Yesterday we went to the Keila-Joa waterfall. The sky frowned at us and dusted the streets with some snow, but I was mercilessly dragged out of bed, stuffed into the car and taken to what turned out to be one of the most picturesque, tiresome and enjoyable walks I've had so far this year.
The river is still firmly sealed with ice
It was so nice to see the thick green moss after several months of black-white-grey town streets; it's resilient, and filled with moist, and smells deliciously. All throughout our walk, I kept brushing my face against twigs and fir pars, smelling things, delighted by the fresh and raw aromas.
Somewhere the ice is already broken, and the black icy water rushes inside the melting framework.
The stream comes out of the pitch-black caves crafting the delicate lacy patterns on the ice walls, and disappears into the sinister black abyss, which looks so deep, and mysterious, and fascinatingly frightnig. It seems to enter some dark cavernous underworld instead of continuing its way right under our feet.
The waterfall itself is frozen, a thick wall of fantastically shaped ice stands still where the water used to dash.
The ice caves look as if they were entrances to some other place, the Snow Queen's realm, the vast snowclad lands of Pohjola.
But the ice is neither dead, nor motionless. If one puts the ear against this wall, behind it the powerful drone of the falling water can be heard.
The streams of water can be seen inside the deep cracks.
Behind the still, rigid exterior there's the fierce throbbing of life.
Soon, the stone will be erupting water again.
We've touched all four elements that day: exposed our smiling faces to the wind, bathed our fingers in the numbingly cold water, walked the thawing earth and warmed ourselves in front of the fire at a quaint tavern where we drank steaming coffee and mulled wine.
To get to that tree, we had to walk hip-deep in the snow.
The first colors of spring - lush moss on a tree stump.
And the young moon smiled at us from among the gnarled branches.
2 comments:
Gorgeous waterfall... I love your photographic exploration of its half frozen, half rushing wonders! Also, lovely drawing of sleeping in a paprika down below.
Jodi, thank you very much!
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