27 January 2002

The only birds we see in the winter season are very, very large black ravens and crows, either perched up high in the leafless birch trees or wheeling around in packs across the sky. At this time, after almost two months of freezing weather and winter winds, not a single leaf is left on any of the trees, so forests and skylines are quite stark - all of the trees appearing as silent soldiers, each separately visible, in an army waiting pensively for warmer weather. Vienna normally has benign weather, but occasionally has strong windstorms, much like our old house in the Oakland hills. The wind really whips through, and as we live up in a small saddle near the Vienna woods we get the wind with a vengeance. We measured 60 mph once, but even the 30mph winds rattle the windows in this old house.

It was very cold from early December to mid January, with snow that never melted, but in recent days the daily high has reached up to 45F, so the grass is bare of snow and our mood, rather than cheerful has turned gray. Fog settles into the Danube valley at this time, often for weeks, and the sun might not break through for weeks as well. This keeps the temperature around freezing all day, and is agreed to be the worst time of year - no snow, no sun, and cold. If you drive out of town into the nearby hills or mountains it is almost always sunny, but oddly enough we find ourselves stuck in town by the dull mood (as well as other obligations), and only occasionally do we push ourselves out into the sun.

January is the zwischenzeit, the between time, the time after all the joy of a long Christmas and the various celebrations of spring and Easter. People struggle to get through the month - not just ourselves but also the Viennese. Beginning in February the moods pick up, as the days become noticeably longer and the events ramp up again. February and late January are the height of the Ball Season, when the hundreds of different balls are held throughout the city. At the end of January the city builds a very large outdoor ice skating rink in front of the city hall, with food, drink, and music, which becomes a social meeting spot for business and families alike. To some extent we see these as municipally organized morale reinforcement during the dark, gray season, but reasonably successful! We went to the JgerBall, or Hunters Ball, where the dress code called for Trachten, or traditional dress, and the theme is preservation of the woods, fields, and outdoor culture. We resisted the temptation to attend the KaffeeSeider Ball, or the Coffee House Ball, for the association of coffee house employees and friends -). The most beautiful Ball is the Blumen (Flower) Ball, organized by the municipal department responsible for Vienna's gardens - a vast hall is just covered with magnificent flowers.

The first appearance of sun and even better, some warmth, after all the cold and bitter days brings an amazing (to ourselves, as Californians) transformation - we began to get excited about our garden and spring. Thoughts of enjoying the garden and being outdoors are entirely supressed in the winter, but come back instantly with warm sun. The temperature climbed above 40F for the first time in 45 days in mid January, and as it happened this was the day to take the old Christmas tree out of the yard to the collection point, and I was not only in shirtsleeves, but the sleeves were rolled up.

It was, of course, an obviously false sign of spring, but exciting nonetheless. We have returned now to gray and cold, but although we hope for further snow we can tell the days are slowly lengthening, and our blood, thickened during the cold and dark time, is beginning to move again. We've begun to walk again, through the neighborhoods and woods - something the dogs are thankful for - and can feel, if not see, some signs of Spring.

Saturday 2 February - The weather has turned warm, reaching up to 55F, the warmest since 1872.  It's quite odd; everyone is intoxicated by the sun and warmth, yet some still walk around in down jackets, with gloves.  Grace and I went with the two dogs for a walk in the woods today,  up to Am Himmel, an open field with a restaurant, and just soaked up the preternatural rays.

Monday 25 February - It snowed today!  We arrived at 6:10am on the overnight train from Innsbruck after our struggle to get out of Lech on schedule (the pass was closed with heavy snow).  Sitting with the family in the Innsbruck train station at 11pm on a Sunday night left me questioning my performance as Father & Leader; it was perhaps one step up from a Greyhound station at 3am in the morning, but only perhaps.  However, it was the only way we could patch together transportation home in time for school on Monday, and once we got onto the train everyone slept soundly for a few hours.  Arriving in Vienna, we launched the kids towards the bus, and then the first snow since late December began to fall heavily into the yard.  Sara and I took a walk around the SchlossPark behind our house, enjoying the complete peace of the early morning and the fresh snow.  This english-style garden is quite large, perhaps 400 acres, and very well tended, although the beauty is mostly the extremely well developed illusion of natural forest and meadows.  The park is fenced; deer, ducks, geese, goats and other wildlife are free to run around inside the park, and occasionally escape into the neighborhood under the fence, although they seem wise enough to slip back to their refuge quickly.  The menagerie is an odd but entrancing twist to this pleasant park.

The snow melted before noon, and we are back into the 40's now, but we were pleased to get out and briefly enjoy winter again.