Days such as this will come back

Seize the day! Up at half past six. A sunny start, expected to cloud over before too long, a Zoom call at 9am, so time for a quick breakfast and an early walk. Assuming I can get my act together, a morning walk is worth two afternoon walks when it comes to setting down those qualia memories. Morning walks are simply more memorable. And they trigger more memories of morning walks in the past. The senses tingle with the optimism of a new day. No danger of dozing.

Below: walking towards the crest of the low hill between Jakubowizna and Grobice, I spot a pair of ears moving towards me, like the masts of a ship beyond the horizon. I freeze. It's a hare. Slowly I raise my camera (with 70-300mm zoom) up to my eye. Because I'm still, the hare does not notice me at first, and continues along the farm track towards me. As its eyes distinguish me from the background, it stops to assess the situation. The wind is in my favour, blowing from the north. The hare turns sideways. It sees me with its right eye to the south; its other eye detects a woman and her rather large dog, approaching the hare from the north. To the west, a chain-link fence. To the east, an unfenced orchard. The hare took the logical course of action and bolted off between the apple trees. For a moment there, I stood eye to eye with the hare.

Below: a few minutes earlier, around half past seven, further south along the same track, orchards to the right. And an impeccably cloudless sky. The glorious sun, unfiltered by clouds, all-powerful in the eastern sky, connecting all things to the cosmic consciousness.

Below: the forest, on the way out... superbly green. The sun's already quite high; sunrise was at quarter to five. I whip out my bird-song app to record the sounds. The forest is alive to the song of blackbird, thrush, blue tit, blackcap, willow warbler, chaffinch and chiffchaff. 

Below the forest on the way home; I have to pick up the pace, make time and get home to prepare for my call. I make it with ten minutes to spare. So – first walk of the day: 7,300 paces.

Call done, office work under control, kitchen chores sorted – time for the second walk, to the Deko Market in Chynów for porridge, bread and cat food. A different walk, through the village rather than forest and fields. Nostalgia, but of a different sort. Below: ulica Słoneczna, looking north. A Stella-Plage vibe.

Below: ul. Wspólna, looking east. America in the 1950s, loud and clear. Just replace the Hondas and Peugeots with Hudsons and Studebakers and I'm there.

Below: repainting the Jesus outside the wooden church on ul. Główna. The hands look a wee bit small if you don't mind me saying.

Approaching home, over the level crossing, I get that sublime feeling – the sun and wind together on my face. The afternoon warmth makes it slightly too hot under two layers, but the wind's blowing from the north-west just hard enough to bring pleasing comfort, and the combination sparks those familiar exomnesia moments from beyond the here and now. Another 7,100 paces walked.

This time last year:
All along the watchtowers
[coincidentally, another close encounter with a hare!]

This time two years ago:
Blossom, sunshine and trains, Chynów

This time three years ago:
A better tomorrow for the soul

This time four years ago:
Blossom time in Jakubowizna - the apples

This time six years ago:

The Ice Saints - right on cue

This time ten years ago:

Then and now: Trafalgar Square (recreating my father's photos)

This time 12 years ago:
Reflection upon the City Car

This time 14 years ago:
Biblical sky

This time 15 years ago:
Travel broadens the spirit

This time 16 years ago:
Welcome the Ice Saints

This time 18 years ago:
On the farm next door