This story began in the early spring of last year. I met a young man. I didn’t know then that this acquaintance would somehow change my life… Our first meeting took place in a cozy cafe in St. Petersburg, then there was a walk through the spring city park. At this time of year, I usually didn’t walk in parks. Everything is gray and dull, there is snow somewhere, there is dirt on the paths. We walked and talked about ourselves, about our difficult lives. It seemed like nothing special, and I was already starting to get tired, until my new acquaintance started talking about his interests and hobbies. About the fact that he loves nature, the forest, mushrooms, hiking with overnight stays in tents. He talked so enthusiastically… I walked, listened, and realized how much I missed all this, how much I missed all of this. By nature, by the trees in the forest and silence. I immediately remembered the small village in which I was born. Beautiful places, mushroom forests, blue lakes and fields, strewn with yellow dandelions in spring and daisies in summer. The city, work, and bustle take up a lot of time and it’s not always possible to go to your native places. The young man, meanwhile, continued to talk about how on free weekends he takes a metal detector with him and leaves the noisy city for the forest. Metal detector….this word made me throw away my memories and return to reality. The fact is that I knew one family well; they once purchased this thing and drove around the fields looking for coins. They had a lot of albums at home, and I never understood this hobby. Why keep old coins that may have bad energy? And then I heard this word again. No, this is definitely not for me – I thought then… Having listened to my friend to the end, I learned that he was more involved in military excavations, finds different things, and that a lot still remained in the ground after the war… His story did not particularly impress me. But she still agreed to go to nature and see everything with her own eyes. Meanwhile, it was getting dark outside and it was time to go home. After this meeting, we began to communicate every day, acquaintance grew into friendship. We waited for the snow to melt so that we could go out into nature together.
And here is our first trip together. We've been waiting for this for so long. My friend, to look for something in the ground, and I, to enjoy the beauty of the forest, birdsong, a picnic and take beautiful photographs.
It was a normal day off. We got up early, got ready, got into the car, about an hour and a half, and we were already there. Air. What is the air in the forest! My head starts to spin. Large pines, small trees, the first leaves are just beginning to bloom. I pick up a camera and walk through the forest. A friend, meanwhile, assembled a metal detector, picked up a shovel and began searching. I only approached when he found something interesting. Then she went off again to look at and photograph the forest. Towards evening, satisfied and happy, we sat near the car, looking at the finds and photographs together.
We shared our impressions. We arrived in the city tired, but at the same time rested. It was a pleasant tiredness. It so happened that from that day on, we started going to the forest almost every weekend. Together and in the company of the same diggers. I was already interested not only in nature, but I myself began to look, together with everyone else, to dig, and an interest appeared.
What is there and what is here? They found various things, helmets, axes, teapots, mugs, and often coins, to which I had already changed my attitude. Each time it became more and more fascinating. In between excavations, they lit a fire, everyone took sandwiches out of their backpacks, ate, rested, and continued the search. I discovered for myself that you can look for more than just mushrooms and berries. And how many interesting and educational things lie hidden in the lands of our forests and fields.
Time flew by unnoticed… Summer is over. It's a day off again. And my first independent discovery. For someone involved in military archaeology, it will seem quite ordinary. But, for me, it was unexpected and interesting.
The morning in the autumn forest turned out to be quite cool. It rained at night, and the grass had not yet dried out. This time we decided to pick mushrooms first, so we walked slowly along the forest path, looking through the forest.
There were still chanterelles somewhere, which was surprising for that time. When I saw a porcini mushroom, I immediately felt a sense of joy, just like in childhood. Leaving the old overgrown path, I went a little to the left, deeper into the forest. Mushroom places beckoned further and further. And here in front of me lies a huge tree, fallen by another hurricane.
It was so huge that it was difficult to get around. I decided to take a shortcut. In his hands was a basket of mushrooms. Behind him is a backpack with sandwiches. As I began to roll over the tree trunk, my gaze involuntarily fell on its roots. And suddenly a picture opened up to my eyes. There was some strange “piece of iron” sticking out in the roots. After examining and photographing it, I carefully removed it from the roots. There was a strange object in my hands. It looked somewhat like a long knife. But where are its cutting parts?
I put the find in my backpack to show my friend. Later I found out that this “piece of iron” is called a tetrahedral bayonet from a Mosin rifle. There was no limit to the joy. After all, I found what they were looking for with a metal detector without one. It was a good day. They returned home in a good mood and with a basket of mushrooms.
The season was ending and winter was approaching. Searches and excavations were postponed until next spring. Common interests, and now hobbies, did their job. An ordinary acquaintance and friendship grew into a serious relationship. This is how I found a new hobby and my loved one.
January 21, 2018
Sincerely, Marina.