During winter the brightest colour we have is the blue sky. I love to look at it in all its brightness. But there are other colours to be found which the snow enhances and brings to my attention. When visiting my sleeping little corner of the garden, the rose hips in their red colour brightens my day. Without the snow, they wouldn’t really have caught my eye, beautiful.
In the woods apart from the maturated emerald colour of the firs, the ferns are my favourites. It is something in their light brown colour that is so beautifully contrasted with the snow which causes me to stop and just watch and ponder.
When I set out for a walk, I never really know if the sunset will be outstanding or not. Often I begin the walk some time before the sunset is at its height with bright colours contrasted with the failing light. This cold evening we started walking first to the north and then turned east and then south. The evening was already turning quite dark and we decided to walk across the fields to enjoy the last of the light . Then suddenly the sun said goodbye in a splendid show of golden colours. Speechless one stands there trying to comprehend the beauty, but it surpasses my mind and in this moment solace is mingled with impatience. Solace to sense something magnificent, impatience to not be able to grasp the beauty in its essence, just to watch it from the outside.
There is few things as beautiful as fog in the morning a winter day… A walk that lasted some hours, cold but very beautiful.
I love these lonley roads, especially on Sunday forenoons when people prefer being at home, I suppose taking a long breakfast. There is a silence in the air created, I think, by the low temperature, as if every creature is economising with even the callings to save some energy. Even the thoughts become sparse, the mind listening to the sound of birds flapping and one’s own footsteps in the snow.
I took a walk in the forest one day and came upon a fire in the woods without any people around it. It rendered an almost faërie tale atmosphere to the situation, as if I had come upon a secret meeting among faëries. The firewood was red and inviting and at the same time I felt like an intruder. I passed it and followed my path to the little farm in the middle of the forest, standing close to a small river with an old broken water mill, dreaming undisturbed dreams to the music of streaming water under a thick layer of ice.
So the snow has arrived, much extra work, but at the same time… The beauty! The dogs love it and I must admit that I think it should be snow at least some weeks in winter, otherwise it doesn’t really feel like winter.
It is a special feeling to walk to the shore while the sun is rising. September can contain both days of Autumn and of Summer, much depending on from where the wind is blowing. This week a southerner started blowing and brought with it warmth from the south of Europe. The haze, which comes of the warm days and cold nights, creates a mysterious light and warm colours in the hills and valleys.
My sister lives in a convent close to a nature reserve called Hilleshögs dalar, the Valleys of Hilleshög. The nature reserve includes a big part of the coastline. A century ago it was used as a harbour, since nature has formed a natural harbour there. Now it is a protected area and home for sand martins and sea gulls. The beach is often abandoned and you can see the island Ven not far from the shore.
The sand banks
My sister lives in a cloistered convent, which means that the nuns have taken the decision to not let people inside the convent and they do not leave the convent. To be able to see my sister then, we must visit her. We live in a house by the convent owned by the convent.
So to get some feeling of nature my sister and I walk in Hilleshögs dalar just 5 minutes by car from the convent, not only to walk the dogs but also to get some fresh air and be by the sea. The scenery is beautiful and I never tire of going there.
One morning was especially beautiful, because we arrived at the time when the fog was slowly lifting, but did still lingered over the sea. A flock of Canadian geese were resting on the water. Peace and beauty mingled together as the sea and sky were not possible to tell apart.
These moments are true gifts. Turning back I carry something with me, the beauty has touched my heart and mind. It witnesses of something and someone beyond and outside of myself that touches and opens the heart, for gratefulness.
Toby loves the sea and to see him play with enthusiasm in the water makes me happy. It is also special to see how his presence doesn’t disturb the peace, or frightens the sea birds, but just makes the hour lovelier.
Wonderer of Nature 