All posts tagged: outdoors

And then it was … Spring!

Published by Sula H.

It was just the other day, when I looked from the elevator through the glass of the far away front door to our building, that I realized: Spring has come! Having been so busy recently, I never realized that everything outside had changed, and trees and shrubberies are in full bloom. But today, I ventured out for a little half-hour stroll, and I’m very inclined to share with you what I was able to enjoy:

A {Perfect} Lunar Surprise

Published by Sula H.

Look at what treat we got to have tonight! First, I was so happy about the full moon shining brightly from a perfectly clear sky. And then, before you know it, that perfectly full moon slowly turned into this … And then into this … And into this … And finally there was nothing left … But hey, I’m not complaining. I like surprises like this. Especially when you actually get to see them happen. And especially when the rare surprise happens on a rare day of perfectly clear skies, which makes it twice as special (because what use is a lunar eclipse for anyone when it’s covered by a layer of clouds and smog?) But not tonight. Tonight, we had the perfect conditions for a perfectly perfect lunar eclipse. I like perfect!

What Mountain Climbing Has To Do With Cookie Baking

Published by Sula H.

I went mountain climbing with friends today; and thanks to one of my friends, I learned something new. There’s that old saying that goes like this: The earthen vessel may not blame its potter, asking, “Why have you made me this way?” Likewise – my friend felt free to instruct me as we were hiking – the baker shouldn’t blame his cookie: “Why have you turned out so sweet!?” And don’t you know – I had to agree with my friend: There’s quite some truth to that. What? You’re still not quite understanding what cookie baking has to do with mountain climbing? Well, here’s the story: I’d brought some homemade cookies with me for sharing as a snack with others during the hike (it’s Christmas season after all). I’d made those cookies combining two recipes, and while they still tasted pretty good, they also were a little too sweet for my liking. It made me feel like I had to apologize for the cookies when sharing them. But my friend was right: I couldn’t really …

Fall Frolic

Published by Sula H.

It wasn’t super early at the time, but I was still in bed the other day, when I received a message on my phone by my friend, telling me that she’d found a place on campus where there were plenty of leaves falling off the trees, lying on the ground, and no one around to rake them away – yet. Well, I answered, by the time I’d get there, everything was sure to be gone – remember the tree hitters? But then I decided to give it a shot anyways. I asked some of my photography friends to join, and we went over there, and were in for a nice surprise. There was the long, empty road, covered with leaves, and it was the perfect setting for this … And this … And here is even more  … Saying Thanks And I’m thankful today that I’m done with classes, and that it’s a new day, of a new week, with lots of new chances.

Heater Day Has Come

Published by Sula H.

Finally! Heater day has come, and that’s supposed to be good news. Probably because of the recent chill, they decided to turn on the heat a day earlier than usual. After all,  remember – in China the heating system is regulated corporately, which means no one can individually control it, and it usually is turned on on November 15, and will last until March 15 – no matter whether you’re home or not, or whether it’s cold or not; the heat will be on. Except that my radiators have no sign of heat – yet. So I’m still hoping and wishing, and I’m very thankful that the last few days the weather has warmed up a little again. Still, I want a comfy home, and that means I’ll have to keep an eye on my radiators these days. By the way, talking about keeping an eye on things – I saw one yesterday. A tree shaker, that is. Remember Saturday’s post? And yesterday, I was out on my bike, enjoying the sunshine and what not, …

Autumn’s Fashion

Published by Sula H.

Autumn is the weirdest thing around here. While some trees still are in full and green summer splendor, others have lost all their leaves already. And interspersed between these two – if you look hard enough – you can actually find them – those beautiful autumn colors that I love about this season! So, whenever fall puts on its most colorful dress, I can’t resist! I just have to pack my camera, and get out there to capture some of the season’s latest fashion. In that spirit I went out for a little walk the other day, and look what I found … And then I went out again yesterday, for the sole purpose of taking pictures with my friends, because it’s fall, and because it was a pretty day. And guess what awful thing happened? The battery died! Yes! It died. Just when we wanted to start the photo session. That is, I knew it was almost dead when I left home. But that’s what you got your spare battery for, right? Duhhh! The …