Rudolf Kortokraks would have turned 96 today. He was an influential artist of expressive realism. The photo shows him playing with his cousin, my grandmother Gabriele (also a realist painter).

Recently his daughters became aware of me. Anna sent me this photo and I already knew it from my grandmother. I colored it and removed scratches.

He was a student of Oskar Kokoschka and later taught at the Summer Academy in Salzburg, which was founded by Kokoschka. Rudolf Kortokraks was associated with the "School of Seeing," also initiated by Kokoschka. This is an approach to art education that emphasizes direct observation and the intuitive grasp of reality.

Here are some of the core principles:

1. Direct Perception: Central to the philosophy is the ability to see and capture the visual world. Students are encouraged to develop their skills in observing the world around them with fresh eyes and to authentically depict what they see.

2. Emotional Experience: Alongside visual perception, emotional experience plays a crucial role. Art should not only represent what is seen but also convey the artist's inner feelings and reactions.

3. Individual Expression: The "School of Seeing" promotes personal style and individual expression. There are no rigid rules or prescribed styles; artists are encouraged to find their own paths and realize their own visions.

4. Intensive Nature Studies: Nature and reality are key sources of inspiration. A deep engagement with nature and a careful study of forms, colors, and light are central to the practice.

5. Holistic Learning: Art is seen as an integral part of human life and thought. Interdisciplinary approaches and the interplay of art with other areas of life are encouraged.

Sometimes it just rains all summer long 🤷‍♂️

A large earth bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) enjoys the Peace Linden tree 🌳🌼🐝

This green shield bug (Palomena prasina) has strayed into the stairwell... 🦸🪲

☠️ There was a risk of spiders, dehydration or drowning from the neighbor's dog's saliva.

🕸🕷🏜🐶💦

These and numerous other dangers lurk in the everyday life of this urban insect. 🚗🏡🌳

It lives in trees and bushes and sucks their sap.Actually, everyone in Germany should know it, with its bright green color and smelly secretion.

🛩🪂 It often just crashes into somewhere. Its flying abilities can certainly be described as enduring, but it lacks speed, precision and maneuverability.

☝️🔒My fingerprint has been manipulated.

Warm air and colorful summer sunsets 🥰🌄

Catching fireflies in a maize field 🌌✨️

Move your body! 💃🌿
You must have moved while watching this 😜

The thorny stick insect (Aretaon asperrimus) relies on its branch-like appearance and begins to wiggle when it's "branch" moves, which makes it blend in with the movements of the vegetation in nature.

This is an old recording from 2017.
I no longer keep them.

Chilean rose tarantula,
Grammostola rosea

Adult tarantulas molt every one to two years.
The last molt was two years ago.

1. Pumping
2. Molting
3. Hardening

The place is secured with spider webs. The spider lies on its back and pumps a molting hormone through its body. The upper shield bursts open and it frees itself from the old exoskeleton. After that, the spider is exhausted and not yet fully hardened.

Pumping:
The tarantula pumps a molting hormone (ecdysterone) from its rear end to its front end. This process takes several hours. I found it in this position at 3 p.m. At just after 8 p.m. it burst out of its upper shield. Since it is lying on its back, the upper shield is down. The video is at 200x speed.

Molting:
After the tarantula has burst out of the upper shield, it moves out of the exoskeleton with rhythmic movements, carefully pulling out its legs. This lasted two hours from about 8 to 10 p.m. The process seems well thought out as its old shell falls off perfectly. The video is at 100x speed.

Hardening:
The tarantula lies on its back, peaceful as a baby. It is still very soft and therefore very sensitive. It stretches its limbs by increasing body pressure, actively moving the limbs and then hardening the new exoskeleton. The spider web is nice and soft and not only protects against injuries, but also against intruders such as hungry insects or harmful microorganisms.

After half an hour the tarantula has gotten up again, but is not yet completely hardened. It remains in this safe place for the next few days and recovers.

Tasty thistle!😋 A female yellow-banded furrow bee (Halictus scabiosae) is having a good time near the Stierstädter Heide, a dry heath and nature reserve in Oberursel, where she finds open areas of ground that are ideal for creating her nesting holes.

🌼🪻 Currently, there are lots of thistles and false dandelions growing everywhere in the city, alongside many other flowering plants, that are popular food sources. It has been raining for weeks.

🐝🐝 They do not form colonies with a queen and workers, like the honey bee, but each female furrow bee has her own nesting hole with her own offspring. However, they often form clusters by building their nesting holes next to each other.

🐝🐝 The yellow-banded furrow bee is about the size of a honey bee, and a female could be mistaken for one at first glance. However, their markings are very different.

🙃💭 At the intersection between 'Peace Linden' and 'Wall Street'. A wall serves as a fortification and protection. It is a means of fulfilling the need for peace. But if everyone isolates themselves, there can be no exchange and mutual understanding. The needs of one party can change, and those who do not identify with others could feel justified in using their strengths to their advantage.