Water, wood and stone taught us when

Lake 1

Lake 2

Lake 3

This morning I walked for 2 1/2 hours in Sipoonkorpi National Park. There was a bus at the parking place at Byabäcken. I found a couple of dozen schoolchildren and their teachers in the forest. Otherwise it was very quiet. I walked southwest until the fields west of Karlsberg, and then east towards Gladersåker. And finally I followed the river towards north and back to the parking place. I found quite a lot of new things along the walk.

The photographs were taken on April 11th at lake Immerlampi and lake Kakarlampi in Meiko.

(Posting title is from the poem Nomadology by Alissa Leigh.)

It was that look within her eye

Lake 1

Lake 2

Lake 3

Lake 4

Lake 5

We got a lot of rain today, and a little bit of snow. I commuted by bicycle, and got somewhat wet both in the morning and in the afternoon. I have got this year 1310 km on the bicycle.

On Monday evening I went with my daughter to a so-called family leisure center, where a couple of hundred children played, and the noise level was remarkable. Today I attended a concert where children produced another kind of noise, which was much more pleasant than on Monday. Tomorrow I'm planning to go for a long walk, to observe signs of spring, for example Corydalis.

The photographs were taken at lake Kotolampi on April 11th.

(Posting title is from the poem Deeply Morbid by Stevie Smith.)

That good wood kept calling my name

Forest 1

Forest 2

Forest 3

Forest 4

In the morning I still had some muscle ache from the garden work during the weekend, but now it has disappeared. Today was a good day for commuting by bicycle, but for tomorrow the forecast promises a lot of rain.

These photographs were taken on April 11th in Meiko. I haven't been taking much photographs recently, due to various activities taking place elsewhere than in forests and swamps.

(Posting title is from the poem All My Activities Are Feeding Activities by Alli Warren.)

Into the sweet spot behind

Lake 1

Lake 2

Lake 3

Lake 4

I did quite a lot of work in the garden during the weekend, so that muscles are somewhat sore. Apparently riding the bicycle and walking doesn't prepare one for such physical work. However, the bicycle commute was quite all right today because the soreness applies to other muscles than those used when riding the bicycle.

These photographs were taken at lake Mustjärvi. I have walked past the lake quite a few times, but I hadn't climbed to the top of Urbysberget hill until April 11th. From the hill one can look to west, over lake Mustjärvi, and to east, over lake Humaljärvi.

(Posting title is from the poem Endless Inter-States by Sina Queyras.)

I sleep on stone, you on moss

Blue 1

Blue 2

Blue 3

Blue 4

Blue 5

Blue 6

Anemone hepatica is for me the real sign of spring arriving. These photographs were taken on April 11th in Meiko. I like how the Panasonic LX100 renders the flowers in close-up, but I'm not yet quite used to the shallow DOF compared to the LX3/LX5, so I'm often avoiding the largest aperture.

(Posting title is from the poem Miró’s Notebook by Rick Barot.)

That tension I would sooner suffer

Lake 1

Lake 2

Lake 3

Lake 4

Lake 5

These photographs were taken in Nuuksio on April 7th.

Today morning I walked for two hours in Tremanskärr forests and swamps. Then I worked for 3 1/2 hours in the garden. Then I was exhausted.

(Posting title is from the poem Lectures to Women on Physical Science by James Clerk Maxwell.)

I am the color of that tree

Green 1

Green 2

Green 3

Green 4

Green 5

The road to the Brussels airport passes Sonian Forest (Dutch: Zoniënwoud, French: Forêt de Soignes). The forest is quite large, 4,421 hectare, and it is part of the scattered remains of the ancient Silva Carbonaria or Charcoal Forest. Spring was much in evidence, and the forest looked inviting for long walks and exploration. Alas, I had to hurry to catch the flight - which turned out to be delayed by over one hour.

Today I went for a two-hours walk in the morning. Early summer flowers are blooming, and some bushes are getting green.

(Posting title is from the poem Caro Nome by Kathy Fagan.)

And soft captivity involves the mind

Flowers

I commuted by bicycle on four days this week, and this year so far 1214 km.

Yesterday I visited Brussels, where the trees are blooming, and I realized that even Brussels can be beautiful. I didn't have time for taking photographs, but here is one anyway.

When returning home I got an impression of stereotype Finns. Finland is #14 in alcohol consumption per capita, but on the plane were some from the heavy drinking part of the population. The delayed flight allowed some extra time in the bar, and on the plane it felt for a while like traditional Finnish midsummer celebrations. When leaving the plane, one of the passengers had to be helped by two fellow passengers to walk to the airport.

(Posting title is from the poem On Imagination by Phillis Wheatley.)

Their theories of omission or commission

Lake 1

Lake 2

Lake 3

I'll be doing a little bit of traveling so there will be a break in the postings here. These photographs were taken on April 7th at Velskola.

(Posting title is from the poem Schools by Paula Tatarunis.)

There is no telling the ominous from calm

Snow 1

Snow 2

Snow 3

The weather has been rather fine for commuting by bicycle. Today we had +2 °C in the morning and +12 °C in the afternoon, a little bit of wind, and occasional sunshine.

These photographs were taken in Nuuksio, near Velskola, on April 7th.

(Posting title is from the poem Defense Mechanism by Calvin Thomas Jr.)

Looking at the photograph is somehow not

Fallen

Path

Lake

These photographs were taken at Vaakkoi on April 6th.

I got 11 hours of exercise last week. On Saturday I had a rest day, and that helped, I felt much less tired afterwards. But the spring is a time when it is difficult to stay still, there is a big urge to go exploring what is happening in forests and swamps.

Today while riding the bicycle back home from work, going over 30 km/h downhill, I signaled with my right hand that I'm going to turn right. Simultaneously a pair of mallards flew past me from the left side at 1 1/2 meter height and 1 1/2 meter distance, and just after passing me they made a sharp turn to the right, to land in a ditch beside the road. This happened almost like in a slow motion, and I had a strange feeling of "flying with the birds".

(Posting title is from the poem At the Beach by Elizabeth Alexander.)

I need to see what’s on the other side

Morning 1

Morning 2

Morning 3

Morning 4

On April 6th I went early in the morning for a walk in Vaakkoi. The snow was frozen during the night, and there was some frost in shadowed spots, not yet melted by sunlight.

Today we are having parliamentary elections in Finland.

(Posting title is from the poem Praise Song for the Day by Elizabeth Alexander.)

What is the visual equivalent

Lake 1

Lake 2

Lake 3

Lake 4

These photographs were taken at Vaakkoi on April 6th, at lake Vähä Majalampi and lake Väärä-Musta.

Today I rested, or at least didn't do anything physically strenuous. I did some shopping with my daughter, and being in a shopping mall can be taxing, but even that went ok. I did go out when it was sunset time, and took some photographs. It wasn't quiet, as there were a lot of bids singing: blackbirds, great tits, thrushes, and so on, everyone telling their own tale.

(Posting title is from the poem Stravinsky in L.A. by Elizabeth Alexander.)