No photographic excellence here.
Clouds, forests, mountains and sky–do clouds dance? Gracefully?
Now, tell me what you see…
I see inspiration. I was inspired to write. Fictional autobiographies by Christopher Janus. Arcane adventures in nature. Read the first, Tangier Gardens. On sale now for a short time.
Take a walk in Tangier Gardens.
Only 99cents at Smashwords this link: https://bit.ly/3SIAfma
What do YOU see here?
Healthy vegetation? Plentiful water? Rich soils? Successful human endeavor? Life? Inspiration?
It’s all there.
The popularity of landscape photographs these days is the result of our lives being so turbulently fast-paced that we humans have an unquenchable existential thirst. We try to satisfy that thirst by absorbing in a one second glance at a landscape photo the peace and inspiration so essential to a fulfilling human existence. But we do not have the time to go out in the real life landscape to actually bathe our souls in it.
***
Do you agree?
If so, maybe you’d like to read the landscape stories I write.
Sign up to my email list: https://bit.ly/3q5lcaq
Read my ebook, Tangier Gardens, it’s free on Smashwords: https://bit.ly/3SIAfma
It is about waking up to a joyful surprise.
Went to sleep hearing the rainfall on the roof. It wasn’t cold, but late autumn coolness everywhere. The falling rain eased me into sleep.
Oh, that first snowfall of the winter…oh, that first snowfall of the year.
There’s nothing quite like it. Waking up to the first–clean, bright, yet not glossy–the best white.
Yesterday like that.
Today…
In life, natural things have always attracted me, so I look for them and write about them
I am a nature lover and a landscape aficionado.
I am curious about all things green—the environment, plants, gardening, horticulture.
And because I am intrigued about the multi-cultural, mystical history of people and plants, I have lived in North Africa, Europe and the Arabian Peninsula.
If you are into these same things, then please visit my Smashwords page or join my email list.
There is light, sunlight, transcendental light… look for it.
It’s always darkest before the dawn–the dawn does come…wait for it, go to it, change will come.
You can see through the dark times.
***
In Tangier Gardens, CJ was submerged in dark times; but with the help of his girl friend, Sachy, he found the light.
If you’re into these kinds of stories, please join my mailing list, more are on the way–stories from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
Burnt out by too much hot summer?
Catch some Mediterranean vibes.
Shade, date palms, orange blossoms.
Which photo has the treeline?
So, what is a tree line?
Well, Wikipedia can tell you; but the mountains I am looking at are in Switzerland so I’ll refer to the Department of Geography at the University of Zurich for the definition of a treeline.
A mountain treeline certainly is not a line in the common sense. The treeline is defined as the high elevation, climate driven limit of tree growth.
The treeline is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high elevations. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually cold temperatures, extreme snowpack, or associated lack of available moisture).
It is easy to get into the weeds discussing the geographical, botanical and topographical details of a treeline. Just look at the images above for a general idea and the graphic below for a summary.
But where does the mirror fit in?
A treeline is natural. It tells about interactions between ecotypes. And that makes me think. Is the treeline a vector or raster. Is it a thin line, a narrow path one pixel wide or is it a broad and wide line with varying gradients, blurs and opacities?
I think the latter. And looking in the mirror at treelines, I wonder…are human cultures like environmental ecotypes? Are they definable on their edges by lines? Raster or vector? Is diversity our strength…or our weakness…or is the effort to define cultural differences a non-sequitur?
***
In my book, Tangier Gardens, CJ faced incredible cultural challenges.
The Tangier gardens saved that young man from the relentless, brutal challenges issued by the northwest Africa landscape. It’s an intriguing story about culture, design and humans.
Lime or linden?
I don’t go out looking for trees–but when I’m out sometimes they call me.
This year the Tilia trees’ blossoms came earlier than normal. It was my olfactory pleasure. I could not say no. The fragrance captured me. It made me smile.
An online search of Tilia spp., their floral fragrance and their teas can keep you busy a whole day. Bottom line? Tilia fragrance and perfumes, Tilia fragrance and teas…a deep and mystical appreciation by all involved. No one can describe with absolute certainty what is the amazing fragrance. So, I’ll tell a personal story.
There is a time after the glorious spring greens that a summer tedium green takes over all deciduous trees. Tedium green? That’s the summer green that makes all deciduous trees look the same. They all fade into a dark green, amorphic background.
This morning it began. Mature foliage on all deciduous trees had grown full size and darkened. It was working–each leaf a mini-plant-factory taking in the glorious sunshine and the CO2 to assure their health and ours.
Here is what I found in town. Unannounced, the nearest Tilia tree–its fragrance descended upon me. The tree was already a physical landmark. I realized it was also a sociological landmark, a local center for relaxation–soothing away anxieties. Its fragrance does that.
In other parts of town, people were climbing into the lower Tilia branches where they collected flowers. They took them home for drying to produce homemade herb tea known for its calming pleasure.
Look for your closest Tilia or lime or linden.
***
When CJ went to study local landmarks in the Moroccan towns (medinas), he learned things about landscapes and gardens they didn’t teach at university. Check out Tangier Gardens for a good read.
Primrose joy in the mountains.
At 2,000 meters above sea level, in the northern range of the Swiss Alps, I rediscovered the spring joy I had experienced three weeks ago, albeit at 500 meters above sea level. The glory of walking mountainous landscapes.
This joy can be discovered anytime, anywhere.
This is a similar joy to that Christopher Janus experiences in the Mediterranean gardens and landscape of Tangier, Morocco. For CJ it was both muse and adversary.
That is the story of Tangier Gardens.
