A White touch

 I feel so energised after spending a weekend in the east part of Netherlands, nearby Arnhem. This is a more hilly part of Holland, about 20 km from German border. The winter was showing the best natural compositions with the white powdered shapes. All the mud, dirt and green was covered with the endless amount of snow flakes, which landed to the flat lands and curvy hills in one winter night. It felt like a gentle, friendly touch. So calming and peaceful was the sunday, so joyful were the people walking in the woods and going down the hill with full speed. 



This was just a short play of winter. The temperature is already rising, the sun is shining and it will melt all the snow very fast this week. It is important to enjoy the moment when you can and make the best out of every season. I am glad we could have at least one real winter weekend and the children could play with this element and learn the nature of it. The nature and character of snow, which is so familiar to me from my childhood. I find water in all its forms one of the most interesting elements in our planet. The frozen water and the individual snow flakes are unique, disappearing beauties. And thinking of the ice, the melting of the big ice areas in the North pole and in the Antarctica is really worrying. Especially the very strong layers of old ice are disappearing fast. The year 2016 was the hottest year in our planet on record ! 

* The temperature rise in the North Pole 

* Antarctica's ice is melting from beneath

Lisää kuvateksti

After a cool morning outdoors, when your hands started to froze and the feet were so cold, it is nice to enjoy the warmth. Wearing the best investment for the winter - a pair of real woollen socks, and drinking something warm. Still we have to appreciate the cold and the seasons, which we do not want to lose. And appreciating all we have.. means not only words and talk - it means actions. In the individual level this can be reducing your personal environmental food print.

Find out your personal environmental foot print here 

I did the test. Unfortunately the map doesn't have all the countries there yet, but I used the closest one available, Luxembourg. Compared to average person from there, my ecological footprint was 3,8 when a average Luxemburger has 4,1. If everybody on this planed lived like me, it would need the recourses of 4 planet earth. It is shocking. The first thing I have to do is eat less animal products, travel less, favour local product and travel more locally. I do not buy new products very often - meaning clothes, furniture and other luxury products. I think we really have to think our energy use and start to plan using the sun energy for our needs - seriously !!

The sun is burning through the window to the spot I am writing this in a cafe...teasing me and saying: "Come out". I am making me a promise now to start to be more aware about my choices every day!! This has been my path lately: focusing on choices, personally. This means also my personal choices to react on things, how I take care of my relationships with other people, how I listen to myself and how I should take part more - making good choices and changes. Everything starts on a individual level and has an influence for other people and our environment. 

With these thoughts, as an inspiration for everybody, I wish a great week and joy of life for everybody. The beautiful nature pictures and moments spent outside are giving me the fresh power kick I need for this season.