January 2017
Sunday, 1st January 2017
No, this is not a black-and-white photo of a coral reef or of a cactus. It’s a photo (and, incidentally, a colour photo) of a pine tree, taken on new year’s day 2017.
A pine tree is by nature a very prickly thing. But look at how a week of freezing fog has covered each and every pine needle with still more needles of hoar-frost! That’s why the tree looks more like a cactus than a tree.
A pine tree is by nature a very prickly thing. But look at how a week of freezing fog has covered each and every pine needle with still more needles of hoar-frost! That’s why the tree looks more like a cactus than a tree.
Saturday, 21st January 2017 - On ice!
In the neighbouring village of Bubikon there’s a water-meadow called Hüsliriet. In summer it looks like an ordinary hay field, apart from a a few clumps of alder trees and patches of reeds.
In autumn they let the meadow flood, and for about 5 months it forms a picturesque little lake. The lake is quite shallow, so it tends to freeze over in winter.
And now for a whole week, the temperature has stayed, night and day, well below zero. Yesterday I received the news that the authorities had given the all-clear: Hüsliriet is safe to skate on.
So, early this morning I was out on the ice before anyone else was around, in temperatures of minus 5 Celsius. The ice is rather bumpy but it’s so nice and peaceful out there. This beats the indoor ice-rink any day!
In autumn they let the meadow flood, and for about 5 months it forms a picturesque little lake. The lake is quite shallow, so it tends to freeze over in winter.
And now for a whole week, the temperature has stayed, night and day, well below zero. Yesterday I received the news that the authorities had given the all-clear: Hüsliriet is safe to skate on.
So, early this morning I was out on the ice before anyone else was around, in temperatures of minus 5 Celsius. The ice is rather bumpy but it’s so nice and peaceful out there. This beats the indoor ice-rink any day!
Front page story
Look back to 1665: the Plague Year
Contact
If you’re interested in English lessons or translation and checking services, please feel free to contact me in the language of your choice - English, French, German or even Lingala!
Here are my details:
Here are my details:
Mobile
078 609 56 51
+41 78 609 56 51
+41 78 609 56 51
Location
Tödistrasse 9, 8634 Hombrechtikon
(New address from 24th March 2018)
(New address from 24th March 2018)
If you are travelling from Rüti / Wolfhausen, drive past the Hombrechtikon place-name sign for about 300 metres and turn right into Tödistrasse, just before the Tobel bus stop.
Approaching from Hombrechtikon
If you are approaching from the centre of Hombrechtikon, follow the signs to Rüti. At the Tobel junction (the Methodist Church is on the left) turn left. Tödistrasse is the next turning on the left, just past the Tobel bus stop.
The entrance to our new flat is about 100 metres from the junction with Rütistrasse, on the left-hand side of the road.
The house number is number 9 and we are on the first floor.
There are a few visitor’s parking bays a short distance beyond the entrance, on the left.
There are a few visitor’s parking bays a short distance beyond the entrance, on the left.
Arriving by bus
If you arrive by bus from Bubikon, get off the bus at Tobel and follow Tödiweg until you get to Tödistrasse. Our house is on the right.