Weekend 120: Spring is in the air

On May 17, 2021 By RupaliIn Monday Walk, Weekend39 Comments

This past week is like a long weekend for many in Norway. Thursday 13th May and Monday 17th May are national holidays. Thursday was Ascension day (39 days after Easter Sunday) and today is constitution day. Covid-19 restrictions have affected the usual consititution’s day celebrations across the country. Luckily we were able to take long walk everyday.

The deep roots never doubt spring will come ~ Marty Rubin

Sadly my tulips didn’t make it this year. The air is still not that warm and rains making it even more difficult but I am looking forward to my rhododendron and azalea. I take many micro breaks while walking and I witness thousands of miracles be it colour, shape, size, voice or smell.

Life in colour: Purple

Spring drew on…and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps. Charlotte Brontë

We sat in silence, letting the green in the air heal what it could~ Erica Bauermeister

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.~ John Muir

I hope it was not a lot in one post. Thanks for your patience. Click an image to get a proper view.

Jo’s Monday Walk

Sunday Trees

Weekend 119: A fresh breeze is good for us

On May 2, 2021May 3, 2021 By RupaliIn Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge, Monday Walk, Weekend56 Comments

We were back on our favourite tour. Moderate temperature between 5 to 10 degrees and visiting clouds helped us to keep hiking. We managed to walk 11 km with an ascent of about 576 metres in 3 hours before lunch. We could not go futher due to ice on the top.

Spring flowers are scarcely blooming and mostly on the sunny side of the valley. Though almost every survivng plant/tree showcase lovely buds.

We saw a batch of beautiful purple wild flowers, ~~Genus Hepatica, perennials~~ Chionodoxa (Scilla) in the buttercup family growing along the roadside. It looks like flowers were waiting for some sunshine. Jude has corrected the name of these flowers.

Lens-artists-photo-challenge

Jo’s Monday Walk

Stay safe and be kind.

Weekend 118: Mountains are calling

On April 5, 2021 By RupaliIn Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge, Monday Walk, Weekend56 Comments

We continued our hike from where we left off on last weekend Weekend 117:Back to hiking.

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather ~John Ruskin

Although we say mountains belong to the country, actually, they belong to those that love them ~Dogen

Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

When life gives you sun and snow take a walk.

Lens-artists-photo-challenge: Walk

Jo’s Monday Walk

Weekend 117: Back to hiking

On March 22, 2021 By RupaliIn Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge, Monday Walk, Weekend52 Comments

Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth ~ Henry David Thoreau

We managed to hike even more this weekend and yes it was a fantastic feeling. Spring signs are clearly visible though we still do not see crocuses and snowdrops. I hope you too had a good weekend

Jo’s Monday walk

Lens-artists-photo-challenge

Weekend 113: A walk in fresh snow

On January 4, 2021January 5, 2021 By RupaliIn Monday Walk, Sunday trees, Weekend89 Comments

We had snow on the night of 25th December but it was gone within 48 hours. It snowed for the sake of white Christmas. Many of us were missing snow even the people who don’t ski.

On the first day of 2021 we enjoyed our usual hike but there was no snow just some frost.

Fortunately we had good snow on Saturday morning. The trees covered with snow were beuatiful. The temperature was perfect for a leisure walk and a visit to our local cafe. They serve good carrot cake and coffee. The cafe visit didn’t happen as it was closed for Christmas. It may sound odd but yes, in this town the restaurant, the cafe and the bar all were closed from 21st December til 3rd of January. The employees were given Christmas break to be with their families.

It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it ~ Dale Carnegie

Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties ~ Helen Keller

Our walk was concluded with a piece of rum soaked fruit and nut cake which I made for Christmas and a cup of hot chocolate.

Jo’s Monday Walk

Sunday Trees

Living Now

On November 27, 2020January 4, 2021 By RupaliIn Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge, Nurturing Thursday, Weekend61 Comments

Do not set aside your happiness. Do not wait to be happy in the future. The best time to be happy is always now ~ Roy T. Bennett

Life is no different than the weather. Not only is it unpredictable, but it shows us a new perspective of the world every day ~ Suzy Kassem

Sometimes there is no next time, no time-outs, no second chances. Sometimes it’s now or never ~ Alan Bennett

At any point in time you can always find something more pressing to do than that one vital but not immediately necessary task, and it’s only once it’s too late that you look back on your decisions and your mistake becomes painfully obvious. The trick is to substitute thinking ‘do I do this now or later?’ with ‘do I do this now or never?’, because all too often that’s the choice you actually end up making ~ Anonymous

Since April we started exploring our surroundings. We go on walks/hikes almost everyday with some rare exceptions. For Lens artists photo challenge this week, Amy proposed the theme “Now and then“. I decided to stick to the first part “Now”. Sometimes I like to dwell on the past and check our travellings photos but for now let us enjoy the beauty of November. I hope Amy wouldn’t mind either.

I am listening this piece while working on the post:

Nurturing Thursday

Weekend 111: In the neighbourhood

On November 15, 2020November 15, 2020 By RupaliIn Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge, Sunday trees, Weekend64 Comments

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like ~ Lao Tzu

Someone may find it strange but for us it’s quite natural, the skies are clear during sunrise or sunset and the rest of the day clouds accompany us in different shades. Anyways we try to take walks irrespective of weather.

The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude ~ Oprah Winfrey

November is not like spring or summer or not even like autumn but still each day has it’s own significance.

Don’t Just
Don’t just learn, experience.
Don’t just read, absorb.
Don’t just change, transform.
Don’t just relate, advocate.
Don’t just promise, prove.
Don’t just criticize, encourage.
Don’t just think, ponder.
Don’t just take, give.
Don’t just see, feel.
Don’t just dream, do.
Don’t just hear, listen.
Don’t just talk, act.
Don’t just tell, show.
Don’t just exist, live.
― Roy T. Bennett
( The Light in the Heart)

Lens artists photo challenge

Sunday Trees

Weekend 110: A walk in the mist

On November 9, 2020November 10, 2020 By RupaliIn Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge, Monday Walk, Weekend71 Comments

After one week we were back on one of our favourite trails. The actual weather decided to show significant difference from what the meterological institute had forecasted and I am glad. We had an amazing experience.

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky ~Rabindranath Tagore

It is the uncertainty that charms one. A mist makes things wonderful ~ Oscar Wilde

We have forgotten what rocks, plants, and animals still know. We have forgotten how to be— to be still, to be ourselves, to be where life is: Here and Now ~ Eckhart Tolle (Stillness Speaks)

There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

We walked in the mist hiking up and also coming down. Needless to say, we were happy with our decision of going out.

Details about the distance and the elevation. The beauty of nature was boundless 😊 — Details about the distance and the elevation. The beauty of nature was boundless

No cloud is so dark that the sun can’t shine through ~ Unknown

Friday Fun – still

Lens artisits photo challenge

Jo’s Monday walk

Weekend 109: Last walk in October

On October 31, 2020 By RupaliIn Festival of leaves, Weekend48 Comments

Is this not a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love – that makes life and nature harmonize.~ George Eliot

In a forest of a hundred thousand trees, no two leaves are alike. And no two journeys along the same path are alike ~ Paulo Coelho

Flowers, leaves, fruit, are the air-woven children of light~ Jacob Moleschott

One feels blessed when in spite of the odds one could manage last walk of october, before the light of the sun is hiden in dense clouds. I wished for a special entry for last walktober in 2020 and festival of leaves this week. I am really happy with what I experienced today. My little walk gave me immense pleasure. I hope you all are happy too.

The weather god was most kind earlier today. As of now it’s going to rain for next four days and currently it’s really stormy. Stay safe, healthy and kind.

Sunday Trees

Weekend 108: Autumnal stroll

On October 22, 2020October 23, 2020 By RupaliIn Festival of leaves, Nurturing Thursday, Weekend41 Comments

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The images of wild roses were taken a couple of weeks ago. The colours were so different. Some trees were showing yellow shades but all was mostly green.

On Sunday we had been on our usual hike/walk. Unsure of weather in near future I insisted to go on a nearby mountain. It was perfect for hiking cold but sunny. Autumn sun makes every thing beautiful.

Let nature take its course. By letting each thing act in accordance with its own nature, everything that needs to be done gets done ~ Lao Tzu.

The last eight months we are at home and trying to cope with our new normals. Instead of discussing things which are out of our control we focused our energy on simple feasible tasks. We are happy with what we achieved.

Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth. ~Henry David Thoreau