I have decided to keep blogging here, along with a permanent link to my website ...
The back of this house reminds me of someone no longer with us. He lived for his garden and kept the back of the house looking as good as the front. Here there were secret shadows and leafy corners with tiny violet-type flowers; small orchids and rock plants hidden under sheltering fern leaves, or tucked under mossy humus (for those who took time to look for them). Those plants are not there any more, possibly because there is no-one to notice any more. No-one to point them out. I miss the tiny, startling-blue eyes of these flowers. And the gardener who planted them there to be noticed, or not.
This place that I love is a place that everyone all over the world, loves. Because it is a place that everyone all over the world loves, it has become crowded and commercialised. Capitalism reigns here in Queenstown, New Zealand.
However, if you are lucky enough to have somewhere that is home in this tourist resort; somewhere where you do not have to enter into the madness of tacky tourist gee-gaws; it is still possible to simply lift your eyes to the mountains, or to breathe in the cool, fresh-air fumes of a lake that sits in the lap of those mountains; a lake so deep and snow-fed, the sun will never warm.
And in autumn, the views are extra specially vibrant ...
When we visited last, tui were loudly announcing their presence in this tree and others. Too quick for a phone camera, I didn't even try to capture them. I was just happy to hear their melodic song, striking as deep as sun on to moss.
Queenstown is a ski resort, so eyes and noses are turned skywards for the snow ...
Meanwhile ... at the back of the house ...
roses still bloom
and quiet flowers wait to be noticed.
