An Autumn Walk
Yes, autumn is certainly on its way....
I love the splendid array of colours in nature - it is breathtaking....the leaves have not yet started turning into all shades of orange and gold but there is certainly a nip in the air - that is the first sign of autumn....
Fragments of lines from Keats' Ode to Autumn run through my mind as I walk -savouring in the autumnal air, the pungent smells, the sights... yes, indeed, Keats was right: 'conspiring with the sun to load and bless'... how apt....
"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun,
Conspiring with him how to load and bless...." (Ode to Autumn, Keats)
As I walk in the early morning (around 6.40) ... the mist has just lifted and the air is filled with the smell of wild apples and wood burning... the dew wets my shoes... I can hear the deer bark and if I am lucky I can see them on the fringe of the forest - it is a magical time of the day.
Autumn is very different from spring and summer but I love the changing of the seasons that I am blessed with here in Sweden...Autumn brings with it a sense of "slowing down" after the short hectic summer....
"Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too...." (Ode to Autumn, Keats)
Two weeks ago I was delighted to find wild raspberries growing along my path... they are tiny and juicy and so sweet as to need a glass of water afterwards! So of course I helped myself to a first breakfast during my walk...
Sweden has a law called The Right to Common Access.....
(From the Internet:
Common Access: "the Right of Common Access" - in Swedish: "Allemansrätten")
Allemansrätten states that we can: move around freely in forest and field; pick berries, mushrooms and unprotected flowers; camp one night without permission from landowner, not, however, too close to a populated area; bathe, row, sail, paddle and drive motorboats on the lakes and rivers and archipelagos; light a fire but only in certain prepared places. In windy or very dry weather the lighting of fires is absolutely forbidden, everywhere.
It also states that we can NOT: damage growing trees or bushes; walk over fields in crop or through newly planted forest areas; take birds’ eggs or birds’ nests.)
...and I took some home for Elizabeth for her morning yoghurt... it was abs delicious!!!
I also had the pleasure of making acquaintance with two tiny grey-brown frogs that hopped hurriedly across my path...
The wild snapdragon-like flowers (I don't know their name unfortunately) were in full bloom and last of the lazy bumble bees were having their breakfast too....!
And ohhhhh..... the beautiful snails were in plentiful
.....and when the sun caught the leaves you could see their trail of silver ......like glitter-glue.
Parts of the forest also has wild rose-hip...they are beautiful to look at...In the spring and summer they have deep pink-magenta flowers which is rather astonishing as the fruits (the rosehip) is a deep orange - in keeping with the autumnal colours! I love both rosehip tea and rosehip sauce...and it is super high on vitamins A and C I am told....
Signing off for now!
C.S! (Cresat Scientia/ May (my) knowledge grow)
