It's been almost a year since this particular trip began and it's been a struggle, to say the least - for the most part, due to the weather - the winter was long and harsh. In the thick of it, the days rarely reached the thaw point and the nights were deep below. Even in May, we had cold nights almost touching zero. It was no good. The plan was nothing like the reality, of course, but that's usually how it goes.

Today, though, the air was warm, the sky was blue, and life was good. Heck, it was downright exciting. Byron explored without his coat for the first time, and we began discovering our latest home-town with the feeling that only sunshine can bring.

A flowing river, rolling hillsides, the smell of burning logs, and a care-free breeze that peeled the layers off all my worries and blew them into the distance, leaving only a clear head. For what more could you ask?

The ice has melted and the rooftops have color, again. As we arrived in Strážek, a village I loved from the first moment, another day had begun. We might never be where we thought we would, but where we are is pretty perfect.

The village church from the neighboring field.

A body of water, just a touch narrow for a river, splits this village in two.