Three Elements.

As Lady Winter steps into mid reign, she tightens her icy grip and throws us into deep freeze.
Yet this fourth season is simply enchanting in its raw beauty - the sights appear so fragile yet the conditions are so unyielding.

Setting out on a short walk along the pristine shores of the North Sea, we were greeted by snow-covered alabaster beach, clear baby-blue skies, frozen ochre colored surf and lazy indigo waters. The waves were hitting the coastline so very softly - a rather unusual sight in these parts.
The arctic air streams to us from Siberia in the far northeast, leaving the usually raging westerly beaches atypically docile, sheltered by the sandy dunes.

We savored the assembly of three elements - frigid air, icy cold waters and frozen earth - while the brave seagulls took to flight, completing an unforgettable, natural sight that left us almost breathless...

Untamed Waters.

Taking a walk along the pristine beaches in the proximity of my home, I am once again reminded of the incredible power of the North Sea.
Watching the surf, the crushing waves bring to mind the run of wild horses, untamed animals in all their feral beauty.
The arctic wind, the salty aerosol, the incredibly enchanting sights of colours and shapes, the roaring sound - they all are the make up of an awe invoking allure of nature.
Yet walking there, hand in hand with a lover, one can not imagine a warmer and safer place...

(All images here taken this week at the North Sea, during our short, romantic getaway.:) 

My Week In Pictures.

Sometimes pictures describe my life better than words.
(please click image to enlarge)

Shores In Snow.

I love the sea.
I love so many things about this wide body of blue, but I guess most of all I relish in that endless variation that a view of the ocean offers at all times. The sea is never the same and those who live at its shores will confirm this fact with certainty.

The beaches of the North Sea must be the most pristine ones I have ever laid my eyes upon. There is so much raw beauty in the powerful surf, as the rollers of icy cold water sweep over the sandy shoreline, spraying salty aerosol high into the air.

I have now had the privilege to witness the manifestation of this rough sea in three seasons and each seems to try to outdo the previous one when it comes to power and beauty. On our recent visit, once again stunning natural opulence greeted me.

It was a sunny day and the almost two-hundred minutes increase in our daylight produced a hue of platinum and no longer gold. The snow covered sand resembled a dried up salt lake bed, reflecting the abundant sunshine. The mist was rising at the horizon, erasing the border between earth and sky, instigating a sense of continuity. The sea itself moved forcefully, yet it swept over the shores in slow motion, as the deep freeze kept its consistency so close to land on the borderline between liquid and ice, creating slushy pools.

Okra, platinum, steel, sea foam and indigo - those were the words resonating within as I gazed at the colours surrounding us. The vital sun warmed our faces, the salty air purified our souls and the distant roar of the winter ocean cleared our perception and I once again found novel reasons for why I love the sea.

Eocene Stone.

My Amber

Ever since I was a little girl, I found amber to be a fascinating stone. Admiring the jewelry worn by my mother and grandmother, I was spellbound by the golden colour and the imperfect texture, with all its small inclusions and trapped life forms of the Eocene period. It reminded me of a time capsule, as it preserved moments of the past forever.

Today I too have in my possession purchased amber jewelry, yet it has been my wish ever since Scandinavia became my home, to find raw amber on the beach.
I never did.

Me And My Find

Having recently moved to the westbound shores of the wild North Sea, I finally got my childhood wish granted. As we took a stroll along the surf on Christmas day, after a night of strong winds, glancing casually down, I suddenly spotted a large stone below my feet. After having picked up so many brown coloured stones before, only to end up in disappointment, I knew immediately this was different - I knew I have found my very own amber.

I keep it in my jewelry box and cannot help but feel it between my fingers almost every day. It is light as a feather, its surface is rough and uneven and when I hold it against light, it sparkles like fire. Over forty millions years old, it is the oldest item I will ever touch. A product of natural wonders, in my perception it reinforces the relativity of time and the incredible value of the short time we are given.

My Amber, found on the shores of the North Sea on Christmas Day 2011

Merry And Enchanting.

Once again, the year has come almost full circle and the most enchanting week remains.

For me, this has been truly the most unforgettable twelve months I can ever remember. They brought my way substantial changes and immense personal growth, completely redefining my life and my beliefs.

I would like to thank you my dear friends, old and new, for the kindness and affection you showed me in your words and through your visits here in the past year. It has been my privilege to be allowed to share with you my personal experiences - both good and bad -  and I am looking forward to continue doing so when I return in January.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year

to all of you 

Xoxo

Zuzana

Pristine North Sea, Christmas Eve 2011

Jade And Silver.

Sea is my fascination.
In case you have not noticed.
The vast body of water instigates in my perception a sense of endless liberation. Thus living in proximity to an ocean is almost a must for me.

I left behind the Danish east coast and a beautiful, calm and tranquil bay - something I will always miss.
However, my new home is a stone-throw away from stunning, wide, westbound beaches, surrounded by the powerful North Sea.

I will forever stand in awe on the shores of this untamed body of blue. To be there - at any time - is simply one of a kind experience. There is an indescribably potent force in these tempestuous waters, something that became lucidly evident on our most recent walk.

It was in the late afternoon, during somewhat mixed weather conditions which included sun, wind and rain. Even though the air was still relatively warm, the change of seasons hung heavily in the air, producing sights that reinforced the omnipotence of this unspoiled and pristine coastline.
There was a sense of raw power in the foaming waves, as the jade green waters rose high against the dark blue horizon, their ridges turning into salty aerosol at the mercy of the wind. The thunderheads drew closer and eventually the surrounding landscape grew simply enchanted, as the sun rays painted the surf in silver, creating a fantasy snapshot, eternalizing an unforgettable moment in time...

(Please click images for a larger view.)

Liquid Gold.

At times, I truly miss my westerly views.
Those of magnificent sunsets, that played out like light shows in front of my windows at the white house on the hill.

But as always in life; you gain some and you loose some. Thus having lived at the east coast for a decade, my new home at the west coast offers novel views that take my breath away.

Recently, I got the chance to see the sun set over the rough North Sea, something I have never witness before.
The beaches here are wide and they stretch some hundred miles in each direction, with the sand so tightly packed, that cars are allowed to drive across the wast surface, on a sorts of a "highway". The sea is powerful and the horizon free and unlimited.

The skies were cloudy on that particular evening, yet that did not deter at all from the allure of the experience - on the contrary, it only reinforced the pristine enchantment of this rugged, unprotected west coast, known for its strong undercurrents and magnificent surf.

I watched the sun move lower to meet the surface of the waters, as my entire being savored the romantic moment, in the warm and loving arms of a perfect man.
While we gazed in silence at the smoky boundaries, the heavens above slowly shifted colour, anything from light blue and anthracite grey into deep purple and red. Eventually the fiery disc turned a strip of the sea into liquid gold, the wild waters embracing the shores, turning so flamboyant in their untamed beauty, instigating so undoubtedly the sense of absolute freedom...

"Horns Rev".

Outside the west coast of the Danish peninsula where I reside, lies "Horns Rev", one of the worlds largest off shore wind farms in the world. Completed in 2002, it consist of 80 wind turbines and is owned by Vattenfall. Although I have never seen it myself, I believe it to be an incredible sight.

Denmark is famous for it's windmills and the wind power produces about 20% of the country's electricity. In fact, the windmills are literally everywhere. On a clear day, I can see them lining up in the horizon when I look out of my living room window. Initially, they were considered ugly and a nuisance, destroying the appearance and the beauty of the landscape. However, today they are an integrated part of the country. In fact, Vestas, the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world is located in Denmark.

The windmills here have even inspired the French composer of New Age synthpop, Jean Michel Jarre. In 2002, he performed a concert called "Aero - Tribute To The Wind" at a wind farm called Gammel Vrå Enge, located just outside Aalborg in Denmark, to an audience of approximately 50,000 people. His concerts are well known for their spectacular settings and unbelievable light shows.

The below photograph, taken by one of my friends on this day, is a clear testament to the fact that even large, modern, steel windmills can be alluring.

The Top of Denmark.

If I take my car and drive for two hours north, as far as I can get, I will end up in Skagen. It is a narrow piece of sandy land that stretches far into the ocean, creating a spectacular place, which has for centuries intrigued and inspired artists with its magical light. This is a place where a meeting of two seas can be watched, a spectacular vision to witness.
The below is a clip from last September, unfortunately of poor quality, taken with my phone. Nevertheless, the crushing of the rolling waves into each other, just off shore is clearly visible. So is the rough, but pristine and rugged nature of the North.