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| Colza fields |
I cannot remember the last time I spent a weekend on my own. Come to think about it, probably never as I am usually not at ease spending time on my own, least of all in the middle of the countryside with the nearest neighbour one kilometre away. I never realized how liberating for the soul it could be to disconnect from everything and just enjoy “being there” being yourself.
My detox weekend did not follow a traditional detox programme. I had no spas, massages or colonic irrigations. All I had was time with myself and nature, plus of course a couple of bottles of Haut Medoc, some local goat’s cheese and freshly baked croissants and coffee. Probably not a very healthy diet, but an enjoyable one. My detox plan involved cutting off from the internet, tv and telephone. A big detox if you come to think how attached we are to these things.
My weekend started on a Friday afternoon when I arrived at an empty country house which a friend kindly let me use . My first impression was “Oh my God, what am I doing here in the middle of nowhere”. For a few minutes I hesitated and wanted to go back to the security of my own home, but I was here now and the sun was shining. I braved it, opened the door and unpacked my few belongings. After I unpacked I sat on the door step with a glass of wine, the sun warming me gently. The rest of the afternoon I just sat there and read a book until the sun disappeared and I had to go in. My dinner for the night consisted of another glass of wine, nuts and raisins.
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| Fields of Wheat on the front and Rape-seed (colza) on the back |
Saturday morning came with yet more sunshine; an opportunity I took to go out on my bike searching for the nearest goat’s cheese farm and baker. By the time I got back to the house it was already the early afternoon. I had taken a long time cycling, stopping on the way to admire hidden castles, rivers, flowers and wildlife. I was exhausted after my long ride and I just sat again by the door to soak up more sun and greedily enjoy two freshly baked croissants I had bought at the nearest village. It was a beautiful day and without a second thought after I finished my lunch I put on my walking boots and wandered among the fields of colza and wheat. For some reason the colza’s yellow flowers looked so inviting that I couldn’t stop myself from going in the fields, the yellow carpet ahead of me just made me want to roll over it!. After a while I reached the woods and continued my walk until I reached a small pond where I sat for a while before walking back. All I could hear was the wind and birds chirping. I never came across another soul on my walk. On my way back I couldn’t believe I’d just ventured into the woods and fields on my own. I have always been scared of the woods (watched too many horror films) but this time I felt secure.
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| Colza (rape-seed) flowers |
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| Rape-seed (colza) fields |
The rest of the Saturday afternoon I just sunbathed and when the sun went down I sat on the window sill listening to the opera, sipping a glass of wine, admiring the colza fields. I felt good.
