Thursday Thoughts – Spring Hikes are…

Sheer Happiness!

This hike we do every spring or summer – and it is always a treat. It takes about three, four hours, walking among old and strange trees planted here from all over the world … and it is close to the sea.

This place is home to numerous orchids (a meadow of them in the header) and Pasque flowers – just as beautiful when they are over!

The last flower blooming could also be the last hideaway for a little bug…

This hike is a perfect outing for schoolchildren – but, today we had to step away from the path for several hundreds of kids. Smiling and cheery ones though.

Blindworm or slowworm – I see them quite often. In fact this is a lizard, but legless. This guy was a beauty, about 30 cm long, slim and well fed.

Driving home on old roads to enjoy the flat and open views of the southern part of Skane. A good day we had. And the light lasts far into the night.

Lens-Artists Challenge #252 – What’s Bugging You?

Donna is our host this week, with the intriguing quest for what’s bugging us… And well, mostly I don’t think anything is bugging me…but since Donna asks for it…here’s my gallery of lovely bugs!

Tiny things are often in my lens – I do love macro, but close-ups are ok too. And bugs are definitely an interesting topic.

A big friend…a bit too big for me to feel comfortable! More than once I have had one of these jumping into my face.

This golden guy though, a flower chafer, can also scare me with his sudden thumping into me or my world. He is rather heavy and clumsy – but also a great beauty. In Swedish he is called ”Golden Beetle”, and belongs to the scarab beetles. Which leads me to a visit in the Moroccan desert some years ago.

I cannot say how impressed I was by this little creature covering so much ground so fast in this endless ocean of sand. The first shot is in early morning light and the second is late evening.

Last summer I made some new acquaintances in my own garden – this one I had never seen before and I still don’t know who he is…

Aromia, a handsome longhorn beetle, sitting on a yesterday’s glass left outdoors.

A gallery of last year’s summerfriends – makes me long for the insects to return. The cold and windy spring has taken its toll. But we are ready for take-off!

A special thank you to Anne for last week’s challenge Buildings and Other Structures. It is always fascinating to see how different buildings/structures are constructed and can be both functional and art.

Next week, our guest host is Brian of Bushboys World. The view of Australia through his lens is always fascinating. Be sure to visit his site and join all of us as he challenges us to look for: Fragments.

Interested in going the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.

Thursday Thoughts – The Best Time of the Year

Thursday again, time flies, and faster in the warmer seasons. There is much to do in my garden, but forest baths are essential. I try to take good care of the best season here up north. Life is short, I try not to waste it – but it is difficult to live in the moment…I wonder how many of us succeed in really doing that.

Spring colours in Skane. So longed for and so needed. But a cold spring and early summer. Everything is late. There are few insects and pollinators as the cold and windy days have taken their toll. Still – I hope you will enjoy a piece of our late spring too!

A forest bath is never wrong. Healing and uplifting…if I could I would fly out over the treetops, savouring everything green. I know you would fly with me.

Lens Artists Challenge #251 – Buildings and other Structures

Anne shows us some awesome buildings and structures, some from her trip to Australia. This is an interesting theme with already many responses too.

From me, there is a gallery from Prague – what caught my eye especially in this lovely city.

Ginger and Fred – On top!

Natural structures …too

Juxtapositions are always fascinating

Old and new.

In the middle stands a replica of the Eiffel Tower.

Old and famous

Strange and beautiful church interiors. To the left…figures peeping out from almost every pillar!

Libraries of course

Details details…

Anne asks us to find our own fascinating structures that capture your attention, tell a story or are just beautiful. Capture new scenes or take a trip down memory lane in our photo archives. Remember to link to her challenge when you post and use the Lens-Artists tag. Looking forward to seeing all your artful structures!

Winding beauty – a favourite building style

Many thanks to Amy and her challenge of Cloudscapes and Skyscapes last week. I love skies too, and enjoyed the beautiful images that you all posted. Next week Donna will be hosting LAPC. So, look for her special and exciting challenge.

If you would like to participate weekly in our Lens-Artists Challenge, click here for more info.