Category: wandering

Mid March

Martyna5 Comments

After two weeks of preventive quarantine due to coming back from Italy, I could finally go out last Monday. I still remember that day vividly – the light of the rising sun in early morning, the road to the mountains, and that wonderful feeling of being on a trail, all alone, just having my dog as a company. We were hiking for three hours meeting nobody on our way up to the top where we saw first people by a mountain refuge. That was truly special, having the woods only for myself, enjoying all sounds of nature, beautiful weather and probably last snow this season. When I sat in the refuge with a mug of hot tea, I thought: what a wonderful feeling to be free again.

Next days were rainy and when the sun came out again, it was accompanied with WHO’s announcement about pandemy and quite famous nowadays hashtag #stayathome.

My attitude had completely changed and even though I missed hiking in my beloved mountains which I can see every day from my window, I started appreciating my village even more. I am lucky to live by large fields and some woods, still able to get fresh milk from our neighbor’s cow, thus the current situation doesn’t affect us too much. Together with the dog, we discover hidden gems of the area, seeking for the signs of spring, animals’ tracks and unique places in the forests before it will get too difficult to access (meaning, when spiders are out there waiting to get into my hair, brr).

Also, my creativity started blooming. I spend days on drawing, writing letters, journaling, making collages, taking photos – and I even gave acrylic paints a try. Staying at home doesn’t necessarily equal boredom.

I guess that situation is difficult for all of us but I believe we can find a good way to use time we are given and to stop overthinking. And instead, to focus on our hobbies, spend time with family, read up those books which were waiting for so long, catch up with some work, improve a foreign language, try something we were thinking about but never eventually tried. Possibilities are endless.

I hope you all are staying safe and healthy ♥

Surrounded by nature

Martyna1 Comment

As the days are getting longer, and the sun is shining on a cloudless sky more often, I feel the need to take advantage of that and get out of the city. On one Wednesday morning I hopped on a train and literally twelve kilometres later I found myself in a completely different environment. It seemed to me unbelievable that I’m living so close to nature and I’d never really been there on my own.

Without further hesitation, I went into the woods. Despite the fact it was early February, I could easily notice lots of green standing out from a snowless-winter scenery – stones covered with a thick layer of moss, dark ivy hanging from the trees, lush ferns following the path, acres of grass on the open fields. And most of all, first snowdrops which, together with an unusual high temperature, emphasised the upcoming spring even more.

Having the heavy yet somehow pleasant wind as a company, I reached the top… and my breath stopped for a moment. Even though the peak was merely a bit above 500 metres a.s.l. the view all around was simply astonishing. Perfect clarity of the air made it possible to see the snowy mountains far away in the north. I was speechless – but I could hear somewhere behind my back “Ah, che bello…!” I coudn’t agree more.

Back then I had no idea that a few days later I’d be watching the view from the opposite direction. I asked a friend about the plans for a weekend – and soon we were driving north, towards Dolomites. While gaining the height, the ground got thicker and thicker layer of snow, making it feel impossible that some kilometres ago there was no winter at all.

I can’t describe the awe I felt seeing a deeply frozen lake in front of a forest and rocky tops behind it. Hiking through the snow and with every single step getting closer to those peaks. Watching from above the valleys we were passing by not so long time ago. And thanks to the still air, being able to hear the real silence – sometimes interrupted by the flutter of bird’s wings or its singing. It made me realize how difficult it is to find a truly quiet place, and that we are always surrounded by sounds which we don’t really notice – untill they’re gone.

Every time I go somewhere, I come across such beauty that after coming back home I can’t believe it was real. No matter if that’s a few kilometres outside the city or a few hours of driving, a meeting with a squirrel in a park or a chamois high in the mountains, a stroll in a tiny forest or in a national park. I feel it’s not about the place in particular but more about our attitude. Being grateful for whatever happens, whatever we meet on our way.

That’s the most precious lesson I got last year.