In spring time the land is most lively and various usually in the
middle, second phase. Then forests are usually most lively light green and on
the meadows first flowers after the harbingers start to bloom with yellow color
of dandelions and buttercups dominating at the beginning. It is most beautiful
if simultaneously at that time fruit trees are at the peak of their blossom.
All those factors occurred beautifully altogether in the spring of 2016 around
the 20th of April. Let us look at the Šmohor hills again.
After the start of greenery at the start of April and some warm days
after the first April rain, the second April rain came around a week after the
first one. They both lasted a day or two. Again the second rain was also
followed by some sunny and moderate warm days. There were also some clouds, so
the air did not dry out to much and it did not warm to severely. So after the
new rain and enough humidity the vegetation growth continued and the fruit
trees blossomed as well. The beeches bursted in leaf fully and the young leaves
grew. They opened fully and had lively
light green color. Their size was close to mature leafs, however they yet had
to thicken and darken in color. That awaited them in the next few weeks. Many
other trees started to burst in leaf as well at that time. So the forest
finally got fully green in lively and light spring contrast. The fruit trees as
the opposite did mostly not yet opened the leaves but fully blossomed first in
the full beauty of whiteness among spring greenery. So the next step towards
spring color diversity was made. The grass on meadows then grew fully and the
first flowers after harbingers flourished. For the start the yellow color of
dandelions and buttercups dominated at the beginning.
If the land in the first spring phase was not yet fully green and some
brown color were still distinctive, in the second phase the true lively light
green color enriched with the whiteness of blossoming fruit trees dominate. Now
let us head into this spring fairytale in the Šmohor hills on the day of mostly
clear and sunny weather. We start in Pševo village again, continue to Javornik
and visit the top of Jošt as well. Then we also visit Čepulje and Planica and
conclude the day in the fairy spring beech forest near Pševo.
We start again at the opening
and view before the village of Pševo. The vierw on the village already pooves
that the forest is now fully light green
in comparision wit a week ago, since the rest of the beeches bursted in leaf.
Tha fruit trees now blossom fully. We cannot yet see the difference of the
grass on gentle slopes frrom the distance but a bit fuller contrasts are still
visible.
A few steps away in front of the meadow plains we can now clearly see
the grass gas grown from last time and the first buttercups now bloom and give
away some yellow colors among the greenery. In orchards not all of fruit trees
blossom, but some of them started to open the leaves as well.
An even better comparison can be made behind the monument of war
victims. It is a true light green fairytale. Many other forest trees than
beeches as well started to burst in leaf and some bushes as well.
The orchard on the first meadow below the road before the monument now
magnificently blossoms in whiteness. One of the fruit trees starts to burst in
leaf as well and has a more light green color. The photo was made in the
afternoon when the angle of light is better there down the slope and the view on
Ljubljana basin is clear. Some of the clouds were formed above surroundings,
typical for spring.
On the first meadow of the eastern Jošt ridge some fruit trees blossom
in pure whiteness, the others started to burst in leaf. The view on the basin
has more dark green color. The air this time is a bit less clean than a week
ago, which is clearly proven by white haze at the edge of the horizon. The
scene on this meadow is also from the afternoon because there as well the angle
of light on the basin is much better in the afternoon.
The view on Pševo on the sunny slopes of eastern Jošt ridge uncovers
much fuller light green scene. All the forest trees have now burst in leaf. On
the steep slopes the fresh grass started to overgrow the dry grass from the
previous season. So those meadows also started to turn green. Above the
mountains in the distance many clouds have formed. Now the trees on the forest
edge like on the second photo are also greener.
On the first photo we visit the quarry this time as well. The bushes of
this heat spot on sunny Jošt slopes have turned in lively light green color of
young leaves. Among the bushes dominate the willows. I showed another willow
line at the road to Javornik from a week ago. Then they were mostly bleak but
now they burst in leaf. The view on the
homes and meadows beneath the quarry now uncovers fuller contrasts of green,
however the edge of the horizon is paler due to less clean air.
Now we go down to those meadows beneath. From the small ridge on the
slopes we can see some more clouds in the sky this time but only cumulus
without stratus clouds. The sky is spring like light blue. The trees of the
mosaic beneath the quarry that were bleak a week ago have now turned green as
well. On the main ridge of the hills to the west towards Mohor the difference
in colors from week ago is larger than around Pševo. There especially on the
top of the hills there were many bleak trees in the forest a week ago, but now
everything is light green.
Later on we continue through the mosaic towards Javornik. Even a bit
higher the hill the fruit trees are at full blossom. Some smaller meadow trees
like the little maple in the middle of the second photo have also burst in
leaf. The birches have also burst in leaf already like the one on the first
photo to the right. Among fruit trees there are many apple, pear, cherry and
plum trees. Cherries usually blossom a bit sooner than other fruit trees.
A group of white blossoming fruit trees in two different scenes. On the
second photo they are in the center of attention, but on the first one a young
leafed green beauty stands in front, a young lime tree. This scene is
completely different than a week ago. The spruces behind are not so distinctive
anymore since there is way more greenery among.
There are two new scenes of spring greenery. Below the main road between
Pševo and Javornik is a beehive below willows on the top of the meadow. This
meadow is the border between Pševo and Javornik homes around. On the first
photo we look the on meadow loners (maple and two lime trees) from above and
catch the beautiful light green colors from a light angle with some paleness on
the sky behind. On the second photo is the look towards Planica. The forests
beneath Javornik are very various. There were still many brown colors of bleak
trees a week ago but now the light green colors dominate mixed with dark
spruces because forest is fully burst in leaf.
Some brown contrasts are still present beneath the centre of Javornik
village. There not all the trees are burst in leaf and not everyone blossoms
yet. A little height difference of just 50 to 100 meters seems to already matter
for awakening to happen a few days later at some spots. The location and
microclimate also are also important factors there. The meadows around Javornik
are very rich with yellow color of blooming dandelions and buttercups. On the
sky in the back are some small clouds.
Western orchards beneath Javornik seem to be in similar awakening phase
as well. It seems that to the west, when the terrain rises a bit, trees awaken
a few days later. The fruit tree blossom starts there but has not reached its
peak. The most blossoms the one that awakened already in the first phase. The
forest above orchard has now fuller light green color, but some bleak tree
individuals still appear among.
The view towards Čepulje and Planica from the dome also has fuller
greenery now and below the dome more blossoming fruit trees again. In the upper
part some bleak trees still appear. The meadow now has much more yellow color
among greenery due to many dandelions and buttercups blooming. There they bloom
randomly. This is the most common arrangement of individuals in nature. Also
the grass structure differs a lot among spots, probably due to very different
growth conditions – different angles, soil structure and similar factors. There
are now some more cumulus clouds, but mostly above hills in the distance of
southwest.
From the view on Javornik and Jošt from the dome we can see less differences
compared to the first phase. However still the whole ridge fully green with
mixed light and dark contrasts. Only the orchard in front is still mostly
bleak. That is a partly shady slope behind the dome so this might be the reason
that even a bit lower trees do not blossom yet. They at list are opening the
flower buds. Above the slope the first clouds are forming.
On the meadows on the sunny side beneath the dome the orchards are again
in full blossom. So a shady and sunny slope or a bit more than 50 meters lower
than the village can make the difference in timing. The light green magic
towards the sun is now enriched with yellow colors of dandelions and
buttercups.
At the small lodge below the magic view towards the sun is not much
different than a week ago. There were some buttercups already then and there
are not much more now. The only difference is the two fruit trees at the forest
edge that now blossom. The haze on the horizon is now a bit more distinctive.
The view uphill is oppositely much different with many yellow dandelions and
buttercups blooming and many fruit trees in blossom. The bush at the edge of
the forest is now green, however the chestnuts still wait to burst in leaf.
This time let us visit the top of Jošt as well. If we follow the road up
from Javornik, we come upon one opening in the forest with this fantastic view.
This time it offers us the true idyllic green contrasts from the most light to
most dark green color. The horizon sparkles in sunlight since the air is not
clean.
The road leads us towards the top through that really beautiful forest.
This time it is enveloped in the greenery of fresh leaves. However this upper
zone may awaken a week later than the foothills. Sometimes the opening of the
leaves may happen simultaneously, but even than higher up may need a day or two
more to develop leaves. It all depends rather there is enough water supplies
and sunlight. Among trees there are also some gaps and among beeches there are
some spruces and firs.
When we arrive on the top of the fill a large meadow opens. At the
forest edge we come upon a green magic of mixed light and dark contrasts
shining beneath the light blue spring sky. The tree structure is very various
with many coniferous among broadleaf trees. On the northern side of the trees
shades are still pretty distinctive even though they are now much shorter than
in winter.
The peak of Jošt is now even closer. The hut on top is hidden behind
spruces. Below them there are some willows that are still bleak on the top of
the hill. There nature is partly still in the first phase or is not yet in the
peak of second phase. The meadows are also not awakened yet with little flowers
that opened just now. On the top of the hill grass grow a bit shorter in the
summer than down on slopes.
There is the view from Jošt to the west. It is a magnificent view in the
fresh greenery of young grass with lively green birch and two pines in front of
us. In the back is Jelovica and above the plateau clouds formed. On the first
photo there is Mohor in front of Jelovica. The forest is mixed so there are
mixed light and dark green contrasts. The mountains behind Jelovica are poorly
visible due to haze. Now let us circle around the top.
Now let us circle around the top. A small lodge embraced by light green spring larches on the top behind the church. The lodge is called the Krek house. There are a few more lodges besides the main hut with a restaurant on the top. The mentiones Krek house, the Finžgar house (named after the writer Fran Saleški Finžgar that was writing there for a while) and a scouting lodge. The scouting lodge is on the eastern side of the top a bit lower in the forest.
After we make a circle around the church we come back to the western
side where the hut is. For the end let us look towards southwest from below the
hut. In lively spring greenery of the meadows the other peaks of Šmohor hills
sparkle in the distance. They are enriched by mixed light and dark green
contrasts. On the first photo are Špičasti hrib on the right and Mohor on the
left. On the second photo are Planica and Lavtarski vrh in the back between
Lavtasrki vrh and Špičasti hrib is Škofja Loka Triglav – Stari vrh with its two
neighbors in the haze.
There is the spring magic of the light green forest as we descend from
the top towards the quarry. If we look down like on the first photo the
contrast are dark green whereas uphill like on the second photo the lively
light green contrasts express the most. This is a southeastern slope. The direct
sunlight is in the morning there and later on during the day the sun shines
from an angle.
At Čepulje the land is much different than in the first phase. Meadows
are full of yellow dandelion and buttercup color. Špičasti hrib is now fully
green, whereas a week ago only beeches were already burst in leaf. The
domination of coniferous is not so distinctive anymore there. The forest edge
behind the meadow also turned green. On the second photo is the upper part of
Čepulje behind some various blossomed, leafed or bleak bushes. Above it is the
main ridge also embraced in light green color.
On the view towards Strmica and Škofja loka hills behind there also much
fuller greenery and some yellow dots on the meadow. Above the hills and Julian
Alps behind quite a plenty of clouds formed during the day. To the west there
are higher hills and mountains so the greenery awakened a bit later and only
now the land turned green (a week ago there was more bleak brown color). On the
second photo a view on the basin and Sora field is similar except there is more
variety on the meadow in front. There are also some blue colors of
forget-me-nots (Myosotis flowers). Some
of the fruit trees blossom now and the forest edge with various tree species
and not many beeches burst in leaf.
The idyllic farm beneath Lavtarski vrh is now covered in whiteness of
blossoming fruit trees. The young tree leaves of the forest edge behind grew
fully now. The air is a bit less clean now and the mountains behind are not so
well visible and besides there are more clouds above them. On the second photo
is the view on Planica. In those forests coniferous trees dominate and the
fruit trees in front have just awakened on shady slopes in the upper zone of
the hills. The meadows around are not very various yet as well.
For the end let us visit the magical beech forest near Pševo. The young
leaves are fully opened now and let less light through. They only have to
mature. There is now more shade and the light green spring color expresses even
more. As stressed it additionally by setting ligher contrasts on the photos. The
first photo is from the morning turned uphill opposite to the sun. The other
two were made during the day. They are from the same spot, the second vertical
and the third one horizontal. The vertical one has darker contrasts and the
horizontal one is lively green with a blue sky among canopies in haze.
A few steps down the slope there are more wonderful scenes among the
greenery. The sun rays are making many light spots among the shady ground. Now they
are smaller and more scattered than a week ago us canopy leaves grew. The contrasts
from an angle to the sun were set lighter again to stress the greenery. On the
second photo is less haze in the sky though so same pale blue color is visible
among the canopies.
We should not forget to look among the canopies. There are many contrasts
of green: from dark on shady side of the leaves to light on the sunny side. The
gaps among the canopies are filled with the light blueness of the sky in
sunlight of midday.
For the end let us turn uphill as well on the first photo and towards
the sun on the second. On the first photo the contrasts of trunks and greenery are
much lighter then towards the sun. That is why uphill we look on the edge of
the sunny side of the trees and towards the sun on the shady side.
However the camera allows as to change contrasts and the last vertical
photo was made uphill from the same spot than the first one above. Uphill we can
clearly see how the beech leaves are fuller that in the first phase since being
fully opened. However since they are yet to mature they are still of pretty
light green color. When they mature they will be a bit thicker and the color
will be much darker due to fuller pigments.
The the second spring phase in Šmohor hills gave us some true lively
green fairytale of spring. However the vegetation growth is not over. The fruit
trees are yet to burst in leaf and so are some chestnuts and bushes. The forest
tree leaves will also mature on. That is much still to happen and it is and
everything. There was one other special
surprise the spring gave that season. More about that follows in the last phase
of the first season from the beginning of May.
Till next time, Aljaž
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