Ljus letar sig ner till bäcken.
Genom skogens täta grenar.
Leker tafatt med skuggan.
English version
Light makes its way down to the brook.
Through the forest’s dense branches.
Playing tag with the shadow.
You never know what’s hidden if you don’t look, ha de Gött!
With a light promise
of the spring to come
the anthill sleeps on
Even a little ants bite stings, ha de Gött!
Looks a bit angry looking out over the sea.
Angry at the ocean for splashing it over again and again?
Angry at the humans for polluting the sea?
Don’t let your anger sink you, ha de Gött!
Winter green oak tree at Lammö, Bohuslän Sweden.
Some say that a tree has feelings and as I hugged this old oak I’m sure I felt a connection and a warmth. I hope she’s pleased with her green winter coat.
Hug a tree but look out for the ants, ha de Gött!
One of my favourite places. The waterfall Älgafallet (translates to Elk fall) half in Norway and half in Sweden. Flowing water is always fascinating, the same but never the same. Like an actor with different faces.
Winter in January, frozen solid in -15°C.
Thaw one week later in +5°C. The flood was so high I could not get any closer.
Late summer and early autumn in +15°C with a good flow after a wet summer.
Just go with the flow, ha de Gött!
If you want to listen to the sound of silence the national park Tresticklan in Dalsland, Sweden is the place to go. The park is the largest uninhabited forest in south Sweden. The the 2906 hectares forest area has been growing untouched by humans since a big fire in 1830 in . One of the few remaining wild forests in southern Sweden.
I visited on a still day and between the birds singing there was complete silence. You could almost touch the silence. I did not see any of mammals you can find, moose, roe deer, fox, pine marten or wolfs but there was tracks.
I’ll be back, ha de Gött!
All naked it stands in the hidden valley of oak trees. Covered by the branches of the tree behind. Almost as a motherly protection.
This place has a very special vibe. Mystical and calm almost scary. The old oak trees stretching their slim branches like dancers to the sky and the sun. It is like the trees like to tell you a story, listen.
It is sometimes hard to see the forest for all the trees, ha de Gött!
Just follow my lead and you will do fine.
I don’t know the name of these birds but, here is some excellent parenting going on. Making sure the chick knows how to keep the feathers clean before the flying lessons starts. That is, after all, you can do as a parent before the children leave the nest and fly off into the adventures world.
Children do as we do, not as we say. Ha de Gött!
Autumn and its colours, ha de Gött!
After rain they come crawling
up from the wet grass
crossing the roads and footpaths
where are they all going
is it an initiation rite
cross without getting crushed
see what’s on the other side
a sluggish paradise or
a sticky mess under a shoe
The killer slug (Arion vulgaris), yes that is it’s name! It’s also know as Spanish slug. It’s considered an invasive species and a great annoyance to all gardeners all over Europe. Why it’s called killer slug I don’t know but the best explanation I heard from a child. “They are called killer slugs because you kill them.”
Watch your step, ha de Gött!
UlleHaddock 