Wednesday, May 18, 2011

THE DRAKENSBERG IN MAY



"Is it not possible that a place could have a huge affection for those who dwell there? Perhaps your place loves having you there. It misses you when you are away and in its secret way rejoices when you return. Could it be possible that a landscape might have a deep friendship with you? That it could feel your presence and feel the care you extend towards it? Perhaps your favorite place feels proud of you…" - John O'Donohue (in his book Beauty)


May is my favourite month of the year because it is my birthday month (it is also Autumn) and my husband treats me to a 4 day stay in the Drakensberg. At the beginning of each year I start the countdown and by the time May rolls around I am more than ready to head for the mountains.


We were lucky enough to have a suite facing the mountains with no buildings to obstruct the view. This photograph was taken from the patio.


Drinking water with cupped hands straight from a mountain stream always tastes better than anywhere else.


So many of the trees in the Eucalyptus Forest were hollowed out, inviting one to step inside and contemplate life as a tree .... except there was always that lingering thought..... What an ideal nest for snakes and spiders!


It was well worth the steep climb up to the fern forest and a great way to work off 2 or 3 buffet meals a day.





We came across this baby Berg Adder. It is one of the most poisonous snakes in the Drakensberg....... and yet we were drawn to it.

It is particularly beautiful at the end of the day when shadows fill the hollows in the hillside and Egyptian Geese gather before flying home to roost.

"Now I was suddenly made aware of another world of beauty and mystery such as I had never imagined to exist, except in poetry...I experienced an overwhelming emotion in the presence of nature, especially at evening. It began to wear a kind of sacramental character for me. I approached it with a sense of almost religious awe, and in the hush which comes before sunset, I felt again the presence of an unfathomable mystery. The song of the birds, the shapes of the trees, the colors of the sunset, were so many signs of this presence, which seemed to be drawing me to itself. " - Bede Griffiths

53 comments:

  1. Gorgeous place! And a very happy birthday month to you.... A beautiful snake, indeed, and it seems you survived your curiosity unscathed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It looks magical indeed and it does look like it is the kind of place that draws you to it. It is my birthday month too! I hope yours is wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy Birthday Robyn...looks like you celebrated in style while visiting paradise...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for taking me there! The first shot is such a beautiful lead into the post. What a wonderful view you had of those mountains. Did you go climbing?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Glad you are back and had youe birthday in such a stunning place.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a marvelous treat. I too feel like I am nearer heaven when in the mountains. The air, the sky, the water. It all is better. Happy birthday.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fantastic photos. I, too, am fascinated by the beautiful snake. Happy Birthday! x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy birthday, Robyn. What a beautiful place! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow, Robyn!!! I'm speechless! Looks like paradise to me!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Just inspiring, and what I needed this rainy week in New York City.

    ReplyDelete
  11. All those places of beauty and peace..OK maybe not the snake..
    Peace what a beautiful thing to have in our spirit..Have month of May for celebrating the joy of your birth.
    Katelen

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy b'day to you Robyn. The snake icks me out but the rest of your photos are beautiful. Drakensberg looks like an amazingly serene place to visit, a perfect way to spend your birthday.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Happy Birthday Robyn. Thank you for the glimpses of the Drakensberg mountains. The mountains are special to me too.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Happy Birthday Robyn!

    Love that second to last photo of the reflection in the water - gorgeous!

    Sigh, although I love my life now, I do sometime miss my former life in the mountains...

    ReplyDelete
  15. I should remember the word you taught me long back, something with/like a "jubilanee" to wish you a happy birthday. Thanda thanda and many blessings. Thank you for all you share so generously too.

    I love your writing here--the mountain view and esp. these words, "many of the trees in the Eucalyptus Forest were hollowed out, inviting one to step inside and contemplate life as a tree..."

    I see you doing this and I see your sculptures around you too as Tree transformed by your own soul vision and beauty.

    much Joy Health (Trees to mark with your Vision) and Thanda.

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a magical place! Thank you for sharing it with us. And happy happy birthday to you!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy Birthday Robyn. Looks like you had a wonderful time away.

    ReplyDelete
  18. "I felt again the presence of an unfathomable mystery."

    Yes.

    Happy Birthday month to you dear Robyn!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Happy Celebration of life so well lived and honored Robyn!

    ...the photos are mystical and moving...I too am drawn to the Adder and love the idea of Egyptian Geese flocking to roost for the night.

    Cupping hands into a rushing stream...ahhh...life.

    May your year ahead surround you with deep love and light and wonder.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Happy Birthday to yooooooou (and me). What a magical... and spiritual... place! LOVE the photos, particularly the first. Hope you are refreshed and ready for the next year.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I can not think of a happier way to spend a happy birthday- So gorgeous! I, too, would have been drawn to the snake- I love them.Happy birthday- glad you are back, missed you!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Gorgeous photos of an incredible place. From the majestic mountains seen from your patio to the apricot coloring of the flora...beautiful to see. So glad you shared your birthday images with us. Happy rest of May!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Happy Birthday Robyn and thank you for sharing in words and photos your sacred Drakensberg.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Happy Birthday!
    Fascinating images= Thank you for the inspiration-

    ReplyDelete
  25. if beauty had an age, it would be ancient...

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a beautiful place! Thanks for sharing the photos.

    Happy Birthday!!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Happy birthday. What a beautiful place and wondrous way to celebrate!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I can feel how much you love this place, the mountains are so stunning and mysterious, and the skies so deep.
    Welcome back home to you, to your own wood and carvings! roxanne

    ReplyDelete
  29. it's May again -

    I remember the trip last year - the haunting angles of mountain an the ghostly colors..

    lucky and much loved you.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love the quote from O'Donahue and your orange mushrooms.

    ReplyDelete
  31. A very happy birthday to you. What an amazing (and dangerous) place.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Wow - so much awe-inspiring beauty!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Beautiful, Robyn. I love the hollowed out trees. Like something out of a fantasy. I hope you had a wonderful time.

    ReplyDelete
  34. happy birthday and what a perfect place to go to celebrate, what beauty and majesty... xo

    ReplyDelete
  35. Oh Robyn - how I have missed you. When I changed my blogger address and account all my favourite artists dropped off my side panel. But now I have got you back on there and I can start watching out for updates.

    Happy birthday month btw, and GORGEOUS photos!!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Dear Robyn-I am so glad that you had a fantastic trip! Happy happy birthday! I am so glad that the most dangerous thing you encountered was a baby adder!!! Love your pics...I have heard about the Drakensburg Mountains but have never been there. Oh! I am going to add this quote to my journal...I love it! So glad you are back safe and sound! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  37. the Berg is soul food - it feeds the soul, opens the heart with its beauty, and makes one feel that everything will be okay. i agree that this is the best time of the year, the way the sun makes everything look, the warm days, the relief from a long hot summer.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Mmm.... so pleased I didnt miss this post... where have I been? Happy birthday Robyn... and what a divine way to mark this time each year... beautiful post!
    And hope all went well with your work being finished for the deadline I seem to recall...
    Here's to a wonderful year ahead!
    Sophie

    ReplyDelete
  39. Happy birthday & what a wonderful place to be. More relaxing than your last trip?!

    ReplyDelete
  40. welcome back and Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Beautiful words and images Robyn!!! I know you had a lovely birthday...thanks so much for sharing! Hope the coming year is wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Looks like a beautiful place to spend a birthday - that first pic is super-serene!

    ReplyDelete
  43. It looks like a broody magical place in the forest. I laughed out loud literally when I read about things lurking in the trees. I don't know if I could relax in Africa, I'm so feeble about crawlies and ur one's can kill or injure at the least. still its lovely to see you out having a great vacation with your man. Happy Birthday dear Robyn. I'm happy that you're happy. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  44. It's been too long since I last dropped by...your photos are exquisite...I feel that call to "place" to "home" when we drive up to the White Mountains...I love what John O'Donohue had to share...how the world misses that brilliant, beautiful soul.

    ReplyDelete
  45. such beautiful flora and fauna- nature gone wild- left to its own devices- beautiful and wild is the best combination. no wonder you look forward to this birthday month and trip all year long.

    ReplyDelete
  46. All I can say is "Wow" - such beauty. I loved the John O'Donahue quote, too. It seems to apply to my favourite places and made me consider them with a different viewpoint.

    Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Happy Birthday, Robyn! (belated) Such beautiful photos. I, too, am drawn to snakes, even the poisonous ones. That adder is fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
  48. What a wonderful way to spend your birthday each year! Thank you for sharing your photos. The Drakensberg is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  49. What a terrific birthday treat! I love your photos! May is my birthday month too.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Greetings From Southern California

    I added myself to follow your blog.

    I invite you to visit TOGB and follow back.

    God Bless You :-)

    BTW, Great Photos!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Miss you Robyn...hope you are busy creating amazing sculpture or spending time with loves ones (including your precious self)...that all is well with you my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Your photos are beautiful. Thanks for sharing with us.

    ReplyDelete