Leisure

Gurre, a Legendary Place

Posted on by Hanna

‘If God in heaven will let me have Gurre, then I will let him have Heaven.’
Because of this blasphemy, King Valdemar is doomed to ride in Gurre every night

The romance and mystery associated with Gurre is created by many great poets.
The inspiration is easy to understand when you have wandered in Gurre and experienced the silence at dusk.

GURRESONGS:


The bluish twilight now damper
every sound of sea and land,
the fleeing clouds are encamped
to rest on the edge of heaven.


Compacted to soundless weight
is the forest airy stay
and the lake’s clear waves
have cradled themselves to rest.



In the west, the sun casts
from her radiant purple dress
and pulls over the waves
and dreams of the day’s splendour.

Not the smallest leaf is moving
and call upon my senses,
Not the slightest sound is heard
that seduced the senses to dance.

No, every power is lost
in the river of dreams
and pushes me gently and silent
back to myself…

Jacobsen, J. P., Samlede Værker III, 1924-29

I did a translation of the first verse, Gurresange, despite the risk of violate the treasure from Jens Peter Jacobsen’s pen.

Gurre Castle

NOTE

Gurre Songs is written by the Danish poet; Jens Peter Jacobsen
Rainer Maria Rilke learned Danish and translated Gurre Songs to German
Twelve Tone Music inventor, Arnold Schoenberg, composed music to Jens Peter Jacobsen’s Gurre Songs (Gurrelieder premiered in 1913 in Vienna)

My Neighbourhood in Autumn Colours

Posted on by Hanna

I had a quick walk in my neighbourhood today.
The delicate smell of weathered leaves are intoxicating.

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns.
George Eliot

A Joyful Walk Today

Posted on by Hanna

Shady forests, silence, steep slopes and breathtaking views over the deep lake, Furesøen.

Frederiksdal, Zealand, Denmark
Nørreskoven ved Furesøen, Zealand, Denmark
Furesøen, Zealand, Denmark
Furesøen, Zealand, Denmark
Furesøen, Zealand, Denmark

Keep it wild and get lost

Posted on by Hanna

I thought I knew the forest and I wasn’t impressed.
A country road divides the forest into two parts, destroying my illusion of a true nature experience. Only because I got lost, I discovered new areas, and that gave me a completely different experience of what to expect.
I found paths that winds among birch trees and tall pines, over hills and down through ravines and around lakes with a rare bird life. Approximately 25 swans lived in the lake on this day in mid-May. A wonderful sight!
One can walk in a relatively small area, and still find new paths while having a marvellous time exploring.
Go out there and get lost 🙂 Happy walking!!

The Magical Power of Snow

Posted on by Hanna

The hoarse cries of a raven put me in adventure mood. A few kilometres further on, only the creaking of snow under my shoes breaks the silence, This is an amazing day after the blizzard and the light makes my heart sing.
I’m grateful for being alive.

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving o’er the fields,
Seems nowhere to alight: the withered air
Hides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven,
And veils the farm-house at the garden’s end.
The sled and traveler stopped, the courier’s feet
Delayed, all friends shut out, and housemates sit
Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed
In a tumultuous privacy of storm.
The Snow-Storm by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Now is the time for wandering

Posted on by Hanna

Now is the time for wandering. Coolness in the air, vibrant colours and bird migration. Nature wears a new dress every day. Nature is exuberant at the moment.

These photos are from Rude Skov. A forest with great variety and bogs. It is highly recommended to stay on the trails, since not all bog holes have a water mirror. If one falls into such a hole, it might be very deep and with steep slopes which could make it impossible to save oneself without help from a person on solid ground.

Hvis I lader bilen stå hjemme, kører bus 354 fra Holte Station op igennem skoven mod Høsterkøb og videre til Nivå.
Rejse med tog og bus har den fordel, at vandreturen kan varieres i det uendelige.

Kort over Rude Skov

Rejseplanen for buskørsel fra Holte st. til Vildtfogedvej (Hørsholm Kongevej)

Celebration of Nature

Posted on by Hanna

Denmark celebrates nature tomorrow 11.09.2016
You can click this link for several arrangements: Naturens Dag

Høvelte, Sjælsø Sandholm Øvelsesterræn


Høvelte, Sjælsø Sandholm Øvelsesterræn

Høvelte, Sjælsø Sandholm Øvelsesterræn
Friluftsrådet
Danmarks Naturfredningsforening

An Entertaining Stroll In The Citadel

Posted on by Hanna

I’m standing on top of the Citadel’s ramparts looking over the harbour while swallows fly closely by. I am sure the birds benefit from the steep ramparts one way or another.

Particularly two traditions link the Citadel to the public holiday, Stor Bededag and the night before.

Best known is the custom of eating warm wheat buns on Stor Bededags evening. The reason is that not even the bakers were supposed to work from sundown the night before Stor Bededag and throughout the following day.
Therefore very large wheat buns were baked the day before which people could take home to heat and eat the next day.

However, the wheat buns were eaten the same night – while they were still warm and crisp.
Today it is possible to buy the wheat buns all over when Stor Bededag is approaching.

The second tradition normally associated with Stor Bededag, was the habit of Copenhagen’s bourgeoisie walking on the ramparts on the evening of Stor Bededag. The custom can be traced back to the 1700s and is said to be caused by the melodious chimes of Our Lady Church’s carillon, which lured people of Copenhagen out on a stroll to enjoy the newly sprouted, spring green linden and chestnut trees.

The carillon was set up in 1747 and destroyed by the British bombardment in 1807 the church’s spire was hit and crashed into the main building, which burned completely.

It seems that the tradition once again is popular among people from Copenhagen and every day might work

Notes
Useful information on this site: Copenhagenet.dk
Kastellet
Kastellet, Copenhagen, Wikipedia

The Blueberry Season

Posted on by Hanna

I shot the blueberry season underway yesterday. An early start for a delicious morsel. The characteristic for the blueberries are an upright, deciduous dwarf shrub with dark blue berries. Shrub is from 15 to 45 cm and is easily recognised because the branches are square, green and smooth. The leaves are 8-25 mm long, finely serrated, short-stemmed and green underside. Later in the year the leaves are often brown spotted. The flowers are first light, since red-green to completely red and sitting solitary in axils. The bloated jar shaped flowers are four to seven millimetres long; the stamens are smooth. The berries are six to eight mm, dark blue, or black glistening with a purple juice that reveals the blueberry eat socket when the lips are coloured blue – Very revealing, I might add.

Wish you all a good hunt!!!

Connected to the Sea

Posted on by Hanna

Even if you never have the chance to see or touch the ocean, the ocean touches you with every breath you take, every drop of water you drink, every bite you consume. Everyone, everywhere is inextricably connected to and utterly dependent upon the existence of the sea.
by Sylvia Earle

Kystvandring ved Kattegat