Between the struts

This is the view I can have from our balcony and as I often sit there looking at the landscape, and not at the struts, I came to a very strange experience, because I don't see it as shown on the photo, unless I close my left eye and if I close my right eye I see it more or less as follows (see below)

Spot the difference!

So what happens if I open both eyes and try to focus on the whole landscape behind the struts?

The horizontal lines have 'breakages', somehow there are two images which don't coincide or fit together and not only between the struts but also behind the struts. Please note; the struts are larger then drawn( = seen) as one can see behind them. The breakages can be most clearly seen at boundaries e.g. between the large grey field and the forest behind it, or when one looks at cars driving along the road, they jump up and down, including the road.
Again, this is not only between the struts, but also behind the struts.
You can imagine that this puzzled me and I questioned myself what is going on.

I will first show you how I made a photo of what I see, more or less, between two struts and then we can go through step by step what is happening.
I took a photo what I see with my left eye, which is on the photo underneath on the right (!) and took another photo what I see with my right eye (which is on the left in the photo) and then put them together (with photoshop!). And this is more or less what I see if look fairly relaxed at the scene.
The tree in the middle (second large one fro the left)  I could see with both eyes, but they do not totally overlap, but this is difficult to see. The discrepancy is much easier to see with horizontal boundaries e.g road and the two horizontal lines at the bottom of the photo.

Image as seen with both eyes

Image as seen above railing (but with one eye!)

However there can take changes place in the image;

• If I bend my head either towards the right or left then the two horizontal lines can meet and form one line again.
• The interpenetration of the images (left and right) is stronger the further the objects are away from me.
• The interpenetration of the images (left and right) also changes if I put my face nearer the struts.

Let us do a very simple example to get acquainted with the relation between images of far and near objects. This is from the book 'Optik der Bilder' by Georg Maier.

When you focus on background.           When you focus on nearby

The first picture shows what you see when you focus on the cup;
You experience the cup as a physical object which coincides with the image from the left and the right eye. The hands are just images which don't coincide with the actual object and you can more or less look through them.
 
In the second picture it is the other way around. You focus on the stick and suddenly there are two cups.

Now the problem with the struts is that the gap between the struts is smaller then the distance between our two eyes
Let's make a sketch when you look between two struts.

Focusing on background between two stiles

Here it becomes clear that for the right eye the tree in the distance is on the right side of its visual field (red) whereas for the left eye the tree is on the left side of its visual field (blue).
However with my left eye I can see what is for the right eye behind the stick on the right and with my right eye I can see what is for the left eye behind the left stick. So I look behind/through two sticks and my visual field widens.
Here it becomes clear that the two images partly overlap and in how far, depends on the distance of the object one is focusing upon.
Also notice that in actual fact we put  two images together but they are crossed over. So the image on the right is from my left eye and the image on the left is from my right eye. This is not how we usually look at things. When we look at an object, we look with the right eye at the 'right' side of the object and with the left eye at the 'left' side of the object and through this process an object gets the character of a tangible object which occupies space as when we at the stick or at the cup in the above mentioned experiment.

Now imagine a bird from the tree is flying towards you, then the nearer it comes, the nearer the bird comes to the centre of both visual fields, that is for left and the right eye. That is why the image of the object nearer to you becomes more clear and more tangible.

Now the question why the horizontal lines have breakages;
You can do a simple experiment. Have a horizontal stick about a meter or more in front of you and then look between two flat hands at a section of the stick. Your hands should be about 10 cm apart.
Tilled your head a bit so the stick shows breakages.  If you tilt your head to left, that is left eye down and right eye up, the image on the right=(left eye image) goes up and left image (=right eye image) goes down.

But taken altogether one can see that we can squeeze in between the railings and see more then the width between the struts.

Now what do experience when we try to focus on the space behind the strut?

 

Here we can see respectively with our left eye and the right eye the tree, what is for our nose behind the strut. But here it will depend on the width of the strut in how far the images overlap. In this drawing the image of the tree can be seen with both eyes, but if our head is tilted e.g left eye is lower or higher then the right eye, then the image can be above each other. However in this instance the strut more or less disappears, it becomes transparent.

Altogether it becomes clear that what I viewed through the struts is not an illusion. This does not mean that the borders/ horizontal lines are not in line or that cars are bobbing up and down, but once we work out what is happening we understand how it comes into being.

However the experience that cars are bobbing up and down and the road is cut into pieces etc is a real experience. 

Nescio rediscovered

In the 60's I read with enormous pleasure the novella 'The uitvreter' (The Sponger)  partly perhaps because I was also young and could not work out why people make themselves so busy and we had so many better ideas. But also I grew up opposite Veere, where many parts of the story unfolds. I have not taken many Dutch books with me on my further journey through life, but the 'Uitvreter' I have always kept and read it quit often. When I miss Holland? It is such a typical Dutch book. Language is simple, straight, open and without pretensions. However it is also deep!

A few month ago I discovered his Collected Works, but also saw his 'Natuurdagboek' (Nature Dairy). It seemed to me to be a bit boring to read somebody else's dairy. However when I read his Collected Works, I realised that many descriptions of the landscape are very significant. It became clear that the way Grönloh saw things is not the way we normally look. I will come back to that later.

During my period in Holland a few weeks ago (October 2010) I ordered the 'Natuurdagboek' (Nature Dairy) and so that I could read it when I was in Holland.

First I stayed with some friends in Kamperland and on a beautiful Sunday we cycled to Veere. The weekend after I stayed with a friend in Amsterdam and again, on a beautiful Sunday we cycled for 5 hours (!) around the area where Grönloh cycled or walked often.

Here are some pieces about and from Grönloh.

"Veel fietsen. Veel stilstaan. Veel praten. Veel om ons heen kijken. Hij keek, hij kon ontzaggelijk goed zien, observeren, hij zag de dingen zoals een schilder zou ik zeggen, en mischien nog dieper als een schilder" volgens Kees Zwolsman (in 'Over Nescio' ed; Lieneke Frerichs)

Translated; "Much cycling, much standing still, much talking, especially much looking around. He looked, he could see an enormous lot, watching, he could see things as a painter I would say, and perhaps even deeper as a painter " according to Kees Zwolsman (painter)

Gaasp

"Ik ben nu 65 jaar. En een half. Ook de weinige jaren die mij wellicht nog resten hoop ik door te brengen in stil verkeer met onzen Lieven Heer en zijn velden en boomen en waters zonder bemiddeling van priesters en hoogepriesters" (Belijdenis; 22/12/1947)

Translated; "I am now 65 years old. And a half. Even the few years which will be left to me I hope to pass in quiet company of our Dear Lord and his fields and trees and waters without a go-between of priests and high priests." (Confessions; 22/12/1947)

Veere seen from Kamperland; Left the Hospital (Large Dome)

In zijn Natuurdagboek noteerde hij op 18 juli 1951: "Bus naar Veere en meteen over naar Kamperland. Os bleef in den toren achter om ons na te wuiven. Donker en winderig. Gezicht op Veere. Met hetzelfde bootje terug omtrent 3 uur in Veere terug. Met Louis op het Hospitaal (Groote Toren) geklommen. Beperkt zicht: Schouwen nauwelijks, Zierikzeee twijfelachtig, Goes niet, Vlissingen nauwelijks, Westerschelde niet.
Maar het Veersche Gat heel blank en Zandkreek met hoog water en een prachtige bocht. Op de balk gezeten met opgetrokken knieën en tegen de balk als in 1908 zoo te zeggen haast bij God (tusschen half 5 en kwart voor 5). Veere vol touringcargedoe.’ 

Translated; In his Nature Dairy he wrote on 18 july 1951; "Coach to Veere and then straight over to Kamperland. Os stayed behind in the tower to waive us goodbye. Dark and windy. View on Veere. With the same boat back arrived back in Veere at around 3 o'clock. With Louis climbed on top of the Hospital (Great Tower). Limited view; Schouwen barely, Zieirikzee doubtful, Goes not, Vlissingen barely, Westerschelde not.
But Veersche Gat (waters) totally blank and Zandkreek with high water and a beautiful bend. Sat on the beam with lifted knees and against the beam as in 1908, so to say nearly by God (between 4.30 and 4.45). Veere full of touring car happenings."

Veere, Campveersche toren

"Twee dagen sjouwden Bavink en Japi in Veere rond en toen jijden en jouwden ze elkaar al. Urenlang zaten ze samen op 't dak van 't Hospitaal en keken over Walcheren, over de Kreek en 't Veergat en den ingang van de Oosterschelde en de duinen van Schouwen. En daar had je de dikke Jan ook weer, den toren van Zierikzee, nu in het Noorden. En daar had je Goes en Lange Jan, den toren van Middelburg, de spil van Walcheren, het hart dier wereld.
En 't tij kwam in en 't tij ging uit: 't water rees en viel..... "( De Uitvreter 1911)

Translated; "For two days Baving and Japi trampled around Veere and they jelled and shouted at each other. For hours they sat together on the roof of the Hospital and looked over Walcheren, over the Kreek and Veergat and at the entry of the Oosterschelde and the dunes of Schouwen. There you had again the 'Dikke Jan', the tower of Zierikzee, now in the north. And there you had Goes and Lange Jan, the tower of Middelburg, the centre of Walcheren, the heart of that world.
And the tide came in and the tide went; waters rose and fell...." (The Sponger 1911)

Here it becomes clear that the many descriptions in his novellas were from his own experiences.

Polder south of Amsterdam

"Een weidsch gezicht, weidsch genoeg vooor mij, mijn hart zwelt en het landschap zwelt mee, de lucht is zoo hoog en 't is of ik daar zoo zou kunnen leven, zonder vriend, zonder bakker, zonder melkboer, zonder kruidenier, zonder vuilnisvat, zonder kleren, zonder sigaren desnoods en zonder pijpje tabak en dat zegt heel wat." Insula Dei 1942 (in 'Boven het Dal')

Translated; "A wide view, wide enough for me, my heart swells and the landscape swells with (me), the sky is so high  and it is as if I can live there (in the landscape) without friend,without baker,without milkman, without grocery man, without dustbin, without clothes, without cigars if necessary and even without smoking a pipe and that says a lot." (Insula Dei 1942)

'Twee maanden na mijn terugkomst kwam-i me heel kalm vertellen, dat-i zijn gezicht op Rhenen in stukken had gesneden. Enzo was 't. De rivier, den berg, den Cuneratoren, de bloeiende appelboomen, de roode daken van Rhenen, de kastanjes met hun witte en roode bloemen, de bruine beuken en 't molentje ergens in de hoogte, 64 gelijke, rechthoekige brokken van 15 bij 12 1/2 centimeter hatti er van gesneden, met een bot knipmes. Een heel werk was 't geweest. 't Ding had hem geërgerd. 't Was niks, totaal niks, vodden. Hij wou van mij weten, waarom iemand schilderde. Hij begreep zelf niets meer. Hij stak z'n arm uit en wees in de ruimte. Dáár waren de dingen. Hij sloeg met z'n vuist tegen z'n voorhoofd. En daar waren ze. Er uit wilden ze, maar ze deden 't niet. Stapel gek werd je ervan."(Titaantjes 1915)

Translated; "Two months after my return, he came to tell me calmly that he had cut his view on Rhenen in pieces. And so it was. The river, the mountain, the Cunera tower, the flowering apple trees, the red roofs of Rhenen, the chestnuts with their white and red flowers, the brown beeches and the small mill somewhere high-up, 64 equally, rectangular pieces of 15 by 12 1/2 centimeters he made of it, with a blunt boneknife. It had been a lot of work. The thing had infuriated him. It was nothing, totally nothing, rubbish. He wanted to know of me why somebody painted. He himself didn't understand it anymore. He lifted his arm and pointed out into space. There were the things. With his fist he hit his forehead. And there they were. They wanted to come out, but they didn't. Crazy you became of it." (Titaantjes 1915)

Cloud and light show with cows and all

"Hoe kan iemand 'diepzinnig' willen zijn, als zulke werelden zoo maar je ogen binnenkomen, met koeien en al." ( Natuurdagboek 10/11/1953)

Translated "How can one want to be 'profound' when such worlds enters you eyes just like that, with cows and all" (Nature Dairy 10/11/1953)

"En heb je ooit twee maal hetzelfde gezien? Nooit."

Translated; Have you ever seen the same twice? Never"

"God leeft in mijn hoofd. Zijn velden zijn er onmetelijk, zijn tuinen staan er vol schoone bloemen, die niet sterven, en statige vrouwen wandelen er naakt, vele duizenden. En de zon gaat er op en onder en schijnt laag en hoog en weer laag en 't eindeloze gebied is eindeloos 't zelfde en geen oogenblik gelijk. En breede rivieren stroomen er door met vele bochten en de zon schijnt er in en ze voeren 't licht naar de zee.
En aan de rivieren mijner gedachte zit ik stilletjes en genoeglijk en rook een steenen pijpje en voel de zon op mijn lijf schijnen en zie 't water stroomen, voortdurend stroomen naar 't onbekende. En 't onbekende deert mij niet. En ik knik maar eens tegen de schoone vrouwen, die de bloemen plukken in mijn tuinen en hoor den wind ruisschen door de hooge dennen, door de wouden der zekerheid, dat dit alles bestaat, omdat ik 't zoo verkies te denken.
En ik ben dankbaar dat dit mij gegeven is. En in ootmoed pijp ik nog eens aan en voel mij God, de oneindigheid zelf."(Titaantjes 1915)

Translated "God lives in my head. His fields are unmeasurable, his gardens are full of flowers, which don't die, and stately women walk naked, many thousands. And the sun rises and sets and shines low and high and then again low and the endless fields is eternally the same and no moments are the same.
And wide rivers stream through with many bends and the sun shines in them and they transport he light to the sea.
And on the rivers of my thought I sit quietly and pleasantly and smoke a little pipe and feel the sun shine on my body and see the waters flow, continually flowing to the unkown. And the unknown doesn't bother me. And sometimes I salute the beautiful women, who pick the flowers in my gardens and hear the wind murmuring  through the high pine trees, the forests of certainty, that this all exists, because I choose to think so.
And I am happy that this is given to me. In humility I have another puff of my pipe and feel my God, the eternity self" (Titaantjes 1915)

"Weer eens het gevoel gehad dat Amsterdam van mij was en dat ik 't zelf had gemaakt (wat ook waar is want niemand ziet 't zoo)" (Natuurdagboek 10 juli 1954)

 Translated;"Yet again had the feeling that Amsterdam belongs to me and that I had created it myself (What is also true as nobody sees it so)" (Nature Dairy 10/7/1954)

Walk in the Razes area

A few weeks ago we went for a fairly long walk in the Razes area which lies south of Castlenaudery.
We drives many times through it on the way tho Carcassonne, but this time we want to explore it.
It had something very attractive, it's consist mainly of 'rounded' hills, fairly open countryside and very open views.

Pyrenees in background

Parked the car in a village on top of one of the 'rounded' hills we walked for a fairly long time until we came to a nice spot where from we could see very characteristic features of the landscape.

Where we sat to do our drawing

We sat fairly high up and looked down a valley and along the edges, where it did get steep,  we see strips of woodland, but then higher up, where it became less steep, there were the 'open' fields.
The bottom fields were mainly used for grass and if very open for mais, but the top fields used for wheat, barley and alfalfa. It is mainly a limestone area, so it can become dry, also we are in the South of France don't forget.

 

Also you can see that as we look south, the north-facing slopes are woodland,  because it is too steep and/or too less sun and facing the cold northern winds.

The trees were mainly just grey or dark silhouettes, apart from some few beeches with still their withered leaves on 

When we went further on our walk and saw an unusual shaped building with in the background one of those typical hill-fort villages of the area.

Then we walked further and as we walked fairly high up, we had fantastic views on the mountains with the different layers of landscape in front of it.

We walked for a short time on a plateau, an ideal place for sheep.

During such a walk there are so many observations and thought that one can't do justice in explaining it in a short post with only a few photos, but it gives you a glimpse.