Patterns

This rather beautiful, and in this picture abstract, pattern is actually the feathers on the speckled breast of a thrush. Sadly said thrush was dead on our veranda but at least I was able to get a real close up and see how the pattern is formed.
(I've put covers on those windows to prevent more fatalities, at least while we are away.)
Today we drove down to Arlanda, Stockholm's main airport, ready for an early flight to England tomorrow.
We did manage an adventure on the way though. A 50 km stretch of main road was completely at a standstill so we turned off onto a mud track so small there was grass growing in the center. We then navigated a network of such "roads"eastwards through the forest, using the sun, until about 30 minutes later we emerged onto the small coast road running parallell to the motorway, and then followed that southwards until we reached the motorway beyond the blockage.
This detour gave us a beautiful drive through sunny forest full of white flowers and then through small villages. There was very little traffic and the driving was relaxed. I think we'll probably repeat this detour again, but we'll turn off a little earlier to avoid the need for the dirt tracks.