D I A R I K O M

Grace Crivellaro - afternoon chat

2012-02-12T22:48:00.000-08:00

Grace Crivellaro - photo by Nigel A JAMES

Set Patterns

All of us are products of our past. We are the sum of the places we have seen, the things we have done, the people we have met and the passions within us. And, the more fun we have had, the more fun we are now, and Grace Crivellaro, if first impressions are anything to go by, must have had one wow of a good time until now!

And, Grace’s greatest passion of all has always been sewing, and so, after leaving school in London, she took up her studies in the world of fashion and design. After graduation, work and experience followed, and her next years were her London years. But there was one more passion growing within her.

It was travel. And, so it was, that she packed her bags and set sail for the south China sea and a life in Hong Kong. It was a whirl. There were the shadows and the shades of a culture so different. There were people, there were sounds , there were tastes and there were smells; and these were the elements that were beginning to show in her work, and, these were the patterns that were to be in her luggage on her way to her next stage in life!

It was Padua in Italy. Here, not far from Venice, was the centre of design and creation, and Grace was there, too. And she flowered. Everything was how it should be. But life, however great it may seem, is full of surprises, and Grace went from perfect to better!

Along came her family and Padua became the place of her roots; and she has never looked back. And not only that! Grace found a brand new direction as well. She became a teacher in English. As well as working with youngsters of primary school age, she is also actively involved in getting adults to jump once again the hurdles of going back to the class room, and she’s very good at it. But her designs are still simmering away!

Grace is presently working on the idea behind her future website. Soon, we will all be able to dive into her world that’s as deep as the years she’s been working. We will be able to see the work she has done, and, at the same time, be able to admire her current creations! And, with her daughter now studying art and design in London, a tradition is about to unfold, a tradition that takes in the world and is there for us all!

Everyone wants to look great, and that’s what Grace and her daughter are doing for us!

nj njmailboy@gmail.com

Trixi Beck - Afternoon Coffee

2012-02-05T09:21:00.000-08:00

Trixi Beck - photo by Nigel A JAMES

A Tale of Four Tails

Babies bring changes. This everyone knows. And it’s as true in Vienna as everywhere else. But, the powerful combination of child plus dog has the untamed force of reform that can turn even the slowest of backwater lives into a torrent of mainstream power and speed that carries all in its wake on its journey to the unknown shores of the future!

The dog was meant to be a companion and good influence for baby Vicky. Trixi and her husband firmly believed that pets were the best thing that could happen to kids, and this is undoubtedly true; they weren’t barking up the wrong tree. But things rarely turn out the way they are planned, and the dog – a golden retriever – became, instead, the source of a brand new direction.

The obvious happened. Walks in the cold freezing mornings of winter, visits to the vets, and all associated costs, etc. But, it was the kennel club that made the big difference. Dogs need training, and the club is the only place to go – and where there are dogs there are people – and the people at the club were all just as different as the dogs they had with them – that is, to say, except for one little thing.

Both, dogs and people are very social animals, and Trixi found she was enjoying the club just as much as her dog was, there was just as much wagging of tongues as there was wagging of tails! And so it was, that after some time, she, too, became a trainer and is now very busy helping others to shape the habits of their 4 legged friends and companions.

But, dogs are individuals, and many reflect the ways and the moods of their owners. But there is one place that Trixi can’t take her dogs to, and that is the conventions in London that she regularly goes to. She is an ardent fan of Buffy and Angel, a TV soap of yesteryear, and for her, and many others too, this show lives on in the fun of the meetings that they go to. But what about her little girl, Vicki?

She has now become a budding 12 year old and does well at school; and, maybe the dogs did make a difference. With canine company, one does learn respect. Pets, just like people, do let others know when they don’t want disturbing, and people with dogs, are, on the whole, extremely considerate. But, who knows? Maybe it’s the right kind of people who attract the right kind of dog, and now in Trixi’s household there are two beautiful dogs, a border collie called Cleo, and an Australian shepherd which answers to Sweeny. And these are two happy friends; their life is no dogs’ life! And, I secretly wonder, too, who, in reality is really wagging whose tail?

nj 2010

Bruno Hope - A Walking Legend

2012-01-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

Walking Home - Pencil drawing by Nigel A JAMES

Under A Roman Moon

Bruno Hope’s story of survival

Life is a journey of risks and sometimes great danger. But, for some people, perils and hazards are just part of life’s course, and, Bruno Hope is just such a person!

It was 1945. Bruno Hope was busy walking home across Italy. He was a young man; he had survived his war, and Vienna, although still far away, was getting nearer and nearer as each day passed by. Things couldn’t be better. Soon his favourite beer would be flowing and the schnitzels he had missed for so long would be sizzling once more in the pan; and, even that war torn Italian village seemed like heaven on earth as he passed through it on his way to the north. But then it happened!

The partisans struck. The firing was coming from every direction. There was no escape. Bruno went down in a hail of bullets. Then, with one of his shoulders completely destroyed, and his heart holding on for all it was worth he passed out. And there, beneath a Roman moon he lay, waiting to die – in a pool of crimson deepening blood!

But not yet! His death was not meant to be. Long ago, a gipsy had told him so, and he had believed it! He knew in his heart of hearts that the beer and the schnitzels would wait.

The doctors fought hard to save him, and they did a wonderful job. But his left shoulder and arm had been too badly hit to repair. They would never work again! But Bruno Hope thought differently, and, so it was, that he went to work on himself.

He began by lifting the lightest of weights, and, within eighteen months of hard work and increasing the load, his arm was back once again to full strength. He had managed to cure himself and get himself working again. He had fought the impossible and won!

And that’s how Bruno’s life has been ever since. Downs are for getting up from and not giving in to; and, most importantly, what ever authority tells you, follow your own inner voice and do what it tells you! It usually knows best!

Saviz Foroughi - Over a Coffee

2012-01-22T12:03:00.000-08:00

Saviz Foroughi - photo by Nigel A JAMES

Heart Strings

Living the life of a dream means having the strength to follow the path of one’s choice. This is not always easy, and Saviz knows best. There is the pressure to do that which is normal, and there are those who always know better. But, despite all of this, Saviz has succeeded in becoming herself.

Saviz works in the Schönbrunn Puppet Theatre in Vienna, and she is unseen, for she is one of those who are pulling the strings!

And it all started when she was a child in Iran. Like all little girls she loved playing with her dolls, but, unlike the others, Saviz was already living the life that was growing within her. Her little dolls were the actors in her home-spun theatre, and her neighbourhood friends were those queuing up for a seat in the stalls.

School followed and Saviz grew up. And then came the crossroads. After successfully saying goodbye to her school, and with top marks in her pocket, she found that her way forward had already been thought of and planned in great detail!

And so, following the desires of the hearts of the others, Saviz signed up for medical school. Everything was set for a life as a doctor; guaranteed and secure; and what could be better? But within her was always the pull of the stage.

And feelings that are real can not be suppressed, and so, after a while of doing that which was never to be, Saviz was back at the cross-roads. But this time she took the way of her wishes and found herself back on the path which was hers! A school of drama came next.

And then came the marionettes! Her childhood dolls had grown up and what Saviz was doing was real. Learning the art of pulling the strings wasn’t that easy, and it took almost 6 months to learn even the basics; and 3 years to master the art quite completely. And so she continued and the jobs started coming. And then came Vienna.

Vienna was for family; her husband’s job was there and Saviz followed. But, that what’s within you will always be there, and, after a while, she was once again pulling the strings. This time in the little puppet theatre in Schönbrunn.

And now, Saviz has another world, too. At home, she and her husband have two very nice children, a boy of 9 years and a girl who is 2.

But that’s not all! In between working and bringing up children, Saviz has time to sketch and write short stories, too. Her life is that of fulfilment and the satisfaction of doing that which she loves.

And, I wonder, too, who at the end of the day is really pulling whose strings? Maybe it’s the little people of the theatre who have Saviz in hand, and not the other way round! Who knows? Marionettes have not only characters and feelings, they also have souls!

http://www.marionettentheater.at/

nj.

Poem for January

2012-01-15T03:07:00.000-08:00

Night Eyes - Schnittkunst by Nigel A JAMES

George Gordon Noel, Lord Byron – 1788 - 1824

So, we’ll go no more a-roving

So, we’ll go no more a-roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still and bright.

For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
And the heart must pause to breath,
And love itself have rest.

Though the night was made for loving,
And the day returns too soon,
Yet we’ll go no more a-roving
By the light of the moon.

Lisl Wong - Saying Hello

2012-01-08T13:14:00.000-08:00

Lisl in Her Rocking Chair -Photo by Nigel A JAMES

Lisl, Her Cat, Her Home, Her Chair and Her Garden

There’s a thread that runs through everyone’s life. For some it is real in the life that they lead; whilst, for others it’s a dream that takes years to come to fruition. But, for Lisl Wong, it was a wish that came true just as soon as she stepped over the line that divides years of hard work from the wide open space of time that is waiting and there for the taking.

And time was the thing that she needed, and filling it was never a question. After years at the top, this bundle of strength and dynamic ideas was moving on quickly to her life-long goal of becoming a carpenter. And so, Lisl enthusiastically began a course of learning by doing; and now, with new skills in her hands, she has succeeded in bringing out the restorer that was always within her!

“Of course”, she says, “one has to be able to see how the object once was and how it will be”. And, it is to this end that Lisl’s deep interest in art and design comes handily in. But what she does is fantastic, and, the best example of her work is the wonderful old Thonet rocking chair that she has lovingly brought back to life!

But fine pieces of furniture demand perfect settings, and Lisl’s home is amongst the best that there are. It is not only an oasis of quietness and peace amidst the hustle and bustle of Viennese city life; it is also the perfect home for her art, her books, and her furniture; and, of course, her cat and her plants.

And, plants mean much for Lisl, as well. When she’s not busy with her sawing and gluing and putting old chairs back together again, she can be found in her garden where she tenderly cares for all that she grows and the 4 legged creatures that come calling at night.

But Lisl’s life isn’t just gardens, carpentry and Vienna. Travelling, too, has always been important for her. Her feet have trod the dry paths of Israel; she has stood behind forbidden walls of China; she has seen the sun come up o’er Africa, and she has felt the white shining cold of clear Arctic moons!

But, however far you may travel, you can only be where you are now, and rocking comfortably beside her fire - with her cat on her lap - is the place that Lisl loves best!

Aufwiedersehen 2011

2011-12-31T04:49:00.000-08:00

Village Dance - pencil drawing by Nigel A JAMES

Auld Lang Syne
by Robert Burns – 1759 – 1796

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min`?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pu’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wandered mony a weary foot
Sin’ auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne . . .

We twa hae paidled in the burn,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roared
Sin’ auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne . . .

And there’s a hand, my trusty fierce,
And gie’s a hand o’ thine:
And we’ll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne . . .

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I’ll be mine;
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne . . .

Aiblins – perhaps

A kennin – a little

Gowans – daisies

I wish you a very happy new year!

Rebecca Hughes - A Kitchen Chat

2011-12-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

Rebecca Hughes in her kitchen - photo by Araka Acs.

The Beauty of Future Summers

Ten years in the future is a long way away, but, the ten that have just gone have either flown quickly past – or - have crept snailpacingly by to where they are now which is the same as where they were then! But, action means speed, and, the more that one does, the quicker the clock actually turns - and time, for Rebecca A. Hughes and her partner Jeremy, has become shorter and shorter since they started their business just ten years ago!

But, what is important is now; and, the seeds which Rebecca and Jeremy then hopefully planted are now blossoming. And the results are amazing! Their gardening landscape business, Oakapple Services, has well and truly taken root in the green north of England where they live!

In the beginning was the vision, and, with this in mind, Rebecca went to work on herself by turning herself into herself by making her hobby her life. At first came the hard work of learning – studying garden architecture is a hard and time taking challenge; and then followed the task of convincing future clients; and then finally, the turning of barren garden plots into islands of beauty and penetrating goodness and peace.

But, when good things start rolling, they take on a speed of their own, and one has to run to keep up. Word quickly spread!

And now, with just ten very short years to their credit, Rebecca and Jeremy are busier than ever; and their works of pure horticultural art aren’t secrets any more. They are there and growing for all to see, admire and enjoy!

After-all, when an acorn starts growing, its strength keeps going for ever, but, where it is planted is very important, for it provides a quality of life for many future summers as well!

Jamie Burroughs in Focus

2011-12-14T02:30:00.000-08:00

Jamie Burroughs at London Airport - photo by Nigel A. JAMES

Travelling Made Him

I had the very great pleasure of meeting Jamie Burroughs whilst passing through London airport last week, and, maybe, the airport was the best place to meet him, for, this man is a traveller and airports have been, for him, the starting points of many discoveries.

And, it is not only places and people that one meets upon one’s travels; one can also find hidden surprises that have been lying in wait and deep down within us for a very long time. And that’s exactly what happened to Jamie whilst he was cutting and hacking his way through the untamed snake infested and disease ridden jungles of Borneo.

He had just finished his second book; a novel with a deep philosophical slant, when the urge to leave his native England overtook him, and so it was, that he took leave of Southend, his home base in England, and went to the east!

And there he saw, quite literally, the light. He discovered that the light in the east had something about it that the shades and the shadows of the north were mysteriously missing. And, so fascinating and moving it was, that it brought out his love for photography as a vehicle and means for fine arts. And this was a turning point for Jamie.

And, so he continued his tour of the east, but now with a different perspective to his pictures. He went to Hong Kong, he went to Japan; and many other places as well; and now, back once again upon his native shores, things are changing, too.

He is, right now, in the process of opening a brand new studio which will not only allow more space for his fine-art photography, but also, enable him to maintain his excellent portrait work, for which he is already well known

And, what then will follow for this man of destinations? More exhibitions, maybe? A new book? A new direction? Only the future can tell, but, one thing is certain, Jamie Burroughs is a man to be watched!

www.jamieburroughsfoto.com

Heinzpeter Thiel - A Man of Minds!

2011-12-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

Heinzpeter Thiel whilst studying his Schedule - photo by Nigel A JAMES

An Historical Academic Event!

There are those who have a desire for learning, and there are those who can provide the sought after knowledge; but the gulf between the two can never be bridged unless a visible means be established to knit the two sides together. And this has more to do with feelings than anything else, and, five years ago, Heinzpeter Thiel had just such a feeling that led to a brand new beginning for the learning of many - he founded the Hietzing Academy!

Heinzpeter Thiel had been living in Hietzing, a leafy well-to-do suburb of Vienna, for many happy years when he retired, and, it was then that this ex-journalist and publisher decided that the windows in his schedule could be easily filled with the pursuit of learning and the gathering of knowledge. But, where were the interesting and meaningful topics that he was looking for? The answer was nowhere! And so, he started the Hietzinger academy.

And now, within the space of just a few very short years, and, with the tremendous help of his wife, Hildegard, and, of course, the local council, the Hietzinger Academy has become even much more than Heinzpeter’s wildest of very wild dreams! There are many more like-minded people than he ever thought possible; and, what started as small has now become an indispensable part of many people’s lives!

And, one of the academy’s most popular events are its “back to school days”. These are days, where, just like the ones of long, long ago, people are able to recapture the spirit of learning and brush up their often forgotten lessons of yesteryear - and all complete with real teachers, a class room, a break, and, a time-table to match!

And teachers, as Heinzpeter discovered, are just as keen as everyone else. Not only are the classes and lectures always full to capacity, there are, too, more than enough people who are willing to pass on their knowledge in, what is, a meeting of minds where the coming together of wanting and giving takes place, in, what was, just a few years ago, a vision of Heinzpeter Thiel!

A Poem for Right-Now

2011-11-27T09:23:00.000-08:00

Blue Half Moon - by Nigel A JAMES

Little Boy Blue – by Eugene Field (1850-1895)

The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and staunch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.

"Now, don't you go till I come," he said,
"And don't you make any noise!"
So, toddling off to his trundle-bed,
He dreamt of the pretty toys;
And, as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue,
Oh! The years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true!

Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place,
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
And the smile of a little face;
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.

Natasa Djordjevic - Saying Hello!

2011-11-22T02:35:00.000-08:00

Natasa Djordjevic in her kitchen - photo by Nigel A JAMES

Split Personality

Life sometimes pulls in more than one way at once. Some people are unable to cope, others can; and there are those who can take up the challenge, pick up the reigns, and drive a course through the shades and the colours of a life with its unexpected dimensions. And, one such person is Natasa Djordjevic.

Originally from Split in Croatia, her family has been living in Vienna for a very long time. And, despite the many long years of being away; the sea, the sun, and the life of those long bygone days are still very much a part of their lives. And, it’s this fun of the sun and the taste of the salt that’s to be found on their menu!

In their fine little restaurant, which they call Split, there are all of the fineties and niceties of the Dalmatian coast. Whilst enjoying a salad with the best of fresh fish, or simply tasting the fun of a pizza, one is actually living the feeling of long sandy beaches and the far-away breaking of waves on the rocks! And, working with her family is only one small part of Natasa’s young life.

There is an adult education centre not far from their restaurant, and it is there that Natasa has her own little café, it is not a mini Split, but the welcome is just as nice and as deep; and the food that she serves has a very definite feeling of the pull of a far away spot that’s down by the sea.

Split – 1130 Vienna – Hetzendorferstrasse 165. Natasa’s café is the VHS Hietzing.

Ingrid Hlavka

2011-11-13T23:29:00.000-08:00

Ingrid Hlavka at Home - photo by Nigel A JAMES

A Picture at an Exhibition

In a little chapel in the Breitensee church in Vienna’s 14th district is a work of great wonder, a patchwork by Ingrid Hlavka. And this is good so. For, it is in this church that she has always found the strength and encouragement that has always inspired her. And the picture, although new, has been on its way through the brightness and shades of Ingrid’s life for a very long time.

And Ingrid’s life, just like her patchworks, is made up of squares, which, although different, are, in fact extremely related. They all revolve around the celebration of life; and her life has not only led her to the heights of great beauty in the worlds of music and fine arts, but also to the four corners of the world in her travels.

As a young lady, she trained to be a singer and it was this which led to a career with the Austrian Broadcaster, the ORF, and it was there that she developed an appreciation in depth of the modern, but, it was the church, where she also sang, that provided the majesty, the feelings and the heights of the divine and celestial choral works of Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven, and many more as well. Ingrid had become, in a musical sense, both ancient and modern in one. But, her art was still wanting!

Still as a young girl, she was apprenticed to a seamstress, and one of her jobs was to clean up at the end of each day. This was fine, but, there was always one thing that disturbed her, and that was the throwing away of the fine brightly coloured left-over scraps that were no longer needed. This was pure waste! There had to be something more worthy for these fine pieces! And this was the thought that she filed away in the back of her mind.

And, many years later, the answer presented itself at an exhibition. She was stunned; there was a patch-work picture, the beauty of which she had never seen before. She was mesmerized by the colours and the finesse of this fine work of art. There were the scraps of long, long ago! They, for her had come home! There was her path, and it was shining in a way that was to hold her for ever!

And now, 18 years later, Ingrid’s latest in a very long line of very fine works is to be seen in a little chapel of the Breitensee church - her spiritual home!

Church at Breitensee
http://www.pfarre-breitensee.at/

Armin Spitzer - An Encounter

2011-11-08T00:23:00.000-08:00

Armin Spitzer - photo by Nigel A JAMES

Cutting With the Grain

Whilst speaking to sculptor Armin Spitzer, I couldn’t help noticing the very soft English that he speaks. His isn’t the language of school, but rather the result of total absorption in the places where English is real. And the same, as well, goes for his Spanish and French. In all, Armin has lived in ten different countries, and each one has contributed, in a very colourful way, to where he is now!

His life has taken him down roads of excitement and surprise. He has experienced the rich and the varied shades of tourism, he has sweated over stoves in the miniscule galleys of yachts in the Med; and he has taught. But it was Costa Rica that brought him back to himself. For, it was there, where circumstances had led him, that he discovered the pure breathtakingly colourful beauty of its native wood.

It was unlike anything that he had ever seen before! And, before long, he was making his name with his wonderful precision inlay pictures and other exquisite works! And, in a way, without realizing it, he had come back to his roots.

Armin was born in Graz, one of Austria’s most amazing cities. And, it was there, in his boyhood, that he used to wander the forests, knife in hand and carving as he went. The forest was his school, and, what he learned there has stayed ever since. And much of what he does now has all to do with childhood.

Many children, without knowing it, and especially those in Vienna, spend a lot of their time playing on Armin’s wooden creations. The city has many playing areas, and some have become home to his wooden menagerie. He has sculptured snakes, turtles, pigs, and so-on, and all of them, when seen through the innocent eyes of the young, seem as real as their fantasy allows!

And, of course, wood is a beautiful material to work with. It has, unlike other materials, a soul of its own. And this is the thing that Armin likes very much. His works, when complete, are back where they should be, amongst their own, the elements of wind, rain, sun and snow, and, most importantly, where the children sing!

So, watch out, there may be a pig near you!

See for yourself!

http://www.arminspitzer.at

Thomas Kreuz - An Introduction

2011-10-31T01:24:00.000-07:00

Thomas Kreuz - photo by Nigel A JAMES

No Grind for Thomas!

It is the familiar sights which make up the popular images of the cities which we know; but, it is in the back streets where the magic of urban character is to be found, and, it was whilst making my way along Vienna’s Westbahnstrasse that I discovered Wauwau, a small shop specializing in the advancement of very good taste! And Thomas Kreuz, the owner of this very unusual establishment, does more than just own!

Wauwau is all about pepper-mills. Not the industrial kind that all of us are used to, but superb hand crafted pieces, and all carefully and expertly made by Thomas Kreuz in his work-shop. He has all shapes and sizes; big ones, small ones, plain classical ones, and colourful ones, too. And his functional practical works of fine art are as varied and as interesting as he is himself.

It was as a student of applied arts in Vienna, that Thomas, a former goldsmith, discovered his present way in life. He hit upon the idea of making pepper-mills whilst preparing for a project as part of his studies, and, with his well practiced eye, he was able to design and produce items of sheer unique beauty. But, as he says, it is the wood that gives them that “very special something”.

And working with wood is a challenge. Because, unlike gold, you only have one chance to succeed. Gold, after all, can be melted down again and again, wood can’t. And pepper-mills, unlike jewellery, play a very big and very permanent role in everyone’s life.

We all like good food! And pepper is a question of taste, and everyone’s table demands not only a salt-cellar but a pepper-mill, as well. And, it is thanks to Thomas, that we now have the chance of providing our tables with a beautiful one-off centre piece of rare and functional art.

But, the life of this craftsman isn’t only the grind of hard work. He is the father of two very fine children, a boy and a girl; and his wife, Ursula, is an artist as well. She is a sculptor of stone, and some of her work can also be seen in Wauwau.

Stone, wood, and taste! Three very important elements (plus a little more!) and all in one little shop, Wauwau.

Wow!

Wauwau. 1070 Wien. Westbahnstrasse 7 (very close to Neubaugasse and on the corner of Hermanngasse)

Ful details and great pictures, http://www.wauwau.at/

Hermine Diwald - An Introduction

2011-10-23T03:42:00.000-07:00

Hermine Diwald - photo by Nigel A JAMES

Cunning and Fortitude

There are some people who have an enormous reserve of deep inner passion. They have a certain peace about them that provides strength and meaning to those that they meet, and, one such person is Hermine Diwald. But, Hermine’s strength didn’t come about by pure chance, it grew out of cunning, stealth and great fortitude.

It all began at the end of the Second World War. All over the world, people were returning happily to their homes; their struggle for peace having come to an end. Not so for the Donauschwaben. They had lost all, and, amongst them were Hermine and her family who were from Werschetz in the Banat (Serbia), and they, like thousands of others had been sent to a transit camp!

They had a choice. And it was simple. Stay put in internment and end up somewhere in the Soviet Union (and possibly even dead), or, take your chances and run! And, so it was, that 13 year old Hermine, her family, and others, as well, stepped out after dark through a hole in the fence and embarked upon their sometimes hard, but always dangerous flight to the west.

Hermine’s family found their new home in Vienna where they all succeeded very well. Other Donauschwaben went further a field, and, some didn’t stop until they reached America, and a few even went further a field to Australia and New Zealand.

But people don’t flee from places, they run from people; and those who fled and survived have one very big thing in common, and that is the place that they came from. For them, that will always be home.

And home needs keeping alive. From Vienna, Hermine and others are still busily producing and sending out the Werschetzer Zeitung, a periodical journal containing all that is of interest to this group of very unique survivors. Its news is interesting and factual. But there is one thing that will never be found amongst its pages, and that is bitterness. Yesterday was then and the present is now, and Werschetz will always be Werschetz; and the Werschetzer Zeitung will always continue to connect.

The journal is a very big part of Hermine’s life, and, thanks to her efforts and skills, an important tradition has taken on the importance of historical reality, not only “abroad” but “at home” in the Banat as well!

najames

October Verse

2011-10-18T01:25:00.000-07:00

The Cutting Edge - pencil drawing by Nigel A JAMESFrom A Shropshire Lad

Loitering With Vacant Eye

A Shropshire Lad is a cycle of sixty-three poems by the English poet Alfred Edward Housman. Some of the better known poems are “To an Athlete Dying Young”, “Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now” and “When I was One-and-Twenty”. The collection was published in 1896. The main theme of A Shropshire Lad is mortality, and so living life to its fullest! After all, death can strike at any time!

Loitering With a Vacant Eye is less known, but just as meaningful and deep!

Loitering With a Vacant Eye

Loitering with a vacant eye
Along the Grecian gallery,
And brooding on my heavy ill,
I met a statue standing still.
Still in marble stone stood he,
And steadfastly he looked at me.
`Well met,' I thought the look would say,
`We both were fashioned far away;
We neither knew, when we were young,
These Londoners we live among.'

Still he stood and eyed me hard,
An earnest and a grave regard:
`What, lad, drooping with your lot?
I too would be where I am not.
I too survey that endless line
Of men whose thoughts are not as mine.
Years, ere you stood up from rest,
On my neck the collar prest;
Years, when you lay down your ill,
I shall stand and bear it still.
Courage, lad, 'tis not for long:
Stand, quit you like stone, be strong.'
So I thought his look would say;
And light on me my trouble lay,
And I stepped out in flesh and bone
Manful like the man of stone.

njmailboy@gmail.com

Margaret Felber - A Short Encounter

2011-10-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Margaret Felber - photo by Nigel A JAMES

On the Right track!

For some people, their passage through life is often a question of making the most of things as they come. Many are good at it, few are excellent, and those who understand this art of survival are the ones who are able to see the promise in even the lowest of jobs. For them, there is nothing too low, for, in their humbleness lies the strength of great steel. And one such person who has successfully been down the highways and byways of life is Margaret Felber.

It was after the war. Things were hard. Margaret, like many others, too, was hungry and looking for work. Vienna was rebuilding, and, at the top on the list was the getting in order of the public transport system. This was not only good for the city, but perfect for Margaret, too.

And, so it was that she became a tram conductress. In those days a very sought after job, and one with a very smart dark blue uniform, too! But, of course, there was not just the selling of tickets and smiling. There were other sides, too, and they weren’t always easy!

There are two things that stand-out in her mind. The first, and perhaps the hardest, was the uncoupling and re-coupling of the rear carriages at the beginning and end of each journey. This wasn’t so bad in the summer, but, in the winter with its icy temperatures and early afternoon darkness, the lifting of the heavy and dirty and often freezing cold hooks and chains was something that nobody envied. But that was life and all part of her daily routine.

The second thing which sticks out in her mind had more to do with amusement than anything else.

It was always the same, and late Saturday nights were the best. The route upon which Margaret worked was the line 43, the connection between the outlying wine district of Neuwaldegg and the centre of Vienna. Many (if not most) of the passengers were still over-merry as they boarded the tram for a ride-home of laughing and singing; and, more often than not, Margaret broke all of the rules and joined in with it all!

And fun makes life easy and nice. Margaret has now gathered together the threads of her life in a book. And it is very interesting. In it are the people she met and the unforgettable times which she had - and all because she kept off of the high road and travelled the low road instead!

nj.

Digging for gold - Moments from Life!

2011-09-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

P.J. Sweeny's son with his new model boat - nj.

The Berth of a Dream

Surprises are all part and parcel of the magic of holidays, but, as a friend of mine found out just this summer, a fortnight on an Italian river can also provide for minor shocks, too. And they all have to do with the opposites of all that one knows!

Everything was perfect. The north Italian scenery was beautiful, and the houseboat that was to be home for the next 14 days was even better than expected. There was nothing that could possibly go wrong, that is to say, nothing except the actual getting about!

Boating, on the surface at least, is quite a simple affair. Everyone can do it, and, when it comes to being the captain, everyone is as good as each other, and everyone, of course, knows better than everyone else. That is, of course, until the going gets tough!

The first real surprise for my friend and his family came whilst trying to stop. My friend’s wife, who was on captain duty at the time, quickly discovered that stopping wasn’t as easy as she thought, in fact, it was really quite hard. The boat (unlike her car) had no brakes, and it wasn’t a question of simply turning off the engine! It was, as her twelve year old son quite easily explained, only a matter of putting the boat in reverse, and, if done in good time, the craft would gracefully come to an elegant standstill. But, the “if done in time” was much easier said than done!

Upon finding the perfect place to stop for the night, my friend, who had now been promoted to captain, was attempting to (as he says) park. His first mistake was to put the boat in reverse too early. The boat not only stopped too early, but it also started going back the way they had come in reverse! Things then became complicated.

In order to avoid colliding with the bank, some steering was necessary, but, because they were travelling in reverse, the steering no longer reacted as was expected. And so it was, that by steering to the right, the boat actually veered to the left and got stuck in the mud at the side of the river. And the cheers were embarrassing!

They had chosen to crash just 10 meters away from a very full terrace of very hungry people, and my friend, unknowingly had provided the perfect pre-dinner entertainment. But all’s well that ends well.

After some help from those more experienced, my friend and his family, with their boat safely moored, were soon enjoying a meal on the terrace. The entertainment that they had provided was quickly forgotten, everyone it seems, was once, too, a beginner!

So what about the rest of the holiday? It was perfect, and now that they know how to do it, they will, without any doubt at all, being trying something completely different next year. After all, what is a holiday for? Surprises of course!

Nj.

Otto Eidher - A Short Introduction

2011-09-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Otto Eidherr - photo by Nigel A. JAMES

Hunting the fine!

Forests, for most, are places of depth and great strength, but, for Otto Eidher, the woods are the source of edible wonders – for he is a hunter of mushrooms!

Otto, who now lives amongst the concrete ways of Vienna, grew up on the wooded granite plateau of North Eastern Austria, and there, from childhood on, he was to be found in the cool of the mornings hunting for mushrooms. And, this important schedule of busy forest life, has, ever since, remained with him as a hobby.

But, this hobby of taste, unlike fishing and football, has more to do with understanding and knowing than luck. One has to know what one’s doing. Take the wrong mushrooms home and the results can be fatal!

And coming home with a basket full of the right ones is just half of the story. Whilst Vienna is sleeping, Otto is on his way back to the forest. Being amongst the trees and breathing the fresh morning air is what gives him that something special that makes life worth living. And good living means also good food. And what could be better than a hobby that gives all?

Otto is a man of good taste, and the riches of the forest which he harvests provide guaranteed goodness that always tastes great. And there are many different and exciting preparations for all the different mushrooms that there are - and Otto knows many, for he, too, is an excellent cook!

Poem for September

2011-09-12T00:23:00.000-07:00

Elephant Family - Schnitkunst by Nigel A JAMES

Poem for September

Robert Louis Stevenson didn’t only write Treasure Island, he wrote many fine poems, as well. Foreign Lands is one of his nicest works for children, and, considering, that all of us are really children at heart, here it is,-

From Child’s Garden of Verses

Foreign Lands
by Robert Louis Stevenson

Up into the cherry tree
Who should climb but little me?
I held the trunk with both my hands
And looked abroad in foreign lands.

I saw the next door garden lie,
Adorned with flowers, before my eye,
And many pleasant places more
That I had never seen before.

I saw the dimpling river pass
And be the sky’s blue-looking glass;
The dusty roads go up and down
With people tramping into town.

If I could find a higher tree
Farther and farther I should see,
To where the grown-up river slips
Into the sea among the ships,

To where the road on either hand
Lead onward into fairy land,
Where all the children dine at five,
And all the play things come alive.

njmailboy@gmail.com

Ingo Taubert

2011-09-05T03:27:00.000-07:00

The Beginning of Happiness - pencil drawing by Nigel A JAMES

The Perfect Bedside Manna

Sadly,there are those anongst us whose lives have become no bigger than their beds.They are the infirm, and they will never again experience life as others do. But, for one Viennese old people's home, life dramatically improved about two years ago - and the changes came in on the back of a traveller!

Ingo Taubert had spent all of his very long life cooking around the world before the call of home brought him back to his roots. His global patch had included the mobile sea-faring galleys of luxury liners, some of the best hotels in the world, and, one or two of the finest of eateries as well! In short, he was a man of the world, and he knew all about making people happy, and this was not about to change as he took over the kitchen of the soon to be “luckiest old people’s home in the world”.

The people who first tasted the difference were those in the best of good health. The new freshness and the quality of the meals was something that none had thought possible. But, what Ingo Taubert did for the nursing station was nothing less than a miracle! He changed the lives of the weak and the feeble completely.

Upon visiting the station, Ingo Taubert found people with little or no appetite at all. Something had to change! People deserved better. Thankfully, the solution wasn’t long in coming! It was meals on wheels with a difference.

Soon, Ingo and his team were to be seen on the station with a mobile kitchen, and, what they were doing was unique. They were involving everyone in the process of lunch. Something that had never been thought of before - and the results were astounding!

It was like night and day. Just being able to decide their own lunch, and, the smells and the sights of wonderful cooking right next to their beds were visibly bringing people back from the edge of disinterest. Life with full appetites and lots to look-forward to had returned!

And that’s how it should be. Ingo Taubert, in his very short time with the elderly infirm, has succeeding in providing a daily tasty celebration of the best. Good food, after-all, is the base of all that is good!

There is lots more to find out about Ingo Taubert. Simply "Google" him - you will be surprised!

Gold Digger

2011-08-28T03:49:00.000-07:00

Camping Lullaby - pencil drawing by Nigel A JAMES

A Trifle of Tattle

Summer is the sum of the stories that come back, and, just the other day, a good friend of mine shared the following one or two thoughts with me, and, they were all about camping!

Camping had always been one of his passions, but sadly, a holiday under canvas was something that his wife had always dismissed as being out of the question. A comfortable room with a view was the only thing that she was prepared to consider, that was, until now.

This summer, after years of persuasion, she finally gave in and agreed to spend one night – and one night only - discovering the joys of nature and helping her husband to claw back a long lost dream that was still, in his mind, very much alive!

And, so it was, that on a tour of the Austrian Alps, a camp site was found, and everything looked set for a night near to nature. They had succeeded in getting to know their immediate neighbours, and, it looked as though the maximum of fun in a field was about to brake out. My friend’s wife, amazingly, seemed to be enjoying it all.

But then it happened. To my friend’s utter dismay, he couldn’t find the tent! He almost turned the car upside down and inside out looking for it, but it was no where to be found. How would his wife take it? Would she be very disappointed?

Surprisingly, she took it very well! In fact, my friend thought he saw a look of happy relief on her face, and, as they drove off in search of a 5 star Gasthaus, her smile seemed to grow by the minute.

But then came the mystery! Whilst unpacking the car back home in Vienna, my friend found the tent. It was right there in the boot where he had packed it! But where was it when it was needed? This, he says, will remain a mystery for ever! Obviously, the night in the tent just wasn’t meant to be – and the holiday, despite the no-camping, was simply fantastic.

And 5 star great holidays are better than the cold of a tent, and, that’s how it’s going to stay. My friend has decided that camping has become a definite thing of the past and will never return. He took his “not-finding the tent” as a sign – and, maybe his wife did have a point – tents are simply very uncomfortable – especially for ladies (and men, too!) with bones well past 50!

Nj- summer 2011 – njmailboy@gmail.com

Market Forces

2011-08-20T04:15:00.000-07:00

Basket Weaver - photo by Nigel A. JAMES

Weaving a Thread Through Life

This lady, a weaver of baskets, is selling her wares at Veszprem, a small market town in Hungary. According to her dress, she is from the far east of the country near the Rumanian border. Her neatness and pride reflects not only the quality of her goods, but also her experience. She has been a weaver since childhood.

Nj.

Anita Fodrasz

2011-08-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

Nigel A James is having his hair cut by Anita Fodrasz whilst Maxi B. Acs is taking the picture

Short Cut to Success

Independence in life is one of the greatest treasures that exists, and, that’s what Anita Fodrasz had in mind when she set out in life on the path of a hairdresser.

Of course, after a hard training, Anita had to comply with the wishes and rules of the bosses she worked for, but then, one bright day, her future appeared, not high in the sky, but just below ground in a disused cellar in the high-rise socialist block which is home.

It was just what she had been looking for. In front of her eyes was the perfect short cut to the life that she wanted, a future hair dresser’s saloon of her own! Her vision was beginning to put on a form of its own.

And so it was, with brushes and paint and her family joining in with their sleeves rolled up, that this once storage hole for old boxes began to take on the dimension of Anita’s dream coming true!

And it happened, a saloon as Anita had wanted. And, judging by her success, the people of Veszprem, the town in Hungary where she lives, wanted it too!

But, her customers aren’t the only ones who are happy! With her apartment just five floors above, Anita has all of the time that she needs for her little boy of four; and, her husband has never long to wait for his favourite meal!

And that’s the key to it all. Happiness comes with the things that one wants, and, Anita is able to give everyone the thing they like most – good looks! And it’s all thanks to her original dream which took her to the top at the bottom.

nj - August 2011