The Changing Seasons – January 2019

 

It´s time again for the wonderful challenge The Changing Seasons hosted by my dear friend Su from Zimmerbitch!

 

Curly Sue

 

January started with me keeping my promise to make my mum´s new perm. We actually wanted to do this in late October but had to change plans because she didn´t feel so well.

 

Multicolored curlers (Jan. 2019) 

 

It´s quite an ordeal really – about 4 hours of putting in the curlers, then adding the chemicals, letting them do their magic, and finally undo all the curlers again. All in all it takes about 7 hours.

 

A glimpse in the mirror (Jan. 2019)

 

My mum used to go to a very skilled hair dresser but ever since Wonder Woman (that´s what she called her) went in early retirement, I ended up doing the job after she tried out a new one and wasn´t happy at all with the result. This we do now about once or twice a year.

I´ve become quite good at putting in the curlers, even broke my own record last time by half an hour, but just can´t stand the horrendous smell of the chemicals, so I always take my leave before she puts those on herself. How she bears it remains a mystery to me, but I guess that´s the price women are willing to pay in exchange for beauty… 😉

Next time I´ll hopefully add a pic of her with her new hairdo. 😀

 

The Llama and the Fox

 

 

Having already started with my little crocheted Llama Amigurumi in December, it only took a few more days to get finished.

 

Crocheted Amigurumi Llama (Jan. 2019)

The Llama even got a little tail (Jan. 2019)

 

I also made a new fox, this time for myself, which is now keeping me company, happily dozing on my desk.

 

Amigurumi fox (Jan- 2019)

 

Little fox fast asleep (Jan. 2019)

 

The fox and the llama (Jan. 2019)

 

Birds of Prey

 

Even though it´s a bit cold for that, I went to the Zoo twice this month, which was heavenly deserted of tourists at this time of year! But only two pics for now, as I plan to write a separate post about it soon.

 

Beautiful silvery winter reed, Berlin Zoo (Jan. 2019)

 

A snow owl in hiding – whenever I catch a glimpse of a snow owl, I admit to immediately think of my favorite owl book character Hedwig. 🙂 (Jan. 2019)

 

On a day I decided to stay home because of the ugly weather (cold and nasty sleet), I was actually rewarded for my idleness by a surprise visitor, a kestrel.

 

Quick shot out of my window (Jan. 2019)

 

I literally had only time to grab my camera and shoot before it took off again. Even though I had no time for any kind of settings, I was happy to see that I literally caught it in time for take-off.

It´s slightly out of focus because I had to crop it in order to make you see the kestrel in more detail.

 

Gotcha! Kestrel taking off (Jan. 2019)

 

Books and Cookies

 

My reading spree hasn’t quite stopped yet – winter is just perfect for snuggling up in bed and reading a book! – and out of the seven that I managed to read in January, these two stood out:

When I picked up the latest novel – or rather novella – by Stephen King, „Elevation“, at my local library I was both thrilled and slightly disappointed: thrilled because it´s a new one and looked like no one had read it before me, and disappointed because it was such a slim volume.

 

Stephen King´s latest and a cup of tea and home baked peanut butter cookies (Jan. 2019)

As expected, I finished reading the 132 pages in one sitting. 😉 Short as it may be, it´s also another example of King´s brilliant story-telling.

I only began reading Nora Roberts last year, though I didn’t even know then that it was her, because she writes the „In Death“ series under her pseudonym J.D. Robb. When I found out, I was slightly embarrassed as I´m not much a reader of romance and always associated her with those kind of novels. But even though romance does make an appearance in that series, her tough ass-kicking main character Lt. Eve Dallas mainly does exactly that – kicking villain´s asses. 😉 Having always had a soft spot for strong female character, I can´t help but admit, that I really love these books. It also helps that Dallas has a weakness for coffee and chocolate, something I can only too well understand. 😉 Also her side-kick, Detective Delia Peabody, is a very fun character to read, because she shares my love for colorful clothes and is a ferocious knitter. 😉

 

Nora Robert´s “Year One” and more tea and cookies 😉 (Jan. 2019)

 

So when I saw her latest novel in the library, „Year One“, I wasn’t as biased against her work as I used to be and, reading the summary on the back, noticed that this was another no-romance book of hers, but an end-of-the world story, so it happily joined the dozen or so other books already assembled in my basket.

It´s the first in her new Series „Chronicles of the One“ and it was so good that I can´t wait to read the next one!!

 

Homebaked peanut butter cookies can sometimes steal the show 😉 (Jan. 2019)

 

And here are the guidelines for The Changing Seasons if you’re interested in participating:

The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic):

• Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
• Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
• Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):

• Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
• Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
• Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.

If you do a ping-back to Su´s original monthly post, she can update it with links to yours.