I grew up in Florida. All my life, I have lived in a flat land, almost surrounded by water. I have been drawn to these waters and find great peace in the sound of waves breaking on the beach.
If I get to choose a vacation spot, I will almost always select either ocean or gulf. These bodies of water captivate me and I can sit for hours watching the varied changes of the water. I have seen dolphins dance and birds fly into the sun. The beaches offer me so many gifts. I feel at home when wandering Florida’s beaches.
I never thought another place could match my love of beaches and the sound of waves. The Swiss Alps have taught me otherwise. I arrived in Switzerland in early May. At this time, some of the mountains still were covered in snow that shined white in the sunshine. The trees were still leafless and the cold made this Florida girl bundle herself in warm coats.
Now everything is green and flowers fill the fields. The snow still glistens on the far mountains, but nearby the trees have climbed high up the mountains.
I have come to realize that these mountains mesmerize me because every time you look at them they are different, like the waters of Florida. Both are magical places, testaments to the glory of nature. I could stay here and look at these same mountains forever, just as I can gaze out on the Florida waters forever.
Unfortunately, I must leave and who knows when I will return to these mountains. I imagine I will dream about the beauty they have shown me. Like my beaches, they have given me an appreciation for the wonder of nature and the beauty of God’s creation. I will miss these mountains very much.
As I will be traveling when you read this post, I am closing it to comments. But I’m leaving with a quote that captures my feelings for these majestic mountains and, of course, more pictures of them.
“Come into the mountains, dear friend Leave society and take no one with you But your true self Get close to nature Your everyday games will be insignificant Notice the clouds spontaneously forming patterns And try to do that with your life.” ~ Susan Polis Schutz
Me and my camera!
An Exceptional 10...
Colleen
Davina
desk49
Hilary
JC
Lynn
Talon
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
OMG! This is GORGEOUS. That rainbow picture is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Thanks for sharing your experiences and images here. I loved seeing them. It’s a gloomy, cloudy day here and that image of the rainbow just put a big smile on my face!
Positively Presents last blog post..dip your toes into the moment
The Alps are so amazing! I am drawn to mountains and long to have a cute little home nestled in the mountains (one can dream, right). If I had a choice, I would choose mountains over water…there is something so magical and majestic about them. How wonderful that you had this experience…cherish it
Carolines last blog post..Wow…I said that?
Oh what wonderful shots of the mountains. I really love the rainbow shot. Enjoy your travels!
Gerris last blog post..Friendships
Hi Sara. You forgot to close comments — ha, ha. Good, cause I get a chance to say, Stunning Photographs! They give me the chills. How majestic this place is. You actually captured that rainbow! Thanks Sara for sharing these incredible photos from your journey. Hope your travels have been as enjoyable.
Davinas last blog post..Heads Up — Beware of Crows!
Hi Sara, I just have one word to say : “Beautiful”.
You got great shoots.
Arswinos last blog post..What Does Love Mean?
Now, THAT’s a camera!!
And my heart is fairly breaking with each of those photos. Is there no end to creation’s beauty??
Glad comments are open too.
Jannie Funsters last blog post..“Blame Tara Who?” Meme
Hi Sara!
I, like Davina am so glad too that you did not close the comments! I am so happy that you had and are having such an amazing time in the Alps – they truly are magnificent beyond belief. And many of us really cannot imagine what real mountains are like living in North America, unless we are perhaps in the West. But even that does not compare to the Alps!
So happy travels!
And I also wanted to let you know that I am extending the “Kreativ Blogger” Award to you! I really enjoy your photos and the contests you had and your writing! No rush, if you choose to accept it, you can always participate in it when you come back
You can read about it here:
http://evolvingscenes.com/posts/458/did-someone-say-award
Evitas last blog post..Did Someone Say Award?
You’ve been fortunate to have lived in those two lovely places.
I wish I could visit the Alps one day. Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos.
Jocelyn at I TAKE OFF THE MASKs last blog post..Let the Negative Things Inspire You!
@ Dani — What’s even more amazing about that rainbow is how BIG it was. It was a complete arch from one mountain to another. I’ve only seen one other in my lifetime like this. By the way, according to the locals, rainbows like this one are very common and there can be multiple ones in the mountain…kind of neat, right?
@ Caroline — now that I’m back in Florida and it’s over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, I think I’d choose the mountains too! I agree with you about the magic of mountains and if I thought I could survive 7 months of snow, I would seriously consider living in Switzerland. However, I’ve only experienced snow two times in my life and both times were the equivalent in Florida terms to a “light shower.” I have a hard time picturing me trundling through the Swiss snow:~)
@ Gerri — I’m back now in the States, but I did REALLY enjoy my trip. As Caroline suggested, I will cherish it. Thanks for your comment:~)
@ Davina — Well, you know the true story now about the comments! Seems I still have a lot to learn about WordPress. On the other hand, I’ve loved all the comments and so maybe it was a gift that I couldn’t figure how to turn off comments:~)
@ Arswino — Thank you for your nice comments about the photos. You should see these mountains in real life…there aren’t enough description words to capture their beauty. Each time I looked at them, I felt I was given a gift:~)
@ Jannie — The easy button is pretty good on the Sony…thank goodness:~) I wish you could have been at the top of the mountain with me. On the other hand, I don’t know if Blue Bunny would have liked the tram ride as it was rather scary!
@ Evita — THANK YOU!!! I’ve only been back a short time, but I will check it out. You are so nice and it makes it feel very proud to accept your Kreativ Blogger award:~) I have copied the rules and will formally accept the award on my next Thursday post.
Also, I’m pleased that you enjoyed the photos of the Alps. As I said to others, I wish I could somehow transport everyone there because pictures and words just don’t quite capture the magnificence of the Swiss Alps. I feel very lucky to have had this opportunity!
@ Jocelyn — I agree about being fortunate and I pleased you liked the photos. By the way, I liked your post, “Let the Negative Things Inspire You!” I agree with you that we sometimes need to be shaken up a bit so that we can fully appreciate the beauty of our lives:~)
awesome photos.
thanks for sharing.
best wishes
Ribbon
@ Ribbon — I’m pleased you liked the pictures. Just keep in mind, the pictures are not even close to the real thing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts:~)
Sara, your photos of Switzerland are awesome. The one with the rainbow is beyond beautiful. When I see the Swiss Alps I’m always reminded of the song from “The Sound of Music” – “the hills are alive with the sound of music” and it’s so true. Breathtaking!
Talons last blog post..Some things are just beautiful…
@ Talon — The picture with the rainbow only told a small part of the story. It was a huge rainbow that arched from one set of mountains to the others…I’ve never seen anything like it. It makes me happy to know that you like the pictures:~)
like to be there if got the oppurtunity
@ rishi kohli — It’s a beautiful place to visit…go there if ever you can:~)