The Gently Rolling Hills

I WAS RUSHING to the hills. How I missed them -- those gently rolling green hills!

I willed my bicycle to run faster and faster, but it would only run at its own pace, even down the hill. At last I reached the neighbouring village, dropped by the shop and soon rode past the last houses. I then turned into a dirt road which took me to the hills. The road went up and down the gentle slopes. The hills around me were covered with a bright green sheet – the fields had been mown and new grass had grown. The bright green was a true feast for my eyes after staring at the monitor for endless hours.

At last I reached my old spot, the same I had photographed, as it seemed, ages ago. I dismounted from the bicycle. The place did not look the same. I turned around in surprise - something was missing. Ah, the white silage bales were gone! And the cows! They were here on the other side of the dirt road, just by that bend. They are gone too! The trampled grass around a group of birch trees was a sure sign that they had been hiding in the skimpy shade of young trees in the sweltering heat.

I felt like a child who was dreaming of returning to her playground to continue the game from where she had left off. I too expected to find my spot exactly as I had left it.

Disappointment washed over me, but only for a brief moment. The hills looked mesmerizing nevertheless. Now the green expanse was uninterrupted by the white dots of bales. Only in the distance did I see hay bales lying haphazardly, still waiting to be taken away. The fields were completely empty, edged by groves here and there. Later, just minutes before the sun goes down, the timid deer would leave their safe haven and enter the scene.

I pushed my bicycle to the hollow between the hills. Took off the rucksack with the camera and the tripod and lied down on the green carpet. To rest my stiff spine after having spent hours and hours hunched in front of the computer. As I was lying, I turned my head and noticed a circle of flattened grass – a deer‘s lie. It was enjoying the cool of the last night in this heatwave. It was my turn now.

I listened... Quiet... Very quiet... Insects were buzzing hither and thither (the intruder had thrown them back, but they restored their usually routine in no time)... A gentle breeze rustled the green blades of grass by my ear... I squinted at the sky above me... It was covered in several layers of clouds and each layer was sailing in an opposite direction... Sometimes the clouds broke and the light blue became visible for a while... A couple of elegant cranes flew by... A stork (he lacks the cranes‘ elegance)... A buzzard, whom I catch from the corner of my eye... That was about it... And I waited for the sunset...