Today the prompt is “forest” at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. Here is a beautiful haiku by our host of Carpe Diem:
listen to the wind
that moves through the forests –
buzzing mosquitos
© Chèvrefeuille
I was trying to remember times I was deep in a forest besides camping. Then I recalled times when I used to cross country ski in the mountains…not huge ones, mind you…more hills…Mount St Bruno was such a lovely place to hike, snow shoe and ski. It has alpine skiing too even if it is a tiny mountain; it is lit up atnight and only 15 minutes from downtown Montreal. So that`s pretty cool.
My favourite place to cross country was in Rougemont, where my son actually lives now. You go up up up for a long time. But you do get in the forest quick enough and can shed a few layers of sweaters under that winter wind breaker. It is a great place to just sit and admire the scenery. And once you get high enough, then you go down down down for a long time…lt is not too steep so the descent is really lovely.
Cross country
against strong winds
forest shelters
(c) Tournesol ’14-08-08
Tournesol dans un Jardin 
I’ve never cross country skied … This sounds like a really great sport and you make it sound so easy too! The photo looks mysterious.
LikeLike
My son took it snow shoing on the mountain I talk about. I have not skied in years though. What I liked best was the calm in the woods. I prefer a private path.
LikeLike
We have an annula snow shoing event here in Trentino … and lots of paths for skiing … but I’ve just never tried either. I can imagin the peace though going through the woods … and I imagine that a private path would be more intimate.
LikeLike
and it is warmer in the shelter of the trees; we used to picnic and bring along our leather gourde (for wine) 🙂
LikeLike
Cool … now that sounds like a cool way to picnic!
LikeLike
🙂 of course we were supposed to put whiskey or brandy but we didn;t like that. Now I am older and wiser and brandy would have been better, no risk of breezing …we were drinking novices….haha…did not start drinking wine until my 30’s. Never realized it could be good since all our family drank a Christmas was sweet wine priests used for services, le vin de messe.
LikeLike
I didn’t start drinking wine until I was around 35 or 36 … though I had tippled a bit I hadn’t really acquired the taste for it and still haven’t for brandy and such. Vin de messe is far too sweet … the Italians have a wine like that that’s almost syrupy but it’s used to dip almond cookies into during the winter evening.
LikeLike
Yes that wine is syrupy alright.We started making our wine for several years. Ah just give me baguette, cheese (smellier the better) and good wine:)
LikeLike
A classic combo … and so good!
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Where there are lots of people is okay and safe actually once you get deep into the woods but many can be competetive like my ex, which for me takes the fun out of my outting. I found the same thing with sailing on our catamaran.
LikeLike
Know what you mean … I like things to be easy going and enjoyable not trying to prove something …
LikeLike
Over thirty four years ago I was in Mont Tremblant. But we got there too late to ride the ski lift – not that we would have gone skiing. I have been told that some of my yards trees are too close together. But it makes for a miniature forest for rabbits, squirrels, birds, snakes and other animals.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! I took photos at my son’s place with a line of 5 or 6 trees closely planted…at certain angles it looked like I was in a forest. It was for privacy the previous owner did this but one or two trees may have to be removed in a few years…in the meantime, a mini clairière.
LikeLike