The previous day we had hardly left the cabin. Ceaselessly the rain had beaten roof and windows, clouds had licked the soil while gusts of wind had shaken walls and doors. When morning came the rain had ceased, but rivulets had grown to rivers. The sound of rushing water filled the valley, and on the map we sought a path with bridges. cause in the mountains, any well prepared plan is just an option.
During the day we had to change plans many times. One bridge was gone since long, another led us only halfway, and we could not ford the mountain streams we wanted. When finally at night we pitched our tent we had learned that also waiting can replace a bridge. The morning after we could cross the streams that were unpassable the previous evening. Many plans were changed that day but afterwards we remember more how water can be bridged with patience.
after the rain
ptarmigan family
seeking catkins
Crossing a bridge in Norwegian Mountains
Today Grace inspires us to write haibun about bridges at dVerse. Join us at 3PM EST.
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October 31, 2016
Björn Rudbergs writings 
How beautiful a journey that bring us awareness such as this. Thank you for sharing it.
Love the walk and redirect with a trip to the dictionary for the bird! Enjoyed the haiku.
“clouds had licked the soil”
Love that image! 🙂 Beautiful.
What a scene you have painted Bjorn. I could hear the torrent. Your haibun inspired this: https://phantomroad.wordpress.com/2016/10/31/31-oct-2016/
This made me think of how oceans divide us, then there other means of crisson borders. I really like this one.
I love the sound of rushing water. We once lived in a house that had a stream running near it. When it rained, it turned into a torrent. I loved the way nature ignored our meagre efforts to control it.
I appreciate the lessons from your journey. Some roads can be unpassable, including the bridge, after a strong rain However with patience, there will be new roads and trails to follow. Enjoyed the personal share Bjorn ~
A wonderful haibun…”long since gone”😉
You make me crazy too.
Very wise, and a good reminder to all of us who rush about, getting over excited about things. I love the detail of this haibun, and that fantastic picture. Did you take it?
Yes I did… it’s my wife crossing that rickety bridge…. and after crossing we realized we couldn’t get further and had to go back over again.
I bet there was a little bit of adrenaline flowing…
Love this – such a sense of poise and calm as we struggle to live up to every challenge that life has to offer 🙂 Beautifully penned.
We have had to change direction on hikes and sometimes wait out the storms. I love how you capture this with ‘water can be bridged with patience’.
The sense I get is that despite the water rushing along, hiking cannot be rushed and being patient allows time to bridge the gaps. I like the picture too.
I love the way you show patience to be rewarding. Beautiful photo, as well.
I really enjoyed that first paragraph, Björn, particularly the picture you build up of the wet and windy weather: ‘clouds had licked the soil while gusts of wind had shaken walls and doors’. I felt like I was their with you and your wife. I also enjoyed the hikers’ philosophy in ‘waiting can replace a bridge. The morning after we could cross the streams that were unpassable the previous evening’. From now on I will think of you as Björn Ptramigan – do you remember the TV programme The Partridge Family?
Should read ‘there with you…’
That sounds like the kind of experience that is better in the retelling than while actually living through it! I would have been terrified. But I love the gentle philosophy of waiting that you have made out of it.
Love that wisdom that sometimes waiting can be a bridge too…so many problems are best solved with some patience.
You certainly did the prompt! LOL! I love the ‘clouds licking the soil’ and the overall descriptiveness of this piece. And the issue of patience…which is so often forgotten in our rushed days.
And the haiku. Lovely.
“water can be bridged with patience” Hard lessons but worth learning. I love the haiku
Interesting lessons of all kinds for these protagonists!
…waiting can replace a bridge..I like that thought. I have done it many times myself. Some of make the mistake of going in the fast lane and miss so much.
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