Backyard Beauty

Mulanje Massif, more commonly known as Mt. Mulanje, is the tallest mountain in Malawi. The mountain’s maximum elevation is 9,849 feet at the highest point which is Sapitwa Peak. Mt. Mulanje measures approximately 13x16 miles and can be seen jutting out of the surrounding Chiradzulu Plains for as far as the eye can see. The mountain is covered by a combination of rolling grasslands and deep forested ravines. The forests consist of the Mulanje Cedar trees (which is the National Tree of Malawi). These trees, however, have become limited due to deforestation of the mountain, and efforts are being made to plant, protect and restore the forests on the mountain.  

 

The mountain is home to native wildlife and is also a large tourist attraction for those who wish to climb to the top. (I will be doing this at some point this year; stay tuned for that blog entry.) Due to the elevation of the mountain, rain clouds easily form around the peaks, making it a large source of rain water for not only the villages surrounding the mountain, but also many of the rivers that flow throughout the entire country. Out of curiosity, I looked up if there has ever been snowfall on the mountain. To my surprise I read that snow is very rare but is possible; the last major snowfall with ground accumulation was in June 1954. I’m still holding out some hope that I will be skiing down Mt. Mulanje later this year. Another fun fact I learned while doing a little research about my new backyard, is the mountain is rumored to have been inspiration to J.R.R Tolkien as he wrote the Hobbit … this mountain really is magical.  

Recently I was going through all the pictures I had on my phone and I couldn’t help but notice that almost every day I take a picture of the mountain. In Pittsburgh, when coming home from a trip out of town, I know I’m home when I can see the beautiful skyline of the steel city in the distance. Here in Malawi, I know I’m home when I see this magnificent mountain rising from the plains. There is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful and that I don’t feel blessed that this unbelievable structure is in my new backyard. 

Watching the sunrise breaking over the mountain or a full moon rising above its peaks will be something that I will remember forever. Seeing a rainbow stretch across the sky framing the peaks and valleys of this massive formation will always take my breath away.  They say pictures are worth 1000 words, if that is true, here is  short novel of pictures I have collected about my beautiful backyard I am now blessed to call home. I hope that its beauty brings you as much joy and peace as it does to me daily.