 5 minutes before he was some distance ahead and we could set off behind him. One of the photos shows him in the distance and I think one can see how the dog is pulling. He has approached Johannes our hunter, dog breeder and fully qualified hunting dog trainer friend to help him out but alone the owner's attitude has forced Johannes to say he has a full-time plan. I don't for one-second claim to have Luna 100% under control but we have a good enough arrangement that she can do what she likes but listens to me when my voice gets to a certain pitch.

After the tall spruce forest, a bit over open meadows and finally then we beat our way through young tree plantations without any paths. Not generally encouraged/allowed but only a few 100 metres and end ups directly on our property. Right at the end is a "crater" which I think must have been the old stream before sometime in the 60s/70s the parish carried out the then in vogue straightening of streams and rivers which turned out to do more harm than good. I am sure a badger/fox group have at least in the past lived in the banks.

The photo of Luna looking at a stream shows on the other side a bit of our property that we can't directly access without wading through the stream. Not quite visible on the other side is an old very low hunters high-seat dumped there by the previous hunter. As Johannes has taken over the duties and rights it is now his low-high-seat and whenever we see him, he says he will get it sorted. Doesn't bother us and the poor guy has a mass of such inherited derelict objects and waste to clear that I wouldn't expect him to do anything for a few years still.

Some may remember me saying his young hunting dog had been killed in an accident with a car just a few hundred meters from our house in summer. Together with his girlfriend, they had another dog who to his great joy had 11 puppies on 15th December. Within 10 days she died (I'm not yet sure of the medical cause) and so he has been very busy hand feeding! He did start a search for a surrogate mother(s) and indeed got some response but long distances away and I suspect that as he insists on doing everything 100% properly, he and his partner will bottle feed as long as humanly possible.

This evening for the second walk in the dark, things had changed. Thermometer -1°C with "Feels Like" showing -6°C and snowing hail if that sounds possible, in a good strong breeze. Half the walk was directly into the wind. When I got to the village, I took the selfie thinking the street lamp would help. I wasn't amused that on the homeward walk with a tail wind, the snow stopped!

As a reward, enjoyed a lovely spag-bol, the sauce for which I had made from our tomatoes and vegetables in summer and frozen. And to top it off I made a fresh crumble - a real mix up of a very ripe pear, two apples and, in a for me premiere, whacked in a 500g jar of my homemade mincemeat. Somehow I have to get the stuff used up. Didn't bother putting any sugar in the fruit and in retrospect could have done without so much in the crumble part. Turned out very acceptable with some single cream but I would have liked to have made some real custard - Angie had "stolen" all the eggs though to take to relations!

Good news, one of our five new hens laid her first egg today.