Fleeing Deer

I swear it’s not an impressionist painting, just a blurry photo I took yesterday during my forest walk. The deer were watching me from the edge of the woods, not far away. The moment lasted a long time, until I ruined it by pulling out my phone. At that point, they took flight. If you’re reading from the RSS feed or the newsletter, click here to see the actual image.

December 7, 2025

Early morning walks

An essential part of my fitness routine is my early morning walks. On weekdays, I leave my home on the outskirts of my small provincial town, walk to downtown, and then return. It’s a brisk, almost hour-long loop before I sit down at my desk. On weekends, I take walks in the woods or to the beach, or if I have the time, head out for a mountain hike. These walks make my daily zen moment. Sometimes I come back and, if I try, I can’t remember what I was thinking about the whole time. Other times, however, and often, I mentally organize my day, or solve coding problems (or, more likely, study solutions to try later, once I’m at the keyboard). Sometimes I plan or dream about my future mountain trips, or remember past adventures, or plan motorcycle trips. Sometimes I listen to podcasts or music: there are mornings when I want to be on my own; others when listening to a well-told story is just what I need. In any case, once I get back, I feel refreshed, oxygenated, relaxed, and ready for the day’s work. ...

November 18, 2025

A walk after the storm

A walk on the beach right after the storm. Lots of logs scattered all around, for miles. And sanderlings running all over the place.

October 21, 2024

A walk on the beach [video]

I took a walk on the beach last weekend. I never frequent Lido Adriano. It is much better than I expected, especially out of season.

May 12, 2024

In the pinewood [video]

I went for a walk in the local pinewood the other day. It’s one of my favorite places, especially the least frequented parts, where one can walk for hours (and risk getting lost) without meeting anyone. I cut it shorter this time as it started to drip rain, and I had nothing with me.

May 3, 2024
Early afternoon beach walk. On a deserted beach, the sea calms down after the overnight storm.

Saturday beach walk

March 4, 2024

Beach walk

In a brigh Sunday morning, we went on a lonely beach walk Our third kid turned eighteen yesterday; she’s an adult now, and we’re left with no teenagers in our family. She is on a celebrative short trip to Barcelona so we are alone at home, for the first time. It’s only temporary, but it’ll become the norm in just over a year when she leaves for University. What a strange feeling; the nest is going to be empty soon. It will take a while before we get used to it. ...

February 26, 2024