Hello everyone :)
We decided one of these days to go to the village of Couce (a place we visit regularly), but this time we didn't stay to see the village for long. Instead of exploring the typical streets and houses, we decided to take advantage of the fact that it was a sunny morning to walk one of the trails that start nearby. I really like this walk because we are going to a special place, close to the river, where time moves slower.
Walking along the "Corrida dos Pescadores" trail we arrived at one of our favorite spots, a small river beach on the riverbank, surrounded by trees and the sound of running water. There, the silence is absolute, broken only by birdsong or other hikers continuing along the trail.
I remember that in a previous article I made reference to the ruins of what remains of a group of houses that in times gone by were the home of someone who has now left, without realizing whether that land is private or whether it was acquired by some council project.
In any case, the absence of any fence allows anyone passing by to enter and stroll around and see the remains of an old annex that resembles a type of mill.
I sat on a flat rock, as I always do, and started throwing pebbles into the river, one by one, watching the waves that formed. Our daughter immediately started selecting the best rocks to see which one of them could jump more often :-) I love doing this with her as it reminds me of when I was a kid and spent hours with my cousins competing.
While we were there, in our world, I noticed several small tree frogs jumping through the vegetation near the river. I was amazed at how comfortable they seemed with our presence. Very carefully, I approached it and, to my surprise, the frog let me pick it up. It was a funny feeling, as if she was already used to human contact.
The little girl was immediately excited. We decided to build a stone house for the tree frog, right there at the foot of the river. We collected pebbles and sticks and, with patience, set up a small shelter. Afterwards, we both sat, watching her inside her new "home". She seemed so calm, like she was enjoying our work, but after a while, she decided it was time to go on her way. We watched as it slowly left and disappeared among the rocks and sand towards the water.
We stayed there playing a little longer, looking at the pebbles and looking for the "rarest" ones that I will later use in one of those recurring macro photography sessions.
There is something magical in these small moments: the calm of the river, the sound of nature and the simplicity of things.
We are disconnected from the rest, but connected by the memories we create. The attention is focused on her, and on the things she discovers on these walks. I hope she can continue learning and connecting with nature and herself in these little pieces.
That´s all for today, Hope you like it :)
Camera - Canon EOS 600D | Lens - EFS 18-55mm
Location - Portugal
Thank you again for watching :)
Always remember:
Value your time, because every fraction counts, and the price of anything is the amount of life you trade for it.
May the memories of the travels be eternalized in the photographs, and may the photographs transport us back to the travels ;)