The Warmth.

The next day was the hottest one. Hot in the truest sense of the word. The sun was baking so that my jeans were welded to my legs, the asphalt was heated to dark blue, and with the wind I could dry my hair.

So we were walking all day, moving by shadow bounds.

At some point we realized that the body needs coolness, it needs it inside and outside. So we decided it was time to find good people that would share some water with us. No sooner said that done! Fortunately, in Latvia it is not hard to find welcoming people - is the vast majority.

Our next meeting - a woman Janina. As we noticed, she has a big family, so that there was a large family farm too. We found them in the process of preparation for the harvest. Despite the busyness and the fact that we asked just for water from the well and a wooden bench to sit, she didn’t leave us without care and attention.

The hostess offered us home milk ( is it impossible to resist to such gifts?) Finally, she brought us fresh bread and home-made cranberry jam! Everything was simple, home-made and so delicious...

 And to all the delicious an interesting conversation was added. Janina said that it is not easy to live here, yet happily. It is not easy because you have to work a lot: the house always needs care, there is always enough work in the field and animals cannot stay without you. But happily because there is a forest, their own land, close-knit family, there is the nature that nurtures mind and body.

It was a pleasure to hear Janina’s story. I was glad because people can appreciate what they have, they know how to be happy and grateful for it.

Janina didn’t not let us go without milk, cottage cheese and a can of cranberry-apple jam, carrot and potatoes of incredible sizes. And she gave us an icon and her kindest wishes. We said thanks from our hearts.

Not far from the village of Atasiene, there was a lake and we headed to it. We went for the coolness, we went for the water, we went for the night.
We arrived and were happy: water and setting sun, the trees and the scarlet sky.

 The day was extremely hot, that’s why the first, ah, in fact, the third thing we did - dived into the lake. Of course, the swimming season was already closed, and the water temperature has decreased considerably, but we didn’t mind it. For Stephan it was like nothing to do, but I jumped into the water not after the fifth "One-two-three" :)

We had our water procedings not only with pleasure, but with a sense of responsibility as well: we didn’t want to spoil the water with soap foam and harass its inhabitants, so we washed ashore. Ok, we had to run with casserole there and back 10 times, but the lake remained clean. We think that it is the way it should be.

After we made a big fire, baked potatoes and made herbal tea.

Sunset sky was becoming more and more pinky, migrating birds were painting patterns on it, the stars were slowly but brightly twinkling. And we were happy from another day that was full to the brim with good things.