View from an olive grove on Mt. Pandokrater towards Albania and the mainland of Greece.
We hiked up Corfu’s tallest mountain, Mount Pandokrater today—not to the summit, sadly, but still an enchanted hike.
I was astonished to see so many of the bulbs which I’ve bought for my gardens just growing wild—stands of beautiful wild isis, muscari and chionodoxia.
Muscari growing wild in the rocks on Mt. Pandokrater.
Wild iris, Mt. Pandokrater.
Lots of sage and thyme a wonderfully fragrant wild mint.
A bank of wild sage with white flowers, Mt. Pandokrater.
Wild Mint, Mt. Pandokrater
What an amazing micro-ecosystem! Massive cactus growing side by side with olive trees, a smorgasbord of wild flowers, and delicate spring bulbs.
Cactus, probably not native, on Mt Pandokrater.
A delicate white wild flower.
A close up of very plentiful red flower
Star of Bethlehem (?). There were several–all in the centre, between the two tire ruts.
I had read how criminals visit the Great Smokies National Park, and leave with trucks of rare wild orchids which they sell on for $20-40 each. Well, there were thousands of pounds of bulbs growing wild here—nature’s beneficence!
I read yesterday how a family survived at the edge of the taiga in Siberia for decades off berries and bark, unaware that World War II had happened. Even there in that frozen climate nature apparently offered them enough to just about survive. The world is charged with the goodness of God!
Flowers grew out of rocks, abundance and goodness even in the most unpromising times and environments.
Daisies find a foothold in the rocks.
A healthy theology methinks is best worked out in the sun, and fresh air, in God’s creation, your muscles sweaty from hard work, or hard walking. Ora et labora. Prayer needs some work, or some walking to ground it. Saint Benedict got it right again.
LA says
April 7, 2013 at 11:24 amBreathtaking beauty. Thank you for another gorgeous pictorial of flowers that I can enjoy without sneezing :). Spring is so hard for me because as much as I’d like to go out to enjoy the beauty, my body (and in particular my sinuses) rebel and won’t cooperate.
Anita Mathias says
April 7, 2013 at 8:54 pmI had terrible allergies when I lived in Virginia, especially when under stress. In Oxford, I’ve only had allergies one year, again under stress.
Have you considered going to another ecosystem for a week or two to give your immune system a break from the allergens? And then, on your return, it might take another week or two for the pollen to successfully do in your immune system? (I hope it’s not a stupid suggestion; it worked for me though 🙂
LA says
April 7, 2013 at 11:12 pmIt’s funny, when I go to my birthplace where I had allergy shots, I have no issues. Unfortunately, I live in what is called the “allergy capital of the world” – a valley where the company that makes allergy shots is headquartered because everything grows here. We just have an overabundance of pollen – it overwhelms the immune system.
LA says
April 8, 2013 at 11:44 amWanted to add that I’m also doing some home remedying by eating local raw honey from small, local beekeepers I know. And this year, I’m needing less of the western meds for sure! I p’shawed it for a while, then did some research, and decided there was definitely something to it. And, no, your suggestion was definitely not silly…it has been proven that giving your immune system a break works.
Regardless, the flowers there in Corfu are absolutely lovely and I am highly envious of your travels!
LA