Category: landscape

Waterford, Ireland

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National Library of Ireland, 1929Christmas tree wagon of William Power & Sons, merchants of seeds and trees. Photo taken at Waterford, Ireland, courthouse on December 16, 1929, via National Library of Ireland Commons on flickr.

There’s another good photo of this little girl (possibly a Power) and another loaded company wagon here.

To be
Brought down at last
From the cold sighing mountain
Where I and the others
Had been fed, looked after, kept still,
Meant, I knew — of course I knew —
That it would only be a matter of weeks,
That there was nothing more to do. . . .

— James Merrill, from “Christmas Tree“

Münster gardens, Basel

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The simple garden behind the Münster of Basel, Switzerland, features a bronze replica of the church and its cloisters.

The building — constructed from the 13th century to 1500 — was originally a Roman Catholic cathedral and is now a Reformed Protestant church.

To scroll through larger versions of the photos, click on ‘Continue reading’ below and then on any thumbnail in the gallery.

The harp at Nature’s advent strung
Has never ceased to play;
The song the stars of morning sung
Has never died away. . . .

The blue sky is the temple’s arch,
Its transept earth and air,
The music of its starry march
The chorus of a prayer.

So Nature keeps the reverent frame
With which her years began,
And all her signs and voices shame
The prayerless heart of man.

— John Greenleaf Whittier, from “The Worship of Nature“

‘Tis the season, Basel

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We spent Thanksgiving in Basel, Switzerland, arriving in time for the formal opening of the city’s Christmas market.

The lovely old city center, with many buildings from the 14th century, was mostly decorated with fir trees and lights. It was an idyllic place to start the holiday season.

Click on any thumbnail below to scroll through all my (larger) photos and captions.

Spalenvorstadt in early morning — a Christmas tree between each building.
The 14th century Spalentor city gate.
A tall Christmas tree at Spalenberg and Schnabelgasse
. . . wedged into a hole in the pavement.
Many streets in the city center are pedestrian only.
A mistletoe seller across from the tree.
A section of the Christmas market at Barfüsserplatz.
Small trees hanging in leather bags.
The Christmas tree at the city town hall or Rathaus.
It really is that red, a standout in a cream and gray city.

‘Tis the season, Stuttgart

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Cut long-stem amaryllis flowers.Almost every German city and town puts on an elaborate Christmas market during the Advent season.

The Stuttgart market — held since at least 1692 — is an excellent one. It made The Telegraph’s top 10 list this year.

As I walked around it on Thursday, taking these snapshots with my phone, I wished that I could also capture its wonderful smells: bread and pastry, sausage, and hot spiced wine (Glühwein).

Click on any thumbnail below to scroll through all my (larger) photos and captions.

Looking down Königstraße, a 1.2 km. pedestrian shopping avenue, which begins at the main train station.
Two parallel rows of pollarded plane trees are a feature of the avenue.
A Christmas tree seller.
The trees set in half-log stands.
I bought one of these little trees and carried it home via U-bahn and bus.
The seller was also carving decorative items on the spot.
In this area, most of the stands were selling flowers and greenery.
A wreath seller.
Cut long-stem amaryllis flowers.
Boxes of small apples for decoration.
Ornamental kale.
I meant to buy a pot of two of these amaryllis, but the seller had closed by the time I walked back that way — which is just as well; I could never have carried them and the little tree. A good reason to go back.
Elaborately and expertly decorated roofs are a feature of the stands at Schillerplatz and Marktplatz.
What’s better than an early afternoon glühwein or, in my case, hot spiced wine with honey mead.
This stand sells products from wild boar meat.
At Schillerplatz, in front of the Old Palace.
No, that’s her index finger.
A hat seller.
Christmas stollen.
Everyone wants a mid-afternoon Berliner Pfannkuchen.
Schillerplatz.
At Schlossplatz or Palace Square, there was a miniature train and model city. The ice rink is in the background.
Pretty much a typical southern German small town.

Three swans

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Rodin's garden, Library of Congress“Landscape, Rodin’s garden, Meudon, France,” 1905, by Gertrude Käsebier, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.