Real Life or Dream

February 17, 2018 by eflaherty

I have had a difficult time writing this. Not only because it is personal, but because it is also unsettling, unique, even frightening. Some of you may be aware that I suffered a stroke just about a year ago. Lots of people suffer strokes. I have been fortunate in my rehabilitation. I can talk. I can walk. I can write. I can take care of myself. These were not the case in the first three weeks following the stroke. So let me say to all my medical support, nurses and therapists thank you very much. Now, it is just me and the daily mental battle of rehab vs retrogression. No big deal. Humans seem to need battles to excel, to live. Strange as it seems.

For me, it is the first three weeks that perplex me, that put me into some kind of twilight zone between dreams and real life. It had been signed off at the time as stroke induced dreams but they came in such volume, in such intensity, with such fear. Then a couple days after a full night dream wherein I had violently struggled to free myself from entrapment, I noticed an horrendous bruise on my thigh at a place that could have easily occurred in my dream, so I had to ask myself dream or real life? And if it was real life why do I not recall my activities that night? I only recall the ‘dream’ and that ‘dream’ did not occur in the hospital.

Because of these uncertainties, I feel obliged to recall them in detail. Those ‘dreams’ in detail will become a series of short stories, if I have the fortitude to work through them. Fortitude? Well, since the stroke, one of the lingering effects has been my inability to even come close to multi-tasking. So I have stepped away from what many of us see as the natural multi-tasking complexities of the modern Western world.

The following set of photos exemplify what I find as simply satisfying in life these days. And when I try to resolve the awkward and fearful complexities of the first three weeks after my stroke…I rarely have the will power to remember or the endurance to examine. Rather I go out for a walk in the fresh air. The therapists call it looking to the future instead of the past. I can live with that; but the dream versus real life intrigues me.

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Almost Winter Haiku

December 10, 2017 by eflaherty

Where black forests white

Winter pushes at the edge

Unleashing colored dreams.

What happens under the cover of forests? Unpredictably dreamy grays become colours.

Catch

May 8, 2017 by eflaherty

…if you can!

The Right Altitude

May 2, 2017 by eflaherty

May Snow

A week ago I posted Wisteria photo taken the same day, so enamoured I was of its floriferous and fragrant presence. I called it a mature spring dream.

Today, just one week later I had the opportunity to observe a unique scientific reality—that is—higher elevations have cooler temperatures. And that dramatically affects the visual coming of spring.

I live in essentially the same easting and northing for the Wisteria photo and these weather photos below. All have been taken within a 5 mile by 5 mile square on a map. I can observe the weather at 500 meters above sea level—the Wisteria–no snow fall at all–only a cold spring rain.

And I can observe the weather at 1,500 meters above sea level which I did today. My easy access to these very different elevations is possible due to the well developed cog-wheel train system in operation year round in all weather conditions.

Today, at 1,500 meters and higher, I saw no crocus, no dandelion, no green. But I did have the joyous fun of a snowfall in mid Spring—large flakes in blizzard-like conditions up to 12” deep and sticking to all coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs.

Good fun.

800 meters above sea level–at this elevation there was no snowfall but you can see the dynamic cloud activity–up the faces of the cliffs–along the valley floor–and the entire valley is covered and darkened by the low overcast.

1,500 meters above sea level–at this elevation I have entered the low overcast layer that caused the reduced light at 800 meters. Inside the overcast layer was snowing.

2,300 meters above sea level–at this level I have risen above the first overcast snowing and am now in snowfall from a higher overcast. This is where 12″ of snow had already fallen and the snow was still falling. A cog-wheel train at left.

Mature Imagination and Youth

April 28, 2017 by eflaherty

Wisteria floribunda gently stirs…youthful fragrance…mature strength.

Imagine

late April

Northern hemisphere

Spring moisture

17 degrees centigrade

cloudless sky

mid morning

faint breeze…

…just enough to stir these sweet fragrances

and you will have no doubt…

as you gently and deeply inhale…

A mature spring is about.

About dandelions

April 23, 2017 by eflaherty

***Warning Hate Inside***

When I was a kid, my dad used to send me out in the front yard lawn, early spring, saying, “Get rid of the dandelions—and get out all the roots, too.”

Never, I never won that battle. Always more dandelions and always more vociferous exhortations from my dad.

Dandelion hate. Part of my childhood.

Well, I’ve grown up and now live in a new neighborhood.

And by golly did I have fun yesterday glorifying in the 500 meters above sea level central Switzerland landscape—dancing with the dandelions.

A sea, waves of dandelions in all their floriferous glory. Dancing away my hate.

Dandelions…no matter how seen,

Glowing with energy,

The light of the field.

I’m sure they have forgiven me.

The dandelion landscape…er…seascape.

Dancing dandelions

Dandelion bounce–it’s fun

Dandelion threesome

Dandelion dominatrix

Spring Snow Showers

April 19, 2017 by eflaherty

Northern range of the Swiss Alps.

Last third of April–lots of spring flowers–violets going by–winter clothes put away–boom–spring snow showers.

Violas, violet, over oak.

Snow showers–normal April the locals say.

Snow flakes–dancing and jolly as if they are enjoying the joke.

Black Bird

April 7, 2017 by eflaherty

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About this time of year, the early spring on the northern slope of the Swiss Alps in the Jungfrau Region–as the grasses first turn a full green, as the first wild primroses bloom, as the forsythia and magnolias bloom, the farmers bring out the sheep and cows–the bells and their random mystical ringing. At this same time a unique spring melody plays as the sparrows and the blackbirds greet the animals and the warmer sunny days.

If you try, you can almost add this photo plus the bird song to discover the briefest moment of fresh, sweet, spring air in the Swiss Alps.

Broderies

March 28, 2017 by eflaherty

The spring wild flowers in homeowners’ lawns speak Easter to my memories.

Between the mountain air and those flowering plants is an aura that feeds and frees my creative synapses. Absolutely amazing.

Some people might call it a ‘natural high’ but no. Whatever it is, it inspires, it energizes and encourages the freedom that is the base of creative thoughts, words and deeds.

The airs are important. On the highest and northernmost massif of the Swiss Alps, the airs flow down, mingled with the airs of the plants and earth, otherwise undisturbed, from 4,000 meters (above sea level) over the surfaces of broad lakes into and among the gardens of the villages at 600 meters.