A little less than two months ago, I made my first visit to Chepan Hill (Чепън планина). It was still technically winter, and the upper reaches and shaded sections of the hill remained covered in snow. Other than some evergreen forests almost everything was still brown, and an unmistakable haze from all the wood-burning and coal-burning stoves hung over the landscape. We were told we needed to come back at the end of April when the Dwarf Almonds were in bloom, so that’s what we did. Timing isn’t everything in life, but it’s a lot. And our second trip up Chepan Hill was timed almost perfectly.
Life is also very much a matter of perspective. From a distance, Chepan Hill isn’t too impressive – it looks like an unspectacular rocky, karst hill. But upon closer inspection, the rocky hill is alive with wildflowers, blooming shrubs, and various and sundry small animals. And upon even closer inspection, the beauty of the hill is undeniable.
Some photos from our first trip to Chepan Hill.
One of the few flowers that was out and blooming.
Some shots of and from Chepan Hill the second time around.
Chepan's famous Dwarf Almonds beginning to bloom.
A Ladybird Spider. Very cool.
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