An Autumn Walk with E & J

“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”
                                                                                     - Henry David Thoreau 

 

7.03a.m. Saturday morning.

The "children" have long been wanting to take me on "their" walking-route .... and finally we made it! 

We left the house and crossed the main highway - NO traffic at all at that hour - and crossed to the villages on the other side... we went past a beautiful lake with a host of seagulls peacefully bobbing on the surface - I am sure they were sleeping! 

There were delightful farmyards dotting the countryside - smelling pleasantly of newly threshed hay ..... but alas, NOT so pleasantly of other things ...haha...(like manure and so on!) 

It is so quiet and tranquil in the villages, a cat silently stalking whatever it happens to see in the undergrowth, a few deer lazily raising their heads to look at us and then continuing to munch on their breakfast , the early morning crows, a falcon swooping and soaring inaudibly - and us talking in low tones and the crunch of pebbles under our feet on the dirt-road. The cool morning sun threw long shadows as we walked lighting up the Bluebells of Sweden (not Scotland!) on the side of the road...

 

 
 
 
The migratory Canadian geese of course made a raucous, bursting into the serenity, honking as they flew overhead in their distinctive V-formation heading towards the warmth...... (smart birds!).
 
 

We went past a beautiful dam by a mansion house from the turn of the last century. The frothy gushing waters was a lovely sight. We know only too well that in four months time it will all freeze - that is beautiful too, "frozen motion" - but as of now, we enjoyed its 'vue et la son' as it was.

 

The fields were, in parts a lovely autumnal green and in parts an earthy russet gold. There was a sudden whirr of many tiny wings as we passed and a host of small birds flew out of the wheat - disturbed by the sound of human steps.

 
There were many fields of late potatoes still "un-harvested" and E wanted some fresh potatoes for breakfast!!! So we let her.... (not to worry, we know the farmer! And also taking nine potatoes from his thousands of acres and many many tons of potatoes I doubt if he would even notice....). E and J "washed" them (and their hands) in the early morning dew and they were clean enough to put in my jacket pocket!
 
 
 
 
 
The forest path was so quiet and serene .... just us and the many forest denizens.... frogs, deer, pheasants, wild boar, grass snakes and I am sure a whole lot of others that we didn't see... foxes, elks and so on. We came upon a clearing and there by a huge farmhouse was a pasture with two friendly horses who did not mind being fed with fresh grass and patted on their noses. We have named them Tina & Ike (after Tina Turner - as the mane looks similar to Tina's - and her ex husband, Ike Turner).
 
 
 
There were mushrooms everywhere but as we have not been on a Mushroom Picking Course (that is held every autumn in every town in Sweden), we did not pick any.... there is barely anything more dangerous than picking the wrong mushroom! The raspberry season is now over but there is an abundance of wild apples. In a few weeks they will ripen and glow reddish-orange and will be really sweet - but right now - E & J tasted them - they were sour and tangy ...but oh, they smelt heavenly!
 
 
 “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”  Thích Nhát Hanh 
We had walked 7 kilometres in a semi circle in the warm sunshine and headed home - this time we didn't have to cross the highway but went in the walking/cycling tunnel underneath it.

 

  

Once home, we boiled our potatoes and enjoyed the mini-dish with a knob of butter, some freshly plucked thyme from the herb-pots on my steps, a slice of ham and a mug of hot chai. It was a glorious breakfast to celebrate a glorious morning.

 "I thank God for this most amazing day, for the leaping ,spirits of trees and the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is Yes."      - e.e.cummings

Signing off for now.
C.S!
(Cresat Scientia/ May (my) knowledge grow)

2013-09-16 @ 09:44:21 Allmänt Permalink

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