Unpampered Wanderlust

A couple of days more and Midsummer is here. Usually, during this season, we're out traveling somewhere, not just on the outskirts of our city, but farther in the south or up in the north, or in some nearby countries, in response to the whims of our wanderlust.

This summer, however, a temporary physical detriment has kept us from moving around. So we're stuck here in our city, waiting for some positive changes that will make possible for us to carry out our travel plans. I'm not disgruntled, though, knowing that I have plenty of worthwhile things to do and that my mind can take flight to anywhere in the universe and enjoy my imaginary earthly and intergalactic journeys. I can still walk around here and capture all the beauty of this summer. We can still drive through the countryside and feast our eyes on the verdancy of the open fields, the colorful flower meadows and the evergreen forests;  watch the farm animals grazing in the meadows or the birds flying overhead.

*****

First week of June, hubby and I traveled to Lycksele  (a place dubbed as the portal to the Lappland, which is almost two hours ride from our city) for a scheduled medical care, but was eventually cancelled for some reason.  So we went back home without accomplishing anything save for an information regarding my health status. Disappointing in some way, and yet relieving.

Driving along, we spotted several pine forests carpeted with cottongrass in full bloom. The awesome sceneries elated me! We pulled over to take pictures with our mobile phones, since I left my camera home.

Closer home, we caught sight of this dilapidated car transformed to a mini-garden with a towering birch tree standing through it. How ingenious!

*****

A few days later, a friend invited us to her family summer house in a village called Vännäs for a little festive gathering. It was a quiet neighborhood, a nice place to get away from the hurly-burly of city life. The house stands beside the river and has a very spacious lawn where we played games after the dinner.

*****

We also had the chance to take a look at Nydalasjön, a lake within our city frequented by the city dwellers because of its accessibility. Some people were having fun in the sauna floating on the lake, and so were those picknicking along its shores. That afternoon was cold and windy, sending us back to our car just as soon as our eyes had swept  around the lake.

*****

These, by far, are my wanderings this summer. They may not meausre up to the higher demands of my wanderlust, but just enough to satisfy me in this present condition and perk me up.

I still have the other half of summer to spend. Who knows what wonderful things await me in the next bend?

Lilac-Scented Days

Summer days are racing swiftly like a time-lapse video. All the flowers are coming out sequentially in an unstoppable burst, then wither away in just a few days.

At the moment, the dominant flowers are the lilacs. Auspiciously, they are lingering for quite a longer time. They stand like sentinels in most gardens, yards, fences and corners of apartment buildings, competing with one another as to which has the most blooms.

I spent some days roaming around, hunting for the most densely flowering bush. In the process, I took the time to breathe in their scents that wafted in the air. I kept sniffing until I got intoxicated by their sweetness. Ah...invigorating! Yes, lilacs are among my well-loved summer flowers.

As expected, I captured and preserved their beauty in umpteen ways. Here are some of them.

As always, I can't stop my itchy fingers from pressing my camera shutter. My eyes too were always on the lookout for some nice shrubs and bunches to shoot in different angles. In so doing, I kept drinking in their soothing fragrance and getting my senses filled with it. Another bliss.

Let the days march on with the scent of lilacs. Let their scent dance around me until the last whiff melts away. 

Let every creature bask in the beauty of the season the way our Creator has meant it to be.

Out of Weakness Comes Strength

She had never been this sick before. All she had experienced in the past were common colds, fever, flu, dysmenorrhea, headache and toothache. Nothing serious at all. She had always been physically sound, alive and kicking. Now, however, a certain sickness struck her. Not lethal, but can be risky since it requires major surgery.

She's on sick leave. The doctor signed the document. For how long, no one knows yet, though initially, the provision covers one month, from the preparation period to post-surgery. It may extend longer too, until she recovers enough strength to go back to work.

She's not scared of the surgery, she's taking it cool. It's the long wait without job that's driving her crazy. She's a woman of action, full of energy, and a hardworker. Being confined in her home sans her job is tantamount to a slothful life. It's not that she has nothing else to do at all. She has all the household chores at her disposal, apart from her divinely-ordained service, but that's not enough for her. She yearns for her secular job, which she enjoys, no matter how humble. She misses the customers she works for, particularly a family that has been endeared to her. Their kindness to her inspires her to do her job efficiently.

Another thing that makes her sigh is being sick in this best time of the year when everybody is having fun, traveling, engaging in outdoor adventures, things that she herself used to do. It's the peak of summer with its 24-hour brightness and multi-colored gifts. A few days more, and Midsummer is here. And she is imprisoned in a capsule of limited activities. She could be in some places in Europe or in her treasured natural world. She has also missed the district convention where she belongs, which is one of her yearly  highlights.

But she can tolerate such a life of involuntary "ascetism". She can live with that, for a while.

To make each of the waiting days count, she immerses herself in what she believes to be fruitful and joyful activities. Her resourcefulness in this matter keeps her away from ennui and squandered moments. She has many projects to do after all, so much that she can't decide which ones should take priority. Foremost in her mind, however, is to use whatever skills she has to strengthen, comfort and cheer up those she comes in touch with. She has always been doing that, but this time, she has much leeway to maximize her altruistic deeds.

So while dark moments engulf her and physical enervation chains her, she still has a great capacity to radiate, to empower  and to elate others. 

When she is weak, then she is powerful. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

The thought comforts her and keeps her spirited. All will be well in time.

Unexpected Encounter

On May 30, 2013, I set out for a little photo jaunt just to capture this year's summer atmosphere. I had planned to take a short-distance walk around our residential area. Later on, however, my paths led me a little farther to a place called Ängarna (the Meadow), an open field carpeted all over with grass, with a narrow creek running through it and a pond swarmed by ducks and geese. Many sportsmen often come here to play.

As I was nearing the place, I met a crowd spilling out into the sidewalks, obviously coming from the place where I was going. I got a phone call earlier that an event called Brännbollsyran was going on there, though I had no idea what to expect to see. When I got to Ängarna, I was surprised to see a multitude of young men and women wearing costumes and summer clothes, playing, picnicking, drinking and having all sorts of fun that's typical of summer festivities. So this was the Brännbollsyran festival, an annual summer event in the city of Umeå and is participated by students from different countries. Most came by bikes, which were parked around the field. 

Inevitably, I was caught in the middle of the jovial crowd. Instead of taking nature-photos, I ended up shooting candids of people that caught my interests as I walked by. I could not take nature landscapes anyway on account of the crowd swarming all over the place. Even the little pond was deserted by its regular winged summer tenants. So I just strolled around, watching, being amused and shooting.

At least, it's kind of a break from my usual nature-hunting. And it's a fine summer day filled with merry sights and sounds.