The pictures in my head - part 1

I'm in Sweden. I have been for a month now.
Deep sigh.
The air is clean.
My feet are clean!
I wear white... and it stays white.
Welcome back...

... after years in Africa's throbbing heart
I see...
The flag is blue crossed with yellow.
The grass and trees are green.
Lakes shimmer surrounded by pine and birch and oak.
Red houses with white trim.
Summer...
The sky is blue from 4am to 10pm.
Another day.
The sky is gray with heavy clouds and cool rain.
Another day.
The sun warms again in the clear sky.


In the car...
Wheels hum on the black ribbon cutting through the pines.
Passing...
Fields of green... hay, oats, wheat
Fields of yellow... canola flowers.
Roadside wildflowers, shoulder-high... white, yellow, blue and pink... nodding in the green.
Horses trotting in the pasture.
Cows grazing in the pasture.
Passing...
Campers. Campgrounds.
Boats. Canals.
Trains. Stations. Crossings with booms.

Summer vacation in Sweden...
Many are travelling like us
To their summer cottages on the lake
Into the forest to search for golden Kanterel mushrooms
Into the forest to gather blueberries and Smultron and wild raspberries
Visiting relatives in the north
Off to the coast with the family
Off to Thailand, tropical sun and salty sand castles
Or home painting the house
Replacing the windows
Adding on sun rooms
Renovating the bathroom
Mowing the lawn then feeding the neighbor's cat

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