Homage to Americana

Jakubowizna puts me in mind of the big skies of the Great Plains illuminated by a midsummer sun, snapped on Kodachrome through a polarising filter, the aesthetic of mid-century America. Home to GIs, who grew up in the Depression, then fought in the Pacific or in Europe, and returned to a land of plenty. They grew into maturity in Technicolor to a stereophonic soundtrack in hi-fi.

The land south of Warsaw at this time of year resonates with that feel, especially with a polarising filter on the lens to accentuate the contrast between the blueness of the sky and the whiteness of the clouds.

Below: Scrub land between Chynów station and the orchards of Jakubowizna. Ranks upon ranks of clouds file back all the way north to Warsaw and up towards the Baltic. The days are long, and at long last - warm. Warm enough to ride a motorbike.

Below: although nowhere to be seen on the municipal development map, it looks like a new road is being built parallel to the the tracks. The 'up' line still functions for trains to and from Warsaw, while the 'down' line is nearly ready, with just a short stretch between Chynów and Sułkowice awaiting new rails and final electrification.

Below: on my way to W-wa Jeziorki station, passing along ul. Dawidowska, the blue skies giving more of a Mediterranean air to the place. The road has been widened slightly as work on new sewage pipe running the length of this stretch has just been completed.

Left: my brother Marek referred me to the black & white American Road photography of Robert Adams, so here's a Robert Adams-inspired snap of my motorbike outside the J&B snack-bar in Chynów. I had my first hamburger since the start of Lent on 26 February.

Today was also my first proper motorbike ride since last October; not a particularly long one, but enough to instil confidence in both my skills - my seventh season - and my machine. Note: the level crossing between Chynów and Jakubowizna is closed for the new track laying; the detour around Grobice via a string of villages is long and convoluted, and requires riding along the DK50 (Warsaw's de facto southern bypass, below).

Below: the działka's looking good. The geodeta (legal or sworn land surveyor) is booked for next week; he will formally demarcate the eastern edge of my land so I can fence off the entire plot (see the post from this time last year, below, for details). My father's passing, winter and Covid-19 have put back formalities somewhat.

Below: just down the road a piece from my działka, walking through a charming wood.

This time last year:
This land is my land

This time five years ago:
The day, seized.

This time eight years ago:
Classic British cars for British week

This time nine years ago:
Cara al Sol - a short story

This time ten years ago:
Pumping out the floodwater

This time 11 years ago:
To Góra Kalwaria and beyond

This time 12 years ago:
Developments in Warsaw's exurbs