Jo’s Monday Walk
Tag: jos monday walk
Weekend 122: Woods in Black & White
The forecast stated a dark and wet weekend but it was not bad for Friday 😀. Here are some images from our hike on Friday. Hope you like them.
Walking on trees roots can be challenging especially after steady rains when it gets slippery but on steep trails I find roots help me to have a good grip and are better than walking on carpet of pine needles.
Please excuse me for linking it to multiple challenges 🙂
TreeSquare: I break the rule in 2 images to give better view of the woods.
Lens artists photo challenge: Black & White
Lens artists photo challenge: Getting away in the woods
***** Sunday Thought *****
We learn about ourselves by taking one footstep at a time along a road of discovery. Greek philosopher Heraclitus who lived around 500 BCE proffered cogent advice about how to acquire wisdom and achieve a proper perspective on all worldly events. ‘Whosoever wishes to know about the world must learn about it in its particular details. Knowledge is not intelligence. In searching for truth, be ready for the unexpected. The same road goes both up and down. The beginning of a circle is also its end. Not I, but the world says it: all is one.’ This script tells of one man’s journeying a full circle in an effort to become one with all that exists.~ Kilroy J. Oldster
Weekend 121: Expect the unexpected
Great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful ~ Roy T. Bennett
I am presenting a photo journal of our long hike which was spiced up with some unexpected experience on last Sunday.
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has ~Epictetus.
We planed a hike on Saturday which we had to cancel due to last minute changes in the weather forecast. Sunday was all good and we decided to proceed. The aim was to climb little more than 900 meters above sea level and cover a distance of 19 km. Our daily walks have given us strength to plan such activities.
Buttercup flowers in abundance 
Wild flowers amaze me 
At 600 moh
Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you are climbing it~ Andy Rooney
Until now we had an enjoyable hike. I am no expert in knowing various birds and their sounds but these were the most beautiful sounds we heard in the nature. We didn’t see any bird due to the lush green surroundings.
The past 
The future
Our destination “the top flat surface” was about 2 -2.5km away with an ascent of 300m. We needed to cross the high tension electrical wire pole which is visible up on the mountain in the image named “the future”.
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order~Jon Burroughs
A Magnificent Structure 
Wind didn’t let me take the photo
Everything was fine until we crossed the high tension electrical wires but soon after the gentle breeze was not so gentle. We decided to continue as we see no danger too soon.
Mountain weather conditions can change dramatically. Suddenly the heavens opened giving us a little time to put on our jackets. As we long passed the farms, finding a shelter was out of question. We wouldn’t have worried was it just rain. We saw lightning and then we realised the weather forecast for thunderstorm was preponed by a couple of hours. So there we were in a thunderstrom standing in the middle of nowhere. Going back means we had to cross the high tension electrical wire pole which we thought as a risky option. There were three cottages in sight but we picked the one which was on lower tarrain than the other two. We moved fast and felt ourself lucky as we were not on the top open space. We waited outside the cottage for about 25 minutes.
A thunderstorm in the mountains can be really impressive but also dangerous. Watching lightning on a mountain was one of the most frightening experiences I had in my life. We began our descent down the mountain after thunderstorm moved away and the rain slowed down.
When we set out the weather was warm and we were in shorts and light t-shirts. There was no indication of there being any weather problems. On a mid summer day in the middle of the day we were wet and feeling cold 😜
Soon things were back to normal. Rain jackets were replaced by sun glasses though the wet hiking shoes felt quite heavy.
Nature at her best 
Sheep share the Norwegian right to roam
In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
We wouldn’t have planned a hike if we had any idea about the fast approaching thunderstorm. Anyways we learned a lesson and without fail we thanked nature for keeping us safe.
Becca’s Sunday Trees &
Jo’s Monday Walk
A walk in the garden: chasing colours – blue and green
People observe the colors of a day at its beginnings and ends, but to me it’s quiet clear that a day merges through a multitude of shades and intonations, with each passing moment.~ Markus Zusak
Although I don’t know much about anything, I know that I have a story. I know that it is not over. There are shades and shadows of adventures and people and wild new places … ~ Emily Barr
But we are running out of colors,” said Mr. Violet, intervening.
“That cannot be the case,” said Mr. white. “There are an infinite number of colors.”
“But there are not that many names,” said Miss Taupe.
“That is not possible. A color must have a name.”
“We can find only one hundred and three names for green before the color becomes noticeably either blue or yellow,” said Miss Crimson.
“But the shades are endless!”
“Nevertheless, the names are not.”
“This is a problem that must be solved. Add it to the list, Miss Brown. We must name very possible shade.”
~Terry Pratchett
Like a snake sheds its skin, we are capable of getting rid of assembled habits, creating space to call matters into question. Instead of the Shakespearian ” To be or not to be ” we could favor ” to become or not to become”. By “becoming”, we challenge the range of possibilities in our life and go beyond the merely “being”. We can retreat, then, from the imprisonment of a deadly routine, acquire an identity and develop our personality. ~ Erik Pevernagie
People die from lack of shared empathy and affinity. By establishing social connectedness, we give hope a chance and the other can become heaven. ~ Erik Pevernagie
Stay safe. Be kind 🙏
Weekend 120: Spring is in the air
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.
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
Rose gardens
I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.~ Ruth Stout
God made a beauteous garden
With lovely flowers strown,
But one straight, narrow pathway
That was not overgrown.
And to this beauteous garden
He brought mankind to live,
And said “To you, my children,
These lovely flowers I give.
Prune ye my vines and fig trees,
With care my flowers tend,
But keep the pathway open
Your home is at the end.
~ Robert Frost (God’s Garden)
A gardener is like a prophet looking out on a barren land and saying, ‘I see corn on that hill, and beans beneath the grove, and lavender in the field, and over there some roses by the brick wall.’ Don’t you think that’s what a good friend should be like? A truly good friend is one who can look at our bare lives and see the fruit of what will one day come from deep inside us.~ Craig Froman (Of Secrets, Spiders & and the End of the World)
Be soft, don’t let the world make you hard. Be gentle, don’t let the people make you difficult. Be kind, don’t let the realities of life steal your sweetness and make you heartless~ Nurudeen Ushawu
We visited Madrid in may 2019 and stayed there was 5 days. During the visit I spent some quality time in the rose gardens. Yes Madrid has 2 rose gardens and have more than 4000 roses.. Both are well maintained and can be reached using public transport. The public transport is extremely efficient at least in my opinion.
Weekend 119: A fresh breeze is good for us
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.
Stay safe and be kind.
Weekend 118: Mountains are calling
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
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
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