Jauna Dzive

I have arrived in Koknese and have started living with my new family.

Took the dog for a walk in the forest last night and had the most magical experience. It was a grey afternoon and the trees had this calm intensity to them. I could see the river Perse glistening ahead of me. As I neared strains of singing drifted through the trees. I walked on to find a concert taking place in the Koknese castle ruins. Magical.

This morning I had another simple and yet beautiful experience, potato harvesting. 20 people all working together. Then gathering around the table for hearty food and heartier laughs before setting off again. There is something so beautiful about living simply and really connecting with the people around you. It's nice to see that in normal, modern lives these traditions remain. (Although I wonder how long it takes for the beauty to wear off and the back pain to set in).

I hope you all survived the winter :) The summer here has been wonderful but now Autumn has arrived and with it a lot of rain. I should repair the holes in my gumboots as they will probably come in handy.
Love Zaiga