Prisoner of Hopes

Tag: trees

  • Hike On: Travel Goals Ireland

    When the kids said they wanted to go to Ireland to hike, we gladly rented a farmhouse. I picked a part of the country known for iconic hikes. We went earlier and spent a few weeks exploring counties Donegal, Mayo, Leitrim, and Fermanagh. It is beautiful country with miles of walking and hiking trails. We…

  • Some Days Are Just Beautiful: Travel Goals

    Some days are just beautiful. The sky is unbearably blue. The air is cool but the warmth of the sun kisses your cheeks. A slight breeze teases your skin and all seems well with the world. It is an impulse stop. I am on my way to a work related training. We are headed north…

  • Rural Road Trip: Out for a Walk

    When the mind races, I take a walk. If I am overwhelmed, I walk. If I have time to kill, I walk. Walking is good for my body and mind. I don’t really need an excuse to take a walk. Today I found myself with an extra hour between appointments and decided to take advantage…

  • Forest Bathing: Travel Goals

    Nothing seems as good for my soul as a long walk in the woods. The sun is shining on the frozen lake. The water is warming and thawing slowly. But the forest calls me to its shadows. Buds are appearing on the branches. Crocus and bluebells make their colorful entry to the forest floor. The…

  • Jump: Travel Goals

    Norwegians love skiing. In Tromso, they ski to work. In Oslo it is warmer, so they have indoor skiing and they have snow machines to maintain cross country trails. But the king of the mountain is the Holmenkollen ski jump. We take the tram up the mountain to Holmenkollen and then walk uphill to the…

  • Travel Goals: Forest Bathing

    We hike down the hill this morning to catch the Floibanen funicular to Floyen. The cars are modern and clean. It is a rare and sunny day in Bergen and the locals are flocking to the mountain. We go along. At the top, we enjoy the views of Bergen and the surrounding fjords. Smaller towns…

  • Sharing the Love: Travel Goals

    Sometimes I just enjoy things so much I want to share them. European traditional market days are some of my favorite travel days. Whether it is a giant flea market or small stalls, I am all in! So it was a delight to take my brother and two of my sister in laws on a…

  • Anticipated Arrivals: Travel Goals

    I love hosting company, especially if the company is family. Today my siblings, minus my youngest brother are coming to join us at our Italian retreat. The house has been cleaned. Groceries are bought and now I wait impatiently for their arrival. I take a walk around our quiet neighborhood waiting for their plane to…

  • Stranded: Travel Goals

    Sometimes things are not as you want them to be. You just have to take a deep breath and deal with them as they are. We wanted to take the ferry to Intra and then on Isola Madre, the last Borromean island we hadn’t visited. It was market day in Intra…and I love market day.…

  • Gardens and Galleries in Verbania: Travel Goals

    Some days just exceed expectations. I woke up to a beautiful pink sunrise. The rain had washed the earth clean and the birds were singing their thanks. We had no where to be and took our time, lingering over coffee. We drove around the lake to Verbania and the Villa Taranto. I wasn’t expecting much.…