Tag Archives: Jungfrau Region

Fall2020

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I looked out the window today. Fall had snuck in, big time. Nearby a huge old linden tree was freely droping leaves. It made me think of snow flakes, large snow flakes drifting down on a day with no wind.

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1.European linden, Tilia x vulgaris

It was mid afternoon. There was still an autumnal warm sun. I had to take a walk.

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2.I wanted to take my peeps for a ride on the nearest lake; but along the way, I became distracted. This image made me think, if I was looking at a city, would I be looking at something as diverse as this? Then I thought green ferns and gray rocks. Such a pleasant combination. Then I headed to the lake.

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3.When I showed my peeps the boat, they said no way. Not sea worthy.

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4.Then they pointed to the ship they wanted. I looked. Instead of the ship I saw the fall color in the backgroud forests.

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5.I followed the forests along the lake edge until I saw this town. Then I thought, no need to go out on the lake. It would be more fun following paths in the forest.

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6.Ahhh, yes, this was my pleasure in the Lauterbrunnen Valley away from the tourist route.

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7.And as usual for me, I had to look not only at the large forest landscape but also at those life forms that were sheltering under the forest canopy. And as I examined, I was unfortunately forced to ask if this was a diverse village. Upon closer inspection…one bite makes you larger and another makes you small…

It was time for me to get back home for dinner.

Anniversary

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This week was my three year anniversary marking my release from the hospital. Three years ago I returned home for the first time following a stroke and three months in hospital–from stretchers to wheelchairs to walkers to crutches to home.

Then the last three years of physio, ergo and logo. If anyone reading this has friends or family with stroke, then consider this encouragement. Improvements can occur even three years after the stroke.

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The sunflower to me is hope, inspiration and enthusiasm. Growth. Health. The photo is only part of the picture. My wife has planted a garden and meticulously cares for the plants with love as she has me. This photo is the glorious proof. 

Sun + flowers = hope + beauty

I’m ok, if…

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…I can’t tell the difference between the onset of old age and covid19, 20 or whatever*.

No matter how I look at it…

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…up close, can’t tell one from the other.

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…or from distance, don’t know the source or destination. Just in the flow.

And ahead,

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There still are challenges, mysteries, discoveries…if I just take a step forward.

*covid, China virus, Kung flu, Wang Chung?!! Everybody have fun tonight.

 

More personal than…

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More personal than usual.

Every week, maybe a couple days each week, I take a walk amongst the agricultural valleys in the mountainous region surrounding me. And on every walk I discover something in the plants, gardens, fields and landscape that rejuvenates some part of my being.

Normally I capture a photo to share with what I hope is a caption that will captivate the guests who visit my blog. Well the last couple weeks, I have taken the photos and when I have returned home to review them, I have not felt inspired. Can’t explain it.

So today I have written this strange entry.

Now I will review my recent photos and hope to find one or more to attach to this post.

I found two.

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It was the pink of this hydrangea flower that called me.

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It was the thrill of discovering this clump of gentians at 2000 meters above sea level. The gentian blue is a visual magnet for my eyes.

I feel better now.

Natural Social Distancing

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When waiting to pick up the take-out, what is the safe social distance?

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In this landscape you find dense forests on steep slopes meeting flatlands filled with agriculture.

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This kestral, safely isolated near the top of a dead tree at the edge of a flat agricultural field, waits patiently for its take-out.…until I kept walking and broke into its 100 meter safe zone.

Flew away–without the take-out.

Landscape Visualization

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Not so long ago, I participated in a survey by an American specialist in landscape visualization. The survey focussed on the inclusion of visual utility infrastructure as it is built through the landscape.

At the close of the survey a question was asked for each to identify the ideal image of landscape visualization. Well, it would have been easy to say–landscape without any infrastructure visual intrusion would have been my preference.

Could not do that. But I did add that since humans had been living with and using the landscape as long as written history, the ideal landscape image should include successful use, accomodation and management of the landscape.

Just recently, I found a photogenic example that expressed my ideal. The images follow below.

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This foreground field, occurring at the confluence of three mountain valleys and two mountain lakes, was for decades a central air field for national self-defence. When that defence was transferred from props to jets, the airfield became community pasture and recreation for 25,000 local people. The red circle, enlarged in the image below, shows how well major electrical infrastructure has been brought through the adjacent forest.

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This is an enlargement of the red circle shown in the above image.  I should note that this landscape, incredibly photogenic, is regularly photographed by me in all seasons. And despite the well camouflaged electrical power line infrastructure, I always try to frame my photos without any visible infrastructure. We put up with that infrastructure to ameliorate climate, daylight and communications. That is our way of life.