About an hour ago, on my way back down from a walk to the top of the No. 1 Line track. At the top I rested for a few minutes in the calm, mild afternoon, ate an apple and, through the binoculars, watched a deer feeding at the top of a slip on the far mountainside. I felt as if I had the whole southern Ruahine to myself.The snow-capped mountains in the distance partly encircle the head of the Oroua River.
All content © 2009 Pete McGregor
And did you see Gandalf riding down from the mountains on Shadowfax? It has that look to it. Just gorgeou.s
ReplyDeleteThis makes me think of a title of one of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings - the Faraway Nearby ... man, how do you do this?!
ReplyDeletekia ora Pete,
ReplyDeleteLovely. I was just in there for the wild weather, missed the big fat high. The Oroua was pretty wild.
Cheers,
Robb
Anne-Marie, I know lots of places in the Ruahine where one could believe Middle Earth characters live.
ReplyDeleteThanks Barbara :^) Actually, I don't know how I do it, but the photos must surely arise at least in part from a long association with a particular place and the consequent accumulation of awareness of that place.
Robb, wild weather certainly has its appeal, but it's hard going unless you can settle down in a comfortable hut and wait it out. Given a choice, I'd probably opt for the good stuff!
Sure doesn't look calm and mild.
ReplyDeleteThis is a breathtaking photo but my heart aches for the trees that are missing and that will probably never return.
ReplyDeleteZhoen, it was strange weather. The rain's taken a while to arrive — it's over a day later and it's just beginning. Still no wind, though.
ReplyDeletePatricia, before humans arrived, that forest on the right hand side extended over the whole area, right down to and over the lowlands. It was in much better condition, too. I can't see it returning in my lifetime.