06-Sep-2021
“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”
Early in the morning, when no one is around, my thoughts swell like sails in the wind and lead me to retrace sensations, readings or encounters that have contributed to the formation of my life.
Many years ago I read a book that left an indelible mark on me, as many books have the power to do.
It was called "The Conquest of Happiness" written by the philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell.
Just this morning, when the sun was having fun painting the dawn sky with vibrant colors of optimism, a phrase from that book came to mind:
"The secret of happiness is very simply this: let your interests be as wide as possible, and let your reactions to the things and persons that interest you be as far as possible friendly rather than hostile"
Every day, during this month of September, I will try to share with the visitors of this photo gallery some pictures and some little stories of my daily life.
In case you are curious to also see the images of the previous days, instead of taking a look only at the most recently posted photo
05-Sep-2021
I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat
“Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are God. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are God.
The phrase ‘domestic cat’ is an oxymoron"
If a kind visitor had the curiosity to know what else I do, besides walking around and taking pictures...
CLICK
04-Sep-2021
A solitary giant...
Herman Hesse wrote that trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.
Trees fascinate me and calm me down.
I particularly like solitary and isolated trees, as if they expressed a sense of independence, without being comforted by the close presence of other trees, in the protection of a forest.
One tree is more than first a seed, then a stem, then a living trunk, and then dead timber.
One tree is a slow, enduring force straining to win the sky.
03-Sep-2021
A natural frame for our lake.
When I took this photo, during one of my morning walks, a quote from Oscar Wilde came to mind.
“Things are because we see them, and what we see, and how we see it, depends on the Arts that influenced us. To look at a thing is very different from seeing a thing. One does not see anything until one sees its beauty. Then, and then only, does it come into existence. "
Of course, I cannot compare myself to an artist and therefore, unfortunately, art is unable to exert on me the same effects that it has on authentic artists, who naturally cultivate it in their creative spirit. However, I believe in the power of beauty, which is proposed to our eyes, indifferent to whether or not we have the skills to grasp and understand it.
The beauty of nature, in its simple purity, is never complicated, but, at the same time, it is complex. The positive impact it has on us depends on our ability to perceive it as fully as possible.
If a kind visitor had the curiosity to know what else I do, besides walking around and taking pictures...
CLICK
02-Sep-2021
A silent morning walk
Some seem to be afraid of silence, as if it were a dangerous place of the spirit, suspended on an abyss, which must necessarily be filled with sounds and words.
In fact, I also believe that I would be frightened by absolute silence, which fortunately I do not think exists in nature at all, thanks to the atmosphere that allows sounds, even the faintest, to spread.
When I speak of silence, I do not mean the total absence of sounds, which I can only imagine as distressing, but the welcome absence of unpleasant noises and voices.
Silence, understood in my sense, is rich in virtues and generates introspective reflection or, simply, peace of mind.
I am reminded of a film by the great Italian director Federico Fellini, entitled, if I remember exactly, "the Voice of the Moon". At one point, one of the protagonists said "Hush, let's have a little silence. If everyone did a little silence, we would finally be able to understand something."
I like to walk alone, along a country lane, accompanied only by a distant echo of muffled sounds, the song of the wind among the leaves and the croaking of invisible crows.
It really is a great way, even for my limited mind, to start understanding something.
If a kind visitor had the curiosity to know what else I do, besides walking around and taking pictures...
CLICK
01-Sep-2021
The vineyards of early September
There isn't much to say. Who can ever care to share my disordered reflections, which keep me company during my daily walks? In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.
Goethe said (if I remember more or less exactly) that the soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone. According to the words of the great German poet, my spirit should have the gift of perceiving the beauty of what surrounds me, since I especially like to go for a walk alone.
Much more modestly, I think I am able to pay attention to the details that mark the passing of the seasons.
September starts today. The vines are still a triumph of green leaves, which will soon turn to golden yellow, the bunches of grapes are already well formed, even if they do not yet stand out in the green, camouflaged among the leaves. Yet time will pass faster than it may seem to me and the change in colors will be the measure.
If a kind visitor had the curiosity to know what else I do, besides walking around and taking pictures...
CLICK
