Thursday Thoughts – Roses

I was given the loveliest bouquet of roses – and this is what my eyes see – and what my heart feels. Can you feel it too?

Thursday Thoughts – Hiking Gedaryggen

We went with a hiking group last weekend. We always walk alone otherwise, but were invited by a friend to join in. 20 people in the big forest. All vaccinated except me. A great day.

Normally, the beeches would have been green by the first of May – but this year has been very cold so far. Today the Maiden Fall and the Maiden Stone were the two main attractions – besides walking in the forest of course.

Do you see the eaten cones on the stump? Never in my life I have seen this many! We saw one every 5th meter. The forest must be a complete mice den…but, we did not spot a single mouse scuttling around.

Our eminent guide, Bo, is a real nature’s man – and a natural forest man. He sleeps in a hammock under the canopy several nights a month – and he asked how many of us who wanted to try it in June…and got some three – four positive to the idea!
This was really a great hike, and the resting places were beautiful. Young and old had their imagination filled with new mysteries, and climbing through the stone was an adventure. The sites have their own story about the young maiden, Elsa, hiding there and staying in the forest to escape followers during the Scania war 1675-1679. Nobody knows if there was a happy ending though…the story does not tell…
After 6 hours of hiking Gedaryggen (”The Goats Back”) we were rather tired and some had sore feet. My left foot (operated on a couple of years ago) told me this was enough for the day.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #146: Focusing on the Details

This week, Patti invites us to join in for LAPC #146, Focusing on the Details. We can include photos of details from one subject (a person, a place, an object) or many subjects.

The beauty of life is in small details, not in big events – Jim Jarmusch

I want to take you along with me to a 10x10m area along this trail. Maybe it doesn’t seem to have much of interest…looks rather empty except for the trees, doesn’t it… But, let’s start looking for details – and this time I know what I am looking for.

The first details I see are these late blooming twigs…and I notice that the trunks reflecting in the water, show the sandy waves at the bottom of the creek instead of the patterns on the trunks.

What we are looking for in this forest is the fiddlehead fern or ostrich fern, 100–170 cm (39–67 in) tall and 20–35 cm (7.9–13.8 in) broad, long-tapering to the base but short-tapering to the tip, so that they resemble ostrich plumes. They would have been very difficult to find if last year’s leaves hadn’t been sticking up like brown feathers.

They are giving me the fern look…- I am being watched. They know I will soon be coming for them, because these ferns are edible, and absolutely delicious. It’s the only edible fern in Sweden. Here, in this wet area, they grow abundantly and in a couple of weeks, they will cover the whole forest floor below the trees. They should be picked when new and fresh, like the tallest ones in my images. Boil and eat, maybe with some delicious meat…soon!

Details are important, always.

A special thanks to Priscilla of Scillagrace for her fabulous Getting to Know You! challenge last week. As always, your posts were varied, surprising, delightful, and inspiring. On Saturday, May 8, Amy will host LAPC #147, so be sure to visit her beautiful and thoughtful site for more inspiration.

Until then, have a wonderful creative week and please stay safe.

Life in Colour – Purple

This month Jude will be looking for Purple. A secondary colour made from red and blue. Here we go – this is one of my favourite colours.