Endless summer in Jeziorki

Calendar summer has greater meaning in Britain than in Poland; the seasons start and end earlier. But astronomical summer, which begins with the summer solstice and ends with the autumnal equinox better encompasses what we all consider 'summer' to be - hot, cloudless days. Today started fine, continued fine, and fineness is forecast to continue to the end of the week. Top temperature today in Warsaw exceeded 25C, and daytime highs are expected to hit 27C by Saturday.

The perfect day to work from home and take a long lunchtime walk. Glorious - high summer. The days are getting noticeably shorter though, today being four minutes shorter than yesterday. Indeed, a week ago, sunset in Warsaw was at 19:25. Today it set at 19:09; next week it will set at 18:50. The evenings are drawing in.

No matter - time to get out and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Below: the swan family seems to have dwindled from six cygnets to five (and from the original seven hatchlings). Still, the surviving quintet has grown to their parents' size.

Below: this is seems eager to learn to fly - the wings are getting bigger too. A few weeks ago, trying out this pose, the cygnet still looked slightly comical. They must learn to fly before the ponds freeze over. Last winter, this happened on the night of 31 December-1 January.

Left: two grey herons (I spotted four in total today, plus one egret) lifting off from the pond. Note how the neck of the one in the foreground has bent into an 'S' shape immediately after take-off. Despite Friday's intensive rain, the water level is sinking again, more dry earth is emerging as the ponds' banks stretch out ever further.

Below: I venture towards the tracks, work is going flat out, with several teams of workers visible down the line from W-wa Jeziorki up to W-wa Dawidy. Sadly, my favourite spot, the six metre-high mountain of ballast looks like it will be removed as the track bed of the 'up' line awaits.

Below: I return home via ul. Klarnecistów. Apart from the occasional aircraft coming into land and a few dogs barking, it is silent and still, no one around.

Here on the edge of Warsaw, everything is good. But summer has made me a bit lazy; I've not written much other than documented my surroundings. Still, that's what summer's for - to recharge the batteries. Creativity - writing - when the nights get long - I promise, I'll get cracking.

[Postscript - 11.09.2016: the ballast hill may not be disappearing just yet. I checked it out, and it seems the sides of it nearest the pedestrian level crossing have been cut away as a ditch carrying telephone cables is being dug around the base of the hill.]

[Postscript - 14.09.2016: the weather remains hot and sunny, though today was the first day in a week during which the maximum temperatures did not exceed 25C.]

This time last year:
In search of proper corn on the cob

This time two years ago:
Classic machinery

This time two years ago:
S2/S79 opens partially (not yet reaching Puławska)

This time seven years ago:
Recycling time rolls round again