Woodpecker widow

The last few days have been very idyllic as we have been wandering through the woods searching for orchids and the elusive Hazel Grouse. As you can see Hugh made friends with Bambi who lives in the field with some horses and is very tame. Apparently he was in a research project as a fawn when his mother died and he was taken from the wild and became a pet. He is very cute and followed us through the fields on our walk. I bravely walked past the horses and ponies trying to show no fear. Though they can smell fear I believe.

Another walk took us to the one of the nearby lakes and onto a platform where you can fish or launch canoes or jump in and swim from if you wish. The sunset over the lake was beautiful and occurs around ten thirty now. There were clumps of small wild strawberries growing everywhere which tasted very sweet. It is all very "Sound of Music" like except there are no nuns and no alps but otherwise it is identical!

I am glad we have seen a moose or, if you want to be strictly accurate, an elk because now I can buy some of the moose paraphenalia that covers Sweden - oven-mits, caps, cuddly toys and so on. Or even a tasteful key-ring would be good. I shouldn't laugh as Australia is covered in kangaroo and koala kitsch after all. And what is worse snow-domes of the Sydney Opera House!

Hugh is off on the trail of White-backed Woodpeckers today - apparently there are only two pairs left in Sweden - so sad. That is what he is really in Sweden for, to work on a recovery plan for these birds. Good luck is all I can say. So I get to be able to use his internet all day - he has not been very good at sharing. In the absence of other distractions, I have been doing some writing - the best-selling book is still a long way off I hasten to add, but I have made a start trying to get down some memories and impressions. It is not as easy as it looks this writing thing but I am persevering in case I am Jane Austen in disguise. One can only hope.