I commuted by bicycle today, and I think I'll continue doing so this week, if the weather holds as fine as today. In the morning the temperature was about -3 °C, and in the afternoon +3 °C. And there was enough sunshine to feel like spring.
These photographs were taken in Helsinki on March 21st.
(Posting title is from the poem Monday by Lisa Robertson.)
Helsinki on March 21st.
(Posting title is from the poem There Are Birds Here by Jamaal May.)
Today I continued spring cleaning, doing various chores for 4-5 hours in all. Also, I finally changed summer tires to the bicycle. I noticed that the rear winter tire starts to be a bit worn, but it should hold another winter, at least all the studs are still ok. Next week seems to be a bit colder, but at least there isn't any snow in the weather forecast.
Yesterday I walked for 2 1/2 hours, and at lake Tränuhals there was a pair of whooper swans making loud noises. The Panasonic LX5 is a wide-angle camera, only 90 mm (equiv.) in the tele end, so I couldn't take photographs in which the swans would be visible except as tiny white forms. I could have tried to approach closer, but I didn't want to risk disturbing the birds. And anyway, I'm more interested in the landscape than in the animals as subject of my photographs.
(Posting title is from the poem Love the Wild Swan by Robinson Jeffers.)
These photographs were taken in Tremanskärr on March 15th, after sunset.
(Posting title is from the poem Wall, Cave, and Pillar Statements, after Asôka by Alan Dugan.)
Today I did 2 1/2 hours of shopping with the daughters, and afterwards I walked for 2 1/2 hours up and down forested hills and across swamps. While walking I saw and heard a pair of whooper swan at lake Tränuhals, they made quite a racket.
First I thought that there is a dog barking nearby, then I saw a couple of spots of snow on the other side of the lake, and only when the necks of the swans became visible I realized that the sound was made by them. The sound was loud, even to the other side of the lake. I stopped for a while to sit on the rocks on the east side of the lake, listening to the sounds and watching what the swans were doing.
These photographs were taken in Helsinki on March 10th. I have about 1400 photographs waiting for processing on the computer, and it may take a while until I catch up.
(Posting title is from the poem Love the Wild Swan by Robinson Jeffers.)
On March 9th we still had some snow. During the weekend I plan to check how far the spring has proceeded. This is, if I have any energy left after going shopping with the daughters.
(Posting title is from the poem Amoretti LXXIX: Men Call you Fair by Edmund Spenser.)
This was an excessively busy week, and the next one promises to be more of the same. But in any case, here are photographs taken at lake Kurkijärvi near Tremanskärr swamp on March 9th.
(Posting title is from the poem The Dream by John Donne.)
Quoting Henry David Thoreau on Walking: "I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least—and it is commonly more than that—sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements."
(Posting title is from the poem Thoughts While Walking by Rachel Wetzsteon.)
So far this week I have got 6 1/2 hours of exercise, 3 hours on bicycle and 3 1/2 hours walking up and down forested hills and across swamps. This is a quite nice amount in four days. During the weekend I need to go shopping as the daughters expressed a rather strong preference for that kind of activity. But maybe I can compensate it with a long walk in forests and swamps.
(Posting title is from the poem The Progression by Omar Pérez, translated by Kristin Dykstra.)
Originally I wasn't going to make a posting with this photograph, but then I looked at it again, and it seems to have some redeeming qualities, even though I have difficulties to say what exactly. But posted it is.
(Posting title is from the poem Abandoned Ranch, Big Bend by Hayden Carruth.)
Today I was so busy that I made all kinds of stupid mistakes, such as forgetting things, confusing dates in the calendar and so on. But so it goes sometimes.
Today I commuted by bicycle, and it went fine, as the muscle soreness didn't bother much any more. Tomorrow I'll commute by bicycle again.
(Posting title is from the poem Le Secret by Thomas James Merton.)
The weather is great, about +8 °C in daytime, and so I'm planning to commute by bicycle. The muscle soreness is easing, and it only bothers if I spend too much time in the same position, so a little bit of exercise shouldn't be a bad thing.
I had the car serviced on Tuesday, and fortunately it was a relatively cheap one; owning a 14-year old car provides occasional surprises. Years ago I remember wondering at my father who had an old, old car. Now I'm driving a similarly old car...
(Posting title is from the poem G-9 by Tim Dlugos.)
These photographs were taken on March 24th in Meiko. The last of the ice is melting away.
Today it was a bit difficult to walk because of sore muscles. But that wasn't due to the long walk yesterday; instead, the muscles got sore because of washing and waxing of floors. I guess my approach was far from ergonomic. Today when sitting in one place for longer the big leg muscles get cramped so that walking is painful.
(Posting title is from the poem Disregard by Ai.)
March 8th was a somewhat sunny day, and I caught some sunlight.
(Posting title is from the poem Beautiful Poetry by Camille Guthrie.)
Today is a sunny, warm (+9 °C) day. I did some chores which needed to be done, and went for a long walk in Meiko, 3 1/2 hours in all, past lakes Korsolampi and Immerlampi to lake Tränuhals, from there north to where the big electric lines go across the lake, and from there southwest to Grenomossen swamp which I haven't visited earlier. These photographs were taken today at Grenomossen, which was still frozen so that it was possible to walk across.
(Posting title is from the poem Frozen In by Annie Finch.)
These photographs were taken at the west side of lake Mustjärvi on March 8th.
I didn't go for a long walk in forests and swamps during the weekend, as I didn't feel quite normal yet. Have to see how it goes on Monday.
(Posting title is from the poem Like the Small Hole by the Path-Side Something Lives in by Jane Hirshfield.)
On March 8th I walked to Tränuhals across a frozen swamp, taking photographs. There is a small island in the middle of the swamp, and because the sun was behind the island I didn't see it in detail. I though that there is a large rock on the island, and only when already quite near I realized that it is a camouflage hide. I didn't go and check whether there was someone inside, but I hope that I didn't spoil his/her observations of nature by scaring birds and other things away.
Today I did some spring cleaning at home. The flu symptoms haven't gone away, keeping me awake during the night, so I'm rather tired.
(Posting title is from the poem Hide and Seek by Glyn Maxwell.)
Now that spring is approaching all kinds of things are being revealed from snow and ice.
(Posting title is from the poem Ice Bound by Walter Bargen.)
I took it easy today, not going for a walk in forests and swamps. Instead I walked with the youngest daughter to nearby playgrounds, enjoying the sunshine.
These photographs were taken on March 3rd in Helsinki.
(Posting title is from the poem The Crossing by Ruth Moose.)
On March 3rd we got snow. But now we are having warm weather, up to +8 °C during the day. Yesterday evening I got itchy feet and went for a walk at Tremanskärr, walking rather slow but walking nevertheless, for 1 1/2 hours in all. My flu symptoms didn't seem to get any worse after the walk, so I guess it was all right.
(Posting title is from the poem An Hymn In Honour Of Beauty by Edmund Spenser.)
I'm not feeling any worse - or any better either - the flu symptoms stay the same, sore throat, clogged nose and so on. There is the weekend ahead, and I hope to be able to go for a long walk.
I said today to a colleague that it doesn't matter what the weather is like when you go for a walk. Well, this is mostly due, but I do agree that sometimes there is a difference, even though when you go for a long enough walk you fit in to the weather what ever it is.
These photographs were taken on March 4th and 6th in Helsinki.
(Posting title is from the poem Horses on the Grass by Grace Schulman.)
I'm not feeling terribly good, having some flu symptoms, but to compensate here are two sunny photographs taken in Helsinki on March 6th.
(Posting title is from the poem Science Fiction by Ariana Reines.)
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