They take lives without mercy.
The closer you get to them the more diversified, dangerous and threatening the topography, forests, cliffs, ravines and rivulets become.
Mountains make clouds do things.
Under the forest cloak, the mysteries become all-consuming.
Then how do the mountains turn into something marvellous?
This is landscape.
And this is what Christopher Janus explores in Tangier Gardens.
Try the story @ https://amzn.to/3HLrtyv
We had April showers and we found May flowers. Modest pleasures. But roses are so much more.
CJ was not so fortunate, but he did find transcendent pleasures in Tangier Gardens. Read a free Amazon sample of my novel–lots of plants, gardens and landscape adventures–via a safe, clean, secure and direct link @ https://amzn.to/3HLrtyv.
Mountains so alive with energy they breathe clouds—in and out… in and out…
Animating so many levels that I can sense… and so many more levels beyond my senses.
Remarkable solar energy exchanges stream through patches of blue sky to electrify the landscape.
With exuberant displays, creeks dance through fields and gush down mountain cliffs exploding with excess energy into bubbling mists of white foam… all the way down… down… down…
To the valley bottom where they join lively white rivers rushing over boulders, winding through steep mixed forests, chartreuse deciduous and deep dark green conifers, rubbing against each other and bursting with an exquisite energy I can feel, I can see, I can hear.
But I can sense the sadness in older people, the farmers, trudging about daily homestead activities burdened with melancholy memories how it was 70 years ago… compared to the invasive, fast moving trains, packed full of ‘bucket-list’ tourists racing on to their next destination before their vacation is over.
And alas, I too, am just one of those tourists… in Switzerland.
But CJ, in Tangier Gardens, Curious Tales, Orient Espresso and Dubai Sands, thought he wasn’t a tourist. Little did he know. Check it out @ https://amzn.to/3HLrtyv
In Tangier Gardens, CJ had so many losing battles—but in the end… Read a free Amazon sample of my novel–lots of plants, gardens and landscape adventures–via a safe, clean, secure and direct link @ https://amzn.to/3HLrtyv.
Take another breath…deep…feeling refreshed?
Now learn about Tangier Gardens.
In my last post, I referred to winter towns squeezed between the mountains and the lake at the shore line. Upon closer examination, they are not squeezed–they just fit. Like we’d all like to fit…and not be squeezed, not be forced.
I think, winter spring, summer or fall, I would have fun walking this village, don’t you agree?
Late December 2020 in the northern range of the Swiss Alps.
I crossed the line.
What? Which line?
Did I stop wearing a mask?
Did I stop supporting local populism?
Did I walk the wrong way on a one-way-street?
No.
I stopped seeing winter as cold, naked and heartless. I stopped seeing winter as death to be abhorred.
No leaves? No problem. No sun? No problem. Huge landscape? Big time. Mountains, sky, lake. Along the shoreline in the middle ground and background, the big landscape squeezes three towns into mere nothingness. And, by God, I saw beauty. I had crossed the line.
…and root beer. I’m not eating or drinking them. I am seeing them in the forest.
No sugar maples? Don’t need them.
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.
1.European linden, Tilia x vulgaris
It was mid afternoon. There was still an autumnal warm sun. I had to take a walk.
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.
3.When I showed my peeps the boat, they said no way. Not sea worthy.
4.Then they pointed to the ship they wanted. I looked. Instead of the ship I saw the fall color in the backgroud forests.
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.
6.Ahhh, yes, this was my pleasure in the Lauterbrunnen Valley away from the tourist route.
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.
