Spring has been playing odd tricks on us. The trees are bursting from within with zillions of tiny green shoots, little green pixellations on a background of bare, brown timber. The effect of this is that there is an overall khaki look about the forest that is so reminiscent of the muted colours of the Australian bush that it gets a bit creepy in places. Perhaps we could be forgiven for thinking just for a time as we left Epinal, that we could have been on the upper reaches of the Darling River for instance.
The problem with being on the water on these crystal clear, still days is that one is inclined to slow down to make them last. That makes a lot of sense, but the reality of travelling at an maximum speed of less than eight kilometres per hour is that if one does slow for long, one finds oneself going backwards.
Today we resisted the temptation, charging on relentlessly, travelling almost thirty kilometres through thirty-four locks, and many sections of forest. We could actually see the change within the forests during the warmth of the afternoon, and it wasn’t hard to form a view that spring will happen tomorrow or the next day and it won’t be coming with a whimper it will be one almighty BAM!
One can almost feel the pent up energy in the trees, it will be like a bushfire in reverse. Today the forests are comprised of little more than bare skeletons of trees, but they are simply ready to burst into a flame of new leaves.
It’s all a bit awe inspiring to say the least. We have found spring!
2 comments
This is so fascinating. I just discovered this blog recently. It will be fun to travel the waterways of France vicariously.
So glad to have you aboard Jack! Welcome!
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